1. Numbers 11:4 describes the Israelites desire for meat as a craving. So what it the different in desire and craving?
Webster Definitions:
Desire--to long or hope for, to express a wish for
Crave--to ask for earnestly, to want greatly
To me craving is a more physical feeling while desire is more emotional. When I have a craving for chocolate get out of the way, I got to have it, while my desires make me melancholy. I will move heaven and earth to get my cravings while I just long for my desires. I don't have many cravings, thank God, but I think maybe my prayers should be more like cravings. The word says in John 16:24 "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." Maybe I need to crave God more in my life instead of wistfully longing for Him.
Now cravings that you have to hide are not good!! Like telling your husband that the store was out of his favorite ice cream and buying your favorite so it will last all week. Not that I would ever do that to my wonderful husband!
2.Fruit from the Promise Land
I think I can answer this better now that I have spent some time in clinicals. I truly believe that I will be able to work in a nursing job. I wasn't too sure while I was in class but after working there for a couple of nights I realize that my God-given talent of helping people will fill in for my lack of knowledge. This has given me the faith to pursue my education in the nursing field.
3.Turning problems over to God
I love the quote by Charles Spurgeon, especially the proverb "He who is his own lawyer has a fool for his client". I just realized that I am the one who creates my problems so how can I fix them. I will just keep digging deeper and deeper because that is what I do but God can take the shovel out of my hand then reach down and pull me out of the pit. I am ready to stop digging and start praying.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Week 3 & 4 Cindi
Week 3
Question 1
What has satan told me that was true without being the truth? I think that the biggest lie I have bought into is that I can be total self-sufficient. Yeah,right! I sooooo need God. I am a mess on my own. I will run into a wall, bounce off and do it again and again and again
Question 2
Genuine Faith puts its letter in the mailbox and lets it go. Distrust, however, holds onto a corner then wonders why an answer never come.
You know this is kinda funny because I had a realization this week and that is that I am in the middle of a "hard time" in my life. I have read many devotions from people who have had a rough time and I wonder how I would react in that situation and it dawned on me that I am in a rough spot. Now how I am handling it is another story. I have to let go of the letter and see what comes back. Easier said than done! I really want to see the plan for my future. I would like some time lines and dates but that is not how God works.
Week 4
Question 4
Cost of desperation?
Hmmmm, that one has me stumped. I am sure I have done things in desperation before and disguised it as quick thinking, you know desperate times call for desperate measures. That saying really should be" in desperate times call for God". God is never out of options but I just want a quick answer but I know that a quick answer is usually not from God.
The story of Leah and Rachel really breaks my heart. Two women fighting over one man, so typical of our society today. I have always told Rod I would fight for him but not over him. I hope to never have to put that one in to action because I have seen totally rational women go crazy in those situations and we all know I can be irrational at times. (No comments please)
If I think of a specific situation I will add it on later.
Cindi
Question 1
What has satan told me that was true without being the truth? I think that the biggest lie I have bought into is that I can be total self-sufficient. Yeah,right! I sooooo need God. I am a mess on my own. I will run into a wall, bounce off and do it again and again and again
Question 2
Genuine Faith puts its letter in the mailbox and lets it go. Distrust, however, holds onto a corner then wonders why an answer never come.
You know this is kinda funny because I had a realization this week and that is that I am in the middle of a "hard time" in my life. I have read many devotions from people who have had a rough time and I wonder how I would react in that situation and it dawned on me that I am in a rough spot. Now how I am handling it is another story. I have to let go of the letter and see what comes back. Easier said than done! I really want to see the plan for my future. I would like some time lines and dates but that is not how God works.
Week 4
Question 3
I am not sure that I have an example of a relationship that started off with an idolatrous beginning and ending with a positive relationship. I know of several people who were "important" to me for a short period of time but when that phase of my life was over they drifted away. I am think specifically about other moms I met when my girls were involved in different activities through out the years. There were people who I had contact with everyday for months or years and now I don't even think about them. When the girls moved on so did I. I just wonder if I left anybody behind wondering why I never call anymore. I don't feel that way about any of them but maybe I missed out on something. I was so wrapped up in the girls lives that I moved on when they did but what if there was somebody who still needed a friend? I let my idols at that time dictate my life. I don't regret the time I spent with my girls but I was very jealous of anything that took me away from them. I put them 1st in my life and maybe I left somebody out that really needed me.
