Hope for Him

Nehemiah 9:17+21 But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them…Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.  The story of the children of Israel is so applicable to a sinner. Our lives and hardships can correlate to them by how God was always faithful in the end. God forgave them for their unbelief and was so gracious to them. So often I have unbelief. I leave in two days and my program is done in two months. I have no clue what I am doing. I can have unbelief but I know God will never forsake me. His steadfast love abounds every day. I have no need to worry or be anxious. My God will be with me in every step of the way. So often I forget that though because I want to control my life. I forget that there is a higher being who I have asked to lead me. I need a reality check every one and a while. I reme...

Psalm 119:37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;  and give me life in your ways So often I can get caught up in my thoughts. I think of something and I just go down a road in my mind. And most of the times it’s worthless things. It’s worthless things in this time in my life. I want to be in a relationship, I want a career, I want to be successful. Things I could never be satisfied apart from the Lord. I have been taking my thoughts captive and praying that the Lord would align my thoughts to his ways. I get so weary at school that I think about going home. And this is on the usual. It’s a daily thought process but I know I am to be present. I have also been praying that I would be present with the things the Lord has called me to in this time of my life. I want life in the Lord’s ways. His ways are perfect. Who wouldn’t want a perfect life? Well, a life perfect from being in the Lord’s will. I want that life. And I know that if I think of a life apart from God’s ...

2 Peter 1:5–7 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. Reading this verse, there are seven qualities that make us more like Christ. Being saved we have been taken out of the world and its corruption. We are now granted promises of protection and deliverance from our Lord. As I maintain these qualities I can become more like Christ and experience more of his divine nature. I have been meditating on these things so that this week and the rest of my life I can always be adding to these. I am to add goodness, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Looking at these things I can see the lack of them in my life. Being only here in Uganda for two more weeks I want to finish strong. I can see t...

It is very interesting because I am reading through the Bible in a year thematically as I came across this verse. I am reading through Number and Psalms right now. It is so interesting how both can correlate so well. The psalmist writes how the Lord brought the children of Israel through so much but they still did not walk in His ways. I have been challenged this week to walk in the Lord’s ways. That if I open my mouth, He will fill it. I’ve learned this week that if I need guidance from the Lord it requires faith. Ive needed faith to ask the Lord for strength as I work with kids each day. In this verse rock is looked at as a difficulty. And the Lord always gives us something sweet from a hard time or a rock we have to jump over. This week has been tough just like last. It was tiring being in class with kids who don’t listen or respect me. But there is honey that comes from the rock. A little boy in my class, Shadrack, is friends with Joel and he came to our home yesterday. This boy...

  Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. This week has been full of trials. I have been daily battling my flesh. My flesh is being tested. School has been hard, I’ve been stressed out, we haven’t been able to get our visas, and this weekend is very busy. But this isn’t suffering. This is life. This happens all the time and I should not say, “woe is me”. That is why it's hard for me to tell others what I am feeling or going through. I bottle everything up inside until it comes out in frustration. But there is always grace. Thankfully. But this weekend I had to make a decision that my flesh did not want. And we will see what happens. But I am so thankful that every morning this week I have been able to get up and hear from the Lord. It has been fruitful to be able to...

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. As Christians we are to boast in the things that we are weak in. Because the things that we are weak in, Christ makes us strong. And this weak I am proclaiming how faithful the Lord has been. This pass weak I have been sick which makes me miss home. I miss the comforts. And I’ve been trying to hide it. I don’t like going up to someone and telling them my problems. I like to bottle things up inside which isn’t good. But that weakness was seen by a leader and I was approached. I was asked how I was doing. And I couldn’t lie. I said what was on my mind and woke up the next day praying Psalm 17:6-7. I had a feeling it was going to be a hard day so I prayed that the Lord would show is steadfast love and answer my call. After I had gotten all my work at school done I began to think about home again as I walked to the church’s cafe. As I was sitting there Betty asked if anyone wanted to help a prayer child read a  let...

Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.  Last week ended with great hope. I had great hope that this week would be so much better since being more comfortable in the classroom. But starting the week off I had some conflicts. I got sick. I have amebas. I didn’t find out until today. I had to stay home from school for two days which was really hard for me. It was humbling watching someone else take my position and learn so much. It’s not an easy job but it’s rewarding. It was rewarding getting out of the car and seeing my kids run at me yelling “teacher” and giving me giant hugs. Staying home today was a challenge just because I don’t like to sit around resting. I like doing tasks and getting them done. But the Lord gave me this section of scriptu...

Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12  But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. This section of scripture did not hit me until yesterday. At first it reminded me of a game we play sometimes that about having one hand up or down. Moses is on a hill with Aaron and Hur and has the staff of God in his hand. But what is incredible is that 11  Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’s hands got weary to the men helped him by holding his hands up. This happened until the end of day. I can’t imagine holding my hands up for that long but it is a beautiful picture. It relates to us interns so much. We are to hold up the hands of our leaders. That can lo...

Philippians 4:8-9   Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.  So the past week we have had the PFM team from Montana here in Uganda for the Pastor’s conference. It was a radical week. So many things were taken place and the spirit was really moving through every one of us as we went there as a team. As I got there I really knew the Lord was going to work in my heart. But little did I know he was going to work in my mind. The whole week the enemy was putting lies and doubts in my head. One day Jojo asked me how I was doing and I explained this to her. She then gave me this verse. I needed to combat the enemy with whatever was true, honorable, just, pure,...

1 John 4:18–19  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19  We love because he first loved us. Love does not envy, boast, is arrogant, or act rudely. Sometimes these things come out when we have a fear of man. I know I have a daily battle with myself because I sometimes fear man. But there is no fear in love. If i fear then I have not been perfected in love. This is something I have been mediating on. I have been reading 1 Corinthians 13 and realized what perfect love is. It is truly our heavenly father. But looking at love in others lives it is patient, kind, rejoices in truth, hopes all things, believes all things, and endures all things. Do I have those in my life? Most of the time no. But I am challenged to practice these so that I am not fearful. It is interesting to me that fear is used indifferent ways of the Bible. Like how we are to fear and have reverence tow...

Exodus 4:10–12   But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11  Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12  Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” So often we don’t think we are equipped for what God has for us. Moses didn’t. He saw the signs of the Lord and still asked for someone else to do his job. The Lord then used Aaron to speak through as Moses shared with him the things from the Lord. I sometimes feel myself in Moses’s circumstance. I fail to do the tasks the Lord has for me and come up with excuses or complain that I’m not good enough. But being “not good enough” is a lie that the enemy uses in my head. But when I’m at Kid’s club or teaching at Sunday School or assisting, the Lord will speak through me if I’m...

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20  where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.  Hebrews 6:19–20. Prior to this verse the writer says that Abraham was patient and the Lord gave him what he promised. The Lord was his steadfast anchor and I had to ask myself if the Lord was my steadfast anchor. Do I only hope in the Lord or in things on earth? I honestly sometimes put my hope in man. I have become more of a man pleaser being here. But the Lord has reminded me multiple times the authority he gives to man and he needs all the glory. The Lord has destroyed that in my life and I am so thankful for it. Jesus has gone before me and has lived here on earth. He sympathizes with us because he became man. We can cling in to his promises because he is faithful. I loved reading this because it was confirming to what I was prayi...

Sow for yourselves righteousness;  reap steadfast love;  break up your fallow ground,  for it is the time to seek the Lord,  that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.  The past week, the Lord has given me the word steadfast. I haven’t realized it until last night. I am reading through Genesis and it has been brought up so often in that text with Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac. It was even confirmed in reading Miss Pam’s book. Steadfast means unwavering or standing firm. I have felt useless this week. I like to keep busy but this season the Lord is being my rest. I am having more time to spend in the word. I am having more time to fellowship with my brothers and sisters. But as I look around and see others doing more because they are more capable I get discouraged. I am so thankful the Lord has given me “steadfast” at this time. In this season this is what I am to be. I was looking at references of this word and I came across this verse. I knew ...

