Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Thankful God Is Greater

Thy Word

The Lord is King forever and ever;

Nations have perished from His land.

O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;

You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear

To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,

So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.

Psalm 10:16-18

For me one of the greatest miracles of God is going to be experienced in eternity. The fact that He is going to be able to wipe away every tear and heal every hurt. The fact that we will be able to spend eternity peacefully and joyfully and whole with others who have cut us to the bone in this life amazes me. I wonder, if like as Christ, we will wear our scars for all eternity. Will we finally be able to see how these wounds were in relation to suffering with our Savior? Will we be able to see which scars really were the brand marks of Christ and which ones were just the effects of a sinful, stupid, and selfish world. Will we see how this pain brought glory to the One who died for our sin and the One who sent Him to die on our behalf?

Or will we simply rest in the sovereign truth that the only scars that matter are the ones in the hands and feet and side of our Savior.

Yes… I believe so…

His scars are the only ones that will matter in eternity… because His heal all of ours. We will stand before Him without spot and blemish… as we bow face down in worship in adoration at his nail scared feet.

I don’t question why pain and hurt come. For me that’s obvious. We are dying and our world is dying. The more the world rejects our Creator the more the presence of sin reigns. Apart from God sin abounds. Only His grace is sufficient to surpass it. Denial of that grace leaves us under the condemnation of sin and under the terror of man.

Only God is greater.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”

John 14:1

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“If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction.”

Psalm 119:92

Anytime we discount the grace of God, any time we discount the Law of God we will find ourselves sinking in the mire.  Anytime we find ourselves placing trust in man… we will eventually be disappointed or hurt. Jesus knew that better than anyone…

“But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”

John 2:23-25

So how do we move past this… how do I move past this? I have been here before. Actually, I have lost count on how many times I have been here within this very same context and others. Somehow God restored and God redeemed. So I will wait. I will trust Him to once again work a miracle in the depths of my soul and cleanse my mind and purify my heart with the washing of His Word. I know He will accomplish it. He always has before…

My gut reaction wants to clean sweep and walk away… just let it go. Shake the dust off my feet and all that, but I know my God and He will not allow this cycle to continue or this tape to keep replaying in my mind. He will indeed save me from myself. I just can’t quite see how. I was blind before and He gave me sight, so somehow, someway, He will do it again. He promises that if we seek Him, He will let us find Him. He promises that by His stripes we are healed and He promises that if we go boldly to His throne of grace we will find mercy and we can’t go boldly if we don’t go truthfully.

I feel like I am starting all over again. So it’s a good thing that I serve a God of do-overs and try agains and clean slates and rewrites. And I know that in all of this there is a lesson for me… to give me more compassion, empathy, sympathy, humility, mercy, grace, and hope. Somehow God will, is using this, to conform me more and more into the image of His Son. Teaching me how to think with this mind of Christ that He has given me in Him. His mind struggles against my mind. My thoughts with His thoughts. Thank God greater is He!

In my inbox this morning came a word from Mr Swindoll…

“The only thing we can be thankful for when it comes to blowing it is that nobody keeps a record of ours. Or do they? Or do you with others?

Come on, ease off. If our perfect Lord is gracious enough to take our worst, our ugliest, our most boring, our least successful, our leaning-tower failures, our Edsel flops, and forgive them, burying them in the depths of the sea, then it’s high time we give each other a break.

In fact, He promises full acceptance along with full forgiveness in print for all to read . . . without an erratum sheet attached. Isn’t that encouraging? Can’t we be that type of encourager to one another? After all, imperfection is one of the few things we still have in common. It links us close together in the same family!

So then, whenever one of us blows it and we can’t hide it, how about a little support from those who haven’t been caught yet?

Oops, correction. How about a lot of support?”

A reminder today that every one blows it… I know I have countless times.

And then a word from the Word…

“Your testimonies are wonderful;

Therefore my soul observes them.

The unfolding of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple.

I opened my mouth wide and panted,

For I longed for Your commandments.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,

After Your manner with those who love Your name.

Establish my footsteps in Your word,

And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.

Redeem me from the oppression of man,

That I may keep Your precepts.

Make Your face shine upon Your servant,

And teach me Your statutes.”

Psalm 119:129-135

His grace will find me… and I will find oceans of His grace. Feet fail, but faith does not.

