One of today's scriptures will be Proverbs 3:5-7, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (NIV)
Let
me start by asking, what does this scripture mean to you? I know some
of you are probably like... "Ugggh... Not this verse again. I've heard
it like a thousand times!" But this scripture is very relevant to me at
this point in my life. Have you ever had one of those life verses, or a
verse that just goes really well with where you are in your life? For
me this is one of them. ;)
Other key scriptures for this post:
Psalms 62:1 and 5, "1 My soul finds rest in God alone... 5Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." (NIV)
I
want to find rest in God alone. He alone can provide what I need!
"Every good and perfect gift comes from above!" (James 1:17)
Philippians 4:11-13, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I
know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I
have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (NIV)
I
want to be content in every circumstance. Giving God all my burdens
will help in this process. I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me!"
Colossians
3:15, "And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always
be thankful." (NLT)
God will give us the peace we desire if we just trust in Him!
I
have recently given my entire collection of thoughts, worries, control
issues, and future plans to God. This has been an extremely wonderful
experience. I had been afraid that God might not ever want me to get
married, so if I gave it all up to Him maybe I would be surrendering to a
future as a single. But in giving all my thoughts and worries to God, I
have found an amazing peace. I haven't been worried about my future. I
am at peace that God will provide everything I need whenever the need
arises. If that means that I will need to wait a few more years for a
husband, then so be it. I am excited to let God have control over my
future. He is definitely the One who should be in charge anyway.
Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the
LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future.'" I am trusting God with my future. Are you?
What
things do you worry about? Do you want to control your future like I
did? Do you believe that God has the best for you in your future? What
can you begin to do to make a change and give God your worries, cares,
and future plans?
As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
~ S*
What are some things that you are looking for in a future spouse? Are there things on your list that are "must haves"? What biblical characteristics are you looking for? In last week's post I gave some examples of relationships. Some things that could happen if you jump ahead of God, or if you wait patiently for Him. In a recent study that I have been doing, it was suggested that I make a list of all the qualities that I am looking for in my future spouse. They called them convictions. With my list they asked me to put a scripture to back up each entry... I encourage you to do the same. Below is part of my list(I did not list them in any particular order):1. Puts the needs of others ahead of his own. (Philippians 2:3-4)2. Rejoices in his relationship with Christ. (John 15:11)3. Refuses to jump ahead of God's timing. (Psalms 37:7)4. Seeks to meet practical needs of others. (Ephesians 4:32)5. Stands for what is right and hates anything contrary to God and His character. (Romans 2:9-10)6. Follows through on his God-given responsibilities, uses his talents for God's glory, and isn't after fame (or doesn't take his talents for granted). (1 Corinthians 4:2)7. Understands the importance of feelings and emotions. (Colossians 3:12)8. Flees temptations to compromise. (Self-control) (Proverbs 25:28)9. Spirit-controlled Christian. (Ephesians 5:18)10. Loves the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength... (Mark 12:30)11. Understands how to 100% rely on Jesus. Would never take his blessings for granted (aka would never stop thanking God/giving God the glory for them.) (Philippians 4:13)12. Man of vision who follows through. (Romans 10:14)13. Sensitive spirit; in tune to others needs. (Galatians 6:2)14. Understands the awesome responsibility of a husband to his wife. (Ephesians 5:25-31)15. Teachable and able to disciple others. (Matthew 28:19-20)16. Man of prayer. (Colossians 4:2)17. Desires to have and raise children according to God's Word and bring Him glory. (Proverbs. 22:6)18. Slow to anger; abounding in love. (James 1:19-20)19. Doesn't argue (no strife). (Proverbs 20:3)20. Keeps a job; hard worker. (1 Timothy 5:8)And the list goes on, but I think you get the idea. If you would like to hear the rest of my list let me know. :) As you can see. I want my man to be one who follows after the Lord in everything he does. That description pretty much sums up my entire list! If he follows God, and strives to do what the Bible says, then he will have the qualities I listed above! What are some other qualities that you can think of? If you have some that I didn't list, I would love to hear them! Maybe I would like to add them to my list!! Blessings!~ S*
Before reading this post, I encourage you to grab a notebook and your favorite writing utensil and use this post for your own personal study/benefit. I'm going to ask a lot of questions, so write down on your own piece of paper what you think the answers to these questions are... I pray that this post blesses you and gives you insight to your future and the relationships it may (or may not) hold! Blessings! ~ S*Still looking for your future spouse? Beginning to wonder if they even exist? Do you have high standards? Are there specific Biblical characteristics you are looking for? If not, should there be? I have always had my standards when it comes to finding a future husband. I am not going to settle for anything other than God's best for me. In the past I have struggled with "Letting Go and letting God." But recently I have moved forward in my trust in God. I have witnessed in the past few years a few relationships. Some of the people settled, and some of them did not! I believe God has a specific person out there for me to marry. This is not to say I couldn't marry someone else, but I think God has that perfect plan. It is my job to trust in Him to bring that plan into fruition, and not get impatient and marry the first guy that comes along. Below are some examples for us to examine:Example A: Bob has just graduated High School. He is a Christian guy, who has been raised in a Christian home. He finally found a girl he thinks could be the one. The only catch, she is