A Pinnacle Of Suffering - What A Deception! Mother's Beware!

Some people will almost "honor themselves" because of past suffering. They will look back at their past and actually place their suffering on a Pinnacle to gaze upon and think, "Look what I have been through, most people would never have been able to suffer like that."  - This kind of thinking produces pride and God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

 Dearest Mothers,
Where is your pinnacle? Pinnacle: A lofty peak

We live in a world of suffering. It falls on the just and the unjust, afflicting all of us at some time.
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways" (Isaiah 55:8
)
God has a reason for allowing suffering in our lives. I believe the greatest reason for the believer to suffer is to bring us on our knees to God acknowledging our need for Him and our helplessness without Him.

Some people suffer because they are Christians who actively give the gospel so others might know the Lord Jesus Christ the Only Savior and way of salvation. Just as God's Word warns- people will slander those who are active in the work of the Lord they will speak all manner of evil against you falsely for His Name sake. (But rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in Heaven!)

 Some women suffer internally because of the difficulty they are having with husbands or frustrations with children. Many women suffer sacrificially and often hold that particular sacrifice on an elevated plane. Do you know what I mean?  Sacrificially a women may resolve to "suffer for God" - secretly and be willing to go through tremendous sorrow and hardships because she believes it is for God and it is well pleasing to Him for her to suffer this way. She might even believe it gives her more favor with God as He observes her sacrifice. But this way of thinking can produce pride in the heart- a pride that some may think is humility- it's very deceptive but it is pride.

There are many examples of what I am talking about. The first is from the previous paragraph. The women suffering secretly and holding that suffering as a special sacrifice to God. A Catholic priest or nun giving their entire lives over to the Catholic Church and secretly suffering as a sacrifice to god. A Hindu monk or priest sacrificing their lives and living in a remote mountain as a secret sacrifice in meditation and worship of their idol gods. A Muslim man or woman sacrificing their time and lives over to prayer and worship of Allah secretly sacrifice their own wishes and desires and reasoning to the god they serve.

This type of suffering is a type of self-inflicted suffering. Perhaps those sacrificing and suffering think it shows a form of great humility and love. Some of these people have complexions that "Beam". They look clean and fresh in eyes and face. But the truth is- it's all from pride, a self righteousness. If a person believes their sacrifice and suffering is for a holy cause and they are in good standing with God and man, then they will feel really good about themselves and it shows in their outward lives. However it is one of the greatest deceptions I have ever seen because it is and act of human will and self motivation which will send them straight to hell for nothing good can come from the heart of man. Jeremiah 17:9-10  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings"

 Some people will almost "honor themselves" because of past suffering. They will look back at their past and actually place their suffering on a Pinnacle to gaze upon and think, "Look what I have been through, most people would never have been able to suffer like that."  - This kind of thinking produces pride and God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

So now, why am I bringing this up? It's because there is a warning here for Christian mothers. Please be careful how you perceive the suffering you go through. Consider all suffering as a gift from God. He is merciful to allow us to go through suffering!
 Why does God allow us to go through suffering? As I said in the first paragraph of this post - I believe the greatest reason for the believer to suffer is to bring us on our knees to God acknowledging our need for Him and our helplessness without Him. What better place for a child of God to be but on our knees seeking help from our Lord Jesus and crying out to Him for mercy? Can you not see how kind it is of God to allow us to suffer to bring us closer to Him? But if you will consider suffering as a gift from God- you will no longer consider it as a sacrifice on your part.

What we must come to realize is, we have done NOTHING for God! But He has done EVERYTHING for us! If you are saved and a child of God through Jesus Christ and born again of the Spirit of God, you will come to realize how great a thing God has done. We do not deserve His mercy and forgiveness yet He saved us and is shaping and forming us into His image, and that means we must go through allot of dieing to self which means suffering and chastening. We should be on our knees thanking God for loving us so much to actually move in such a way in our lives to soften hard hearts so to be molded into His image!

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not? But if you be without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are you illegitimate children, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them who are trained by it. Therefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed." (Hebrews 12:5-13)

 So please count it all joy when you are allowed to suffer!

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)


In His Love,
Sarah

"He Did Fly Upon The Wings Of The Wind"

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
(Psalms 18:6-19)


In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
(Psalms 18:6-10)

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
(2 Samuel 22:7-16)

What do you think about these Scriptures so similar to each other? When His own dear people are in distress and they cry to Him- He comes, (Does fly) quickly to help them AND fight for them! That's my God and Savior, and I love Him.What a comfort it is to know Him and read these wonderful Words of Truth!

Take a look at this Wind Map- doesn't the wind look like feathers to you? Remember- God wrote the Bible through His Prophets- the prophets could not have known unless God told them.

from:     http://hint.fm/wind/

For a live video of this map go directly to the link!

Mothers! Take God at His Word! Teach His Word to your children and explain to them His mighty acts!
Jesus Christ is our Creator!

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
(Hebrews 1:1-14)

Dearest Mothers, What If Your Children Should Gain The World But Have Not Jesus?

 What If Your Children Should Gain The World But Have Not Jesus?

