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FROM Prayer
TO Eternity
Hear my prayer, O LORD.
In your faithfulness
and righteousness
answer me.
(Psalm 143:1)
I recently heard on the radio a young lady's testimony of the deep hurt from being sexually abused. Initially, she ran FROM God crying out questions like, "Where was a good God when I was being abused?"
She began to experience healing when she got to a low point that led her to then run TO God with the same questions!
This healing from God enables her to stand as a trophy of God's grace today. She now refuses to allow the evil done to her identity her. Christ alone identifies her.
My pastor spoke about how we can justify our worrying as simply being our heart-felt prayers. This affirmed the profound truth I heard through the young lady's testimony.
We all certainly have deep concerns in life. However, these concerns can be perverted to become worries when we turn our eyes FROM God and TO our own human resources to deal with the issues.
True prayer is our response to God's grace initiation to have communion with us, i.e., communication through an initimate union each of us can have with God through Christ.
Worry is a response to my ability to initiate a solution to a life issue. Worry is not communion. I might try to get others to worry with me. However, worry is really such a lonely place.
Like the Psalmist, the young lady responded to God's grace. Although she initially ran FROM God, He never left her and continued to woo her TO Him.
She probably did not have God's Word (the Bible) open when she initially turned TO God. However, she was responding to God's Word through the Spirit of God.
She was responding to her glimpse of the truths of who God really is, e.g., "The Lord is faithful and righteous" and He hears her cries (Psalm 143:1). The Bible affirmed this Word to her as she continued to heal by seeing more and more clearly the face of God TO whom she will forever be drawn.
May this Rest Stop be another opportunity for us to "behold as in a mirror the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and be transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18 and 4:6),
PS, I hope you are encouraged by my testimony (right). Pray for me. I count it all joy to pray for you.
JOURNEY IN CHRIST
UPCOMING EVENTS
Journey in Christ Celebration Service
(see upper right)
Gregg chaplain at Boys Home of the South
Chapel on Hwy 25 near Belton, SC
Tuesdays 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Visitors welcome!
Gregg attending men's Bible study
Haven of Rest Men's Training Center Belton, SC
Thursdays 6:00 to 7:00 pm
Contact Gregg if you are interested in training to minister to men with addictive lifestyles
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LINKS AND MESSAGES |
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Your friends can subscribe to
Gregg's Weekly Rest Stop through sign-up forms
at the above websites.
I am a missionary
with Journey in Christ, Inc.,
a discipleship counseling
and training ministry.
Let me know if you'd like
to know more about being
a ministry partner with me.
I would love to hear from you!
Contact me at the following email link, phone, or address:
(864) 483-3201 (Gregg cell)
JOURNEY IN CHRIST
Attn: Gregg Gibbons
926 NE Main Street
Suite F-155
Simpsonville, SC 29681
Click here for
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Journey in Christ
Celebration Service
Gregg's Personal Presentation of the Discipleship Ministry
Thursday October 21
7:00 to 8:00 pm
Holly Ridge Baptist Church
Simpsonville, SC
Bobby Richardson speaker
Boys speaking by God's grace
Plus other personal testimonies
and worship music
Gregg's testimony
during this Rest Stop
God continues to provide my every need and I am experiencing such a joyful journey, but I am still tempted to worry, e.g., Is this what I am supposed to be doing? What do people think of me? Will God always provide all I need? Why do I sometimes feel scared? Etc.
With my heart stirred by this young lady's testimony and my pastor's teaching, I was led to pray TO God by going all the way back to the beginning of Psalms.
What freedom it is to take these questions (many being temptations from our enemy) TO God!
God through Psalm 1:3 spoke to my heart, "The man of God will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in its season and whatever he does shall prosper."
God's re-assurances thru this verse are answers to my prayer (below):
- He has placed the life of His dear Son (rivers of living waters) in me.
- He has put (planted) me exactly where He wants me to be.
- His provisions for me and others through me (fruit) will come in His perfect timing (in its season).
- Life is not about me prospering, but is about what I do that prospers hope in others, even after I'm gone. |
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