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By Lauren |
I just feel I really would love to share some of the amazing and incredible things God is doing in my life, He is just SO GOOD! He just continues to reveal Himself and His truths to me in amazing ways and at the perfect times!
On Monday this week (23/08/2010) I was having a really down day and just feeling so far from Jesus. I felt so useless and like such a failure. I just felt SO `hungry` for Jesus yet could not feel or sense His presence at all.
On Sunday evening I came across a blog which someone had posted on Facebook ( http://redeemedfromthepit.blogspot.com ). I couldn`t believe it! The women who writes it suffered from anorexia and bulimia for 17 years and has now been recovered for something like 10 years and has 4 children! Praise Jesus! And she now writes a blog to help others who are going through what she went through. (I have been struggling with anorexia for about 7 years now). She will also respond to any reader who emails her.
On the Monday when I was feeling so down I decided that I would send her an email expressing how I was feeling.
I then decided to pick up my Bible and `feed` on Gods truths. I am currently taking part in an eating disorder course being run at Grace Family Church in Umhlanga, and had the booklet of coarse material next to me, in the booklet the scripture 1 Kings 19:4-7, was mentioned but not much was said about it. Something inside of me prompted me to turn to it in my Bible. When I saw what it said I could not believe my eyes!
" `It`s enough now O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers` And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him `Arise and eat.` And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said `Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.` "
I really could not believe my eyes! Elijah was feeling so low that he was asking for his life to be taken away! I was feeling extremely low and far from God but I was not wanting Him to take my life, but just wanting Him to fill the emptiness of my heart and soul. And I could not believe the words of the angel `Arise and eat.` How appropriate for me and my condition!!! and the fact that there was a cake at Elijah`s head! Not just any food, but a cake! I seriously was gob-smacked! and the words of the angel `The journey is too great for you.` to me that felt like God was saying to me `come on you cannot give up, you have to persevere, the life I have planned for you is far too great for you to miss out on.`
Reading this scripture just bought such a peace and comfort to me, it got me through the day and lifted my spirits. Then on Tuesday evening I received a reply to the email I had sent to Marie (the writer of the blog) and WOW it just bought me such peace, comfort and assurance. Here is a bit of what I wrote to her in my email:
I cannot sense His presence. I feel like such a useless failure. No matter how hard I try to sense and feel Him I can’t. His word is the truth and I fully 100% believe ALL His words! I know it’s me who is the problem here or is doing something wrong cause Jesus said ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’ , that means He is with me no matter what! Why can’t I sense His presence? Why am I so useless?
Here is some of her reply:
Okay, this is a very common error! I used to try and "feel" Him, too. Feelings are subjective; Christ calls us to "walk by faith". Sure, there are many times when we might have an emotional experience and feel closer to God in those times, (and there`s nothing wrong with that - God gave us emotions to make us more fully human); but it is a major mistake to base your theology on them. If you look at Scripture, we (believers) are promised the Holy Spirit - period. It doesn`t matter how we happen to "feel"; His activity in our lives, if we belong to Christ, is an established fact. You correctly cited the verse from Hebrews where the author quotes God; also, the Gospel of John chaps. 14 and 15 record Jesus promising the Spirit`s abiding presence to them after His resurrection.
1 Peter 1:7-9 is a GREAT lesson in this
Her reply just gave me such a peace and comfort and it assured me that there was nothing wrong with me and I was doing nothing wrong in my relationship with Jesus. After realizing the truths she pointed out to me I instantly began to feel near to the King :)
Just absolutely incredible!!! Words cannot describe how I was feeling and how amazed I was (and still am) at how Gods timing is just so perfect.
Then on Wednesday I was reading the blog and found some website links, clicked on one and once again could not believe what I was seeing!
( www.settingcaptivesfree.com/courses/ )
It is a website which offers free online courses to help people find freedom from habitual sins and learn to grow in grace.
So I enrolled myself in the course `In His Image` which is specific for eating disorders. I got started right away! It is a 60 day course and wow it is just amazing! I have done the first three days and cannot wait to do the next tomorrow! You get a mentor who corresponds with you via email and is with you the journey of the course praying and encouraging and giving advice and assurance. Our God is just SO INCREDIBLY GOOD! I am just SO IN LOVE with Him!
So ya that is just a bit of what God has been doing in my life this week! He just continues to amaze me and my faith and trust in Him continue to grow by the second.
I just really wanted to share with everyone because my RLC family are just so incredible and I love you all very much and am so blessed grateful that you are all in my life. |
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By Glen |
A man came to my gate last week 28/07/2010 asking to do some work in the garden, wash the car or do something just to get some cash to make things meet. While this guy (Johnathan) was speaking his issue's to me he could not put two words together without stuttering. I listened to him and asked a few questions back just to find out where he stood in his faith. He told me he believed in Jesus and with that came the condemnation through te law and his past.
I then stopped him and for the next 10 min just spoke life into the guy. You could instantly see life coming back to him. Anyway to cut about a 1/2 hour story short Johnathan left speaking without a stutter (he has had it since he can remember) knowing who he is in Christ, knowing his perfection and and and and.
Through this sight I just want to thank the Lord for using me to set Johnathan free from the grip of the law |
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By Malcolm |
What an awesome weekend! Praise God!Harvey and I and Brandon and Debs were invited to minister to 2 groups of boarding schools in Nottingham Road.
After an awesome preach on the Father`s love, we invited the guys to be prayed for.
I first called out a guy to the front with crutches and really had faith for him to be healed.
Low and behold it actually happened. I was more astonished than the guy who was healed.
He started walking around without his crutches, he had a lump on his injury and that was completely gone.
We thought this was cool and prayed for 4 other people with knee injuries all reported that they were able to have mobility where they didn`t.
One of which was told that he had to be in a brace for a few weeks before the doctor could operate.
This guy removed his brace and on bended knees started praying for others. |
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