The things of this world are so enticing! The thrills and entertainment are endless. How often do you find yourself entangled in a electronic game or Facebook, Twitter or the numerous other mind boggling enticements? How often do you find yourself planning in your mind the various things you will say, and/or respond to others?

Isn't it difficult to pull yourself away, and almost impossible? (At least until the guilt of having been on too long over comes the enticement.) There are numerous enticements that await to pull you into their grasp- Not just you but your children as well.

Wouldn't you agree with me that the pleasures of this world have a powerful influence on the mind and body?
The mind and body revel in these pleasures and always crave, never satisfied but seeks more and bigger and "better" pleasures. Something akin to eating a chocolate candy bar- you always feel like more.

Dear Mothers beware! These things only lead to leanness of the soul! The more you "feed your flesh" the less you are sensitive to the things of God.

Turn away from the enticements of the flesh and turn to the true and living God. HE is life indeed and satisfies the soul! Seek a deep relationship with Jesus Christ the Lord- not with the World.

Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:1-3)


As you seek God you will have a greater desire to point your children to Him- and teach them that life is useless with out Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
(James 1:12-15)


Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
(Matthew 16:24-26)

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or suffer loss?(Luke 9:23-25)

And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience you will gain your souls.(Luke 21:17-19)

For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.(1 Corinthians 9:19)

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.(Philippians 1:21)

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing let us be with these things content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)


The following Hymn makes my hearts melt. Consider, dear mothers-  what if you had not Jesus?  

If I Gained The World:

If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Were my life worth living for a day?
Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort
In the things that soon must pass away?
If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Would my gain be worth the lifelong strife?
Are all earthly pleasures worth comparing
For a moment with a Christ-filled life?

Had I wealth and love in fullest measure,
And a name revered both far and near,
Yet no hope beyond, no harbor waiting,
Where my storm-tossed vessel I could steer;
If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Who endured the cross and died for me,
Could then all the world afford a refuge,
Whither, in my anguish, I might flee?

O what emptiness!—without the Savior
’Mid the sins and sorrows here below!
And eternity, how dark without Him!
Only night and tears and endless woe!
What, though I might live without the Savior,
When I come to die, how would it be?
O to face the valley’s gloom without Him!
And without Him all eternity!

O the joy of having all in Jesus!
What a balm the broken heart to heal!
Ne’er a sin so great, but He’ll forgive it,
Nor a sorrow that He does not feel!
If I have but Jesus, only Jesus,
Nothing else in all the world beside—
O then everything is mine in Jesus;
For my needs and more He will provide.

Words: Anna Ölander, 1904

To hear this song go here:
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/i/f/i/ifigainw.htm 


 

A Lesson On Trusting God.

My daughter recently posted in her blog, "Glorious Hope".
It is so encouraging that I would like to invite you to go and read it.
The link is:
http://glorious-hope.blogspot.com/

God bless you dear readers!

Pray Dear Mothers- For The Salvation Of Your Children- Pray! God Answers!

It was about 19 years ago, we lived in a house on a hill out in the northern part of Illinois in the country.
I had been saved about three years and learning about my Savior who loves and lives through His own by His Spirit. I didn't know much about the working of His Spirit, and had just learned about the spiritual armor through Ephesians 6.

As the Lord was teaching me through His Word and experiences of learning to die to self, I found a great burden in my heart for my oldest son. He had just been released from four years of army duty. After a year in South Carolina, two years in Germany, a year in Texas, he had no desire to re-enlist. But now He was living on his own with a nice job, nice place to live but with a girl friend. The years of hypocrisy he saw in me before the Lord saved me had turned him off to the things of God, he was living in sin and was just like the World.

My heart was heavy for him. I remember in the evening after I put the younger kids to bed I could be found face down on the floor crying and praying for his salvation. This happened often, for the mother love I have for him is great and I couldn't bear to think of him spending an eternity in hell. One particular evening after talking to him on the phone, and after everyone had gone to bed, I made my way to the field in front of our house. The night sky was filled with the glorious array of stars, all praising the Creator who made them. Looking up I fell on my knees and cried out loudly to God, "Please save him, oh please save him.." I wept for a long time in great anguish of soul, and remained there worshiping the Savior who does all things well.

As time and years past we moved to Wisconsin but he still lived in Illinois, about 8 hours from us. He helped us with many financial situations. He was always generous toward us and God blessed him. Yet many things happened in my son's life that brought him stress and sorrows with relationships. I continued to pray for him daily, and wept many times for his salvation. He would call me every Friday, (and still does) but if I mentioned anything about the Lord he would say, "Mom don't preach to me."
But as those phone calls kept coming and after a time, he began to ask me questions about the Bible and of the things of God. I was trying hard not to "Preach" and would let him lead the conversation. One day while we were talking I just couldn't help talking about salvation and how wonderful Jesus Christ is, when my son said,"Mom, I know, you are preaching to the choir." ! Praise God! The Lord had already saved Him! He had started reading the Bible and through The Scriptures the Lord opened his eyes to the truth!

Now, he listens to the Bible as he drives his hour long ride to work everyday. When he calls we often get into good discussions about the things of God, he is growing and learning in leaps and bounds as he reads the Bible and seeks the Lord Jesus for understanding.

