Faith and Prayer #37

Dear Glorious Saints,

Yesterday I was pondering God as our Father and I wrote in my journal, “God is our Father. What ‘good’ father withholds something good from his child unless there is something better to be given?” Then the Lord reminded me of the movie, “The Ultimate Gift.”

In this story the selfish, worldly playboy grandson goes to the reading of his extremely wealthy grandfather’s will expecting to come away with a huge bundle. Instead, the grandfather has left him with 12 tasks to perform and complete satisfactorily before he can receive his inheritance. As the tasks are revealed we see that they are all character building exercises that involve selfless things like becoming someone’s friend and giving from the heart. Through the course of the movie, as he jumps though his grandfather’s hoops the young man begins to change and grow to become the good hearted person that the grandfather always knew he could be, thus receiving the “ultimate gift.”

Later yesterday afternoon I came to realize that something that I had been looking forward to and expecting had come and then totally evaporated. Completely gone!
I was, of course, very disappointed but instead of my normal reactions I found myself praising the Lord. I was able to keep the “bears” of discouragement, self-pity and despair out and instead was thanking the Lord for His love for me and His good gift. Instead of withering, this little tree took a deep drink and stood, only just a little pale in the heat.

And I say to You this morning, Lord, I love You. I love You. I love You. Even when it feels like You have put me through the wringer, I love You. Even when the carrot is so close that I can almost grab it and You seem to move the stick, I love You. And I know that You are a good Father, the very best. You do love me and have my highest good in mind in all Your ways and in all You do toward me.

He is your Father too; and He loves you with the same kind of love that wants you to have the very best, the ultimate gift.

Believing and still standing,

Marianne

Faith and Prayer #36

Dear Glorious Saints,

O the wonders of the loving kindness of the Lord! Taste and see that the Lord is good.

This morning I was thinking about Jeremiah 17: 7-8.
But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

I have prayed many times to be that tree, to be green and fruitful and without fear no matter what the circumstances. This morning as I thought about it I told the Lord I was sorry I had failed, that in the past months I really had withered. (The scarcity of these letters in recent months is evidence of that.)

Do you know what He said? He said that He had extended the drought to give me time to recover because I am that tree! Yes, the leaves have shriveled up and gotten brown around the edges but they have not fallen off and He has given me time and grace to green up again. The bears are no longer coming in the door (letter # 34) and I am not in the place I was a month ago even though the circumstances have not changed. He would not let the enemy have victory over me. Even in my weakness He has upheld me and strengthened me. Do you see how loving and kind He is?!

I am sitting here weeping over His goodness to me. I rejoice in Him and am so thankful even in the midst of the unchanged circumstances.

I wanted you to know because that same love and kindness extends to you. He wants you to have victory no matter what your circumstances.

With love and joy,

Marianne

Faith and Prayer #35

Dear Glorious Saints,

As I spent time with the Lord recently I was thinking about how in prayer and worship I picture Jesus as Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter or the Good Shepherd. To me He is so approachable and it is easy for me to see myself as Mary Magdalene, going to His feet and being there with Him.

But what I was reading challenged me to see Him as the risen Jesus of Heaven, the Jesus of Revelation with blazing eyes and a double edged sword in His mouth. This Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He comes riding in on a white horse with many crowns on His head. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. This Jesus is so big and awesome and glorious that He is scary to me!

I prayed and said to Him, “Lord, I know how to approach You as Jesus of Nazareth, but how do I approach You as this Jesus of Heaven?” He simply said, “You approach Me as My bride.”

That answer stunned me. Even though He sees me with all my faults and flaws and failings, He sees me as His bride. He loves me. He wants me. As a bridegroom longs for and desires his bride to come to him, that’s how He feels toward me!

I cannot express what this is doing inside of me. All I know is that my response was and is, “Jesus, make me beautiful and glorious for You.” I am overwhelmed at the notion that He loves and wants me as I am, but I so desire to be a fit bride for this One who is above all else, who rules and reigns and whose glory fills the universe! It is only possible by His grace.

