The older I get physically as well as the more mature and wise I become spiritually, the more people I have on my prayer list. How about you? My personal and private list seems to get longer as I add more people almost on a daily basis. My prayer list consists of family members, biological relatives, spiritual family, friends, acquaintances, and others.
Whether its people who have done us wrong or whatever else, we can trust that God will take care of all of the people involved and all of the situations in our lives. The prayers of the righteous are both powerful and effective (See James 5:15-17). They help all of us truly accomplish God's purpose and plan (See Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28).
God tells all of us to "pray without ceasing" in His word (See 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
To assist you in your prayer life, two annual prayer journals are both available through CreateSpace and Amazon.
365-Day Prayer Journal: Praying Without Ceasing
366-Day Prayer Journal: Praying Without Ceasing
Copyright 2017 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.
Showing posts with label God's purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's purpose. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Nothing is Ever Wasted
Nothing is ever wasted in God's kingdom.
Have you ever thought about it?
Everything that you have gone through in your life is used for your good and God's purpose (See Romans 8:28).
Think about Joseph for a moment. He is a great example for the purpose of this lesson.
After everything he went through in his life, God not only brought him through all of it but brought him out better than before.
Joseph had God-given dreams. Perhaps, he was very young and naive at the time because he prematurely shared those dreams with his family specifically his earthly father and older brothers.
As a result, his brothers caused all kinds of problems for him. They were initially jealous of him and his big dreams that he shared with them. They made fun of him and treated him poorly.
They threw him in a deep pit. Then, they sold him into slavery. Lastly, they made it look like he had been killed by a violent animal by tearing up his prized robe and putting animal blood on it (See Genesis 37).
What the devil meant for Joseph's harm though, God turned around and used for His purpose and plan (See Genesis 50:20; Jeremiah 29:11).
Even though Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, he came out better off in the end. God promoted him and increased him over the years afterwards. He became ruler over a successful and prosperous land. His biological family experienced hardship and suffered during a famine in their particular region. Since they were in the midst of a crisis, they came looking for assistance. They wound up in the land where Joseph was in charge of everything. At first, they didn't even recognize their own younger brother after all of the years had passed since he was sold into slavery. However, Joseph had the opportunity to meet and speak with them during their time there (See Genesis 38-50).
He told them, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20, NIV)."
Joseph recognized that his older brothers were used by the devil to hurt him, but now God was using it for his good to save many people in the land.
The same is true for you. All of the hardships, trials, challenges, and struggles that you have endured may have been meant for your harm by the devil, but God is going to use them for your good as well as for His purpose and plan. Many people will be saved as a result of everything that you have gone through in life. You will also come out better and stronger in the end.
God has great plans for you. Do not allow your temporary circumstances in life to make you forget that truth. His plans are better for you than you may even physically see with your own eyes right now. His plans are for you to have a hope and a good, successful, and prosperous future (See Jeremiah 29:11).
Have you ever thought about it?
Everything that you have gone through in your life is used for your good and God's purpose (See Romans 8:28).
Think about Joseph for a moment. He is a great example for the purpose of this lesson.
After everything he went through in his life, God not only brought him through all of it but brought him out better than before.
Joseph had God-given dreams. Perhaps, he was very young and naive at the time because he prematurely shared those dreams with his family specifically his earthly father and older brothers.
As a result, his brothers caused all kinds of problems for him. They were initially jealous of him and his big dreams that he shared with them. They made fun of him and treated him poorly.
They threw him in a deep pit. Then, they sold him into slavery. Lastly, they made it look like he had been killed by a violent animal by tearing up his prized robe and putting animal blood on it (See Genesis 37).
What the devil meant for Joseph's harm though, God turned around and used for His purpose and plan (See Genesis 50:20; Jeremiah 29:11).