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

When No One Wears White

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A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,

And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

Proverbs 18:19

I keep asking God is this selfishness? Am I overreacting? Is this illegitimate hurt? Why has this stung to the core of my very being? Dear God, don’t allow my heart to grow hard…

I have never wanted to recluse so bad in my entire life. The introvert in me is at level highest ever. The walls of protection around my heart are not being built with straw, but strong concrete blocks… something that the big bad wolf that threatens to destroy all the faith that I had ever placed in friendship could never huff and puff and blow down.

This doesn’t seem to sting my father, but it stings me deep. It stings with the wrath of a hornets nest, no, more like a tracker jacker’s nest. Because it has made me utter delusional. Delusional that I keep going back. I keep looking, hoping maybe I have missed something… may it’s not what it appears. Maybe they just didn’t care to send cards or hope our way, but they are sending them to him.

We consoled ourselves with the reality that the others didn’t worship there. They just don’t see them, life gets busy, Sunday is busy. Of course it just slips their mind. They care, surely they are praying with us, for them, for us…

I could handle all the rest. I could. I could justify the lack. It’s me and Jesus. I got that. I do. Our expectations were too high. I get that. Whenever you expect anything you will be let down. Expect nothing and even the three cards will be enough… right. Three cards… three. That’s it. Three cards since May. Three cards and one gift of a book and a hand made blanket. 

Tell me. Please someone tell me. How can anyone expect me to worship in a place where no one wears white. 

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

A Time To Uproot What Is Planted

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There is an appointed time for everything.

And there is a time for every event under heaven…

Ecclesiastes 3:1

When is it okay to share publicly how excited you are to once again attend church when that church is a new church? The joy that has been restored to our souls has nothing to do with being coddled by the people or entertained by the stage show. The joy is from the Lord.

As we entered the doors of this new place God met us there. The Sunday School lessons, the music within the service, the message of the Pastor, the Wednesday night classes, the parent/youth meeting that shared the vision and goal of the youth ministry for the year and encouraged the parents to participate in the church life of their children including discipleship classes that were geared to train and equip parents to disciple their own children and to build relationships with them during this most difficult time of their lives. The youth activity list which consisted of only 4 activities off campus all the way through February. I could go on and on…

My husband and I just sat there giddy, elbowing each other and smiling, because this was everything we had been looking for in consideration of our family.

We walked out one Sunday and the deacons of the church were serving the widows lunch. I have yet to see one woman walk around hauling tables, boxes, or garbage while grown men sat and watched. If water spills over from the sink onto the counter in the ladies bathroom, the ladies there don’t leave it to soak the next ladies clothes… they dry it up before they toss their paper towels in the garbage. These things may seem trivial but they speak volumes to us.

Even at the church where I am serving as the Weekday Education Director. If I need tables moved the men do it. The cleaning ladies come and clean the floors and bathrooms every morning before our preschool begins and they come every evening to check on things. I am able to to do my job with joy because those who are supposed to be doing their job… do it.

Last Sunday as I sat and listened to the Word being shared from the pulpit I simply took a deep breathe in and breathed out while my heart said, “the soil is good.” I have realized that my families feet had been trying to suck nutrients out of soil that simply had no life in it for us anymore. As a matter of fact the soil was actually sucking what life we had out of us to feed itself instead of supplying life to us.  There no longer was any even exchange, no circular motion of photosynthesis. It simply was time for us to be replanted.

It is as the Lord God breathed the words through Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, there is an appointed time for everything…

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

(Ecclesiastes 3:2)

Trust me I know all the reasons why not to change churches. I have written about it, Hurt By The Church, read books and blogs about it, and counseled others on it. I have the same issues as any believer would with those who simply church hop to keep from becoming involved or committed. My husband and I were in this place several years ago and as we visited other churches seeing if the Lord was moving us, it just didn’t sit well. My husband explained it as, “it felt like we were cheating on our spouse.”

As we visited and prayed and were actually getting ready one Sunday morning for a first time second visit we heard from God. I was in the shower and my husband was driving home from a night shift. God spoke to both of us, even though we were in separate places, we both clearly knew that God had told us to stay put, but not to stay silent.

My husband came in the door and we shared our experience with one another and then he got ready and left to meet with our Pastor and I began a full force leap into the Children’s Ministry. God actually used the places we had visited to educate me into what I needed to do in that ministry.  We obeyed God and we stayed.

This time when we visited… well, actually we felt called before we visited. The visiting simply was for seeking confirmation. Fifteen years ago, when we walked into the church that we used to attend, it immediately felt like home… and now once again we have walked into a church and it feels like home. The Lord has met us there time after time and spoken through the messages and the people… it’s been both encouraging and liberating.

