It's been a while but i'm back!
The Lord is so faithful and has been at work in the lives of so many at Troy. I have to share!!
Momentum Ministries, which is the student led service on sunday mornings on campus is really doing well. Dad has been so passionate about Troy since he fell in love with the Lord there, it has been so neat so see God bring Troy back into his life several years later and what a joy it has been! Dad serves as the on campus pastor via videos each week. It's incredible how the Lord has worked everything out leading up to this ministry beginning, and even now as it has been almost two whole semesters!! Momentum first started last semester and has had a consistent group of college students, and even a few older couples! Since the service is student led we all decided to do an Easter Celebration service during the week so we could all be home with our families for the weekend! Dad, Rach, and Jer came down and it was such a sweet time of praise and worship to our King!! Several people surrendered there lives to Christ, what a joy for the kingdom! To him be all the glory and praise!!
In my life right now, i have been reminded of several truths!
The first: The Power or Prayer
Jeremiah 33:3 says
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
What truth this verse has brought to my life, the Lord longs to be gracious to us, when we truly rest in him, and call upon him to reveal his will for us, it is amazing to see and experience not only the freedom that comes in learning to be still, but what peace of being reminded that he is in control!!!!
The Second:
The Lord does not call us to be comfortable!
1 Peter 5:10 says
"And the God of all grace who has called you into his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast."
That verse brings such joy to my life. Why? Because it says, although things may not be easy, and you may suffer, after just a little while , the lord HIMSELF will restore you, making you strong where you were once weak, firm where you were once easily shaken, and steadfast where you were once wavering.
Not only is it so easy for us to become content, and set in our ways, but what we are saying is ok Lord ive got it now, i dont need you. No! This is such a lie, in fact the enemy longs for us to be comfortable because then we become lazy and slowly can lose sight of the things that truly matter.
You may say, how do i rest in the Lord, but not become comfortable, that seems like a contradiction, but that leads me to the next truth!!
Third: The Holy Spirit brings TRUTH!
You can rest in Him, and allow him to have his way in your life. Being uncomfortable is a command for our everyday lives; in evangelism leading to one on one discipleship, trials we may encounter, and even seeing and experiencing things we may never understand.
I recently learned the Holy spirit, is also referred to as the Spirit of Truth.
John 14:16-18
"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [and this word in Greek means: another of the same kind] Helper, that He may abide with you forever -- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."
Not only does he promise to provide us with a helper (the Holy Spirit) but he ends with a promise that he will never leave us!! What JOY that is! No matter what we may be going through, feeling, or the things yet to come, we can have peace because the Lord has promised we will NEVER be alone! As dad preached several weeks ago: "LEFT ALONE, BUT NOT LEFT BEHIND!"
The Lie:
"You are worthless, inadequate, and unequipped.
You are ugly, Who you are isn't good enough, You are unlovable.
It pains my heart to even type these things, but we know in some type of form or another, we have believed these very things at times. The best advice i was given recently was this, when you find yourself beginning to believe a lie, replace it with the truth.
Lets do it!
Lie: You are worthless!
Truth: "I am my beloveds, and HE IS MINE!" Song of Songs 6:3
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:1-3)
Lie: You are Inadequate
Truth:But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Lie: You are Unequipped
Truth: "May he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen." (Hebrews 13:21)
Lie:You are Ugly
Truth:"The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord."(Psalm 45:11)
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:30)
"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
(1 Samuel 16:7)
Lie: Who you are isn't good enough!
Truth:I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14)
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)
Lie: You are unloveable.
Truth:"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:8)
"I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.: (John 17:23)
"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
(1 John 4:8)
In closing, you are dearly loved!! (Ephesians 5:1) May you be encouraged that God, the maker or heaven and of earth, longs to know you more, and have you rest in him. May you all have a blessed Easter, HE REIGNS!!!
With love,
Hannah
