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Faith Filled Friday Blog Link Up

4/5/2012

28 Comments

 
I'm so glad you are here! I hope during your visit you get a glimpse of God's heart for we become what we are gazing at. Currently I am writing my way through Judges sharing glimpses of God's heart and character for a weekday devotional. To check out the entire series so far head on over the the Judges Devotional.  

Hope in the Lord

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We often have the tightest grip on what we are hoping in. But our grip strangles if misplaced. Only God is able to withstand our grip of hope. And not only does a grip on anything other than the Lord destroy the beauty of the thing we are hoping in, it also pierces and wounds us. When God gives gifts, they are not meant to be tight fisted. They are meant to be held with open hands so others can enjoy the beauty as well.

And when our hope is misplaced, God, who is rich in mercy and grace, abounding in love and faithfulness steps in to rescue. Sometimes that means having the thing we are hoping in, the thing we are putting our confidence in, ripped from us. Sometimes the thing we are hoping in needs to be crushed and exposed for it's unworthiness of our full reliance. For our hope can not be placed in the Lord if it is placed elsewhere. Hope only has room for one. 

Micah's hope was in his idols and the young Levite and they were ripped out from under him.  
"When they had gone a distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah's house were called out, and they overtook the people of Dan. And they shouted to the people of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, "What is the matter with you, that you come with such a company?"  And he said, "You take my gods that I made and the priest, and go away, and what have I left? How then do you ask me, 'What is the matter with you?'" And the people of Dan said to him, "Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household." Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home." Judges 18:22-26 

I don't know about you, but hope seems like a hard thing to measure. It's hard to tell if we're fully hoping in the Lord or in success, stability, security, status or something else. So how can we tell? By doing a fist check. Are your hands open and willing to let go or is your heart wrapped so tightly around ________ that thought of not having it makes you angry? When you are open handed it manifests itself in a willingness to give, a willingness to share. Just like a kid with his candy.

So how do we transfer trust? How do we put our hope in the Lord? It's a choice to remember what's true about the Lord and let go of the grip on that other thing and lay it at His feet. It's a choice to cling to Jesus instead. "It's not mine, it's yours." 

Then when hard things come our way, we wont be shaken because our hope is in the Lord. We will be a people willing to follow the Lord where He leads, not squishing the life out of something not meant to be gripped.
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Have you had a chance to read Strategic Eternal Living? It's super practical on helping you figure out what to do with the time the Lord gave you here on earth.

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Faith Filled Friday Blog Hop

We exist to glorify God, to display His heart and character. And I just love how we are all uniquely built to do that. So every Friday I want to give you, uniquely designed by God, an opportunity to link up your thoughts on God, devotionals, ministry as well as art, baking, photography, parenting, marriage and more if they tie into or display the the Lord somehow. 

So go ahead and link up below by clicking the link below and following the prompts. I just humbly ask that you please let your readers know by including a link at the bottom of your post (or somewhere on your side bar) or put my button code (found on my side bar or the Faith Filled Friday Tab) so they can find these other great people glorifying God and we can continue to grow as a community. Thanks!    

In effort to encourage others in their writing by faith, please take a minute to comment on the two posts linked up before you. 


I'm linking up with Spiritual Sundays   
Photo Credit
28 Comments
Shanda Oakley link
4/5/2012 03:14:37 pm

That is so true: we know if our hope is in the Lord when we are willing to open up our hands and let Him take it away. I'm praying for you as you open your hands and wait on God right now.

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Laura link
4/5/2012 03:37:23 pm

Thank you so much Shanda!!

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Joe Pote link
4/5/2012 04:39:20 pm

"By doing a fist check."

Love it! A beautiful message of truth, with very practical application...one I need to practice frequently...

Thank you, Laura!

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laura link
4/6/2012 12:56:53 am

Thanks Joe. Something I need to practice frequently as well.

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patsy link
4/5/2012 08:06:58 pm

Yes hope is difficult to measure but I never thought of doing a fist check! I'll remember that! Patsy from <br /><a href="http://patsypat.blogspot.com"

rel="nofollow">HeARTworks</a>

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Laura link
4/6/2012 12:58:28 am

:)
Great picture of Jesus with Mary. Happy Good Friday friend.

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Lyli@3dLessons4Life link
4/5/2012 09:32:33 pm

So true! praying that God will help me be aligned with His path for me... that my hope will be firmly rooted in Him alone.

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Laura link
4/6/2012 01:00:00 am

I love it. Only the Lord can align our hearts. Something I've been praying a lot this week too.