A pastor can feel called to leave a church and no one questions it… but there is blog after blog by pastor’s about how horrible and devastating and cruel and childish it is for members to leave, as if the pastor is the only one who can be called of God to serve somewhere else.

Not everyone leaves because of the color of the carpet, or which side the piano should go on, or whether or not the drums are too loud. Every once in a while there is indeed legitimate reasons, legitimate convictions, and legitimate hurts. No the church can’t please everyone, but mocking and becoming offended by the reasons they give instead of asking God if this is a valid claim that needs attention called to it… to me that’s arrogance.

Sometimes the Lord let’s the well run dry so that we will pack up and move on… we entered the doors of this new church broken, hungry, hurting, feeling absolutely abandoned and rejected. Today we walked in and I noticed this verse on the wall:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

There is light in my daughters eyes again. There is hope in my husbands. And there is laughter in mine. We don’t know yet what specific place in ministry we will have here, but that’s okay… right now we are in desperate need of being ministered too and we are finding that here. 

One of the hardest parts has been not attending church with my parents. I loved serving with my parents. I also miss the kids that I got to love on and teach the Word too and I miss encouraging their parents… but this missing is not as hard as watching the continual reminder of hurt scroll through my newsfeed. 

We have chosen to not post about about the encouraging moments we have experienced or “check in” at our new location… out of respect for those we still so love at our old church… but this time of silence is coming to a close. The Lord has moved us to another well, we have found Rehoboth, and we are ready to openly praise Him for it.

But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it Sitnah. He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rehoboth, for he said, “At last the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” Then he went up from there to Beersheba. The Lord appeared to him the same night and said,

“I am the God of your father Abraham;
Do not fear, for I am with you.
I will bless you, and multiply your descendants,
For the sake of My servant Abraham.”

So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Genesis 26:19-25

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 16:1-27)

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The very last post for the Romans Study For Kids!

Today we begin digging into our last chapter in the book of Romans. I pray that you have learned a lot about yourself, about the church, and about Jesus as you have  worked through this study.

We are going to do the first part of Romans 16 a little different. Are you ready?

In Romans 16:1-16 Paul mentions a lot of names. These are all people that Paul asks the church in Rome to greet and to allow to come into their homes and worship God with them.

As you read through Romans 16:1-16 printed below, your instructions is to underline or circle all the adjectives that Paul uses to describe the people he mentions.

Romans 16:1-16

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea;

2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.

7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.

9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.

14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them.

15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

THINK ABOUT IT…

If your name was added to this chapter what would you want Paul to say about you?

Would you want to be known as a choice boy or girl in the Lord?

Would you want to be known as a hard worker for the Lord?

Would you want to be known as an outstanding servant of Christ?

I know I do!

Take a moment now and spend some time with God and ask Him how He sees you. First of all do you have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ? Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to be the Lord over your life?

That’s enough for today! Tomorrow we finish 🙂

Romans 16:17-27

17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.

24 [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]

Read Romans 16:17. How does this verse begin?

Now I  __ __ __ __  you

THINK ABOUT IT…

Does it sound like Paul has something very important to tell the church in Rome?

Yes, he does!

Paul is giving the church in a Rome a warning. He is telling them what they need to be on the look out for in order to keep growing in the fullness of God. This warning is still important for us today.

Read Romans 16:17. What does Paul tell the church in Rome that they need to keep their on? Circle all that apply.

those who cause dissensions

those who eat weird food

those who cause hindrances

those who teach them wrong things about God

those wear different kind of clothes

According to Romans 16:17 what is the church in Rome to do when they see people doing what Paul has warned them about?

__ __ __ __    __ __ __ __  from them

Read Romans 16:18. Why does the church need to turn away from them? Answer true (T) or false (F).

___ they are slaves to their own appetites

___ they are slaves to Jesus Christ

___ they use their smooth speech to preach the gospel

___ they use their smooth speech to deceive hearts

THINK ABOUT IT…

We have to be very careful who we listen to and learn from. There are lots of people who have the ability to draw a crowd because they can say things in a way that gets people’s attention.

Think about what happened to Eve in the garden in Genesis 3:1-6. The serpent was able to deceive Eve by his crafty words. He was able to catch her alone and off guard and tricked her into believing a lie instead of believing God.

Read Romans 16:19. What does Paul want the church in Rome to be?

__ __ __ __ in what is good

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ in what is evil

One of the lies that the devil will tell you is that you have to know all about evil in order to know what is really good. He still tries to trick us into thinking that just knowing God’s way is not enough. That’s why it is so important for you to do what you are doing right now. Keep learning more and more about God and His Word.

