Traumatic Events Aside; My Faith Endured - Part 3

What was is it between God and Job? 

God loved Job very much. He was proud of Job for being such a faithful believer. 

How do I explain that I think Job and I were separated at birth by a few thousand years?

Did God stop loving Job? Not in the least. If it were possible, God loved Job even more. and He wanted to prove how much Job loved Him. So, in a way God was showing off.

More to the point, God was showing Job off. 

Just like any parent who was proud of their child's accomplishments. Like any parent who wanted to tell anyone who would listen. You know the kind of parent; they especially want to show off if they think it'll impress the other person.

If you are a parent, you understand this concept very well. What parent could pass up a perfect opportunity to show off how proud they were of their child?

And, just like most children who don't understand what their parents were doing, Job was confused and didn't understand why God would do this to him. He was a good man. Even so, God picked Job to be tested.

"Was it unfair for God to allow Job to suffer over what was basically an argument between God and Satan?"

From Got Answers:  

"A surface reading of the book of Job usually evokes a reaction such as “Why is God making a ‘bet’ with the devil? God is being unfair to Job!” If we are honest and not just trying to defend God, He seems at first like some kind of cosmic ogre. God not only wagered Satan over the outcome of Job’s trials, but He actually provoked the bet (Job 1–2). To make matters worse, Job never finds out why he was afflicted in the first place. This is very disturbing for those who hope to see God as just, gracious and loving and not just “playing” with us as if we were pawns on a chessboard. So, in a way, the story of Job puts God on trial. To really understand what is going on in Job, we need to evaluate how this “trial” is litigated in the book’s argument." 

For further information, please click here.

Job’s friends and wife all told Job to curse God for the calamities that had fallen on him.

“His wife said to him, “are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job 2:9

“He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” Job 2:10

Job trusted in God, he concluded that trouble from God was better than comfort and ease without God. He was confident that God has his best interest at heart, even though he count not understand how that could be true in his present situation.

The Lord Himself said, “I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.” Isaiah 45:7

So where does that leave us in our current time? And, how does this fit in with my thinking Job and I were separated at birth? 


Well, let me tell you that God must be so proud me. That has to be the reason why my life has gone the way it has. Otherwise, what I learned about Job doesn't matter. And I don't believe that. I believe that God loves me and is proud of me.

Challenges and Trials of Suffering are God's way of building our Trust in Him.

I believe that it's absolutely true that bad things happen to good people. I also believe that God never gives you more than He thinks you can handle.

I just never realized I could handle so much in my life at one time. 


I know God has a plan for me. I continue to pray for guidance and direction to follow it, patience to wait for it, and knowledge to know when it comes.

God is working on me. I'm unfinished. As in the song by Mandisa.

God wants His voice to be the only voice I hear. I must listen for Him to speak to me.


God's timing is perfect; never early, never late. I must have patience, I must wait, I must trust.

When God permits suffering, He also provides comfort. I believe in Him, and I have faith that He will be my victory.







He is in control. The adage, "Let Go and Let God" is not something people "parrot" to give you comfort. It's guidance of faith.

"As long as you know that God is for you, it doesn't matter who is against you." -- Romans 8:31







One of my favorite verses is:


"I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." -- Philippians 4:13

I swear to you, don't lose sight of God's guidance. It may be subtle as the soft flutter of a ladybug's wing, or as wild as a massive storm in the middle of the ocean. Regardless, pay attention!

I sure wish I did.

Too bad I wasn't looking when he was showing me. It would have made things so much easier. But, then, this isn't about making things easy, is it?

Was it coincidence that I learned, almost too late, that I should have been focusing on my faith in God to set a path for me to follow?

I don't think so. I think, like Job, I had to experience all that I did to become the person I am now.

I needed to learn patience.

True justice requires patience. A lot of patience.






Do you remember this quote?

"Ours is not to reason why, ours is to do or die." 

It was by Alfred Lord Tennyson.








The same can be applied to Jesus when he said, "You don't understand what I'm doing now, but someday you will" -- John 13:7

Paul tells us in Romans, 

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” -- Romans 12:12

My life-long walk with Christ, as I trusted God and believed in His protective angels, put me through the following major traumatic situations. Through it all, Jesus was my ROCK. :

•   A sexually abusive adopted father from 
childhood to 13 years old – concluding in my first suicide attempt

•   After joining the USMC and transferred to Twenty-Nine Palms Marine Corps Base in California, I was drugged and repeatedly gang-raped by male marines (I refuse to use the capital ‘M’; they don’t deserve it.)

•   Surviving a cross over to death during my third and last childbirth - a son - in which I was on bed rest for the entire pregnancy. My son and I both nearly died. 

•   A car accident, in which I should never have survived - extracted, sent to the ER, with a compound compression fracture of the lower lumbar. Discovering Congenital Spinal Stenosis with no treatment option. Eventually the spinal canal will narrow to the point my spinal cord will be crushed and I will no longer walk.

