Today, as a body of women, let’s meditate on and memorize God’s word. Not for our own glory or honor, but for the joy of our Father and the growth of His Truth in our hearts.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Romans 5:3-4 ESV
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35 thoughts on "weekly truth"
There is no excuse. The word of God is in today’s technology. Lets use it wisely. Amen!
What a beautiful day in the Lord today, ladies. I woke up groggy and grumpy, contemplating if I should attend church. Afterall, I just spent the last 2 days worshipping at the womans retreat, and I just felt “Churched out”…and then it hit me that this was not the voice of tbe Lord in my head, and if it wasn’t God’s voice, perhaps I should really get my behind up and get to church. And what a blessing I received from service today…the message, the COMMUNITY of believers, the love. God’s infinite grace and hope is more than I deserve, and yet he keeps on being faithful.
Like so many, the hope is our reward. And the knowledge that the Hope brings into our lives.
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Ashley B, I felt your tiredness. I will hold you up in prayer, asking the Lord to refresh you . I love Robin Mark and yr song was one I had not heard before. Thank you.It blessed me.
And ladies, as this day winds to a close, I lift you all up and ask for God’s blessings on all.
AshleyB, thank you for that video link. It refreshed my soul! Autumn Dawn Leader: thank you for your videos. I know they are hard work. They are so beautiful and resonate with me continually.
I praise God for this devotional group. He uses it to continually work in my life. All praise and Glory to Him.
Ashley…I’ve been struggling w/ chronic health problems as well this past year. Thank you for sharing that psalms. I am excited to memorize this verse because I definitely need to remember it. A friend at church this morning pointed all that through my pain and set backs I am learning…some days I don’t see it but I trust that God’s word is true.
This so resonates with me. The past few years God has whispered "trust" to me as I walk through my life. I want to know the 5 and 10 and 20 year plans…but He whispers "trust." When life has been hard and I've doubted every choice I've made…He whispers "trust". When my work has so frustrated me I want to throw things around and scream…He whispers "trust."
Now out from that particular season, I look back on the suffering and see an unimaginably beautiful tapestry woven through my life, complete with beautiful dark patches of pain that makes the beautiful light weaving look that much brighter. In trust, I held close to my God through my suffering and the suffering has been a blessing beyond measure.
I'm so thankful for where I am but recognize that it can all change in an instant. So I continue to dig down deep in God and be ready for whatever Satan throws at me because my endurance, my character, and my hope all come from my Savior!
AshleyB, what a wonderful vision to have! How beautiful that the Lord made it so clear to give your burdens and that he’ll turn them into gifts.
Adeline- an amazing metaphor! Interesting too!
Sweet Ibukun, I really wish we all could be in that beach house, worshipping by the waves! Thinking of you my friend…
I am just feeling so inspired by this community and while I haven’t commented until now, I love reading all the inspirational words from everyone. I lost my 23 year old cousin earlier this year and an uncle last night and this verse is just bringing me so much hope in itself. I love the very next verse too that says hope does not disappoint. Love this! Since participating in these devotionals a I’ve had renewed inspiration to memorize scripture. (I haven’t always been good at making a point of doing this). I know there was a beautiful lock screen posted earlier but I also made one for mysel and I thought I would share in case someone wanted to use it too. Thank God for using all you wonderful ladies to inspire me and others! :) https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B92RYq9VPW3QQ1hVb…
I am sorry for your losses Melanie. We lost our special boy two years ago. I know it's hard. Love and prayers !
That is such a cool image and metaphor adeline. I never knew that about butterflies!
While meditating on the part that says, "rejoice in our sufferings" I looked up the greek for the word "rejoice" and it means "vaunt, to boast" as well as rejoice and joy. I don't believe it is to flaunt it like a Pharisee would but I feel that to boast or to vaunt our sufferings mean we can wear it as a badge of honour, to be proud (again not in the Pharisaic sense) that we have gone through what we have gone through because it ultimately helps us grow and mature in the Lord. I once read that a butterfly needs to beat really hard against its cocoon from the inside to be able to break it open to get out. Someone saw this struggle once and decided to help the butterfly by cutting open the cocoon so that the butterfly didn't have to struggle so hard. The butterfly exited, all wet like all butterflies when they emerged and the person waited to see it fly. Eventually its wings dried but it never flew. It never could fly because the struggle it does inside the cocoon is to strengthen its wing muscles and to pump the blood into them so that they can fly. That butterfly never got the chance to strengthen its wings. Those sufferings we have gone through help grow us so that we can mature to fly if we keep our eyes on the Lord (like Psalm 123 says) and we can wear them as badges of honour, like medals for battles won.
i'm thanking God for all you thoughtful, prayerful women today. this is a refreshing forum to wake up to on a sunday morning (especially on daylight savings time, when i really need to be refreshed!)
i love this verse, in this version. some of the versions are not so beautifully put. what struck me today was the feel of growth and progression in these words. it made me feel like if we continue to remember this, and grow and endure and hope always, that down the road, our suffering may not feel like suffering anymore, because it's just an avenue to bring us closer to God.
i found this quote, from St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, on suffering:
"It has come to this, that I can no longer suffer because all suffering is sweet. Besides, it is a mistake to worry as to what trouble may be in store; it is like meddling with God's work. We who run in the way of love must never allow ourselves to be disturbed by anything."
Great verse to meditate on, thank you!
