Come Into The Deep End... with ImHisServant (2)

[krys4ever]

I also struggle with this. I used to get up early in the morning (like between 5 & 5:30) to have my Bible study and prayer time. I then got out of the habit and haven't gotten back into it. It is so hard to drag myself out of bed that early most mornings!!
But then, if I wait, I find that I'm either too tired or forget to do it before going to bed.
I am slowly trying to get back to doing it regularly.
One thing I did before, (when I used to get up early), is I prayed about it. I had been trying to do it before bed, but as I stated above, was too tired most the time. So, when I prayed about finding a time to do it, I just told God that if He wanted me to get up early to do it, then He'd have to wake me up! So that night when I went to bed, I left my alarm clock set for the regular time I always got up (6:00). The next morning, I woke up and it was 5:30!! But, I rolled over and went back to sleep! That happened like 2-3 mornings in a row, and I finally decided I better get up because God was apparently waking me up!!
But as I said, I got out of that habit (I think because of being sick or something for awhile). And now I need to get back at it.

I agree with u. I need to start early morning prayer. It will help me to keep God first and to start my day off in praise and thankfulness.

 

[Gazelle]

Hey ya'll . . . . . .This Is the Day the LORD has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it . . . how ya'll doing this beautiful Sunday . . . GOD bless ya'll . . .

 

[powerofprayer]

Hey everyone, I really need prayers right now...marital problems Thanks.
Sandy

 

[PrairieGurl]

John 15:1-2, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." (NIV)​

However, my problem wasn't monetary. It was my schedule. I had invested so much of my time in "good" activities that I had no margin in my days or my life for any emergency, let alone all the things I had to do. My overloaded schedule left me drained and empty, both emotionally and relationally.

This is a topic that I needed to see and think of.

My problem is both monetary and lack of a schedule. I am drained and empty in all aspects. Emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.

The year 2006 was a challenging one for me. Christmas was the final straw when I barely got the tree up and then left it sparsely decorated.

2006 was a challenge for not only myself but my whole family.
We didn't even get a Christmas tree, let alone decorate it sparsely.​

So I started praying and asking the Lord to reveal the things that needed to be dropped. A few things were easy and obvious and those went quickly.

I need (something that I just can't seem to do) to pray for God to help me make a schedule that begins with Him. I work (3/4 time) and then come home completely exhausted, and end up vegging on the couch till I go to sleep (early in the evening)
I have no desire, motivation or energy to do anything.​

I believe that God led me here to CF in June of last year. He used it to bring me into 'human' contact, to encourage me, to show His love to me thru dear friends I have met here and to show me how important it is to keep Him first in my life.​

Now it seems the only time I spend with Him, would be on CF. It has been so helpful, and yet I know He wants me to move beyond, perse, beyond just using this as teaching me and helping me grow in Him.​

This morning for instance is the first wknd I have had off in a long while, I told my Mom I would go to Church with her this morning, and yet here I am and I just called her to say I was not going. I am sitting here with a headache and very disheaveled still in my pj's and thinking about going back to sleep. I can be on CF and it doesn't matter what 'shape' I am in.​

I know due to illness I am drained in all aspects of my life, but I also believe a major part of recovery is putting God first. And as He promises, everything else will fall into place, perse.​

Consider if your schedule is overcrowded. Ask God to reveal one responsibility that can be delegated or released. Then act upon His answer.

In my case...I must ask God to make me willing to allow Him to help me set up a schedule. To start with Him thru prayer and devotions. And ask for the desire/energy to 'step out of my comfort' zone.​

What does having margin in our schedules really mean?

I personally think this means to leave time/make time to spend with Him.​

Why would God want us to have more flexible time?

To spend time with Him and be 'available' to do His will.​

What relationships/commitments take the most time in your life? Are these at the top of your priority list?

There really isn't neither in my life besides making it thru work. I MUST make God a priority and then allow Him to move me from there.

What is one thing you know God is asking you to do, but you haven't done yet?

Start growing in Him, start living as He has intended for me.​

Why haven't you done this?

As ashamed and embarrassed I am to say this, I haven't done this because it's easier not to I know God won't force me to do anything, so even if other's are lifting me in prayer...I must be willing to allow Him to change me.​

I know this is opposite with the topic, perse, but this is where this Sister in Christ is at this time.​

​

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (NAS)

Isaiah 26:3 "You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you." (TEV)

Ephesians 5:17 "Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants." (MSG)​

​

Verses that I will meditate on.

​

 

[Taylor43]

Hi everyone, someone invited me to this part of CF so hopefully ill join right in here. Hope all of you are having a great day in the Lord
God Bless
Taylor

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

Hi everyone, someone invited me to this part of CF so hopefully ill join right in here. Hope all of you are having a great day in the Lord
God Bless
Taylor

Welcome!!!!!

