Happy Is the One Who Endures Testing...

This past week, I have been reading Beth Moore's new book Audacious, one I purchased last September, one that has been waiting on me, again, until God's Perfect Timing.  Interesting how He does that.

This morning, I spent more time in these pages, pausing over several scriptures on pages 62-66.  Would you please take a moment...or two...to marinate on these Words of Life?

• Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love Him.  James 1:12.  (Now, if you are female, re-read and use the pronoun she.)
• I wonder if just learning to be quiet during times of testing and allowing Him to take over counts for being "happy"?  I am witness that this does increase one's peace of mind!
• You rejoice in this, though now for short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith -- more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire -- may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  You love Him, though you have not seen him.  And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy.  1 Peter 1:6-8
• Hummm...if like me, are you feeling like a failure?  Happiness...rejoicing...joy?  In great trials?  In great various trials...for when it rains, my friend, it tends to just hurricane in my life!  Yes, I have been such a failure at this...until just recently.  Maybe I am finally learning this lesson?
• May we read two more?
• Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside the encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.  Hebrews 12:1
• Thanks be to God who gave me the desire to get back into His Word, I am finally able to run...some...still getting in shape!  With sadness, I report that my lack of running in this cloud of people watching my testimony has not always resulted in the best testimony for Him.  So...why run?  Keep reading...
• What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind -- God prepared this for those who love Him. I Corinthians 2:9
• Why run?  He wants more for us than we even know we want for ourselves.  Yes!  He has this prepared right now for us...just in His timing.  I just imaging one of those connect-a-dots...dot-by-dot He's making the connection that will reveal what He has prepared for you and me.

I recommend this book, one God placed on Beth Moore's heart, one for which she carved out the time for someone who needed to read this one.  That one?  Yes...me.

Blessings.

Wise Men = Instruments of God

This year, I am again enjoying reading along with Joanna Weaver's 2016 Word of God Speak (you may find more information here on her blog or here on her Facebook page where the conversations occur based on the weekly scriptures).

Here's my comment for January 4-5:

In Matthew 2, God used the Wise Men...to "disturb" Herod, "as was everyone in Jerusalem," of the arrival of the "newborn king of the Jews."

Then, once they found Him, the Wise Men "returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream to not return to Herod."

This is just so interesting to me. The human side of me wonders: in the dream God gave them to not return to Herod, did he comfort them for being the ones to stir up the hatred toward this baby...this King...our Savior? Did they even realize then the domino effect that had already begun?

Then, I wonder...how many times has God used me to spread the Good News...and then saved me from the Herods in my life? Then, I just have to wonder...I just hope I am being "wise" for him...and not returning to the Herods! 

I have spent two days on Mathew 2:1-12...may have to spend another! Very powerful to me right now in my life...

Won't Heaven be fun?  Meeting and greeting all these people in the Bible and learning more than just a few verses about their experiences while here on earth?

I encourage your joining such a read-along as the one hosted by Joanna Weaver,  From my involvement in these and book clubs, I find myself challenged to engage in the texts and the conversations more, learning from those involved.

Here's hoping this New Year is finding you learning more about Him!