Thoughts for Life: What Happens When We Say "Yes" to God?

Jean Oathout lets us in on what is her response to the ladies retreat in Gananoque, Ontario...

As we have a Holy God, we need to understand that how we live is important to Him.

His Holy Word, the Bible, explains in great detail what our spiritual condition is, and lays it out clearly what it is:

We are sinful to the core, and in need of the Savior, God's Son, Jesus Christ.
(Rom. 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.")

As Jesus had our sins piled on Him, and carried them to the Cross of Calvary, was crucified, buried, and raised again to New Life, we have access now to the Father, to have Life given to us. (see Is. 53:3-12)

Through this "New Life", we are well able to do what the Father asks of us. It is up to us to be willing to submit to His promptings to serve Him where we are, and in a local Bible-believing church.

From Genesis to the book of Revelation, we can read His dealings with people of all walks of life and backgrounds.

The people He used to do His will astounds us at times, as they appear the least able to accomplish what needed to be done. (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary, all who were in Christ's linage.)

When folks said "Yes" to God, He empowered them to do amazing feats, like bringing down the wall around the city of Jericho through Joshua. Some were used to rescue helpless people, becoming the "savior" needed to free God's nation, the Jews, time and time again.

What God wants to do through you and me remains to be seen, my friend. Is it possible that He has a plan for us to help others get to know Him better?

I believe He does, and that He asks each of us to take the time to inquire what that may be, through the reading of His Word and meditation.

What will you do? Will you respond with a "Yes' to God?

Our being connected to a Body of believes is all important, as we can learn to allow the fruits of the Spirit to develop through fellowship, trials, and learning to deal with others with differences of experiences and opinions.

God's design is to help us get along with others who know and follow Him, so we need to regularly meet with them, to learn how to be blessed, and also to be a blessing to others.

How will we learn to witness God's goodness and grace, if we don't allow ourselves to mingle with folks, and to witness His working in their lives, to change them into His likeness.

There's much to learn from those who've known God, and who have walked with Him for a longer time. This sharing will be invaluable in the developing our own faith.

We're to model ourselves after those who've experienced trials, and who've been faithful to walk through them with God's help.

It will inspire us to be able to do the same. We will then be able to help others in their walk.

(Google images added)

At the end of the two-day ladies retreat in Gananoque,

Ontario, on Saturday afternoon, we were given a bag of odds
and ends and a block of wood.

We were told not to open our bags until told to do so, and
to not speak, once we opened our bags. We were to breath
into the bags, as God had "breathed life into Adam" at the
beginning. (Gen. 2:7)

This was to signify the breath of life being breathed into the
contents of our bag, so we could expect God to give life to
some of the articles in there, (so to speak), and use them to
speak to us.

We were then challenged to examine the contents, ask God
what significance some of them were to us, and attach them
to the block of wood that was in the bag. There were tools on
each table, as well as hot glue guns nearby.

The Lord spoke to all 90 ladies messages that will change
their lives significantly.

Here is my "craft" of objects that God used to speak to me...
It may not look like much, but each piece was very significant
to me.

The following is an explanation of the photo:

Rubber bands = These are folks that I'm connected to on my
blog (www.jean-oathout.blogspot.com), and Face Book in some
way, who check in at various times, and with varying
commitments.

Small wrench = God's using my posts to make adjustments
in my readers' attitudes and lives.

Popsicle sticks = God uses the Faith Messages as "tongue
depressors", to view into my reader's lives and hearts, to help
them see their needs.

Curtain hook = Hopefully, some readers will become hooked
to the Faith Messages, and check in often.

Q tips = The Holy Spirit draws and anoints my readers with His
Word, as they read the Faith Messages.

Tangled rubber bands = Some folks read the posts with mixed
emotions, and God will help them get their thinking straightened
out through the various Faith Messages.

Piece of boarder wood = Hopefully, the Faith Messages will
give some folks guidelines for their faith.

Wire = I believe that my husband and I are wired together
in marriage, and God plans to strengthen it.

Thread holder = Time will bring a re-threading of our relationship.

Thick black ring = Our love will become stronger in time.

Metal piece = Our marriage will be built on a stronger foundation
of love, wisdom, and commitment.

Two small white objects = I didn't know what they meant,
but agree with the Lord for whatever they signified. (A friend
suggested they were some "secrets" God has for me.) Sounds
good to me!

Stopper = I'm to shut my mouth, and allow God to speak to my
husband what His plan and will is for him.

Two pictures from the retreat:

Pam, Jean, Carol, and Bonnie

Pam, Jean, and Pastor Carol Forman,
of Community Life Station
Moira, NY.

(I will be leaving this afternoon, to drive to Catskill, NY, to stay with Leah while my son, John's away for work. She is due Thursday, so her delivery time may be quite close. We hope so, anyway. I don't know how long I'll be there, but it depends on how Leah and the baby do.)

Let’s pray:

Father, help me to apply zest to my work efforts that I might please You.

I offer my actions and words today as a testimony to bring You glory. Use me today to point others to You.

I know that I'm in need of fellowship with other believers, so I ask to be lead to folks who love You, and who are committed to walking in obedience to You.

Please enable me to find ways to be of service to others, and to grow in my faith as I do.

Open my eyes to Your will for me, and help me become sensitive to Your leading me in and through Your Word, and to answer "Yes", when You inspire me to obey You.

In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the LORD thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest."

Today’s quote: Jennifer Benson Schuldt – “Like reading, Prayer
can be silent. Hannah, who longed for a child or her own, visited
the temple and “spoke in her heart” as she prayed. Her lips were
moving, but “her voice was not heard” 1 Sam. 1:13. Eli the priest
saw but misunderstood what was happening. She explained “I...
have poured out my soul before the LORD” v.20. God heard
Hannah’s silent prayer request and gave her a son v.20.

Some thoughts today: We need to constantly put off what hinders us to walk in peace. We have been crucified in Christ, are now freed from sin’s control on us. Rom. 6:6,7. Let’s choose to not sin!

- God’s Word purifies our hearts. His Word and Presence are wrapped together. It is a cleansing agent. We cannot clean ourselves.

- God will cause faith to walk out what He wants done. He will give the creativity to get things done.

- Will you look to Him to enable you to release connections, which will tend to hold you back from being effective in God's Kingdom? Connections matter, as those that encourage your new Life in Christ will strengthen your faith and determination to please Him.

A popular post: God's Retirement Plan Lisa Wardrop tells us: "God never ceases to amaze me how in His creative ways our needs are met."

Check out the 128 links, to find helpful posts for your prayer ministry. INTERCESSORY PRAYERS by Dutch Sheets