Question 4
Cost of desperation?
Hmmmm, that one has me stumped. I am sure I have done things in desperation before and disguised it as quick thinking, you know desperate times call for desperate measures. That saying really should be" in desperate times call for God". God is never out of options but I just want a quick answer but I know that a quick answer is usually not from God.
The story of Leah and Rachel really breaks my heart. Two women fighting over one man, so typical of our society today. I have always told Rod I would fight for him but not over him. I hope to never have to put that one in to action because I have seen totally rational women go crazy in those situations and we all know I can be irrational at times. (No comments please)
If I think of a specific situation I will add it on later.
Cindi
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Week 2
Cindi
We are a Peculiar People Set Apart by God
People of God
Excited to be His
Called to be His
Universally His
Loved by Him
Invited by Him
Abundant Life from Him
Righteousness by Him
3. Being able to laugh in life is a gift from God. Being at peace with yourself gives you the ability to enjoy life. I can see joy in lots of situations that without God I would be crying over. I can also laugh at myself because of my assurance of God's love for me. He knows I am not perfect so what does it matter what anybody else thinks of me.
4.Fear protects our idols.
Now that is a interesting take on things. I think Kelly is right. We can blame lots of stuff on being afraid, like fear of change, stepping outside our comfort zones, meeting new friends and witnessing for Jesus can all be forstalled by fear. Forstalling doing what God wants us to do is usually a pride issue. It could be that our pride is the idol so we use fear to keep us from doing it.
One of my idols is/was being a "business woman". I never thought I wouldn't have our business to sustain my image. Well now I just might not have it any longer. We are on hold until this fall and then we have to make some serious decisions about our future. I am learning to deal with the lost and frankly it feels like the death of a loved one. The family has been in the furniture business for over 30 years so it is a part of us but as we know sometimes God has other plans for us. I know He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us as Jeremiah 29:11 tells me and I am holding on tightly to that verse. This is the first time in my life that I can honestly say "I have no idea what the future holds" but I never really did anyway just thought I did because I had my idols.
So I am trying to conquer my fears so that I can release my idols and not go running back to them when things get rocky but will run to God and His Word to steady me.
That's all until next week.
We are a Peculiar People Set Apart by God
People of God
Excited to be His
Called to be His
Universally His
Loved by Him
Invited by Him
Abundant Life from Him
Righteousness by Him
3. Being able to laugh in life is a gift from God. Being at peace with yourself gives you the ability to enjoy life. I can see joy in lots of situations that without God I would be crying over. I can also laugh at myself because of my assurance of God's love for me. He knows I am not perfect so what does it matter what anybody else thinks of me.
4.Fear protects our idols.
Now that is a interesting take on things. I think Kelly is right. We can blame lots of stuff on being afraid, like fear of change, stepping outside our comfort zones, meeting new friends and witnessing for Jesus can all be forstalled by fear. Forstalling doing what God wants us to do is usually a pride issue. It could be that our pride is the idol so we use fear to keep us from doing it.
One of my idols is/was being a "business woman". I never thought I wouldn't have our business to sustain my image. Well now I just might not have it any longer. We are on hold until this fall and then we have to make some serious decisions about our future. I am learning to deal with the lost and frankly it feels like the death of a loved one. The family has been in the furniture business for over 30 years so it is a part of us but as we know sometimes God has other plans for us. I know He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us as Jeremiah 29:11 tells me and I am holding on tightly to that verse. This is the first time in my life that I can honestly say "I have no idea what the future holds" but I never really did anyway just thought I did because I had my idols.
So I am trying to conquer my fears so that I can release my idols and not go running back to them when things get rocky but will run to God and His Word to steady me.
That's all until next week.
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