 

[Taylor43]

Thanks for the welcome

 

[Hisbygrace]

Beside still waters He leadth me
A gentler path that I might see
Far from the distractions of an insane world
With all of it's hustle, bustle and toil
Here we gather Just my Father and me
To walk and talk most intimately
It is here I can share with Him all my fears
It is here that He wipes away all of my tears.

 

[Hisbygrace]

Hi everyone, someone invited me to this part of CF so hopefully ill join right in here. Hope all of you are having a great day in the Lord
God Bless
Taylor

Hello Taylor and welcome to Friendship Court....

 

[kindlychung]

ok. I want to send a private message to a friend, but i am a newbie here, so let me post several replies. thank you.

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

Topic: Monday Feb 5th​

Ephesians 5:22-24/33b> Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything....the wife must respect her husband.​

The dictionary definition of submit is to give over or yield to the power or authority of another. To yield is to give up or surrender (oneself). We are to yield; surrender ourselves to our husbands. God established the marriage relationship before any other. The marriage relationship is to be a picture of Christ and His church. We are to be devoted to our husbands. We were created to be his helper and keepers of the home.​

How are we to submit to our husbands?​

~Vs. 22 states "as to the Lord" If we submit to the Lord first, it is much easier to submit to our husbands. Submitting to our husbands honours our Lord. If we are unwilling to submit to our husbands, we are not submitting to the Lord, but instead are rebelling against Him.​

~Vs. 33 states "the wife must respect her husband" God made men and women differently. God made men to feel loved when they are respected. Most men will state that they desire respect more then love. They need it. The bible doesn't say to respect them if they earn or deserve it - it simply says to respect them. It is an unconditional respect of their position as head of the home, just as their love for us is to be unconditional.​

~Vs. 24 states "wives should submit to their husbands in everything" The exception to this is if he asks us to do something immoral, or that would go against God's Word, then we are to obey God rather than our husbands.​

We are to submit to our husbands, as to the Lord, with respect (a proper attitude) in everything.​

Submitting to our husbands is a choice. It's voluntary. It cannot be forced. Choosing to submit is choosing to obey God and is based on one's own recognition of God's order in the family.​

The secular view of submission is negative, it's ugly and it is seen as lowering ourselves. However, the exact opposite is true. Submission is the outward expression of loving our Creator and following His ways. He created you. He knows what we need to do in order to function joyfully and have harmony in the home. ​

Submission has a face of gentleness, a quiet spirit, soothing tone and a loving heart ~ that to me is a picture of beauty. ​

Discussion: ​

Is submitting to your husband a struggle for you?​

If unmarried, do you think it will be a struggle for you in the future?​

Please share a time when you had to submit to your husband even though you did not agree with him. What was the end result?​

 

[woman.at.the.well]

as a single lady . . . i will bow out of today's topic gracefully ! hello everyone!

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

Discussion: ​

Is submitting to your husband a struggle for you?​

If unmarried, do you think it will be a struggle for you in the future?​

Please share a time when you had to submit to your husband even though you did not agree with him. What was the end result?​

Hi Ladies! I hope I didn't scare anyone away with my topic today.

Submitting to my husband is not usually a struggle for me. I recognize the roles God has given us and I know God wants me to submit; and so I do. However, it is difficult at times to submit with the little things. Such as, my husband really wants me to learn how to sew....I have no interest in this. It seems like such a small thing but he keeps bringing it up.

A story:

In Canada we get a 1 year maternity leave. When my son was 9 months old I got pregnant again. My husband really wanted me to return to work and then receive another year off when my 2nd baby was born.

I really felt that God was calling me to be a stay at home mom and returning wasn't a good idea. My husband was adamant. So I made all the arrangements to return to work and gave my worries and feelings to the Lord in prayer. 2 weeks before my return date my husband called me from work and told me he had changed his mind. I cancelled my return and have been home ever since. This experience was truly amazing for me!!!!

Looking forward to hearing your input today.

~Christina

PS: Sandy, I'm still praying for you!!!

 

[burn97]

Great Topic Christina!