•   An emotionally, physically abusive first husband whose last actions and words to me before I left, was a violent rape, him placing a loaded .357 handgun on the headboard of our bed and the words “Don’t close your eyes tonight, you might not wake up.”

•   A rear-ending by a Phoenix city bus that sent my three children and me to the hospital. We were crushed between the bus from behind and the car it pushed us into.

•   A hypnotherapist’s sexual abuse under treatment.

•   An unfortunate 2nd marriage, which I regretted as soon as it happened.

•   An emergency hysterectomy to remove a pre-cancerous cervix and uterus.

•   Stalking and threats from 1st husband and the Mexican Mafia - resulting in a judge and sheriff advising me to take my children and pack up, don’t tell anyone when or where, leave no forwarding information and get away in the middle of the night and go somewhere that my ex-husband and his connections to the Mexican Mafia could not find us. They eventually did and took my children away from me for nearly 6 years.

•   A life-changing, move across the country to Florida, discovering my soul’s mate - the water. A parade of unsuitable lovers in a desperate attempt to fill the void in my heart for someone to love. Another suicide attempt, after a particularly close relationship with a man 11 years my junior. 

•   Discovering my other half and the only man I could ever truly love in a twist of circumstances, where neither of us expected it. He helped me discover my real self, build my self-esteem, and grow with an adventurous spirit that rode a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle. He saw who I was way before I ever knew myself! I love him for that.

•    A brush with death again when I discovered a lump in my breast. The surgeon removed it to do a biopsy and only then determined it was benign. A golf-ball size benign tumor.

•   A life-threatening Thyroid Storm, resulting in Grave’s Disease and medically ordered bed rest in which I could no longer return to work.

•   Running my successful Technical Writing Consulting Firm for three years.

•   Another emergency surgery to remove infected ovaries, which threw me into premature menopause.

•   Beginning my successful career as a published author fulfilling a dream I had since high school.

•   Co-founding the Florida Writers Association.

•   Depression. Wrongly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Medication Resistant Depression, Social Anxiety. Generalized Anxiety. OCD. PTSD. BED.

•   Many attempted suicides

•   Many hospitalizations

•   Two long term hospitalizations

•   Many ECT Treatments (one session was the focus of a local ABC news program during Sweeps Week)

•   Years long battle with lawyers to gain PTSD and disability due to being drugged and raped by 2 marines (Eventually, the final decision was MST (Military Sexual Trauma) PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder, 100% disabled and unemployable)

•   Chronic sleep issues (Insomnia & Narcolepsy) From childhood traumas, rapes, abuses, I knew if I closed my eyes at night bad things would happen, so my mind refused to let my body relax enough to sleep. Severe Narcolepsy episodes of Cataplexy, Sleep Paralysis, Hallucinations

•   Most recently diagnosed with SIADH (Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone) after over a year of low sodium, hyponatremia, hospitalizations for critically dangerous low sodium, many falls with fractures of hip, elbow, shoulder, etc.

•   Grieving the loss of 25 years of writing after a "perfect storm" of events caused my thumb drive, back up, and back up to the back up, to all be lost at the same time. This gave me an opportunity to have long talks with God about my future, what His plans were, where He wanted me to go, and how. This resulted in studying Christian Counseling and doing pro bono counseling, Find Your Heart's Joy Christian Counseling / Coaching was born.

•   I already have shown some signs of dementia, although nothing to cause concern, but we all know where it's heading.

•   Losing my best friend, soul mate, protector, and Emotional Therapy dog for PTSD & Anxiety after 14 years to cancer. 

See the final in Part 4

Traumatic Events Aside; My Faith Endured - Part 2

The most famous sufferer in all of biblical times was Job.

Before I studied the book of Job, I only knew that this simple, humble man had a really great life and then, seemingly from nowhere, horrible things started happening to him. What did he ever do to deserve such a life?

Job is a great book and if you’re looking for answers to questions such as:

·     

       Why is their evil in the world?

·      Why do pain, suffering and heartache exist?

·      Why do the righteous suffer?

·      How can the just nature of an almighty God be defended in the face of evil, especially human suffering – and even more particularly, the suffering of the innocent?

It’s not really known who wrote the book of Job, however scholars have speculated about many possible authors: Job, Elihu, Moses, Solomon, Isaiah, Hezekiah, or Baruch (the prophet Jeremiah’s friend)

The writer tells Job’s story in a way that lets us identify with his spiritual and philosophical struggles. The writer vividly illustrates the inadequacy of human logic to explain the reality and nature of evil in the world.

Job’s friends make profound statements – but they also make some classic errors in judgment.

Was Job being punished for not loving God enough? Was Job being punished for something his children did? Did God stop loving Job? Was Job being held up as an example for all people?

“Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” – Job 1:8

Satan taunted God, saying He put a hedge around him and his household and everything he had. That God blessed Job. He told God to stretch out His hand and take everything away, and then Job would curse God. Job 1:9-11

So God agreed. He had faith in Job. “The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Job 1:12

As a very young child in Sunday school, eager to learn all I could, it was difficult to grasp the concept of our Almighty God as a living breathing entity, and I only had a community-esque view of the basic parent/child relationship. But, I got this message through the cartoon images our Sunday school teacher used.

Job was a child of God.

So, as my Sunday school teacher revealed the rest of the story to me, I learned that Job wasn't really being punished at all, but was being tested to prove his faithfulness to his Father. God wanted to prove how faithful Job really was to Him.

God was showing off.

And, just like most children who don't understand what their parents are doing, Job was confused and didn't understand why God would do this to him. He was a good man. A God fearing man. A normal, everyday person who kept to himself and didn't make waves. And, although he had all that going for him, although he didn't deserve it, he was still handpicked by God to be tested like no man had ever been tested before.

Oh My God, he was tested. 




God loves us, but to teach us to trust Him, He gives us challenges to overcome.

Do you feel like you're being tested?

I have a theory. I truly believe Job and I were separated at birth.

Let me explain.... Did you ever do math word puzzles as a child? Do you remember one that went something like this? Jane and John are twins. Jane was born in 1970 and John was born in 1969. Explain how this could happen if they were born only six minutes apart. Of course the answer is that Jane was born on January 1, 1970, at three minutes after midnight, and John was born on December 31, 1969 at three minutes before midnight. Easy, right?

I'll discuss more in Part 3 about Job.

See Part 3

God's Plan. God's Will. My Purpose. Part III - Walking a Christian Life

Walking a Christian Life

Christians should be joyful, prayerful, and grateful always and without ceasing.

in Ephesians Chapter 1, Paul encourages all Christians to a wise, dynamic, Christian living, for with the privileges of walking a Christian Life, goes family responsibility. As a new community, we are to live by Christ's new standards.

God provides His Holy Spirit to enable us to live His way. To use the Spirit's power, we must lay aside our evil desires and draw on the power of His life. We must submit our will to Christ, and seek to love others.

God will help you to follow and obey Him. He gives you His Holy Spirit to enable you to live the Christian Life. 

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. - John 14:26

In Chapter 1 of Ephesians, Paul is introduced: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus, grace and peace to you, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. - Ephesians 1:1

"Faithful in Christ Jesus" - what an excellent reputation! Such a label would be an honor for any believer. What would it take for others to characterize you as "Faithful to Christ Jesus"? Hold first to your faith, one day at a time; faithfully obey God, even in the details of life. Then, like the Ephesians, you will be known as a person who is faithful to the Lord.

He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and Will -- to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. 
- Ephesians 1:5-6

"Predestined" means marked out beforehand. This is another way of saying that salvation is God's work and not our own doing. 

If God Chooses Us, Do We Really Have a Choice?
Because we begin our lives spiritually dead, unable to respond to the Lord, only God can gives us the gift of life. When sin entered the human race, it left everyone helpless. We cannot come to God unless He draws us. It is not our own awareness that we are sinful people that first turns us toward God; rather, God in His mercy awakens that awareness within us in a way similar to how Jesus summoned Lazarus from the dead.

Some believe our salvation in Christ is brought about only by God's sovereign choice. They believe the only ones who believe in Christ are those whom God appointed for salvation before time began. They emphasize that there is no one who seeks God. God in His mercy, however, has chosen to save some. Salvation does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

Others believe God gives every person the ability to choose (free will). They believe God's grace and mercy extend to everyone. They say each person has to respond by deciding whether or not to repent of sin and turn to God. They say God honors people's choices to either refuse or accept Jesus' invitation.

In His infinite love, God has adopted us as His own children. Through Jesus' sacrifice, He has brought us into His family, and made us heirs along with Jesus. - Romans 8:17

How are we adopted into God's Family?
In the Roman world in which Paul lived, slavery was common. Some slaves were adopted by the family that purchased them and were given all the privileges of children. In the same way, believers who were once enslaved to sin and death are purchased by Jesus' death and adopted as God's children.

Have you entered into this loving relationship with God?

"Freely given us in the One He loves" means that God graciously accepts us (though we don't deserve it) now that we belong to His dearly loved Son.

If we are going to say we are Christians, we should live our lives in a suitable way, one that compliments such a privileged position.

