For any who read my most recent post, I told you I learned three extremely significantly beautiful lessons about our walk with the Lord during times of unbearable pain and mental/emotional suffering. The lessons: 1) how to deal with the flesh during an experience like this 2) how to continue in our faith 3) how to KNOW our Lord’s ever-present love/care for us.
Since this incident happened on the heals of my posting 2 very passionate messages about standing on the Word of God, I believe it was a “baseball bat to the back” done by one of the enemy’s minions. I still believe that and I KNOW why the Lord allowed it. I believe all things in an adopted, blood bought Child of God’s life are controlled by Him. He is Sovereign above all! Now some of you may think/feel/believe differently but I’ve experienced too many storms followed by blessings and too many valleys which led to mountaintops with the Almighty waiting there… just as His Word promises!
Before I go any further, I must tell you the day after the epidural steroid shot I physically felt great! The next day not so great, with recurrent pain and interrupted sleep again. By day 3, I was worse than before the shot. Agony doesn’t express it… and the pain wasn’t just the lower left side of the back and left leg, it was from the waist down–both legs, lower abdomen and behind! I could not sit, walk, lay down… none of the medications worked! So there I was at 4:00 am walking outside in tears. I came into the apartment, sat in the chair and prayed. “Heavenly Father, I feel like Job must have felt with his boils. But, I thank you for this… I praise you for this… and may you be glorified and honored. Your will be done, in Jesus name. Amen”. I sat there asking myself where did that come from? It came from a place of complete brokenness! Then I heard that still, small voice “lay down on the couch and sleep”. I didn’t question it (even though that couch helped cause the problem) I just did it. I fell fast asleep for 2 hours…
That time with the Lord God Almighty, Savior Jesus and Holy Spirit is the answer to how to deal with the flesh during an experience like this, how to continue in our faith and how to KNOW our Lord’s ever-present love/care for us.
Matthew 26: 41 “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
James 1: 2-6 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
Psalm 33: 20-22 “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.”
John 10:28-29 “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand”
“God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.” C. S. Lewis
“The full acting out of the self’s surrender to God therefore demands pain: this action, to be perfect, must be done from the pure will to obey, in the absence, or in the teeth, of inclination”. C.S. Lewis
I share these Bible verses, quotes from C. S. Lewis and my story in the hope that not only will Our Almighty Lord and Savior be glorified, but that you, my brethren in the Body of Christ may rejoice knowing nothing ever happens in our lives that He hasn’t prepared us for… IF we stay in His Word, in His presence and pray without ceasing. ♥ Streim
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I’ve heard some Christians say that ‘taking up our cross’ means we have some heavy burden to bear daily… that’s worldly wisdom to me. Jesus miracle of feeding the 5000 had just taken place, and now alone with His disciples, He asked them “Who do the multitudes say I am?” They responded ‘some say John the Baptist, others Elijah and some say you’re a prophet of old risen again.’ Then Jesus said, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter’s response “You are the Christ of God!” He warned them and told them not to tell anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” This all led up to the verses in my photo. Do you think that the disciples at this time knew what Jesus was even saying to them? After all, they just boldly proclaimed and understood who He was. When Jesus went to the Garden to pray before His betrayal, He praying fervently, in much agony, to the point His sweat was as blood when it fell to the ground. He prayed “Father, if Thou are willing remove this cup from Me; but not My will, but Thy will be done”. Jesus Christ knowing not only the physical pain, but the emotional and mental anguish He would suffer as well; chose to do the Father’s will. Our daily cross to bear— surrender ourselves to our Savior and Lord, just as He said to the Father “Not my will, but thy will be done.”
LOVE-HOPE-PEACE In Our Changing World 
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