Victorious- a morning quiet time

So after posting last night about my struggle with stress today I woke up and \i realized that I can be victorious!

I''e been so distracted wtih worrying about being stressed and feeling bad about my bad attitude that I had forgotten who I am in HIM.

2 Corinthians 5:17New International Version (NIV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!

Bible Gateway

So as my Dad reminded me on a recent post to '"put on your armor," I can find the source of victory by entering each day prepared and ready for this "battle" of life. 

Ephesians 6: 10-18 Living Bible- Gateway

10 Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. 12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.

13 So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up.

14 But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. 15 Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. 16 In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. 17 And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the Word of God.

18 Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere.

Thank you Father in Heaven that I can face this day with you and through you. I don't have to live in stress and with a bad attitude. Help me to live victoriously through YOU today. Amen. 

Devotions Together!

Six years of married life my husband and I have sought for way to study God's word together. We have stumbled over each wanting to read in our language. We have read aloud in Latvian and sometimes in English. We have tried a daily devotional and every time we have given up after a short while. Always going back to reading alone and only praying together.

I had been in search of something that would guide us to study the Bible together and not just read a devotional. Devotionals are good for some- but they leave me wanting more of God's word.

At long last we have a found a solution for us! A Bible intended for couples!

I found this Bible while home for the holidays. I almost didn't buy it because of the high price, and my gift certificate being just too small to cover the large sum.

BUT I reasoned with myself that if we would finally start to read together it would be worth every penny!

This has definitely been worth the price. Things I love about this study Bible:

1. It doesn't use dates, but only days of the week. So if we get behind we don't get stressed. 
2. It has passages that are manageable in length so we we have time to read and discuss. 
3. The questions get us talking on topics we normally don't discuss. 
4. The stories are actual for married couples. 
5. The weekend special assignments with fun ideas for dates. 

I could go on and on about how much I love this Bible.

As a cross-cultural couple we are able to each read the passage quietly in our native language. Then I translate the questions for my husband and the story as well.

If you want to get this cheaper buy it online- and not in a bookstore. I could have saved at least $15.00 that way.

Maturity

Today as I was reading  Romans 12 in The Message translation this passage leaped out at me: 

^1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. 

I was challenged to place my mothering, my painting, my business and pregnancy on the altar before 

God. I was reminded that these things are about Him, not me and my will. 

 But another thing that really POPPED out at me was the last part "God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." All of a sudden I realized that as much as I want my kids to be grown up, well behaved, and nice to each other; controlling themselves and their tempers- God wants the same of me. The goal in this life is to mature to Christ-like maturity. To be so controlled by God that their is no longer any ME. 

Wow, I expect my kids to want to be nice to one another. To know how to do so, and to do so cheerfully. God wants the same of me, of us. He wants me to put aside my wants and desires and serve my family and Him. I sometimes am so shocked how selfish and self-centered kids are. But I am just as bad. Perhaps I have learned to be kind where they are just learning, but there are deeper places in our adult hearts that God wants to bring to maturity. 

What about my desire for pleasure? My desire to paint and just have fun is sometimes so strong. I make choices, choices to read and study God's word or paint and watch a movie and just RELAX. Painting isn't bad, it is something God has given me- but HE must be the priority in my free time. I need more maturity in giving up my wants, just like my children need to learn. I need to take time to be with Him so I can be growing- otherwise how can I show my children maturity?

What about my love of chocolate? My kids would eat tons of sweets IF I let them, but knowing what is good for them I control their sweets intake. God requires maturity of me in this area too. Where is that maturity? 

I am learning. I am a child of God with still so far to go in this walk towards Christ-likeness. 

Lord make me more like you!