His Strength is Perfect

Hello Everyone!

I feel like I should be saying "Hello" because I've been gone for so long. Now that the school year is in full swing, I have been very busy…but this evening, I told myself that I simply MUST post something today. Actually, I always have ideas popping into my head at random times and I write them all down, but somehow, I just don't get around to it. It's on my to do list. :)

Today, I just want to share a simple story with you. It's not anything big or grandeur, but it was deep for me. 

Last month, I found out that I was scheduled to preach at my church. At first, I was a little bit surprised because they gave me only 2 week's notice and it would be right in the middle of the most hectic time for university students (did I hear you say, midterms?). My initial reaction was to switch with someone else and preach at a later time, however, I resolved that if God asked me to do it, I should. 

From the day I was told that I would be preaching, I prayed every day, asking God to tell me what He wanted me to speak about. Day after day went by and I was blank. I had great devotions in the morning, but each topic that came up, I knew that wasn't what God wanted me to talk about. 1 week went by, I still didn't have an idea, much less a draft. Then, at the last minute, God showed me exactly what to speak about…His love. 

Let's start with some background. Recently, I've been studying a lot about Jesus' death on the cross and my heart has been melted as I begin to see a tiny glimpse of how much God loves us. How much He gave up, for a poor, wretched soul like mine. The phrase "Jesus loves you" has become rampant among Christians. It's almost like a mantra we chant thinking that it will win people to Christ. I've been hearing it ever since I was a small child, but I didn't really understand the depth of it until now. On a side note, if you want to see a clearer picture of how much Christ loves us, I highly recommend a book called, "The Desire of Ages", here is a link so you can read it for free online: http://www.whiteestate.org/books/da/da.asp (I specifically recommend Chapter 74-87). Read it parallel to the Bible. It changed my life. When I stop and meditate on how the King of Kings gave up everything, just so that sinful mankind or more specifically, so that sinful, rotten, Nina can be reunited with Christ, can be forgiven of her sins, can be given pure joy and happiness. I sit and I wonder, what kind of love is that? It is so much deeper than any love I could ever give, so much purer than anything I have ever known. 

However, when God told me to preach about His love, I was very hesitant. I didn't want to do it because I felt like it would be impossible to describe God's love and actually have people see the depth of it. I felt that if I stood at the pulpit and talked about it, I wouldn't pay it any justice, so why talk about it at all? His love is so deep, it's beyond our comprehension; my biggest fear was  that people wouldn't see the depth of it. So, here I was, in the middle of the week, I finally had a topic, but no inspiration as to how I should go about doing it. So, I continued praying. On Friday, I went to the library and devoted my day to studying the Bible and writing my sermon, then I went home. As I lay in bed, I prayed to God. I saw myself, sin-stained and a broken vessel. What could God do through me? I felt wholly inadequate to speak, moreover, I knew I was completely unworthy to stand before His people. The nagging thought was ever before me, I was so worried that people wouldn't understand what I'm saying or that they wouldn't see the unsearchable depth of His love. With that thought in mind, I fell asleep. 

Every morning, when I wake up, I take out my phone and check my email (obsessive habit, I know). I'm signed up for this "verse of the day" email list from Biblegateway. I opened it up to see what it would say and as soon as I read it, I had a huge smile on my face. It was from Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

In the midst of all my doubts, all my fears, all my deficiencies, God had a message for me. He told me that while I don't have the words or the eloquence or the wisdom to describe His love, His Word is enough, that's all it takes. The Bible is a sword, moving with power, it pierces the soul in a way that we could never match. As I read the passage, I was amazed once again that God knew exactly what to do to comfort me. He had arranged it so that the verse that I needed to read the most would be sent to me at the time that I needed it most. Isn't our God good? He is amazing! I got up and went with full assurance that God was with me and that HE would be the one speaking, not me. I experienced perfect peace in my heart. 

In closing, I just want to remind you of one of my favourite verses in the Bible.