This is not just for me. It is true for you as well. Dear Glorious Saint, that same magnificent Jesus loves you and wants you to come to Him. He is Faithful and True and He has already given you all you need. He wants you.

Overwhelmed and in awe,

Marianne

Faith and Prayer #34

Dear Glorious Saints,

Last night I had a dream that I really want to share with you. In the dream I was in a house that had a sliding glass door with a sliding screen. The door was open and the outside screen door was shut. A bear came up to the screen door and starting sliding it open. I was terrified and thought to myself, “He knows how to get in!” I ran to shut and lock the glass door before he made his way through.

In the dream there was another similar door and another bear. Again, I had the realization that he could get in if I did not do something to stop him.

When I awoke, I knew what the dream meant. I later got up and went to journal about it and noticed this entry of what I was sensing the Lord saying to me yesterday: “Do not fear. Do not let discouragement in the door.” It really confirmed the meaning of the dream to me.

The enemy knows my weaknesses and he knows how to “get in”. If I do not guard my heart, if I do not keep the door shut to him and locked, then he will try to find a way in. I believe the Lord showed me that I need to be as determined to guard my heart as I was to shut and lock the door to keep the bear out. My life and certainly my joy and peace depend on it.

I am grateful to the Lord for the vivid picture and for this key reminder for me. I have needed it. I am very thankful for Him, His care, wisdom and love, and for all of you who are so dear to me.

With love and gratitude,
Marianne

Faith and Prayer #33

Dear Glorious Saints,

I’ve said before that God seems to give me long term prayer projects, so when I get an instant answer to prayer, I get really excited. I just did.

We have been doing the *Experiencing God Bible study again. In one of the first lessons Blackaby says, “Always go to the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of your situation to you.” (p.14) I was struggling with some things in my life and I knew I needed to do that. So I prayed and asked God to show me His perspective on it and felt like the Lord directed me to a book in the Bible. Reading that book really shed light on my situation and I was very grateful.

Now, five weeks later, the study asks, “Are you currently praying for anything God is not granting? If you answered yes, pause and ask God to help you understand what He is doing in your life. Then watch to see what happens next or pay attention to what He begins to reveal to you through His word.” (p.115) Since I answered, “Yes,” I stopped and prayed, asked God to help me understand and wondered what would happen next.

The very next section that I read was on the silences of God and it focused on the exact same book of the Bible that God had directed me to five weeks earlier! What tremendous confirmation to me. I wish I could say my faith is so strong that I did not need that reassurance again, but I did. And I am very grateful that He is so kind and loving to me to set that up and affirm once again how He views what I am going through.

I know He loves me but I also know He loves you too. If you need His perspective on your situation then ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you and watch to see what happens next. Let me know!

Expectantly,

Marianne
*Let me put in a plug for Experiencing God. If you have never done it let me say that it has been the most life changing study that I have ever done. This is probably my 5th time through it and God is still using it to impact my life.

Faith and Prayer #32

Dear Glorious Saints,
In the last letter I talked about Hebrews 10:23 & 35. “ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful…So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”

Then last week I heard a message by Sion Alford that really gave me additional perspective and I want to share my take on what the Lord has been showing him. Sion pointed out the difference between the promise of God and the will of God. He used the examples of David and Joseph and spoke about how they had been given promises from God that were not fulfilled for many years. However, each one of them had to walk in the will of God during those years and more often than not God’s will for them did not seem to reflect His promises at all. But through those circumstances God was working His perfect plan in their lives and establishing the character in them that they needed to be ready for the promise.

Often we try to bend and twist the circumstances of our lives to match the promise rather than seeking and walking in God’s will each day. What I heard was when our situation does not seem to line up with God’s promises we need to trust Him because of who He is and trust that He is working for good in our lives. His will may not always look like His promises, but rather than become discouraged and lose hope we need to continue to seek first His Kingdom and His will to be done on earth. And “all these things,” including His promises, will be given to us as well.