Read Romans 16:20 and answer the following questions.

How is God described in this verse?

the God of __ __ __ __ __

What is God going to do to Satan?

__ __ __ __ __ him

Now here is the really awesome part. Read Romans 16:20 again. Under who’s feet is God going to crush Satan? Draw a picture showing your answer.

Under whose feet will God crush Satan?

How cool is that!

Read Romans 16:21-23 very carefully. Who is writing this letter for Paul?

Timothy       Gaius       Jason      Tertius 

Read Romans 16:24. What does Paul want to be with the church in Rome and with all those who are saved?

the __ __ __ __ __ of the Lord Jesus Christ

We are about to conclude our study through the book of Romans. Read the last three verses below and let’s answer some questions together!

Romans 16:25-27

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,

26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;

27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

In Romans 16:25, who is the one that is able to establish you?

__ __ __

To be established by God whose preaching do we need to listen to? Circle your answer.

Buddah         Muhammed        Jesus      President Obama

What secret had been kept by God but was revealed to us when Jesus came? Answer true (T) or false (F).

___ God only wanted to save the Jews

___ God only wanted to save the Gentiles

___ God sent His Son to save all who would believe

___ God wanted one church full of both Jew and Gentile ___ God never intended to save anybody

Read Romans 16:26. To who did God want His plan of salvation known?

all the __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Read Romans 16:27. Who gets the glory for anyone who is saved through Jesus Christ?

__ __ __

That’s right God does!

Well you did it! You have completed your study through the book of Romans. Look at all you have learned! I am so very proud of you… and I know that digging into God’s word and seeking His truth makes God smile too!

Get the Romans Study For Kids in a downloadable PDF form here: Romans Study For Kids Part 1 – Part 5

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 15:22-33)

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This post will complete Romans 15… Once again this study is written to coincide with the NASB translation.

Look at Romans 15:22. How does this verse begin?

__ __ __   this   __ __ __ __ __ __

This is another important phrase in the Scriptures. The phrase “for this reason” is just like saying “therefore” or “this is why”. Remember when we see these phrases we need to look at what comes before the phrase to find what the reason is or what the therefore is there for.

Read Romans 15:22. Why had Paul been prevented from coming to see the church in Rome? Answer true (T) or false (F).

___   Paul didn’t like them

___   Paul didn’t think they would listen to him

___   Paul had to first preach where no one knew Jesus

___   Paul didn’t want to build on another’s foundation

___   Paul was afraid to come to Rome

Read Romans 15:23. How long had Paul wanted to come to the church in Rome? Circle your answer.

a couple of days     a few weeks     for many years

Read Romans 15:24-25. Where did Paul have to go and serve the saints before he could go to Rome?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __      

Read Romans 15:26. Why did Paul have to go to Jerusalem first? Answer true (T) or false (F)

___ he liked the people in the church in Jerusalem them better than in Rome

___ the church in Macedonia and Achaia had sent a gift with Paul to help the poor in the church in Jerusalem

___ that was the shortest route to get to Rome

Read Romans 15:27. Who made up the church in Macedonia and Achaia? Circle your answer.

Jews              Gentiles           Jew and Gentiles

Read Romans 15:28. Where was Paul going after he delivered the contribution to the poor in the church in Jerusalem?

S_ __ __ __ __

Read Romans 15:28 again. Did Paul plan to stop by Rome on his way to Spain? Circle your answer.

Yes         No         I don’t know

Read Romans 15:29. Whose blessing did Paul want to come to Rome with?

__ __ __ __ __      __ __ __ __ __ __

Read Romans 15:30. What did Paul ask the church in Rome to do for him?

__ __ __ __

  Rom 15 praying-kids-cartoon               

Read Romans 15:31. What specific prayer request did Paul have for them?

that he would be __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Read Romans 15:32-33. How did Paul want to come to Rome?

in __ __ __  by the __ __ __ __ of __ __ __

THINK ABOUT IT…

As much as Paul wanted to visit the church in Rome he would not go unless God had sent him. He knew that he had to obey God.

Paul also knew that even if he could not come to Rome yet, he could pray for them and they could pray for him.

Paul was a missionary. Do you know any missionaries that you can pray for?

Do you know of any places left on the earth that have not heard the gospel and learned about Jesus?

Go this website http://www.unreached.org/ and learn about places where the gospel has not been preached and pray that God would send someone like Paul to tell them about Jesus.