Sweet sweet ladies…I’m so thankful for all of you today and for today’s verse. I’m glad that I can always come on here and be at home with you women. It feels like we are in one big beach house reading our God’s word and hearing the waters worship their Maker as the waves come crashing on the shore. He takes us on a path to develop us and refine us like gold. My prayer for today is that I see Him through the fire that develops my endurance. I pray same for all of us today. Have a blessed Sunday
Excited to get back to memorizing more Scripture :)
It's Ashley, the tired mama. I wanted to come back and add a B to my name since there's more than one and it could get confusing. Also, I want to share a song that was on my heart as i wrote my last comment, but I didn't want to leave the page I was on for fear that all I had written would be deleted. So, here it is. Be blessed. http://youtu.be/3oG2q6bGoGk
Right back at ‘cha Emily!! Soo good to see ya! :)
Love this, even tho the tech is off by a day, I am here !
I would add verse 5 also.
"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
I love how the NKJV says it. "Hope does not disappoint" That is so encouraging!
patternedlove.blogspot.com
I love stopping by here after I read the day’s scripture and devotional. I feel as if I’m in a room full of women with a like mind where we talk about the Lord and encourage eachother.
As I knelt before The Lord this morning in front of my smelly, 9 yr old rocker/recliner, I saw, in my minds eye, a picture of me going before The Lord with a pouch full of rocks. I held it up before God and He took it and traded it for a bouquet of beautiful flowers. The rocks symbolize all I had to give this morning. The flowers symbolize, i think, what he wants me to give as a result if His unfailing love toward me. It’s been a rough week and it’s all come to an ugly head this weekend. I’m a tired and worn out stay at home/homeschooling mom of six beautiful children. They’re great and I have a wonderful husband by my side, but sometimes my flesh gets in the way and I veer off course for a little while. I’m so grateful for God’s unfailing love. I’m grateful that he WANTS to take that pouch full of rocks from my dirty hands and give me, instead, a bouquet of flowers. I want to pass out flowers (love and joy) instead of throwing rocks (hateful words, bad attitudes and cold shoulders).
Thank you, Jesus, for your kindness that draws us into repentance. Thank you for your unfailing love. Thank you for your grace that covers our sin and is enough. Thank you for the garment of praise that you give us in place of the spirit of heaviness. May your joy fill us today so we can be the women you have called us to be.
I love that word picture, roses for rocks I call it ;).
Good Morning! Beautiful words, music and prayers shared this morning. This verse is speaking loudly to me also- Thanks Claire for the screen! Greetings Cynthia!
Have a Blessed Sunday Sisters! :)
Good morning Ellen ;)
This verse reminds me that just as God uses sand in an oyster to create a pearl, He uses challenges and troubles to shape each of us into the people He has called us to be. It has taken me quite a while to learn to be thankful for the trials in my life, but I'm slowly getting there. I've been battling chronic health problems for a few years and it has only been recently that I've been able to thank God for these problems. I know He has used this valley to pull me closer to Him.
There was a verse in Psalms we looked at a few weeks ago in the Soul Detox devitional that really spoke to me and I think it ties in beautifully with todays verse.
Psalm 73:26 26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
oh these verses speak to my soul this morning as I prepare to go to the house of worship. I woke up
Saying fire produces character. Lord I can see u in the fire. You and only you.
Sisters have a blessed day!
Catharina, yes it is a great weight off. My walk changed when I heard a song by Amy Grant entitled “All I Ever Have to Be”. You can find it on “The Collection” album.
Cathie, you are fearfully and wonderfully made; God is sovereign. Allow Him to lead and guide you to the image He desires for you to display.
Praying for you Kendra. Thank you Autumn Dawn Leader continue to be blessed and be a blessing.
I pray everyone enjoys their worship experience. Lord I thank You for this day and I will rejoice and be glad in it! Thank You for working it out on my behalf and for Your glory!
Catharina, your words aling with this verse have spoken to me today. I have been struggling with self image and eating lately. My image of myself and who I should be had been distorted by what others all around me say and think. It has truly been a struggle for years that is now becoming much more evident in my life. I cling to the truth that God loves me and created me just the way I am. I know that this struggle will not be easy to overcome but I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me! I now understand that I am going through this for a reason and I have hope that I will soon be healed by our father. I pray that he gives me the patience and strength to overcome my fears and struggles. I am so thankful for this community to help me!
Catie,
If I may recommend "made to crave". It's a study on how we are made to crave God, but end up craving all sorts of things, including food. It's a study in youversion and a book and a movement. I struggle with chocolate, especially after my son died. I feel ya babe ;)
Catharina, I echo your prayer and say a big “Amen!
Thank you father that I’m the daughter of the KING of kings and LORD of lords am forever grateful.
Lord Jesus, I always thought I had to be perfect so You can know me, accept me and love me. I thought I am not allowed to sin or U will leave me as I am a sinner. People always say you have to be a Christian in “this way only”. And I believed them. But then I REALLY met YOU got to know U and found out that U don’t want me to be perfect. In any case U are the only one that will ever be perfect. I know I can fail, because U will still use me for Your Kingdom and U love me. Wow what an unconditional, unfailing love U have for me. Love from a King to an ordinary person like me. I love U forever my Jesus.
God is absolutely speaking to me in these verses. I’m glad we’re “camping on them”. I think I need to. Ok, I KNOW I need to. Maybe I should write a song, lol…
Thanks to all the ladies who have left nice comments about the Songs of Ascent videos. I’m so glad they are blessing you!
Great verse to meditate on- found this lock screen that I will be using for it if anyone else is interested
http://billy-adams.com/2011/02/romans-53-4-for-ip…
Thank you Claire for sharing this link, it certainly kept me centered. #hope #shereadstruth
Thank you for this lock screen! I agree, great verse! Bless you :)
Claire, thank you for sharing. It is now on my phone as well.
This is a great verse for this time in my life. My dad recently passed away and I have been struggling with the “whys” of it all. I know God works everything for our good and this is a great reminder that even in our pain and trials, God is at work through it all. I am closer to Him because of it.