Believing God

Welcome! If you are joining me in the online study of A Confident Heart by Renee Swope, I’m glad you’re here. If you are not participating in the study, I still welcome you to look around my blog. Read what interests you and stay as long as you like. I hope you’ll return!

In Chapter 1 of A Confident Heart, author Renee Swope says, “He’s led me beyond believing in Him to really believing Him by relying on the power of His words and living like they are true no matter what my feelings tell me.”

It was as I read this a second time that it clicked, and I realized what a difference this makes. As I grow closer to God, I don’t just believe in Him, but I believe His Word and promises as truth. I know that I can rely on what He says, and that’s how I find my confidence and identity in Him.

Jeremiah 17:5, 7 (NLT) says…

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.’”
                                                                                            
When I look to find my confidence and security in myself and others, I set myself up for failure because it’s based on something that’s ever changing. My mood changes based on my feelings and situations I’m going through. Someone may hurt my feelings, or I may feel confident one moment, but by later in the day feel insecure about myself and what I’m doing. The way I act and react depends on how I’m feeling at the time, what mood I’m in, how stressed out I may be, and a host of other things going on around me. As humans, this is how we are, so how can I base my security on myself and others?

However, when I believe God—when I put my hope and trust in Him—I am changed. I look for my security and confidence in Him, and that keeps me grounded. Christ is the Rock, the Foundation. When I find my security in Him, I know He won’t change His mind about me. The Lord is unchanging. (Malachi 3:6a NLT) He’s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His love is never ending. While people will disappoint us and often leave us, God never will. Nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:38-39 NLT)

Some days are harder than others. I fall back into relying on myself and what others think of me. I have to make an effort to silence my own thoughts and listen to God. The more I make the effort, the more natural it becomes to seek God. The more I seek Him, the more I want to hear from Him. And the more I hear from Him, the more I want to silence my own thoughts so when He whispers to me, I will hear Him.

In Christ,

Laura

A Confident Heart Online Study - Week 1

Welcome! If you are studying Renee Swope's A Confident Heart, I'm so glad to have you join me!

Below is the suggested reading schedule for this week. I plan to post on Tuesday with my thoughts on the reading. Please consider posting a comment with your thoughts or on how God is working in your life.
 
My prayer is that you will enjoy A Confident Heart, and that this study will be a blessing in your life.

In Christ,
Laura

Week 1 – Sept. 18-24, 2011

As you read each chapter, underline or highlight in your book any points you want to remember. I also suggest having a journal or notebook for notes and for the Reflection and Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter.

Monday & Tuesday

• Read Chapter 1 “Discovering the Shadow of My Doubts” and reflect on the questions at the end of the chapter.

Tuesday

• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the weekly post. Leave a comment to the post with your thoughts from the reading. (Remember, you can do so anonymously, if you choose.)

Wednesday & Thursday

• Read Chapter 2 “Because God’s Love is Perfect, I Don’t Have to Be” and reflect on the end of the chapter questions.

Friday

• Spend some personal time with God and reflect on this week’s reading. This day can also be used as a catch-up day if you got behind with the reading or questions.

To Go Deeper:

• Visit Melissa Taylor’s (Proverbs 31 Ministries) blog. She's also hosting a study on the book.
• Visit author Renee Swope’s Website where she has free resources to accompany A Confident Heart.

The Enemy Lies

Have you ever been reminded how easily the enemy can slip in and change our thoughts to his way of thinking?

Not long ago I was reminded of this very thing.

I was upset and angry with a loved one, and I wasn’t even trying to shake it off. My feelings had been hurt and I was frustrated. As I worked around the kitchen, I silently fumed, “I’m so tired of this! Why isn’t God doing something!? Does He even care?!?”

I stopped cold. Where did that thought come from? I know God cares! Absolutely I know He cares. So, how could I even think to question it?

I have to tell you, it scared me. It frightened me that in my state of frustrated venting I could question God’s concern for me, the other person, and the situation.

Immediately I knew the enemy was at work trying to get me to believe his lies. I stopped what I was doing and prayed. How easy it could have been for me to get caught up in my anger and let that thought fester inside. My hurt and frustration could have grown, not only against the other person, but against God.

Lies.

Our enemy Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), and he wants us to believe his lies as truth. He looks for any opportunity to slip his lies into our thoughts, and he smiles when we believe them. He knows where we question our relationships and how we doubt ourselves. He knows our insecurities and he uses them against us.

The closer we grow to God, the harder the enemy will work to block our way. He wants us to doubt ourselves, and especially God’s love for us.

But this is what God says in Isaiah 43:1-4 (The Message)…

“…‘Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. 

I've called your name. You're mine.
When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place, 

it won't be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God, 

The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, 

with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That's how much you mean to me! 

That's how much I love you!'"

God loves us and promises He will never leave us. (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 NIV) That is why we must remain in God’s Word. The more we know by heart the truth and promises in God’s Word, the better we will be able to detect the enemy’s lies.

Last week I read a post on Melissa Taylor’s (Proverbs 31 Ministries) blog. It was exactly what I needed to read that day, and in fact, I went back to read it multiple times throughout the week. If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to do so. I Know and Yet...I Still Doubt, by Melissa Taylor

I hope you’ll join me when we begin our online study of Renee Swope’s new book A Confident Heart on September 18. To sign up, send me an e-mail at laurajrath@gmail.com with your name, e-mail address, city and state.

In Christ,

Laura

Witnessing

What does it mean to you to be a witness of your Christian faith? As I read the last chapter of Rachel Olsen’s It’s No Secret I remembered what I used to think of when I heard of someone witnessing.

Flash back to one morning in college… It wasn’t yet 8:00 in the morning, and I was on my way to stop for coffee before getting to class. I encountered a man standing in my path waving a miniature sized New Testament Bible, yelling something about my going to hell. (See, if I’d already had coffee I might remember what he said.) But it didn’t matter. His approach was so offensive, he could’ve told me my hair was on fire and I wouldn’t have listened.

So, whenever someone said I should be a witness, I immediately thought there was no way I could stand on a corner somewhere yelling about Jesus. However, I’ve since learned that’s not what witnessing means.

From my NLT Study Bible…

witness, – a person who gives testimony (NLT Study Bible Dictionary/Concordance)

testify – to make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief; to give evidence or proof (NLT Study Bible Dictionary/Concordance)

Witnessing is telling what I know to be true. I know that Jesus Christ was crucified, died on the cross and buried; He conquered death when he rose from the grave. I know what Jesus has done in my life and how He continues to be with me daily. And I know that His life-saving grace is for everyone.

That’s how I can witness. I know I don’t always have the perfect words to say, but God uses them anyway. God will give us the confidence to speak boldly about His Son, Jesus, and then He does the work in the other person, and in us.

If you’ve been studying It’s No Secret by Rachel Olsen with me, thank you for joining me in this journey. I pray it’s been a blessing in your life.

In Christ,

Laura