That’s enough for today. Tomorrow we will finish our study in the book of Romans! I am so excited that you are still here learning and growing in God.

 

Proven Path Ministries

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 15:14-21)

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Continuing with our Romans Study For Kids. This post covers Romans 15:14-21.

 

Romans 15:14-19

14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 

15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 

16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 

17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 

18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 

19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; 

21 but as it is written, “They who had no news of Him shall see,
And they who have not heard shall understand.”

Read Romans 15:14 and answer the following questions. 

How does Paul address those in the church in Rome?

my __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

What was Paul convinced of concerning the church in Rome? Circle all that apply.

they were full of goodness       

they were smelly         

they were filled with knowledge   

they loved to eat     

they were able to admonish one another   

they liked to go fishing

Read Romans 15:15. If Paul knew that the church in Rome was able to admonish their own selves, why did he write this letter to them?

to  __ __ __ __ __ __  them

THINK ABOUT IT…

Paul has written to the church in Rome to remind them of the truth that they already know. He wants them to remember that they are able to encourage and teach one another because they have the knowledge of God too. 

Do you know that if you have Jesus and you have His Word and if you are reading the Bible and learning from it then you too have the knowledge to help others?

The next time you see a friend that is having a hard time try to remember a story or a Scripture that you can share with them. 

Pray and ask God to help you. I promise You He will!

Read Romans 15:16 and answer the following questions. 

God gave Paul the grace to be what to the Gentiles? Circle the right answer.

a spy      a trouble maker      a minister

What is Paul to be ministering as a priest?

the  __ __ __ __ __ __  of God

Who was Paul offering up to God as an offering? Circle the correct answer.

an ox      a lamb      the Gentiles       his money

Why did Paul serve as a priest who ministered the gospel of God to the Gentiles?

He wanted them to be __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

He wanted them to be __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Who is the One who sanctifies?

the  H__ __ __   S__ __ __ __ __

Read Romans 15:17-18 and answer the following questions. 

Who did Paul boast about? Circle the correct answer.

himself             Jesus Christ    

What was the result of what Jesus had accomplished through Paul?

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of the Gentiles  

Read Romans 15:19 and look at the map below. Draw a line between the two places that Paul has said he fully preached the gospel.

Rom 15 map

Read Romans 15:20 and answer the following question. 

What did Paul aspire to do?

to  __ __ __ __ __ __   the  __ __ __ __ __ __

The word for “aspire” in the Greek is philotimeomai. Yes, that’s a hard word to try and say! The word means to strive very eagerly for, to love, to seek after honor, to be ambitious. Paul’s heart, his mission given to him by God (Acts 9:15), was to go to places and reach people who had never heard about Jesus.

Where did Paul aspire NOT to preach the gospel?

where __ __ __ __ __ __ was already __ __ __ __ __

Why did he not want to preach the gospel where Christ was already named? What did he NOT want to do?

__ __ __ __ __  on another __ __ __’ __ foundation

Read Romans 15:21 and look up and read Isaiah 52:15. Once again, was it always in God’s plan for His salvation to be offered to everyone?

Yes          No          I don’t know

Look up and read John 3:16 and 2 Peter 3:9 and let’s end today with thanking God for loving us and for keeping His promises to us!

 

Proven Path Ministries

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 15:1-13)

 

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Read Romans 15:1. What are those who are strong supposed to do for those who are not strong?

bear their __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Rom 15 strong man

If you are the strong one should you please yourself first?

Yes        No        I don’t know

Read Romans 15:2. Who are we to try and please? Circle all that apply.

ourselves      our neighbor       the one weaker than us      

no one          God           other strong ones

Read Romans 15:3. Did Christ please Himself?

Yes      No     I don’t know

Read Romans 15:4 and answer the following questions. 

Why did God have things that happened a long time ago written down? 

for our __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Where do we find the things that God had written for our instruction? Circle the right one.

  Rom 15 Encyclopedia Rom 15 Dictionary Rom 15 Bible         

                    

In Romans 15:4 we find one of our important phrases. We find the phrase “so that”. This is a phrase that helps us answer the question “Why?” in a verse. According to what you read in this verse why did God have things written for our instruction? Answer true (T) or false (F). 

______  so that we could have Sunday School classes and talk about it

______  so that we would have cool bedtime stories 

______  so that we might have hope

Read Romans 15:4 again. Use this verse to fill in the blanks for God’s instructions to us so that we can have hope.

p __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  

+  e __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ =  hope

According to Romans 15:4 where does the encouragement that brings us hope come from?

the   __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Read Romans 15:5. Who is able to give us both perseverance and encouragement?