a brand new (baby) Christian. Before I continue, let me ask a couple questions... What should Bob do? Should he date this girl? If so, what boundaries should he set up before moving on with the relationship? What scriptures come to mind?... Okay, well, Bob decides to date this girl. While doing so he proceeds to kiss her and cuddle with her a bit. After a few months have passed, the relationship between Bob and his new girlfriend begins to have some strain... What do you think would cause strain in their relationship? How do you think it could be handled? How do you think it could have been prevented? Well, this relationship ended in a break up... It left Bob a bit heartbroken. Why? You may ask... He really thought that this relationship could end in marriage. He really gave some of his heart away to this young woman. Now he has to live with the decisions he made while in this relationship. He will not be able to take back the kisses and physical actions he made towards this young lady. His future wife can no longer be the first to receive these actions. Does Bob regret them? Yes... Why did he do it? Bob wanted to be an example to this young woman... He wanted to help her relationship with the Lord grow and mature. What could he have done differently that may have produced a better outcome? Do you think there is anything Bob should do now that the relationship is over? If so, what? What does the Bible say about this kind of relationship? What can you learn from this example?Example B: Steve glances back across the room to catch another look from Lindsey... "She is so beautiful..." He thinks as he watches her explain a function on the store's new exercise machine. She is constantly happy, and always makes me laugh... I wonder what she is doing on Saturday night?" Lindsey too has been noticing Steve. They have been holding longer conversations in the break room, and she is beginning to wonder if their relationship could be something more... The only catch... She is a born again Christian, and he doesn't' have a relationship with the Lord at all. What should Lindsey do? What should Steve do? How should these early feelings be handled? As time progresses, Lindsey decides to invite Steve to her church. He begins attending, and after a few months, he gives his heart to the Lord! Now what should Lindsey do? What should Steve do? Should they move on into a "beyond friendship" kind of relationship? Why or why not? Steve and Lindsey end up dating... The people around Lindsey begin to notice that she no longer has time for her church family. She is acting a little weird... Not herself... Steve tells Lindsey that he isn't really comfortable mingling with everyone after the service. So instead of staying after the service to fellowship, they get up together and head out almost before anyone has the chance to say hello... What is going on in this relationship? What should Steve do? What should Lindsey do? A few months later Steve and Lindsey announce that they are engaged! How exciting! After their announcement they are hardly ever seen at Lindsey's church... There are rumors floating around that they began attending another church a little closer to Steve's home. A few months later, wedding invitations are sent out, and the wedding takes place at a church that neither the bride nor groom attend. What are your thoughts on this relationship? Will this marriage last? If not why? If so why or how? Less than a year after the wedding, Lindsey's original church family begins to see her attend the services without her groom... More time passes and the news is finally announced that Lindsey and Steve are getting a divorce... What could have prevented this? What does the Bible say concerning this relationship? What can you learn from this example?
Example C: Lori is a wonderful woman of God. She is now in her thirties, and has seen her younger brother get married to a beautiful woman that their family has know for many years. She is also witnessing her younger sister in a wonderful relationship with a young man of God. "When is it going to be my turn, Lord?" She has asked a thousand times. She has wanted to get married since she was a little girl. Why the long wait? But she doesn't let this discourage her, instead she is excited and happy for her younger siblings! And she begins to use her single time to bring honor and glory to God. To follow His leading and direction for her life. Before she knows it a handsome man steps through the doorway of church one Sunday morning. She can't help but notice him. Yes, he is handsome, but even more importantly he has this look about him... What kind of look? How do you think Lori should proceed? What questions should be asked? After striking up their first conversation Lori can tell that she has found a man following after the Lord. Before long their relationship progresses to a courtship. They get to know each other's families. They never put themselves in tempting situations, and possibly best of all, neither of them have given away their first kiss! Together they establish boundaries and make decisions for their relationship based on what they think God would have them do. What do you think about this relationship? How should it be handled? What should Lori do? What should the man do? What is their next step? After a while Lori comes home with a ring on her finger. She is absolutely glowing with excitement! Was is worth the wait? She will tell you it was, with out a doubt. So, does this story have a happy ending? Yes! After a beautiful first kiss wedding and honeymoon, this couple is enjoying a wonderful life together. A life in which they put God first, and follow His leading and direction for their life! Could this have turned out any better? Will they have struggles along the way? What does the Bible say concerning this relationship? What can you learn from this example?Want more examples? If so let me know... I hope that you took the time to really go over each of these situations. Which situation do you want for your life? What outcome do you want to have? Have you lived in any of these people's shoes? What can you learn from your mistakes? Are you willing to change some of your standards? What kind of changes do you think need to be made for yourself? Why?Please let me know if this post blessed you in any way. I would love to hear from you! Do you have a topic you would like me to post about? I would love to hear your thoughts! If you have any questions pertaining to this post (or any other), please send me an e-mail and I would be happy to answer. girlbiblestudy@hotmail.com Blessings to you as you grow in your relationship with the Lord!~ S*
