Great Commission Churches

August 2009

 

Dear Sisters,

"The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain."   Prov. 31:11

Sometimes I wonder, what is the best thing I can do for my husband so that he will have "no lack of gain." John then reminds me that his greatest desire for me will be the greatest blessing to him-that I would be a woman who has faith and puts her trust in God. My husband can then trust that I will encourage myself and others in the Lord, even in difficult circumstances. This month we have a wonderful testimony from Thelma Clark on how she strengthens her faith in the Lord during the hard times. Sisters, let's follow her advice and find our husbands enjoying the gain of encouraged wives!

Love,

Sandy Hopler

---

Faith

To my dear sisters "on the wall,"

If we could all sit and chat for awhile, each of us would have "such a story to tell" of all that's going on in and around our lives--each of us with the unique stresses and joys and responsibilities that the Lord has allowed for us.  As I look around at our church family right now, it's amazing how many have especially difficult circumstances to deal with.  My "mother's heart" kicks in with the desire to fix everything and help everyone, but most of the situations are too big to fix and I'm only one person with some of my own unusually stretching circumstances. So I do what I can and then take them in prayer to the throne of our Father, for I so want them to make it--to keep standing strong, not losing heart.

This has helped me understand Paul's heart for the believers, and Jesus' heart for Peter.  Jesus prayed that Peter's FAITH wouldn't fail.  (Luke 22: 32)  Paul couldn't stand it any longer, so he sent to find out about the Thessalonians' FAITH because he was afraid for them.  He sent Timothy to strengthen and encourage them in their FAITH so they wouldn't be unsettled by their trials.  He was encouraged when he was brought good news about their FAITH.  He prayed most earnestly that he could see them and supply what was lacking in their FAITH.  He said he "really lived" since they were standing firm in the Lord. (1Thes. 3:1-8)

When my kids were all at home and the to-do list was endless (does it ever change??), it helped me to put at the top of the list: "the children."  It was a visual reminder that loving and training them was the most important thing to which I needed to tend.  Recently I've begun to think that now I need to write down FAITH (mine and others') as the most important thing "to do" each day. We have a wonderful God with a mighty hand and outstretched arm to walk through each hour with us, and placing trust in Him each of those hours in every day is the ultimate. He is the One who "breaks open the way" (Micah 2:13 NIV), so you'd think that by now "trusting peacefully" would be my habit.  But worries and discouragements are still a natural default and it often takes time and effort to put my hope in God again. I keep getting to know more about Him every day in my quiet times, which helps me to walk in faith in my own circumstances. Then I am able to help others see His love and ability to help them persevere in their own situations.

Of course God's Word and promises are the main faith builders.  But there are two other things that jump start me in "believing" again once I've wavered.  Thanking God for the exact thing that just happened or was said or is upon us helps to immediately change my perspective.  And giving thanks is what involves God.  (Psalm 50 says it prepares the way for Him to show the salvation of God.)  In the book 31 Days of Praise, it says that praise "frees us from wasting energy speculating how things can be part of His plan and puts a stamp of approval on His unseen purposes....  Praise makes your circumstances and life a test tube (for others to see) that demonstrates the existence of a personal God who is present and involved and controls the natural universe.  It turns our attention to spiritual and eternal values and directs it away from the pleasure and success mentality which resists all pain and delay." 

The other prompter to faith for me has been singing.  David said in Psalm 63:7 "Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings."  When I'm stressed or discouraged, I certainly don't feel like singing, but there are a couple of "life songs" that have helped me over this hump time and time again.  God has used them to live out His promise to me in 2 Thes. 2:16,17: "May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father....encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."  I keep these words in my daily journal and wanted you all to have them.  If you can learn the tunes, you'd be blessed even more.

Day by Day

Day by day, and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here.

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment, I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He whose heart is kind beyond all measure, gives unto each day what He deems best.

Lovingly, it's part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest.

 

Every day the Lord Himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour.

All my cares He feign would bear and cheer me, He whose name is Counselor and Power.

The protection of His child and treasure is a charge that on Himself He laid.

"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure," this the pledge to me He made.

 

Help me, then, in every tribulation, so to trust Thy promises, O Lord.

That I lose not faith's sweet consolation offered me within Thy Holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting, 'er to take as from a Father's hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting, till I reach the promised land.

He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater;

He sendeth more strength where the labors increase;

To added afflictions He addeth His mercy;

To multiplied sorrows, His multiplied peace.

 

Chorus: 

His love has no limit; His grace has no measure;

His power has no boundary known unto men.

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

 

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed 'er the day is half done;

When we've reached the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving has only begun.  (Chorus)

 

Two others:  "How Firm a Foundation" and Travis Cottrell's recent song "God Leads Us Along"-- (the chorus): "Leads.. some through the waters, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song in the night season and all the day long." 

Paul boasted of the Thessalonians' perseverance and FAITH in ALL the persecutions and trials they were enduring.  (2 Thes. 1:4)  Even though I don't know all of the things that each of you have endured, I do know that I could boast, too, of your perseverance and faith because you are on the front lines and you are still standing.  Might God strengthen us to stay strong in faith till the end, and meet Him singing "Great is Your Faithfulness, O God my Father."   

Thelma Clark

Parker, CO