__ __ __

In Romans 15:5-6, Paul prays that God would grant us to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus. According to Romans 15:6 why does he want God to do this?

so that with __ __ __ accord you may with __ __ __ voice __ __ __ __ __ __ __ the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Look up and read John 17:22-23. Does Jesus ask this same thing of God for us?

Yes        No        I don’t know

In John 17:23 we see the important phrase again, “so that”. According to this verse why does Jesus want us to be one and perfected in unity? Answer true (T) or false (F)

____   so that we will sound better when we sing

____   so that the world will know God sent Jesus

____   so that the world would know God’s love

____   so that we could wear matching t-shirts

____   so that we would never disagree 

Look up and read John 15:12-13. Answer the following questions. 

What one command does Jesus give to His disciples? 

that they  __ __ __ __  one another

According to John 15:13 what is the greatest way we can show love to another?

laying down our __ __ __ __ __ for them

Now look up and read Philippians 2:1-8 out loud.

THINK ABOUT IT…

Who is stronger, Jesus or us? 

Yes, that’s right. Jesus is stronger. 

Jesus was the stronger one, so He lay down His life for us, the weaker one. In Philippians 2:1-8 we have Paul reminding us once again that we are not look out for our own self-interest and just try and please ourselves. We should always serve the weaker. 

Jesus humbled Himself all the way to the point of dying on a cross for us even when we were sinners and enemies of God. We should at least be able to humble ourselves enough to not watch a tv show, or play a video game, or eat things in front of our friends that are not allowed to participate in them. We should be able to do this without making fun of them or saying mean things about the ones who made those rules for them.

Read Romans 15:7. What word does this verse begin with?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Remember when we see a “therefore” in Scripture we need to pay attention to what follows before it and after it. This therefore is pointing back to everything that Paul has taught us in Romans 14:14 through Romans 15:6. 

According to Romans 15:7 what does Paul conclude that we, as Christians, should do? Circle the correct answer.

lie to one another     pick on one another    

accept one another

According to Romans 15:7 how should we accept one another?

just as  __ __ __ __ __ __  also accepted us

THINK ABOUT IT…

Did you have to anything special for Jesus to accept you? Did you have to eat certain things or stop eating certain things before He would let you ask Him to save you?

Take a moment and read Luke 23:39-43 below:

One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not theChrist? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Was there anything that the thief on the cross could have done before Jesus could accept Him?

No there wasn’t. 

The thief was nailed to a cross. He couldn’t change anything about his past or his future. All he could do was believe in his heart that Jesus was Lord and confess Him with his mouth. That was all that the thief on the cross could do and Jesus accepted him.

Jesus also was nailed to a cross. At that time Jesus didn’t perform a special miracle to prove that He had accepted the thief on the cross, the word of Jesus was enough. 

Now would be a great time to sing the old hymn “Just As I Am” If you don’t know it. Type this link in your URL search bar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=460vFWX3ccs

Let’s just spend the rest of the day thanking Jesus that God takes us just as we are… 

Read Romans 15:8. What phrase does Romans 15:8 begin with? 

__ __ __     __     __ __ __

This phrase is Paul moving to a conclusion. He is beginning to close up his letter to the church in Rome. We have almost finished our study in the book of Romans. 

As we read Romans 15:8-13 we will see that Paul uses several Old Testament scriptures to explain to us why we should accept one another as Christ accepted us.

As you read remember that the church in Rome is filled with both Jews (the circumcised) and Gentiles (the uncircumcised).  

Read Romans 15:8. Why did Jesus come to be a servant of the circumcised?

to __ __ __ __ __ __ __  the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Did Jesus fulfill Old Testament promises that God had made to the children of Israel?

Yes           No         I don’t know

Yes He did. Jesus fulfilled and confirmed over 300 promises that God had made through Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets. 

Read Romans 15:9. Why did Jesus become a servant to the Gentiles?

to glorify God for His __ __ __ __ __

We have already learned in Romans 11 how the Gentiles were grafted into the family of God through Christ. Let’s look up the promises in the Old Testament that Paul uses in Romans 15:9-13.

Read Romans 15:9 and compare it to Psalm 18:49

Read Romans 15:10 and compare it to Deuteronomy 32:43.

Read Romans 15:11 and compare it to Psalm 117:1

Read Romans 15:12 and compare it to Isaiah 11:10

According to these verses was it always God’s plan to show mercy to the Gentiles?