Even though Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, he came out better off in the end. God promoted him and increased him over the years afterwards. He became ruler over a successful and prosperous land. His biological family experienced hardship and suffered during a famine in their particular region. Since they were in the midst of a crisis, they came looking for assistance. They wound up in the land where Joseph was in charge of everything. At first, they didn't even recognize their own younger brother after all of the years had passed since he was sold into slavery. However, Joseph had the opportunity to meet and speak with them during their time there (See Genesis 38-50).
He told them, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20, NIV)."
Joseph recognized that his older brothers were used by the devil to hurt him, but now God was using it for his good to save many people in the land.
The same is true for you. All of the hardships, trials, challenges, and struggles that you have endured may have been meant for your harm by the devil, but God is going to use them for your good as well as for His purpose and plan. Many people will be saved as a result of everything that you have gone through in life. You will also come out better and stronger in the end.
God has great plans for you. Do not allow your temporary circumstances in life to make you forget that truth. His plans are better for you than you may even physically see with your own eyes right now. His plans are for you to have a hope and a good, successful, and prosperous future (See Jeremiah 29:11).
Copyright 2015 by Dawn Freeman. All rights
reserved.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
We Learn What We Live
Children learn what they live. I am sure that you have heard that one
before. It is actually the title of the written work, Children Learn What They Live, by Dorothy Law Nolte published in
1972.
Recently, I was reminded of specifically the title because it is also a good and true sentence.
I was working on a paper for seminary in the last couple of weeks. I was having a difficult time finishing it. It was already late. I had already missed the deadline for the on-time submission. However, as I was working on finishing it up, I heard my mother's voice inside of my head saying, "Get it done! Just get something down on paper, and get it done."
It has been more than 20 years since my mom passed away. Yet, while growing up and being in school, those kind of words came from my mother to me usually when I was working on a paper or another school assignment.
I have always been somewhat of a perfectionist and, at times, procrastinate until the last minute on projects such as research papers. My mom on the other hand was not that way. She was more of the get it done, matter of fact, straight forward, practical type of mother. Of course, I am also a lot like that in my life.
But, when it normally came to doing school work, I was not that type. I believe it helped me having her there with me telling me, "Get it done, Dawn! Get something down on paper. Get it done!"
We all need people like that in our lives. People who will motivate, challenge, and inspire us to be our best selves. People who will push us to the limits in a good way.
I am glad that I had her there with me at the time. As I mentioned earlier, I can sometimes still hear her voice after all of these years which brings me to another point.
"Train up a child in the way (s)he should go, and when (s)he is old (s)he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6, NKJV - emphasis added mine)
By my mother helping me during my earlier years in school, I am able to still hear her voice in the way that she would want me to go in school---specifically during seminary now.
God is so good and amazing! He give us our parents, siblings, relatives, friends, and others in our lives. Everyone has a part to play in God's purpose and plan for us (See Jeremiah 29:11). They all help lead, guide, and direct us into the path that God has for us.
Who has influenced you in your life? Will you take the time to tell them, "Thank you!"? If they aren't still living in this world, will you then "Thank God!"? Thank Him for giving you that person, those people, whoever they may be or may have been to you for all the years they have been in your life. They influenced you. They helped mold you, make you, and shape you into the person you are today. God used them whether they acknowledge, realize, know, or understand it. You are now better for having had that person or those people in your life.
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)
Copyright 2015 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.
Recently, I was reminded of specifically the title because it is also a good and true sentence.
I was working on a paper for seminary in the last couple of weeks. I was having a difficult time finishing it. It was already late. I had already missed the deadline for the on-time submission. However, as I was working on finishing it up, I heard my mother's voice inside of my head saying, "Get it done! Just get something down on paper, and get it done."
It has been more than 20 years since my mom passed away. Yet, while growing up and being in school, those kind of words came from my mother to me usually when I was working on a paper or another school assignment.
