Friday, June 18, 2010

It's Worth the Fight!


About a month ago a really good friend of my was fighting for her life as she was under going surgery. She was having a double masetomy due to breast cancer. She had asked me to be there in the surgery waiting room to pray during her surgery, of which I felt it a complete honor to do so. On this day and the days that have come to follow she is in a fight to win the battle of breast cancer and her life. There are 2 other great ladies within my church that are on this fight as well and it is such a fight but one worth fighting!!

I say all that to say that on this same day I spent at the hospital with my friend and her family, my husband had a not so pleasent conversation on the phone with one of our sons (while we were at the hospital). He did such an incredible job of keeping calm and trying to walk through whatever "crises" was at hand in my son's life. He talked about the proper thing God would have him do in the situation and how God would have him respond and act and I'm sure even mentioned some specifics of God's word. Our son responded with "Why do you always have to bring God in the conversation?" This question really conerned me as a mom. I first began to think well, maybe we as a ministers family do mention God's word too much, maybe we should not do that and back off a little! I thought about this over and over and I think God really began to show me the BATTLE we are in as families. We are in a FIGHT for our families to thrive and live and the enemy, satan, had just thrown a weapon of destruction in the form of a lie. The lie that we shouldn't be telling our son God's word because we will just make him rebel against it, and we don't need to "preach" to him when he is having a difficult time...... and on the lie went in my head.

As I woke up the next morning the thought of the BATTLE was still on my mind and how the enemy is out to "steal, and kill, and destroy.." John 10:10. My son came down stairs for breakfast and as we normally do, we had our devotion time together. This particular morning, God had me share from the previous days situation. I asked him when he saw a little pink ribbon that some one was wearing what that made him think of and he said cancer and the fight for cancer. I then asked what the yellow rubber bracelets stood for and he said Lance Armstrong and the fight for caner. I shared with him how important it was for me and my friend's other family and friends to be at the hospital the day before and that she was truly in a fight for her life as she was in surgery for about 6 plus hours and all that she would have to conitnue to do to fight for her life. I asked him if he thought it was worth it and of course he said yeah! I then began to share with him that we are in another battle that is a true fight and the enemy is and will do anything he can to destroy our family and other Godly families. I talked to him about how we are on the front battle lines in this war as we are part of the pastoring staff at our church and that if satan can wipe our family out then he has helped to destroy some of the front battle line. I brought up to him the comment that he had made to his father about always talking about God's word. I told him we would always hold God's word up high as the standard as that is our weapon and tool to fight the enemy with. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Our life verse that we pray for each of our sons is 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 which says, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love."


I really believe that we as parents will not come across as "preachy" to our children when we take the time to develop a relationship with them. Our relationship tells them that we love them and desire the best for them. We gain their trust and love as we role model to them that Christianity is not something that we just do on Sunday mornings or Wednesdays, but that it is a relationship with God that we can not seperate from our job, our friends, our family, our hobbies. Christianity is lived out every moment of every day in our lives as we live at home and outside the home. God's word is the standard and truth that we base our lives off of and it is what naturally should come out of us as belivers in all situations. It is the enemies lie that would have us believe we should back down and sugar coat things when they get tough for "fear" we might loose our relationship with our child. This fear is totally rooted in our minds by the enemy as God tells us in Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up." This pretty much sums up what God would have us do with his words! We are to be diligent to teach and impress (role model) to our children every day as we get up as we walk along the way and when we lie down to rest.


The BATTLE for my friends lives as they/we battle cancer is very worth while and it is something they are doing daily all day long. I would also say that the BATTLE for the family, mine and yours is well worth it and is must be fought daily all day long!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

God's Mercies Are New Every Morning!


Lamentations 3:20-26 says "I well remember them and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

I come to this new day with great hope knowing that my LORD and Savior's mercy for me is great and this His love for me is complete. He loves and accepts me for just who I am. As the ladies retreat this past weekend challenged me again in so many area's of weakness in my life, I have to acknowledge that God is not through with me and that He is still at work in my life. A verse that encourages me in this is Ps. 37:23-24 which says, "The steps of "Darla" are established by the LORD, and He delights in "her" way. When "Darla" falls, she will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the one who holds "her" hand."

Scripture brings me great comfort as I also read Psalm 121 I am encouraged to know that my help truly comes from the LORD. It does not come through my husband, children, friends or things. They may be instruments of His peace, as I pray that I am an instrument of His hands and feet to help bring His comfort to others, but ultimately, it is Christ and Christ alone that satisfies and brings me peace. Ps. 121:1-3 says, "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From whence shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber." Now that encourages me as I set out today to accomplish the things that God has set before me. Lord I pray that I will be faithful to be obedient to trust in you with all my heart and not lean to my own understanding today (Prov. 3:5-6) I also pray that I would be completely humble and gentle. May I be patient today and bear with others and do everything I can to keep the unity of your Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph. 4:2-3) In Christ's precious name I ask,
Your daughter,
Darla

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Daily Lessons on Prayer



Below is an e-mail I sent out to some people in my life that I felt God wanted me to encourage with what He is teaching me. As you read, may you find encouragement as well.

.... what He has encouraged me with over the last several days. Hebrews 3:13-14 says, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first."

Paul, in his message on Sunday through God's word, challenged us with 1Thess. 5:16-18 which says "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." The part that has really been speaking to me is verse 17 which says "pray continually". I am coming more and more convinced that prayer is like breathing for me. When I stop, I literally start stressing out and it is like I am gasping for air because I do not have clarity of thought or mind, which I know God says he gives me when I am trusting in Him (Is. 26:3)

As I was driving on Tuesday, I listened to Family Life Today and it was on praying BIG for your children. It was a great program. I am sending you the link and encourage you to take the time and listen to it. http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/FamilyLife_Today/archives.asp?bcd=2010-1-5

The other part was at New Community last night as Julie lead us in the song, "Hosanna". The words..."I see a generation, rising up to take their place with selfless faith. I see a near revival stirring as we pray and seek, we're on our knees, we're on our knee's". Those words again struck a chord within me to continue to pray on behalf of my boys and husband in a great way that they would truly "love the Lord with ALL their heart, and because they love HIM, they desire to serve HIM ALL their days". This is the prayer I pray for them and I do pray BIG for my boys that they would be change agents in the "worlds" that they live in and the people they come in contact with. I pray that God would put a protective hedge about them and also bring other Godly people into their lives that can encourage and walk along side them. This is the generation that God wants to use, can use, will use and I believe is using to reach the world with His Gospel and message of Jesus Christ.

The link to that song is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXCoHxX1OC8
I encourage you to click on this link as well and allow it to minister to you as it did to me.

Again, I pray that you will be encouraged today as you read this and seek God with a whole, pure heart. May each of us be on our knees in prayer seeking how God would desire to order our days in order to bring Him glory.

If any of you missed or are out of town and would like to hear Paul's sermon from Sunday, you can log onto www.thecommunityatlakeridge.com and go to "Media" then click onto "Podcast" you can listen to the sermon right there. The series is going to be really good!! Take the opportunity and be a part of the entire series if you can!!

May your Heart be gladdened today!
--
Darla Swiggart
Romans 15:5-6