Yes           No          I don’t know

Read Romans 15:13. Use this verse to fill in the blanks below to conclude our study today.

Now may the __ __ __  of __ __ __ __ fill you with 

all __ __ __ and __ __ __ __ __  in believing, so 

that you will abound in  __ __ __ __  by the 

__ __ __ __ __ of the H __ __ __   S __ __ __ __ __

THINK ABOUT IT…

The word hope is used many times in the book of Romans and it is used several times in these verses that we have studied in Romans 15:1-13. 

The word hope in the Greek is “elpis”. This word means to have expectation of what is sure or certain, to have trust or confidence.

God is the One who gives us hope. He gave us His Word and we can see from the things that have happened in the past that He has confirmed His Word. 

Because we know that God has kept His Word in the past we can know for certain that God will keep His Word in the present and in the future. 

As we close our study today, look back and read Romans 5:5. Let me ask you, does the hope of God ever disappoint?

No, it doesn’t. 

Hope never disappoints when that hope is placed in the God of hope and His Word because we can trust our God to keep His promises always. No matter what!

 

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

So What’s Your Problem

PPM-3.jpg

Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord.”

Exodus 16:8

I am in the midst of new study. This is my first Priscilla Shirer study. I’m a Precept girl so topical studies are usually not my choice, but my sister-in-law invited me to attend this new study that was starting at her church, which just so happened to be the church we felt the Lord leading us to… and well there is no “just so happeneds” with God. Since the first class the Lord has been drawing me out of myself… And each Sunday and Wednesday that we visited the Lord spoke directly to a place in our hearts and minds that needed desperately to hear from Him.

Just this past Sunday the Lord woke me up from my self proclaimed victim pity party… I was at my pinnacle of my pity party this past Saturday as I wrote, His Thoughts Are Not Our Thoughts. I mean there were tears and downcast of soul and I was done… again. The depression of oppression had fallen and settled in and as I just wanted Jesus. Just Jesus.

My joy cup was empty. So Sunday as I was getting ready for church I sat that morning before the Lord and I prayed… really prayed. In the shower I prayed… really prayed. I didn’t just go through the motions of prayer… I prayed.

I surrendered.

That morning the Lord spoke to me clearly in the Sunday School class we attended and then again clearly in the morning service… he spoke to every hurt of my heart. He reminded me that He knew and that He cared and that He forgave me.

In my study this week I read:

How can we make it successfully through our dry and dusty journey? We are covered by a cloud of God’s presence as we learned yesterday and we must also keep in mind that God will refresh us by a river of His provision. He will provide healing places and oases for us too. We will not always be engulfed with fatigue as we travel from one day to the next.
~ Priscilla Shirer 

You see the final straw for me had came when BCBS had denied my Daddy’s PET scan the Thursday before, placing a financial burden and cloud of doubt upon my Daddy who was already fighting for his life. I didn’t understand how God could allow these people in a building somewhere to overrule my Dad’s doctor. I could have personally choked President Obama and any other “political genius” who is behind all this “free” healthcare hoopla. You see the sovereignty of God is a double edged sword. You know God is in control so you know that God allowed it and you also know that God didn’t have to allow it. Sovereignty is hard to swallow sometimes… and this was one of those times.

However, Sunday morning I swallowed.

Sunday morning through the teaching and preaching of His Word I was washed, renewed, and my joy cup once again was beginning to fill… it was a good day.

Then Monday my Daddy went to the oncologist to have his chemo treatment. The oncologist told him that day that his numbers looked so good that he should only have to have one more chemo treatment. He will have that PET scan to confirm the numbers and then take only a thirty minute maintenance injection once every three weeks.

As this news sank into my heart I realized that had my Daddy had that PET scan the week before and that scan missed one single cancer cell he might not have had these last two chemo treatments and there just might have been that one cell that God could see that the PET scan would miss…

How easily we forget that God is in control when things are not going the way we think they should go. Yep, sovereignty is hard to swallow.

This past Monday night I wrote this on my Proven Path FB page…

There are those that have the ability to bring the sour out in me… and well the Lord has been too good to me and given me far too much for which to be thankful for me to be sour. 

My Daddy received the most amazing news ever today and a phone call that began as a praise session, I found myself turning it into a “gripe” session. My Daddy didn’t need my sour dump and my God most certainly deserved better in that moment.

It’s no secret I have been in an uncertain place… and yesterday in the midst of our Sunday School lesson I realized that I had taken on a mentality that grates my own nerves in others… the victim mentality. As I sat in class and the teacher discussed the victim mentality I heard my God clear as day speak to my heart and remind me that those in Christ are not victims, we are VICTORS. It was time for me to pick up my pallet and walk.