He has been married for over 5 years to a sweet and dear girl, they have 2 sweet little boys and I long for their salvation as well. Oh how I pray!

I have one daughter who is not yet saved, and I find myself weeping for her salvation very often, with great hope- Oh Lord you are able!


 Oh how I pray for the salvation of all my children and grandchildren.

 (Our tenth grandchild is about to be born!)- see: http://glorious-hope.blogspot.com/      

May our Savior save them, each one, and bring them into His Kingdom on that day- Oh how I weep and pray for this and how I long for it!

Mothers and Grandmothers- PRAY  for the salvation of your loved ones, do not give up nor get discouraged, our God answers prayer in ways we would never dream-  keep praying and praising Jesus Christ our Lord always!

In His love always,
Sarah

Dearest Mothers Pray For Wisdom And Keep In His Word!

 It happens everyday

When I'm angry so is my child,

When I'm sad, so is my child,

When I'm grumpy, so is my child,

When I'm selfish, so is my child,

When I'm resentful, so is my child,

When I gossip, so does my child,

When I'm greedy, so is my child,

When I'm disrespectful, so is my child,

When I'm willful, so is my child,

When I'm not thankful, so is my child.

When I ignore Jesus the Lord, so does my child.

I'm fearing God

When I'm praising the Lord Jesus, so does my child,

When I'm grateful to Him, so is my child,

When I'm Joyful in Him, so is my child,

When I'm thankful to Him, so is my child,

When I'm forgiving in Him, so is my child,

When I'm submissive to Him, so is my child,

When I'm loving in Him, so is my child

When I'm respectful to Him, so is my child,

When I'm living in Him, so does my child,

When I'm singing to Him, so does my child

When I'm talking about Him, so does my child.

Let us be careful how we live dear Mothers-

Little eyes are watching, little minds are learning,

Little feet are following, little lips are mimicking,

Little hearts are believing, little lives are growing.

Soon- only too soon they will be grown, and how will 

they have learned from us?

Pray Always for wisdom and keep in His Word!

 

Be Very Sure. Examine Your Heart.

Dearest Young Women and Mothers,

I am fast approaching a land mark in my age, I will be 60 years old this year! I'm very excited about the things of God in life and it seems the older I get the more exciting life becomes! Being active in pro-life work and evangelism does have something to do with it, but that's not all, It's knowing God. I have met God  through the Lord Jesus Christ. He saved me 22 years ago when I simply asked Him this question, "What does it mean that Jesus bore the iniquity of us all?" Do you know the answer? God spoke to my heart that Sunday morning as I was driving to Church, in answer to my question He revealed His Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior. He is the One who bore our sin on the cross and placed on Himself all of our sins and suffered the fierce wrath of the Father against us because of our sin. I deserved the wrath of God upon me because of my sin, but Jesus took it for me, and suffered the punishment I deserved. In one moment of time I understood and believed on Him in my heart and my life has never been the same since.I was born again, born of the Spirit of God, He came to me, I met Him and He lives in me now! Hallelujah! It was a moment of time, a precious moment when I realized my sinfulness and His incredible love, it caused me to grieve over my sins and repent.


Since God saved me I have been growing closer to Him through learning about Him through His Word and communing with Him through prayer. Growing ever closer to Him in trials and afflictions, learning to lean on His everlasting arms. He has taught me some wonderful lessons of His love and faithfulness. God is true, He is perfect, He is all love and perfection I am not any of those,I still need to repent of sins and die daily to self, but He has covered me with the shed blood of Jesus Christ and placed His righteousness on me as a covering- God now sees His Son in me, and as He works in my life to transform me into His image my life becomes more and more joyful, peaceful, and exciting. I have such great peace with God, His presence is ever with me, our fellowship is sweet.

Fellowship with God through my Savior Jesus Christ, is sweet. If I keep my eyes on Him when the storms of life come, (and come they do and will) Then He speaks peace to my heart, "Peace be still" He says- then my heart can be calm in the storm.

I love knowing God, He is so precious! I love the riches of God, they are vast and deep, we can never exhaust the storehouse full. But it is God I love, He is my all in all- He satisfies my soul, and because that is true I am very content- I look forward to heaven because Jesus is there.

It is God who saves. Before I was saved my life was very religious, I had all the right words and outward show. I had prayed a prayer for salvation, yet my heart was just as wicked as it was before I prayed. I was very sorry for my sins but I had no power to stop them. The faith I had in Jesus before God saved me was only human faith, faith I mustard up, faith I willed to have. No human faith no mater how hard a person might work at it can save a person. God is the one who gives saving faith. God gives the faith of Jesus Christ to a person as they seek Him in truth. God knows our hearts and knows if we are true in our desire to know Him.
 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

I pray each of you dear ones reading this will be sure of your salvation. As Paul says, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? "(2 Corinthians 13:5)


May our Lord Jesus speak to your hearts today.
In His love,
Sarah


Here are some Scriptures that might be helpful to you:




For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
 
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
 

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. (1 John 2:3-5)

He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:9-11)

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15-17)

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

 
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5-8)