Sion shared what God has been using in his life to make all this real to him. Over two years ago he and his wife believed that they needed to sell their home and move closer to their church. They did all that they heard from God to do, prayed and trusted that He would bring a buyer. After over two years it still did not happen and they could not understand why. Then this July, due to a death in the family, they became the guardians of five children who are now living with them. Two weeks later their home sold. Had it sold earlier they would have bought a house to accommodate their three children rather than the eight they now care for.

God’s plans and His ways and His timing are perfect! We don’t always understand why the promises seem to tarry, but we can always trust Him.

With thanks to Sion,
Marianne

written August 31, 2009

Faith and Prayer #31

Dear Glorious Saints,

As we move through this second month of prayer and fasting I am really encouraged by some of the words from Hebrews 10. In verse 23 the writer admonishes us, “ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”

Yes, we should hang on, hold tight, stand firm – however you care to express it- to our hope. Why? Because He, our great and mighty, all-wise, all powerful God, the One who made us the promise in which we hope – He is FAITHFUL! He will do what He said and He has absolutely everything necessary to fulfill His promise.

Think of Him, who He is and all He has done for you. Remember all the ways He has touched your life, saved you, lifted you from the miry clay, set your feet on a Rock, given you eternal life, called you to Himself, loved you dearly and personally. Remember! Remember and know that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. The One who loved you and was for you then still loves and is for you now.

No wonder the writer goes on to say in verse 35: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”

So let us continue to do what He has called us to do. As we pray, as we call down to earth that which He has declared in heaven, let us be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. He who promised is faithful.

Standing in hope,

Marianne

Faith and Prayer #28

Dear Glorious Saints,

In the past I have shared that my desk is covered in little notes that remind me of the truth that the Lord has spoken to me that help me to stay on track. Well I added a few more last week that I want to share with you.

I was feeling somewhat discouraged and frankly, sorry for myself. God has given me numerous long-term faith and prayer projects that have required years of believing and praying. I am so grateful for the many answers He has given me in the past year. Two sons married to wonderful young women, a granddaughter on the way, and the Marriage Prep classes are no small things to me. I am very thankful. But last week I had my eyes on the answers that are yet to come, the promises that are still unfulfilled. My eyes were not fixed on Jesus but on the unanswered prayers. Not good. It’s hard enough to deal with the circumstances but when my joy is robbed by the self-pity and the hopelessness that comes with taking my eyes off the Lord, then it becomes even more difficult.

Fortunately, the Lord in His kindness spoke to me and He reminded me of some of the things He has said in the past. Some are quotes that I had written down but without their source (so apologies to the writers), others are from the Word.

“When you are following God’s plan for your life, you’re living the life God created you to live.” God created me to live this life with these circumstances. This is the day that the Lord has made. I am running the race set before me. It’s not the race set before you. You have your own race tailor made for you. “Every trial is to bring you to a greater position in God.”

It struck me; if I cannot run this race with joy, why bother to run it at all? What good would it have done for Mother Teresa to have gone to India, given up the “good” life to serve the poor if she grumbled and resented the life she had to live? What good is it for me to wait on the Lord and not take things into my own hands if I cannot do it with joy and trust in Him? God loves a cheerful giver. If I cannot be cheerful in giving my life to Him and waiting on Him, then what’s the point? It will not please Him.

He reminded me that one of the virtues that I choose for my life is joy. “I will not let any person or circumstance rob me of my joy.” My quote. I had let myself be robbed of my joy and my hope by focusing on the circumstances and the length of the wait. No more! By His grace I will keep my eyes on Him, remind myself of His faithfulness, His wisdom and perfect timing. By His grace, in this day that He has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. If I am going to offer myself as a living sacrifice I want to do it cheerfully and full of joy and hope and trust in Him.