One of today's scriptures will be Proverbs 3:5-7, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (NIV)Let me start by asking, what does this scripture mean to you? I know some of you are probably like... "Ugggh... Not this verse again. I've heard it like a thousand times!" But this scripture is very relevant to me at this point in my life. Have you ever had one of those life verses, or a verse that just goes really well with where you are in your life? For me this is one of them. ;)Other key scriptures for this post: Psalms 62:1 and 5, "1 My soul finds rest in God alone... 5Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." (NIV)I want to find rest in God alone. He alone can provide what I need! "Every good and perfect gift comes from above!" (James 1:17)Philippians 4:11-13, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (NIV)I want to be content in every circumstance. Giving God all my burdens will help in this process. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"Colossians 3:15, "And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (NLT)God will give us the peace we desire if we just trust in Him!I have recently given my entire collection of thoughts, worries, control issues, and future plans to God. This has been an extremely wonderful experience. I had been afraid that God might not ever want me to get married, so if I gave it all up to Him maybe I would be surrendering to a future as a single. But in giving all my thoughts and worries to God, I have found an amazing peace. I haven't been worried about my future. I am at peace that God will provide everything I need whenever the need arises. If that means that I will need to wait a few more years for a husband, then so be it. I am excited to let God have control over my future. He is definitely the One who should be in charge anyway. Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" I am trusting God with my future. Are you? What things do you worry about? Do you want to control your future like I did? Do you believe that God has the best for you in your future? What can you begin to do to make a change and give God your worries, cares, and future plans? As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts!~ S*
Ever had one of those days where you had to stand firm on what you have been believing? For me, today is one of those days. I was just sitting here thinking about how much I want a future husband... I have not felt this way for a few weeks, and I had been enjoying my freedom! :) I recently decided to 100% (with out any questions or reservation) give my future husband (who, when, where, how...) to God. I have done this many times before, but the last time I was more sincere and willing. I am tired of constantly wanting to have a guy; I want to let God take care of it. I know He can handle it! So why not let him? The peace and freedom I have received from this has been amazing. And I am going to continue to be thankful to God that He is in control of my future (especially, in this instance) I am going to Stand Firm on what I am believing for, and Stand Firm in my faith in God. Satan has no choice but to release me from these unwanted feelings.If you have been feeling like you can't survive another day with out a boyfriend, husband, etc... here are a couple suggestions for you. 1. Find someone to talk to. I know we don't all have parents that we can talk to about these things, but finding someone who is in a similar situation to yours can be very helpful! I encourage you to seek God, and find someone with whom you can share your heart (and maybe you can be a listener to them as well). A win win for both parties. I recently decided to ask someone if they would be interested in sharing these kinds of feelings with me. Telling them that I wanted to know what they are doing/how God is helping them through their singleness. It has been a major encouragement for me. You don't have to meet in person, you can chat with e-mail, Facebook, IM, or even the amazing Skype. There are lots of ways to communicate that don't have to be person to person. I, for one, am very shy, so I often feel like I communicate better with a letter than I might in person. (but I am working on the boldness thing...)2. Read the Word. The Bible talks about everything. Study scriptures that pertain to your circumstance. For example: if you are struggling with sickness read through healing scriptures. Grab a highlighter and highlight/underline text in you Bible that pertains to your situation. This will not only keep you interested, but it will make the scriptures easier to find if the situation arises again! I recently started reading the Bible from beginning to end (again). This time though I have four highlighters which I am using to "color code" if you will... Pink is all scripture relating to marriage, love stories, etc... Pencil is for divorce... Yellow is for healing scriptures... Blue is for Fear Not! (I have heard that is written 365 times in the Bible... Let's see if I can find all of them...) Orange is dedicated to extra scriptures that I may be blessed by or find interesting. I sometimes underline with the tip of the marker, or I completely highlight the text depending on how important it is/how well it falls into the color category. If you are like me and can't underline in a straight line, grab a used gift card, or small ruler to help you. I keep all of my highlighters, a pencil (or two), and a little card in a snack-sized zip lock bag, and I keep it with my Bible.3. Pray. Ask God to give you wisdom on how to handle a certain situation. Give him your cares and burdens. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:7) God will take care of you. He has your best interests in mind. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) "4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Philippians 4:4-8) "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4) That last scripture was one I found recently. I had thought of the "He will give you the desires of your heart." part of that scripture one night when getting ready to fall asleep, but I couldn't remember the first half of that scripture. In the morning I had completely forgotten about it, but guess what Psalm was next in line for me to read that morning? Yep, Psalms 37! That scripture blessed me so much. A desire of my heart is to get married (preferably in the near future), so if I delight myself in the Lord, he will give me that desire! How AWESOME is that? God is in control; I am just going to do my part to Stand Firm on His Word!~ S*