Yesterday was a good day…
Today was an even better day.
Tomorrow isn’t to be worried about.

Everything happens for a reason. Everything. People come and go out of our lives for a reason. There is a time for every season under the sun… every season. We will learn in summer to look forward to fall and in fall to prepare for winter and in winter to hope for spring… yet in each season we see the beauty of our Creator God and the ever present glory of His sustaining mercy and grace.

God is good. I am not so good… the only thing good about me is what He has brought to life in and through me. The more I get to know me… the less I like me and the more I sit in awe that He even tolerates me… much less loves me enough to reach down from the throne of the KIngdom of Heaven to lift me up out the depths of the pits of hell and then to actually take up residence within this decaying flesh… I mean… really?

When I begin to think that I have “put up” with a lot… I remember that God has put up with me. Twenty-four seven. No break. No time-outs. No vacations. I mean day and night, inside and out. When I think and speak sour words that are so foul they should be rotting my bones… He gently whispers sweet words flowing with milk and honey that brings healing to my soul.

Oh precious ones… do you know HIM? Oh, how I hope that you do! The God of do-overs is my God. His name is Jesus. Jehovah Saves. Just say His name… that sweet, sweet name.

God had just poured out glory on me and in a second I was complaining and grumbling again about things that no longer even concern me personally anymore. Then tonight in the class as Priscilla shared I was reminded of the verse in Exodus that begins this post…

Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord.”

Exodus 16:8

How quickly I find that I forget the goodness of God. How easily that I find that I forget that in the knowledge of His sovereignty the complaints that I make about or against others are really against my faithful sovereign Savior who is working all things for the good of those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

Tonight I was reminded that I am to be silent and let the Lord fight for me.

Tonight I was reminded that I am on a journey and the Lord will finish what He started in me.

Tonight I was reminded that neither cancer nor insurance companies are greater than my God.

Tonight I was reminded that God has me… and God has my Dad… and God has my Daddy-in-Law… and God has my Sis-in-Law… and God has our family right where He wants us.

When we know that we are not deliberately running away from God then the only other possibility is that we are on our way to where He is taking us… it just might not be the route we had planned. There are times that it seems we have the very cloud of His glory going before us clearly showing the way, but there are also times where the light has blinded us and darkness is all we can see, yet it’s still God’s will and way.

I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.

Psalm 145:1-3

 
So what’s your problem?

Beloved of God be reminded that He is faithful… and He hears your cry… and He’s got you.

Confessions of a Christian Wife

His Thoughts Are Not Our Thoughts

confessions

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 55:8

I am glad that His thoughts are not our thoughts… 

My thoughts are hard to carry at this time in my life. My thoughts tell me that I am inadequate, incompetent, incapacitated, insufficient, and proven unworthy. My thoughts tell me that I will never be enough, or do enough, and that failure is the end result of the visions and dreams of the future I once had and that I am and have been a waste of others resources.

There is nothing like the pain of knowing that you have invested years of your life into others and your thoughts tell you that you are not even thought of enough to have one simple request met. The “praying for you’s” fall flat when there are no actions behind them. The only words that hold power in themselves are those of God… ours are of no value when there is no deed behind them. They are empty, futile, and worthless… except for the pain that their emptiness brings. Words unmet with concrete validation always leave pain in their wake.

But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 

James 2:20

It is better to be silent than to speak empty words.

I do not know what God is doing. I watch the support of some and in this all I can see is the lack of support given to others. The lack. The walking on by with a pat on the arm, and the how are you doing, and the empty trained we are praying, as they keep on moving to something and someone else… apparently completely oblivious to the numbing blow they have just landed to the soul. It’s hard not to ask, “but why?”

There is place that seems so numb and so dark that the thought of there ever being life there again seems impossible. The thoughts. The tug-of-war. The doubts and fears and disappointments tugging against the promises of God… His thoughts… His ways… His words… and those few who have actually backed words with actions… those. very. few.

It has nothing to do with doubting the love and ability of my God…

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me…

2 Timothy 4:16-17

It’s just that the reminder that all we ever really have is Christ Himself sometimes comes painfully. We will never be enough for other people and other people will never be enough for us… but Jesus will always be enough.

Jesus is enough.

Just give me Jesus.

If the Lord had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up.
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,
Your consolations delight my soul.

Psalm 94:17-19

The writing and teachings of Nicole Love Halbrooks Vaughn