1 Peter 3 states:
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Proverbs 31 gives us the characteristics to be a noble wife :
The Wife of Noble Character 10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Throughout the bible women are called to be submissive to their husbands. Does this make us any less important than men? By no means. God has given to each man and woman certain strengths. By the woman's example, the non believing husband will see God. By our example, the children are to follow. The woman was created to be the heart of the family, we feel what man does not, we are the emotional strength, the glue that holds our family together emotionally.
"Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Genesis 3:16. This is the way that God created us to be. The man, has responsiblity to be the strength, the provider of the family.
When the rolls are mixed the balance is off. I've seen this in many different families. The man is overwhelmed by the woman, or is ruled by the woman, and the house is upsidedown. It is choas. God did not create man to be ruled by woman.
I totally agree with what you have said Christina. God is first in my life. God's will overrules my husband's, but in all other aspects, I do try to submit. It is a learning experience.
Before I became a christian, there was always a powerstruggle between my husband and I. Miles tried to be the head, while I also, with the thoughts of equal sex, equal titles, ect, tried to be independant and strong and the head. It was chaos. Utter chaos. We fought, we bickered, our family was turned upside down, because there was not a balance. When I came God, and I started to follow His Will for me, I have found that Miles is the head. It doesn't matter what others say, what popular oppinion is, Man is the head of the Family.
When there is balance, there is growth, there is respect. I respect Miles and I put his will above my own ( though I am still working on that) and he respects me enough to listen to me and to take my feelings into consideration. There's peace which wasn't here before, and it God's blessing. Miles and I have grown alot in our relationship.

 

[woman.at.the.well]

From Our Daily Bread:​

Tuesday, February 6th, 2007​

Why does spiritual passion fade so easily? When we first experience God’s love, we spend hours thinking about Him, studying His Word, and telling others how much He means to us. Then it happens. Our busy schedules slowly dampen our passion. Our longing for Jesus and our study of His character become an occasional glance. Surely the object of our affection hasn’t changed!The church at Ephesus wrestled with maintaining its spiritual passion. Jesus, through John, wanted to help them restore and maintain their love and zeal for Him. Although He commended this church for their work, Jesus saw that they had abandoned their first love—Him (Rev. 2:4).The Ephesians had lost their spiritual passion for Jesus. It had become a cold and mechanical orthodoxy. I wonder if they had allowed the stealthy culprit of religion and busyness to enter their hearts. Whatever it was, something had stolen the affection they had once reserved for the Lord.Have you allowed something to steal your passion? If so, it can be restored and maintained when you consistently remember His amazing love demonstrated at Calvary. Repent of your sinful, unloving attitudes, and out of love for Jesus repeat your "first works" (v.5). —Marvin WilliamsWhat once was filled with wonderLies cold within my heart;Return, O Lord, that wonder,And may it not depart. —SperDevotion to Jesus is the key to spiritual passion​

How about you InDeepers?
How is your spiritual passion doing?
Has it faded or are you on fire for the Lord?
What do you do to maintain your spirit of passion for Jesus?
What could be keeping you from living a life in Christ that is devoted to Him?​

 

[krys4ever]

Hey everyone, I really need prayers right now...marital problems Thanks.
Sandy

i will keep u and your family in my prayers.
be encouraged.

 

[krys4ever]

The dictionary definition of submit is to give over or yield to the power or authority of another. To yield is to give up or surrender (oneself). We are to yield; surrender ourselves to our husbands. God established the marriage relationship before any other. The marriage relationship is to be a picture of Christ and His church. We are to be devoted to our husbands. We were created to be his helper and keepers of the home.​

Discussion: ​

If unmarried, do you think it will be a struggle for you in the future?
[/quote]
​

if i am to marry in the future, i dont think it would be hard to submit to my future husband. i feel that once i completely learn to submit to God the way i should, then i will be able to submit to my husband when the time comes.

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

How about you InDeepers?

How is your spiritual passion doing?
Has it faded or are you on fire for the Lord?
What do you do to maintain your spirit of passion for Jesus?

What could be keeping you from living a life in Christ that is devoted to Him?​

I'm on a spiritual high right now; have been since the summer. Before that I was lukewarm because I was so overwhelmed with 2 small children.

I spend quality time in the Word and in prayer. When I pray I sometimes don't ask for anything at all....I just talk to God and want to know Him more and more. I listen to mostly Christian music.

I bieleve in the Garbage In ~ Garbage Out theory. Whatever we put in comes out so I make sure I'm filling up on all things Godly.

Take Care Ladies!
~Christina

 

[Smileyill]

Mine faded, but I find the early morning devotion refreshing again. Actually, I need not go anywhere till c. 7:30am, so I arise and read @ c. 5.am and then take a nap afterwards. Probably not the healthiest habit, but it works for now.

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

Mine faded, but I find the early morning devotion refreshing again. Actually, I need not go anywhere till c. 7:30am, so I arise and read @ c. 5.am and then take a nap afterwards. Probably not the healthiest habit, but it works for now.

I always do the bulk of my praying and reading from 4:30am - 6:00am...before my boys wake up. It works.