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38  therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37–38. The harvest is ready because the kingdom is at hand. But few are willing to further the kingdom. We are to pray earnestly about more laborers being sent out to further the Lord’s kingdom. Some are willing but are they willing to take steps of faith? Am I willing to take steps of faith everyday? I’ve been challenged to be in constant prayer for the laborers to come. For ten years my brother has not been walking with the Lord. He has turned away and lived a carnal life. He dated and then married an unbeliever. But the whole time our family prayed for their salvation. My parents prayed earnestly. And on my moms birthday they both walked up to an alter call and received Christ into their hearts. My mom said it was the best present she has gotten. When I found out my eyes welled up with tears. I thought of how faithful ...

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”  In this section of scripture God is reiterating His covenant to Jacob that he had already given to Isaac and Abraham. He tells Jacob of the blessings he has and how his descendants will multiply and fill the earth. In this dream that Jacob has shows that God is and will always be present with Him. Today I had to lay something down. A desire of mine had to be put aside. I am also feeling attacked today. I read this section this morning and am intrigued at Jacob’s response. Jacob makes a vow to the Lord. This morning I made a vow to the Lord. I will show steadfast love and faithfulness. From today on I am going to wake u...

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it , and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. I have been reminded lately that i need to fear the Lord. In all that i do I’m to fear the Lord in reverence and respect and that is for my leaders too. I am to respect my leaders because they have God given authority. The decisions that my leaders make i need to respect. Now being off of tour and onto the field I’m under new authority. That means new rules from my overseers. But being here has been awesome. I’m in love with the scenery and of course the people. The people are so loving, so kind, and full of joy. God is so big and he touches the lives of people here that have so little. They fear the Lord just as i am supposed to and i crave the joy that they have. They will be in the book of remembrance just as i will be. Along with reverence, the Lord has been teaching me ...

"…so guard yourselves in your spirit and do not be faithless” I need to faithful in all things and guard myself. I have learned this in all of tour. I have had to guard myself in certain situations. I need to guard myself around the people I’m with because so often I can get butt hurt over responses or such. There was one time we went to this event called Jesus Burgers in Santa Barbara. We helped college kids hand out free burgers along with prayer to drunk and high kids partying on Friday night. I grew up with friends who partied but never went. God took those people out of my life during the end of high school and I never understood until now. I was curious and the enemy would put thoughts in my head. But I knew I had to have the Lord guard my heart in that day. My mind can go down paths that would think, “what if I had a different life before I surrender my life to Christ and I didn’t grow up in church”. But God had me in that upbringing because I have little self-control. I...

On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.  This is a verse of hope. This is a verse of life and regeneration. The Lord promises these things in our lives but how often do we forget the promises he has given? I know I forget all the time the promises the Lord has given to me and I don’t cling on to the truths in His word. This portion of scripture is a beautiful prophecy of when the Jesus comes back to Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives will bring forth water to the Kidron Valley. The Kidron Valley flows all the way to the Dead Sea which has no life. The river that will flow to the dead sea will bring life to it. This prophecy is going to happen soon because the Dead Sea is drying up day by day. The Lord is going to bring life to that sea. This past week I have felt dead. We are all getting sick but the Lord is still sovereign. We all feel dead. Words of Rache...

And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them.  I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”  This verse is talking about the remnant of Jews that will be protected after the Tribulation. Two-thirds of the Jews will be destroyed but the Lord will keep one-third. Even though this section is prophesying the future of the Jews it really has spoken to me. This verse reminds me of 1 Peter 1:7 which states, “   So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. The Lord has been refining me through the fire every day of my field time. He has been exhorting me, there have been times of rebuke, and he is also answering me as I call upon His name. I am being tested in this s...

Haggai 2:23 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.” Zerubbabel was given a task. He was to finish the building of the temple in Jerusalem. He was given that task by the Lord. The whole book of Haggai shows how the relationship with the Lord and Zion is so beautiful. Jerusalem is His city. It is His dwelling place. In Psalm 76:2 the Psalmist states that the Lord indeed does dwell in Zion. The Lord entrusted Haggai to be the prophet in this time as Zerubbabel was in charge of rebuilding the temple which is the Holy place where people can worship and see the Lord’s presence. The Lord chose Zerubbabel and made him like a signet ring. Signet rings were so important in that day. I remember seeing King Hezekiah’s signet ring in Jerusalem. It marked who they were and which authority they were given to rule. The Lord gav...