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Faith Filled Friday & Lies Christians Believe that Destroy Effectiveness {Part Two}

3/20/2014

27 Comments

 
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One time I heard someone say they were trying to open a bag of Twinkies or something and couldn’t get the bag open so they took that as a sign God didn’t want them to eat the Twinkies. That’s kind of a silly example but do you ever think like that? When something doesn’t work out the way you expected do you think it must not have been God’s will? When you try at something and fail, do you assume it must not have been God that was leading you in the first place?

We took the kids to the Kennedy space center and the Lord used it powerfully in my life. They show videos of all the launches that failed. Again and again the rockets exploded. Tons of money, time and valuable resources seemed to be wasted by rockets exploding on platforms or falling apart in the air. How easy it would be to give up. How easy it would be to give up thinking it must not be God if He allowed such failure.

How in the world did the lie, “If it’s easy, it’s God” sneak into our culture? Was it not God’s will that Jesus endure awful on the cross because it was hard and He had to persevere? Was it not God’s will that the Israelites be led out of captivity when they came up against the resistance of the Red Sea?

Our little beautiful bride of Christ culture needs to grow some perseverance. God will allow resistance, He will allow failure and that very much could be His plan for the purpose of driving us to get wisdom, to learn. Failure is a gift. It can drive us to get wisdom and learn how to do things better. And really Christians need to be leading the charge in the ability to persevere in the things we create, build, do etc. for the Lord. Because really we have the Holy Spirit inside of us who enables us to persevere in doing great things for the Lord, a gift the world doesn’t have. Oh let us be persevering people who get wisdom and invest what we have well.

This was part two in a series. Read part one here.

Featured posts will resume next week so be sure to have the button or link on your post or side bar

Austin and I have been out of town speaking at a missions conference so I was not able to do featured posts this week. Sorry, but look forward to them next week.
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Faith Filled Friday Blog Link Up

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, art, baking, photography, parenting, marriage, homeschooling, writing or blogging 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. Please just 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 below and on the side bar) so they can find these other great people glorifying God and we can continue to grow as a community.Thanks! 

And in effort to encourage others in their writing by faith, please take a minute to comment on another sweet lady's post.
Missional Women
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About Laura

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Laura, the creator and host of Missional Women is married and has four kids, two of whom are adopted. Laura and her husband have been missionaries to college students for 11 years serving with Master Plan Ministries. Laura is the Women's Development Coordinator and has discipled over 150 girls, led over 30 Bible studies and speaks to college and women's groups. Laura has authored 5 books, including an award winning 12 week Bible Study on First Samuel, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God, and A Devotional Journey through Judges, a devotional to accompany the free online Bible study at TheBookofJudges.com. You can find her on facebook,twitter, pinterest, youtube, instagram and her author site.

Sharing this over at these awesome blogs

27 Comments
Sharon link
3/20/2014 02:45:40 pm

Thanks for sharing! Loved this! Such truth in these words. God's word never says this Christian life will be easy...but we certainly do have the power of His Spirit living in us to help us persevere. Thank you for the reminder!!

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Laura
3/26/2014 10:41:46 am

Thanks so much for your encouragement Sharon. I just love your heart for the Lord and desire to be part of His mission!! You're an inspiration. :)

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Rosilind link
3/20/2014 04:43:26 pm

Wow Laura, what an amazing, amazing article!! This really spoke to me, because while I don't really believe this per se - I sometimes find myself thinking thoughts like that...but the Bible tells us that those who persevere to the end will be saved...and Hebrews gives us a long list of those who suffered and endured. Thank you for reminding me to stick it out in the hard times and to listen more closely to really know what God's will truly is.

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Judith at WholeHearted Home link
3/20/2014 08:45:30 pm

That was a wonderful post. Thanks so much for sharing it and also for the linkup party.

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Laura
3/26/2014 10:46:09 am

Thank you Rosilind! And I totally understand... I am so quick to want to give up sometimes. ugh. I've been reading through Proverbs and everyday the Lord is causing something to stick out that is totally related to persevering and getting wisdom. Oh I desperately want to not be so quick to want to give up but see it as an opportunity to see where I need to get more wisdom. So... hopeful to see growth.

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Debbie @ http://kidsbibledebjackson.blogspot.com/
3/20/2014 08:49:19 pm

Thanks so much for hosting!

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Abby link
3/20/2014 08:54:43 pm

Such an AMAZING word for today Laura. Just Thank You!! So very needed for my heart...love you sister!!! Praying for you & Missional Women:)

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Laura
3/26/2014 10:55:45 am

Thanks Abby. Grateful for you!!!

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Diane link
3/20/2014 08:58:46 pm

My husband and I have been learning this truth since June of '09. We were let go from a church where my husband was leading a very successful children's ministry. Kids were learning true worship, loving their 'neighbor,' and a heart for giving to honor God and support orphans in Africa and not buy things for themselves. This is big stuff for kids. And the ministry was thriving and growing. And God had just given vision for the next few years and everyone was excited. Except some 'powers that be' in the church. And one day...out of the blue...we were terminated. They wanted to tell the church another story...that we had decided it was time to leave. But, that was a lie...so we said no to that.

Some said it was God's will. We knew distinctly otherwise. My husband had just been courted a few months earlier by another large church in the denomination. After a few months of interaction and much prayer we believed God had big plans for us ahead in the current church position...so the answer to them was no. God gave the new vision for the current church and we moved ahead...full steam....until that fateful day.