I have always been somewhat of a perfectionist and, at times, procrastinate until the last minute on projects such as research papers. My mom on the other hand was not that way. She was more of the get it done, matter of fact, straight forward, practical type of mother. Of course, I am also a lot like that in my life.
But, when it normally came to doing school work, I was not that type. I believe it helped me having her there with me telling me, "Get it done, Dawn! Get something down on paper. Get it done!"
We all need people like that in our lives. People who will motivate, challenge, and inspire us to be our best selves. People who will push us to the limits in a good way.
I am glad that I had her there with me at the time. As I mentioned earlier, I can sometimes still hear her voice after all of these years which brings me to another point.
"Train up a child in the way (s)he should go, and when (s)he is old (s)he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6, NKJV - emphasis added mine)
By my mother helping me during my earlier years in school, I am able to still hear her voice in the way that she would want me to go in school---specifically during seminary now.
God is so good and amazing! He give us our parents, siblings, relatives, friends, and others in our lives. Everyone has a part to play in God's purpose and plan for us (See Jeremiah 29:11). They all help lead, guide, and direct us into the path that God has for us.
Who has influenced you in your life? Will you take the time to tell them, "Thank you!"? If they aren't still living in this world, will you then "Thank God!"? Thank Him for giving you that person, those people, whoever they may be or may have been to you for all the years they have been in your life. They influenced you. They helped mold you, make you, and shape you into the person you are today. God used them whether they acknowledge, realize, know, or understand it. You are now better for having had that person or those people in your life.
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)
Copyright 2015 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Running the Race
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that
so easily entangles. And let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer
and perfecter of faith. For the joy set
before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Consider Him
who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and
lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)
There is a tendency in this world to get our eyes off of Jesus and onto our natural circumstances. The devil would like to distract you, hinder you, interrupt you, and shake you up in this world. He would like to keep you from being and doing all you were created and called to be and do for God's purpose and plan.
Jesus did not allow the enemy to hinder, distract, interrupt, or shake Him up. He did not allow the devil to keep Him from being and doing all He was created and called to be and do for His Father's purpose and plan. We cannot allow the enemy to keep us from being and doing all we were created and called to be and do for our Father's purpose and plan (See Jeremiah 29:11-13).
There is also a tendency in this world to compare our spiritual journey and life to the journeys and lives of others in the world, specifically within the body of Christ. It is another tactic of the enemy though. None of us have the exact same purpose and calling in God's plan. None of our paths will look exactly alike. Sure there may be some similarities, but we are all different. We all have different purposes and callings in our creator's master plan.
Let's briefly look at the journeys and lives of the Apostle Paul and Jesus' disciple, Peter.
Paul was called by God to be an apostle (See Romans 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; 2 Corinthians 1:1-2). He did not just decide for himself that he was an apostle. God specifically created Paul to have that calling and purpose in His plan. Therefore, Paul became all that God created him to be and do, but it was not Paul's own doing. It was God's doing. Paul said himself that he did not deserve to be an apostle because of his past (See 1 Corinthians 15:9). "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them---yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10, NIV)." God worked in and through Paul to accomplish His purpose (See Philippians 2:12-13). Paul went on to do much for God's Kingdom, because he knew who he was created and called to be in God's plan. He suffered and endured much for the Gospel (Read Acts 16:16-40). He boasted in all of his weaknesses and sufferings (Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30). He boldly spoke and preached throughout the regions and land where God had called him. He also wrote much of the New Testament.
Peter was a disciple of Jesus Christ. He was only one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ back then. Despite the calling on his life, Peter denied Jesus three times (Read John 18:15-27). Jesus did not hold that against him though. He did not condemn Peter. God had a great purpose and calling for Peter. He knew Peter would eventually step up and be the bold and courageous man He had created him to be for His purpose. God gave Peter more opportunities to prove himself. Despite his past and previous weaknesses, Peter was used mightily and powerfully for God's purpose. While with the other 11 disciples, Peter preached the Gospel to a crowd of thousands of people on the day of Pentecost. Due to Peter's obedience that specific day, nearly three thousand people accepted Jesus and were baptized into the faith of Jesus Christ (Read Acts 2:14-41).