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

-2 Corinthians 12:9

When we are at our weakest point, that's when God is able to work in our hearts and through our lives. When we realize that we can't do it on our own, it forces us to surrender our all to Him. His strength is made perfect in weakness! What an amazing God!

-Nina

Picture story: When I read the verse that morning, I took a picture of it right away, knowing that I would want to share it on the blog later. So here it is!

Kindness: The Magic Penny

"But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people." Galatians 5:22

A couple of weeks ago I went into the supermarket to grab a couple of things, I was in a rush. While I was in the Caribbean section,  I overheard a lady asking  a worker  about  the different types of coconut milk…..the worker wasn’t any help….
a voice spoke to me and said "You are pretty knowledgeable about it , why not take a minute to explain it to her?" to which I quickly responded "I am late, I don’t have the time."
 "What if it was you?" Suffice it to say I ended up losing that debate----I  walked up to the lady and explained the differences between the 3 types of coconut milk ( cream,powder and liquid), and I also found out what she wanted the coconut milk for and recommend the best one for the recipe.
 It took a bit of time, but I left the supermarket with a spring in my step and a smile on my face.

 Last week on my way home from an event, I decide to stop by the supermarket to grab some fruits. As I was taking my own sweet time strolling (enjoying my walk),  I heard a female voice say “You need to hurry, the supermarket is closing in 8 minutes.” I thought, "how does she know that I'm going to the supermarket; I could be going to any store in the mall?"….but I replied “I thought it closes at 9pm.” “On Sundays it closes at 8, but if you hurry you will make it before they stop letting people in.” “Thank you very much,” I said as I start running. “I hope you make it on time and thanks for your help the other day,” the lady shouted. That stopped me in my track; I turned to see the lady waving and realize she was the same lady I helped with the coconut milk.

This bring to mind a little song I used to sing each morning in primary school; 'The magic penny.' It goes (Jamaican version): 'Love (insert kindness) is something if you give it away, it will come right back to you. It's (kindness) just like a magic penny, put it in your pocket and you won't have any. But if you spend it or give it away, it will come right back to you.' The small act of kindness I showed ended up coming back to me. The kinder we are (it doesn’t matter how small)… the more like Christ we become.  When we put self aside, room is make for the Holy Spirit to work upon our hearts; kindness will spring forth from us.

When was the last time you spent or given away your magic penny (kindness)? Remember, if you  hold it tight or put it in your pocket, you won't have any. Little deeds of kindness,will cheer and gladden the pathway of life.

Kem


Picture Story:
I actually wrote this post a long time ago, but I had so much trouble finding a picture to go with it. (All of us at Live Profoundly have a rule that we only use our own pictures for our posts)...so I told Nina about my post and we sat down at church one day and went through hundreds of pictures on her laptop. This picture was taken when they went to African Lion Safari. For those who have never heard of it, it's a wild life park that allows you to drive through and there are real animals walking around, with no cages. It's like the safari experience! Some of the animals (especially the monkeys) like to come right up to the car and it gives you an up-close-and-personal experience!

Let me in!

“ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

In the neighbourhood where I work there are numerous outdoor cats, I some time stop to observe these cats being an animal lover. Last week on my way to work this outdoor cat caught my attention.  He walked up to his owner door and scratched….then meowed….then wait …I was so intrigue, I stood there watching him for awhile (I had time, I was early and trying to kill time) He scratched and meowwwwwwwwwwed again and waited, no answer....I thought he surely going to give up now, as if he read my mind he walked away from the door, to my amazement not in defeat. He start climbing up the tree at the side of the house....wanting to see what he was up to I kept watching.....when he reached the first window, he jump on the sill. He started scratching at the window and meowing as if saying 'let me in!'

