“The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 NIV
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
I want to share a true story with you, an example of how God glorified His name through a handful of praying Christians, many years ago.
Next month will mark the 204th anniversary of the church I attend. In 1818, a small church of about 26 people in Rockfield, KY began to pray that God would help them start a new church in Bowling Green, Warren County, KY.
Providence Knob Baptist Church sent 4 members to Bowling Green to start a new church. The church they started is the one I worship in today, 204 years later.
To put this in perspective, 1818 is the year the famous American Patriot, Paul Revere, died. In fact, Warren County was named after General Joseph Warren of the Revolutionary War, who dispatched Paul Revere on his famous midnight ride.
The population of Warren County was less than 12,000 then, as compared to over 125,000 at the present time.
Today, the church planted over 200 years ago thrives. A magnificent choir of 50 sings praises to our Lord. A team of singers and musicians lead the congregation in worship, and little children sing of Jesus’s love. An orchestra plays heavenly music in praise to the Lord. People are being saved. The Word of God is being proclaimed. Missionaries are being sent abroad. God’s work is being done and God is glorified.
The obedience and prayers of those pioneers who, in 1818, prayed for God to build a church in Bowling Green resulted in God being glorified. When God answered their prayers, He did “immeasurably more” than all they could ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)
Those faithful saints never really saw the fruit of their labor, but God was, and is, and will be, glorified in this place.
It made me think about my own life. Do I want to bring glory to God only? Or do I want glory for myself? Do I want God to do “immeasurable more” than all I ask or imagine? Do I want Him to use me according to His will, even if I never see the fruit of my labor? These are heart-searching questions. May we have the courage to ask them.
God’s plans are bigger than our ability to imagine. I understand now, that God’s plan for my life might bring forth fruit that I don’t live to see, just as these church planters didn’t live to see the fruit of their obedience and prayers.
I would imagine they probably became discouraged at times. It couldn’t have been easy to start a new church in a new city. But they persevered and God answered their prayers.
“Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1 NIV
Jesus prayed to His Father,
“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” John 17:4 NIV
God has the plan. Will we surrender our will to Him? Our part is to be willing. He will do the rest.
“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13 NIV
We may not always see the fruit of our obedience and service, but if we are surrendered to His will and obedient to His Word He will glorify His name. This is God’s plan – To glorify His name.
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.” Psalm 78:4-7 NIV
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
43 Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.” Psalm 107:6-9 and 43 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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realchristianwomen.blog
When we have rejected the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture, we allow Christians to depend on things other than the Bible as their guide to matters of life and faith. In particular, people begin to depend upon mysticism, upon ways of supposedly knowing God apart from the Bible. They look inward for intrinsic wisdom rather than outward to the Bible for its extrinsic wisdom. They forsake biblical reason in favor of feelings, voices, visions, or other subjective means of supposedly knowing God. This is a deadly error, for spiritual discernment must be founded upon God’s objective revelation of himself in Scripture. We can only judge between what is wrong and what is right when we know what God says to be true. We can know this only from Scripture.”
Tim Challies, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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realchristianwomen.blog
“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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realchristianwomen.blog
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe” Psalm 107:1-2 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
realchristianwomen.blog
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31 NIV Jesus
Luke 6:31 in all English translations
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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On September 11, 2001, Pilot Steve Scheibner was packed and ready to fly out of Boston on American Airlines Flight 11 to Los Angeles. But at the last minute, another pilot, First Officer Thomas McGuinness, was assigned the flight instead.
Imagine the emotional impact on Scheibner when he realized that the plane he should have been flying, had just flown into the World Trade Center’s North Tower. Had God spared his life?
The Bible says our lives are not our own. Consider these Scriptures.
“Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” Jeremiah 10:23,
“But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God. My times are in your hands…” Psalm 31:14 & 15
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21
If you ever survived something that you know you shouldn’t have survived, you may feel the same way as Steve Scheibner. You may understand that you are here because God has more for you to do.
There were other passengers who missed flight 11 that day. Some changed their plans at the last minute. Others just didn’t get to the airport in time. Were they forever changed? Did they find their purpose?
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
When we stand before our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, may we hear these coveted words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Matthew 25:23
This is Steve Scheibner’s amazing testimony:
With Love, Cindy
Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?
realchristianwomen.blog
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“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 NIV
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
realchristianwomen.blog
Real Christian Women 