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Rina Peru link
4/5/2012 10:25:13 pm

I had gone through God's stripping: health, strength, career...He took them all so I would KNOW that He is the only One worth holding on to. I only hope and cling to Him now. The most valuable lessons are learned through the hardest trials.

A blessed weekend!
Rina

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Laura link
4/6/2012 01:01:22 am

Pain has a way of causing us to remember doesn't it.

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JoAnne Potter link
4/5/2012 11:14:10 pm

You are so right. We hold on to what we want, to life itself, with a destructive grip. God says He is holding on to everything...all we have to do is to believe Him.
Happy Easter!

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Laura link
4/6/2012 01:02:51 am

Thank you. You too!

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Kathryn Ross link
4/5/2012 11:53:22 pm

Thanks for such a penetrating post, Laura. I have seen myself here - weathering the storm in the aftermath of a hard lesson learned. But, apart from the lesson - how could I suppose to teach - sharing the fruits thereof.
Joy to you this Resurrection Week!
Kathy

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Laura link
4/6/2012 01:04:18 am

So true Kathryn!

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Robert Moon link
4/6/2012 03:37:21 am

When God gives us "things" they may be temporary. That includes those we love when he calls them home. We must be able to release what ever we hold and trust Him.

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Laura link
4/10/2012 05:31:59 am

So true.

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Debra Huffaker link
4/6/2012 05:56:58 am

Thank you so much for letting me join in!!! HOPE you have a blessed Easter!

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Laura link
4/10/2012 05:34:34 am

So glad you did! :)

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Laurie Collett link
4/6/2012 11:22:15 am

Our hope and faith must be in Him alone! Only then can we be a channel though which His blessings flow. Thanks for the great post and photo!
May you have a blessed Resurrection Sunday,
Laurie

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Laura link
4/10/2012 05:36:30 am

Thanks Laurie.
I'm always just so amazed by that... that the Lord is able to use us as vessels to be a blessing to other. I mean seriously how crazy that the perfect can use the imperfect.

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Nikki link
4/6/2012 10:25:04 pm

your message is sort of what I've been thinking about. It's in surrender and death that I can really live and yet....it goes so contrary to everything in me. Still the peace of saying yes...and that amazing joy make it totally worth it. Happy Easter Laura to you and your family.

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Laura link
4/10/2012 05:38:23 am

So true... it is so worth it and we can't even understand the full impact of how worth it is yet. How cool is that day going to be when we or overwhelmed with how much it really was worth it. Woohoo!

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Bryan link
4/7/2012 02:54:08 am

We're so apt to hold on tightly to the things of this world when in reality all we need to do is hold on to Jesus. Thanks for sharing this challenging reminder!

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Laura link
4/10/2012 05:41:32 am

Yes! So true, He's really the One were all craving anyway, we just get mixed up sometimes. :)

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Theresa@heavenlyglimpses link
4/7/2012 07:34:59 am

I like that image of a fist check. It's one that will stay with me. Thank you for these truths. I have enjoyed visiting and linking up for the first time here!

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Laura link
4/10/2012 05:42:32 am

So glad you did! Thank you for joining us, we are blessed by you Theresa.

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Charlotte link
4/11/2012 11:37:45 am

Very interesting, Laura. We should hold onto anything in this world too tightly. You illustrated that very well.
Blessings,
Charlotte

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bristol dating link
8/26/2012 12:23:59 pm

Great blog, love the template.

Reply



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  • Home
    • Ministry Resources for Women >
      • Beholding Him Freebie
    • Contributors
    • Statement of Faith
  • Blog
    • Ministry >
      • Evangelism {Win}
      • Discipleship {Build}
      • Living Missionally {Send}
    • God's Word >
      • Bible Study
      • Prayer
      • Devotionals
      • Bible Studies
      • Apologetics
    • Relationships >
      • Marriage
      • Singleness
      • Dating
      • Family
      • Friendship
    • World >
      • Social Justice Issues
      • Internet & Social Media
      • Politics
      • International
      • Science Revealing God
    • Life >
      • Image & Idenity
      • Health
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Organization
  • Bible Study Resources
  • Prints
  • Stickers
  • Quiet Time Journals
  • Courses
    • Discover God's Calling
    • Women's Ministry Training Promo
    • How to Study the Bible
    • Women's Ministry Training Course
    • Growing in Your Faith Mini Course
  • Retreat
  • Video Bible Studies
    • Matthew
    • John
    • Galatians
    • Philippians
    • Know your Purpose
    • Creation Reveals
    • Ministry
    • Heart Growth
  • You Are Unshaken Book
    • Unshaken Groups
    • You Are Unshaken Launch Team
    • You Are Unshaken Paint Party
    • Unshaken Freebies
  • Shop