"God must have something even better for you." We heard that continuously. If that were so we wouldn't have been struggling all this time, interviewing, trying to pick up work with no avail, and even taking another children's position at a smaller church for 15 months and then for no reason, being let go. (We believe that was God's reprieve to our exhausted wait.) That was 14 months ago...and we're still waiting on the next ministry assignment. And when my husband finally landed a job which we badly needed for income at a factory. He was let go after a week. No reason. He thought he was doing well at it. [sigh] He continues to apply for jobs to no avail.

We used to lead the kids each week in a worship segment that ended with everyone repeating these words in unison. "I can trust God no matter what." These are hard words. Five years later we still believe we can. Has God met every need? No. We are in desperate need of work to pay our bills. We're living with friends so we have a roof over our head and food. We have run out of resources. We press on believing. Trusting. Are we learning perseverance? You betcha! Have good things come from this time? There are a few I can personally point to. The rest I am sure we will be able to look back on and see clearly.

Through all of this we can say....God is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He loves us with an everlasting love. And He does have plans and a purpose for us...today and tomorrow. Our hope is in the Lord...and Hope does NOT disappoint us - Romans 5:5.

Sorry to be so long. I just want to give you a 'real life' account of perseverance in the American Christian church.

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Laura
3/26/2014 11:05:54 am

Oh Diane that must have been so tough. And not only tough, but painful. I'm sorry! And I am grateful you shared and grateful you are persevering! Praying for you friend!

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Sandra @ Sandra's Ark link
3/20/2014 09:01:37 pm

You are quite right here, we need to remind ourselves that often we need to make an effort in the things we do instead of expecting to slide right through. Imagine all the times we could miss out on God's blessings if we didn't do things He calls us to because of that misconception.

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Laura
3/26/2014 11:18:36 am

yes!

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Helene link
3/20/2014 09:29:50 pm

I know that God has caused us to fail at opportunities that we weren't ready for so that we had time to grow! This post really hit home with me. I need more perseverance when I know we're doing right!

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Laura
3/26/2014 11:25:52 am

I'm with you... in need of more perseverance too. And I need to fail to remind me how much more I need to learn. ugh. Wish that just weren't the case though, sure doesn't feel good.

:)

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Debbie link
3/20/2014 09:36:25 pm

Your thoughts really spoke to my heart. I need to quit looking to giving up when things don't work out as I think and just persevere.

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Laura
3/26/2014 11:27:03 am

I'm so glad this encouraged you Debbie, I'm right there with you. :)

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Pamela link
3/20/2014 11:18:45 pm

"Failure is a gift." It sure doesn't seem like a gift when we are going through trials, but looking back, we see where God was working and "tying the bow" on a gift-wrapped failure. Thank you, Laura, for providing this space for us to link our words.

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Laura
3/26/2014 11:36:19 am

No kidding! :) It's so hard to things rightly when it's painful.

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June link
3/21/2014 12:42:58 am

"How in the world did the lie, “If it’s easy, it’s God” sneak into our culture? " About the same time the "name it and claim it" and other prosperity gospels did, I think. Great post, Laura - now more than ever it's important for us to know the Word to guard against the lies of this world. Have a blessed week!

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Laura
3/26/2014 11:52:58 am

Oh yes, so true. As we cling to the Lord and His Word, He'll expose crazy things we so easily believe. What hope.

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Kathryn Ross link
3/21/2014 01:10:19 am

Blessings, Laura - great metaphor message from the space museum! I have been learning to just let it go - my second attempts, and third, and fourth, etc - will always produce better fruit for they are tempered. I find this with my writing all the time. In my art. Failure in attempt one teaches me success procedures in any following attempts. Good deal, that!
Joy!
Kathy

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Laura
3/26/2014 11:54:13 am

Oh what a great example! Writing. I didn't even think about that! But not much is really good on a first draft. Thanks for sharing.

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Lyli @3-D Lessons for Life link
3/21/2014 02:49:54 am

Love what you shared, Laura. We've face a lot of opposition lately, and I tell my husband that means we are doing something right. :)

I've thought a lot this week about Nehemiah -- how He was trying to build and restore, but he faced such great opposition. He had to build with one hand and hold a weapon in the other. It's a good reminder that I need to keep my armor on.

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Laura
3/26/2014 12:07:34 pm

You've been doing great persevering and trusting the Lord through it all. You're a great example Lyli.

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bluecottonmemory link
3/21/2014 05:06:01 am

Sometimes I wonder if in the feminization of our culture, de-masculizing men - that we have ignored the battle stories of the bible. At times, I feel like there is a couch-potatoe mentality about salvation - salvation is a conventant with requirements between two people - and it requires action, but so many people think all they have to do is give their life to God - just give it and then just sit and wait.Jesus was a mover and shaker - as was David and Abraham. God called many men to battle - inwardly and outwardly. It is a balance, though - and we need both!

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Laura
3/26/2014 12:09:21 pm

"We need both" oh so true. Who was it that said, "Act as though it were all up to you but trust knowing it's all up to God"? I can't remember who said that. But it's so fitting.

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Lexie Robinson link
3/24/2014 03:11:48 am

I will preserver! Thank you for the encouragement and for hosting.

Reply



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    I'm Laura the founder of Missional Women and this is my sweet friend, Lyli. We host a link up for bloggers every Friday and look forward to having you join us. But before you go, look around, we are here to glorify God and be a blessing to you.
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  • Home
    • Ministry Resources for Women >
      • Beholding Him Freebie
    • Contributors
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  • 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