This incident took me back to the text I read in my devotion that morning, 'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.' God stand at our door and knock.....isn't it amazing....God willingness to knock and wait to be given entry to our heart---- He never force Himself, but knock and wait. Just like the cat if God does not get an answer at the door He will try the window, whatever it take to get our attention (but He will never use force). God stands before your heart and continues to knock, knock and knock......He have something to give you, He want to give you happiness, peace, health, love, mercy, eternal life....... Will you let Him in today? God is standing at your heart door this very moment, stop, listen.......He is knocking, can you hear His knock? Are you ready to have life abundantly? Don't keep the door shut, let Him in He is waiting.

Kem

Picture Story:

Rehmo (the cat in the picture) is an indoor cat whose hanking is to run wild outside. I wanted to take a picture with him at the door but couldn't get him to comply with my wishes...that day he was not happy with me and I have scratches to prove it (he had a couple of near escape that I had provented). I decided in the  end to take the picture of him at his favorite spot, where he like to lament "meowww, let me out!"

The Beaver vs. The Sluggard

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep-- 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
-Proverbs 6:6-11

Every summer, my family looks forward to renting a cottage for a week or two. Throughout the year, we all get tired of the busy city life and look forward to spending a week in nature, God and each other. This year, we went further than usual, to the real “bush”. My Dad and I really enjoy fishing, so we always make sure that there is a lake that has lots of fish. This year, we rented a cottage in northern Ontario that was right by a small lake. When we went fishing, we saw many animals, the most fascinating of all, were the beavers.

One particular day, we were fishing and we heard a loud thump, as if someone was hitting the water. Turning around, all we saw was water flying everywhere. We wondered what it was, but kept on fishing. Later, we saw a beaver swimming around in the lake. My Dad and I were fascinated and watched him swim the rest of the evening. Sometimes, he would swim towards his dam with a small branch in his mouth or dive into the water to swim to his home. Each night, without fail, we would see him swimming about, fixing his house and chewing on wood. My Dad and I would usually leave as soon as it was dark, but one evening, we stayed out later and saw the whole family come out of their dam. Mother, Father, and the baby beavers would all work tirelessly to add more branches to their home, and eat wood. I couldn't believe how hard they all worked to keep their home in tact and to feed themselves.

Those beavers really made me think. They are just animals, but they are such hard workers. Every night, they came out to look for food and to fix their home. King Solomon talked about ants and how hard working they are. Parhaps we can learn the same thing from beavers. If the beaver decide that he was tired and didn't want to go out of his home, his dam would eventually fall apart, and he would starve. The Bible constantly tells us that God will make sure that our bread and water will be sure, but it does tell us that God wants us to be hard workers and not lazy. God is willing to help us do our best work, but we need to make the choice to do it! Why don't we all learn from the beaver and do our best work, and God will be sure to bless us! 

More than a Name

 ^"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

-John 13:35

Yesterday, I was waiting for the bus as I was heading to church when I saw something interesting. It was a red light at the intersection and beggar began to walk in between the cars on the road, hoping that someone would drop some money into his Tim Horton's cup. As I watched the man walk, my eyes turned to the various drivers who simply looked away or stared straight ahead. Undeterred, the beggar kept walking down the row of cars. As he kept walking, one driver stopped to put some money into his cup. Afterwards, I watched the driver put his seatbelt back on because he had unclipped it in order to get his wallet. My heart was touched by his kindness. While everyone else couldn't be bothered to help the man, he took the time. My mind began to ask millions of questions. Who was this driver? What is his story? Is he generally a kind person? Where does he work? Does he always give to the needy? Before I could even imagine answers to those questions, I happened to glance at his license plate...it said "GOLDNRULE". All questions were answered. 

Seeing that scene impacted me for the rest of the evening. It was so refreshing that this man didn't just have the golden rule as his license plate because of it's virtue in itself. He  didn't have that license plate there simply because he wanted other drivers to know that he was a great guy, but he actually lived up to it. What about us? If we are Christians, that is our label, it is our license plate. Do we live up to our name or is it just a pretense? The verse above clearly pinpoints the fact that our actions will show others who we are. Moreover, if we are Christ's followers, we will demonstrate that love for others. 

