The Better Part, week #12

 

This was a scuffling week; but I am back on the path, and hope what I did get done helps you as well....

The Better Part, Day# 76:

 

Luk 22:31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,

Luk 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." 

 

David Jeremiah made the point that Jesus gave Peter the one thing he needed to overcome this sifting right after- He gave Him a command to pray with Him at Gethsemane. A tool he was "too tired" to use.

And as I listened, I was a bit disturbed in spirit, and asked God how to overcome it. God knew He'd already given me a tool I hadn't been using lately: my BLEST HOW FAVA acronym that walks me through the lessons to be learned from Peter's mistakes.

We need to remember when we feel like we're "on the ropes", Jesus has likely given us the tools to get back up.

 

(NOTE:  That certainly applied this week!)

 

 

The Better Part, Day#77:

 

"Using the tools, part 2"! So it was a day last week, When I asked in prayer for someone to show kindness to, that I heard a news story on the way home. I don't remember if the subject of the report was a criminal or a politician (easily confusing), and I was restraining myself from wishing them ill when I felt Jesus saying, "Here's your chance- pray for them." 

 

Knowing that this was a tool in the box He gave me took till today. Exhausted with about an hour to go in the day, I asked for refreshing. "You have the tools", was the response. Praying for those I might not normally think to pray for- not to mention a few that I would have anyway- did the job! Second wind accomplished, mood improved, day done!

 

 

The Better part, day #78:

 

This weekend, our pastor pointed out several ways that the story of healing the leper in Mark 'flipped' Jesus's entire ministry. I know how my own faith had to 'flip' after 30 years to grow. This morning I got an idea of why. Michael Youseff was having some fun with the Cain and Abel story- ideas like perhaps Cain brought grain because he founded PETA, etc.- and it struck me. Just like the way of this world, Cain had a problem killing animals- but no such problem killing a human... no wonder that to grow in faith, we need to 'flip' our world.

 

 

The Better Part, day#79:

 

This one sin, according to a recent survey by a group involved in recovery from it, has 40 million regular participants in the USA.

This one sin brings in more money than ABC, CBS, and NBC combined.

47% of American homes deal with it.

It is involved in 56% of divorces.

87% of women have done it. 68% of Christian men do it regularly.

Only 7% of Churches have programs to deal with it- maybe because 50% of pastors admit to having the problem.

 

Which sin is it? Doesn't matter. If you aren't in these statistics, you're still a sinner. Tony Evans says it's not an obedience problem, it's a love problem. We fail to obey because we don't put the work into loving Jesus.

Experts tell us you have to work at real love. Should love for Jesus be different?

 

 

The Better part, Day #80:

 

1Th 5:24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 

 

I just had the most amazing look at God's blessings as I typed up my blog's Bible Study for Wednesday. I have mentioned several times the concept of "using the tools Jesus gave you", and in using one of them, I saw a passage open up in the most marvelous way! God constantly awes me with the way He hides the best wisdom in His word; Now, it's time to pray for the application!