Rejoicing in His kindness,

Marianne


Marianne Paulus is a marriage and family educator. She offers weekly classes in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex on Marriage Preparation. She also teaches at the Mid-Cities Pregnancy Center.

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Faith and Prayer #26

Dear Glorious Saints,

I recently read again one of my favorite Bible stories: the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace. I have always loved that story and a few years ago the Lord really spoke to me through it. This week God reminded again of the truth of what He said.

The part that really captured me was when they came out of the furnace: “They saw the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.” (Dan. 3: 27)



I was going through a really hard time and not handling it too well and I told the Lord, “Not only do I smell of smoke, Lord, I stink!” In His great kindness He said to me, “It’s okay, Marianne. You are still in the fire, but when you come out you will smell just fine.”

What tremendous encouragement that was to me! He was still in the process of burning away the cords that bound me but when He was done, just like the three Israelites, I would be fine.

How grateful I have been for that word through the years. There have been many fires and lots of smoke but I thank Him so much that as I have come out of each one, I have emerged unharmed, looking a little more like Him, and not smelling too bad either!

So I am confident of this: “…that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Ph. 1:6)

Smelling better,
Marianne








Marianne Paulus is a marriage and family educator. She offers weekly classes in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex on Marriage Preparation. She also teaches at the Mid-Cities Pregnancy Center.

Faith and Prayer #24

As a church body, we all have gifts and talents to offer which lift up, enhance and exhort our family members to keep up the good faith, to keep running the race, to not grow weary or give up.

Marianne Paulus is a part of my church family. Nearly every week, she sends out these Faith and Prayer messages to encourage us. I simply love them and wanted to share them here, with you. I hope you find some little nugget in them, and I have faith that you will.
Enjoy!
Jackie


Dear Glorious Saints,

I love the story of Jesus on the boat in the middle of the storm (Luke 8). But as many times as I have read it I have never really connected it to the story after it about the man who was tormented by the legion of demons. In looking at it several things stand out to me.

First, Jesus was the one who initiated the boat trip: “One day Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’” He did not say why, but it was not a random or capricious request; He had a reason.

Then He was not alarmed or even disturbed when the storm arose. He slept while His disciples, seasoned and experienced fishermen panicked in fear. He chided them, “Where is your faith?” Where was it? It was buried in fear, overcome by circumstances. Rather than approach Him in trust and confidence, they cried out in terror. Even so, He rebuked the storm, calmed the sea and left them in amazement as to who He was who could command the wind and the waves. Certainly this was one of His purposes in prompting the boat trip. They needed to see that He was no ordinary man.

But it seems like there was more. Upon reaching their destination they were met by the demoniac. Jesus delivered him from his tormentors and sent them into a herd of pigs that went careening down a steep bank and into the lake. And the man, restored to his right mind, begged Jesus to let him go with Him. But Jesus said this, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8:38-39)

Jesus had a purpose for this journey. Not only did He wish to reveal more about who He was, but He also wanted to deliver a tortured soul from his torment and then have him spread the word about the goodness of God and all that God did for him. It is no wonder that His plan was met with the kind of opposition that could not only capsize the boat but thwart the good He would do and the glory that would go to God.

How often has this been true in my life? He sets me off in a direction and then the storm hits. Sometime I actually do have the faith I need but other times the circumstances seem overwhelming and I cry out to Him in fear and not in faith. I am grateful for His compassion to deliver me anyway, but I long to grow in the kind of trust that has confidence even when the waves seem to be swamping the boat. How I desire to recognize quickly that He has a good plan and a purpose that goes beyond what I can see, that He desires not only to reveal more of Himself, to do good for me and others but also to bring greater glory to the Father.

Next time He invites me for a boat ride I want to be ready. How about you?

Expectantly,

Marianne

Marianne Paulus is a marriage and family educator. She offers weekly classes in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex on Marriage Preparation. She also teaches at the Mid-Cities Pregnancy Center.