Ask God today to help you live the Christian life rather than have a garb of Christianity. 

-Nina

I do!

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it." Philippians 3:14-16 The Message

Marriage is a legal declaration of commitment, “I____, take you ______, to be my wedded ____. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. And here to I pledge you my faithfulness.”  These vows are binding promises made by each partner to each other. A few weeks ago, I was having a discussion about societies' view on the union of marriage ’is society making a mockery of the wedding vow?’  Divorce is all the rage........ it’s the'in' thing. The point was made that a  wedding does not insure marital bliss ‘no one is willing to put in the work to make the marriage work; as soon as problem comes along they are ready to jump ship.’ Sad though it is to say, every time I turn my television there is a next celebrity getting divorce, society is making divorce glamorious.  Society plays a very Cogent role in our attitudes and actions regarding marriage. As followers of Christ we can't be shaped by the views of society, but by the cross of Christ and the divine Words of God. For a marriage to work each partner must put in the work.  

Many enter into marriage with the “fairy tale, happily ever after” mentality.  ‘I do’ take thee, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for richer, in health, to love and to cherish. What will happen when the worse, poorer and sickness come along? Are we having the same “fairy tale, happily ever after” mentality in our walk with God? As soon as suffering, sadness, and heartache comes along, do we start filing divorce paper? Are we saying ‘God we can’t take this anymore, we want out’?  If you expect nothing but happiness and bliss from marriage, it’s likely you expect the same from your relationship with God. When adversity comes along, is normally when we strike out, but Commitment accepts the circumstances and tries to work through it.

Why not make a vow to God today……I do take you God , from this day onward in trial and temptation, in financial crisis and sickness, I will love you  Lord  with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind.

‘I'm single-minded in pursuit of you; don't let me miss the road signs you've posted. I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won't sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I'll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you've done it. I relish everything you've told me of life, I won't forget a word of it.’ Psalm 119:9-16 The Message

 Your reward is sure, happiness, riches and health will be bestowed upon you. Are you ready to my a commitment?

KemJ

Training

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

-Proverbs 3:5-6-

     When we first started to train our dog, Vulkan, it was quite interesting. My dad had several dogs in his childhood and knew that it would take a lot of time and patience to train a dog properly. As a girl who always LOVED  dogs, I enjoyed watching my dad train Vulkan. The first thing that my dad taught him was that he couldn't eat his food until he was given the command to do so. This was a trick that my dad learned back home so that dogs wouldn't eat food from strangers and “food” laying on the ground. So, when my dad went to feed our dog, he put the dog food into a bowl and set it on the ground. When our dog realized that there was food in the bowl, (which was right away,) he charged at the bowl, happy to fill his stomach. Just as he was about to eat, my dad's arms held him back. Vulkan couldn't understand what was going on. He barked and tried to keep running, but without any success. Finally, my dad would say the command, “Yesh!” (which means “eat” in Russian) and let go of him. Vulkan would run as fast as he could to eat his dog food. Vulkan could never understand why my dad kept doing that to him every time before he ate. Each day, he would slowly learn that he couldn't eat until told. Now, whenever we put any kind of food in front of him, he just sits with his mouth watering until he is given the command to eat. It's amazing to me that even though he wants to eat the food so badly, he doesn't try to grab it or do anything, he just sits patiently. I'm pretty sure that he still doesn't know why he can't eat until he is given the command. Instead, he has learned to just obey and take things by faith.
     What about us humans? Sometimes what God asks us to go through for Him doesn't make any sense at all, but all we need to do is just trust Him. We may never fully understand why God wants us to do certain things, but that's not important. The most important thing is to just trust God and when we follow His commandments because we may never know the dangers that we have be protected from, just like Vulkan. He never fully understood why he couldn't just eat things right away, but there was a bigger reason that he may never fully understand. So next time you're tempted to question God's will, remember that God sees the full picture and knows what's best for us. 

-Victoria