Neither one of these men began their journeys or lives well, but they both finished well. Neither Paul nor Peter had the exact same calling or purpose in God's plan. Their spiritual journeys and lives did not look the same. They did not have or take the exact same path. They did not look at another man's path, calling, or purpose and wish they were in the other person's shoes so to speak. They concentrated and focused on what God had created and called them to be and do for His purpose and plan. They kept their eyes on the ultimate goal---running their individual races and winning the prize that God had for each one of them (See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27). They were both different men with different paths as well as different callings and purposes. However, God powerfully used both of them to accomplish His purpose in His plan.
There is a tendency in this world to get our eyes off of Jesus and onto our natural circumstances. The devil would like to distract you, hinder you, interrupt you, and shake you up in this world. He would like to keep you from being and doing all you were created and called to be and do for God's purpose and plan.
Jesus did not allow the enemy to hinder, distract, interrupt, or shake Him up. He did not allow the devil to keep Him from being and doing all He was created and called to be and do for His Father's purpose and plan. We cannot allow the enemy to keep us from being and doing all we were created and called to be and do for our Father's purpose and plan (See Jeremiah 29:11-13).
There is also a tendency in this world to compare our spiritual journey and life to the journeys and lives of others in the world, specifically within the body of Christ. It is another tactic of the enemy though. None of us have the exact same purpose and calling in God's plan. None of our paths will look exactly alike. Sure there may be some similarities, but we are all different. We all have different purposes and callings in our creator's master plan.
Let's briefly look at the journeys and lives of the Apostle Paul and Jesus' disciple, Peter.
Paul was called by God to be an apostle (See Romans 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; 2 Corinthians 1:1-2). He did not just decide for himself that he was an apostle. God specifically created Paul to have that calling and purpose in His plan. Therefore, Paul became all that God created him to be and do, but it was not Paul's own doing. It was God's doing. Paul said himself that he did not deserve to be an apostle because of his past (See 1 Corinthians 15:9). "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them---yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10, NIV)." God worked in and through Paul to accomplish His purpose (See Philippians 2:12-13). Paul went on to do much for God's Kingdom, because he knew who he was created and called to be in God's plan. He suffered and endured much for the Gospel (Read Acts 16:16-40). He boasted in all of his weaknesses and sufferings (Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30). He boldly spoke and preached throughout the regions and land where God had called him. He also wrote much of the New Testament.
Peter was a disciple of Jesus Christ. He was only one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ back then. Despite the calling on his life, Peter denied Jesus three times (Read John 18:15-27). Jesus did not hold that against him though. He did not condemn Peter. God had a great purpose and calling for Peter. He knew Peter would eventually step up and be the bold and courageous man He had created him to be for His purpose. God gave Peter more opportunities to prove himself. Despite his past and previous weaknesses, Peter was used mightily and powerfully for God's purpose. While with the other 11 disciples, Peter preached the Gospel to a crowd of thousands of people on the day of Pentecost. Due to Peter's obedience that specific day, nearly three thousand people accepted Jesus and were baptized into the faith of Jesus Christ (Read Acts 2:14-41).
Neither one of these men began their journeys or lives well, but they both finished well. Neither Paul nor Peter had the exact same calling or purpose in God's plan. Their spiritual journeys and lives did not look the same. They did not have or take the exact same path. They did not look at another man's path, calling, or purpose and wish they were in the other person's shoes so to speak. They concentrated and focused on what God had created and called them to be and do for His purpose and plan. They kept their eyes on the ultimate goal---running their individual races and winning the prize that God had for each one of them (See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27). They were both different men with different paths as well as different callings and purposes. However, God powerfully used both of them to accomplish His purpose in His plan.
Copyright
2015 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.
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