This "worthy walk" of the Christian life is described in the following ways:

• A different walk, that reveals an extreme makeover from the godless and evil lifestyle separated from God before one becomes a Christian. - Ephesians 4:17-19
• A loving walk, similar to the kind of love displayed by Christ when He gave Himself for us. - Ephesians 5:1-2
• An enlightened walk, which refers to developing a new moral and spiritual standard of living that is acceptable to the Lord. - Ephesians 5:8-10
• A careful walk, taking advantage of opportunities to serve Christ as evil erodes society's openness to the gospel, people's personal interest in Christ, even the diligence of believers. - Ephesians 5:145-16
• An empowered walk, being under the Holy Spirit's control as the source of strength to live this way. - Ephesians 5:18, Galatians 5:25

That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. - Colossians 1:10

There are Eight Aspects of our Every Day Life With God

Pray

Many people use the word, "pray" like a "get out of jail free" card. There is a wrong way to pray and a right way to pray. There are cliches like "prayer changes things" or "prayer changes us." But, take this to heart in a very sincere way, prayer never changes God's moral Will. We accomplish nothing, NOTHING, by "praying" over a matter while violating God's Word. 

When saying "I prayed about it" you believe you are in the clear. You're NOT. Our prayers NEVER supersede God's Word. Remember this, OBEDIENCE is a condition for an answered prayer.  

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. - 1 John 3:22

I'll make it really easy for you. The ONLY prayer we need is Teach me to do Your Will, for You are my God - Psalm 143:10

David's prayer was to be taught to do God's Will, not his own. A prayer for guidance is self-centered if it doesn't recognize God's power to redirect our lives. Asking God to restructure our priorities awakens our minds and stirs our wills.

You have the privilege of prayer. Just as good friends talk to each other, so God, your Heavenly Father, wants you to talk to Him. And, while you may not understand it right now, you'll find that He "talks" to you as well. 

You can pray to God about anything and everything. He wants to hear from you. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6

Serve

Serving God is a privilege. We can find in Numbers 15:39 a great definition of what it means to serve God.

You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

The tassels were to remind people not to seek after their own lustful desires, but to seek the Lord. Idol worship is self-centered, focusing on what a person can get from serving an idol. Good luck, prosperity, long life and success in battle were expected from the gods. So were power and prestige. The worship of God is the opposite. Believers are to be selfless rather than self-centered. Instead of expecting God to serve us, we are to serve Him, expecting nothing in return. We serve God for who He is, not for what we get from Him.

Happiness

True wisdom is found in God, and true happiness comes from pleasing Him. The best example is the Beatitudes proclaimed by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, 
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Matthew 5:3-12

Jesus said to rejoice when we're prosecuted. Persecution can be good because:

1. it takes our eyes off earthly rewards
2. it strips away superficial belief
3. it strengthens the faith of those who endure
4. our attitude through it serves as an example to others who follow.

The fact that we are going to be persecuted proves that we have been faithful; faithless people would be unnoticed. In the future, God rewards the faithful by receiving them into His eternal kingdom where there is no more persecution.

Jesus began His sermon with words that seem to contradict each other. But God's way of living usually contradicts the world's. If you want to live for God you must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you.

Each beatitude tells how to be blessed. "Blessed" means more than happiness. It implies the fortunate or enviable state of those who are in God's kingdom. The Beatitudes don't promise laughter, pleasure, or earthly prosperity. To Jesus, "blessed" means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. To find hope and joy, the deepest form of happiness, follow Jesus no matter what the cost.

Love One Another

"You have heard that is was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy' but I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48

By telling us not to retaliate, Jesus keeps us from taking the law into our own hands. By loving and praying for our enemies, we can overcome evil with good. 

The Pharisees interpreted Leviticus 19:18 as teaching that they should love only those who love in return, and Psalm 139:19-22 and 140:9-11 as meaning that they should hate their enemies. But Jesus says we are to love our enemies. If you love your enemies and treat them well, you will truly show that Jesus is Lord of your life. This is possible only for those who  give themselves fully to God, because only He can deliver people from natural selfishness. We must trust the Holy Spirit to help us show love to those for whom we may not feel love. 

Share God's Word

My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever. - Psalm 145:21

Peter spoke forthrightly about the resurrection. As Peter preached, the events of Christ's death and resurrection were still hot news, less than two months old. Christ's execution had been carried out in public before many witnesses. His empty tomb was available for inspection just a short distance away. If Christ had not truly died, Peter's message would have been laughed at or ignored. If Christ had not been resurrected, authorities could have produced his body and put an end to this new faith. But Peter and the apostles had witnessed the risen Christ. Changed men, they announced the news with great passion and conviction. 

Our faith and our credibility also rest on the truth of the empty tomb. Why? For a number of reasons. According to the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, the resurrection of Christ means that He is the Son of God and that His Word can be trusted. It means that His sacrifice for sin was acceptable to God, so we can be completely forgiven. It means that our Savior is alive and active, able to help us in times of need. It also means that one day, we, too, will conquer death. The Christian faith rests on the basic fact of the empty tomb. Don't neglect this essential part of the gospel when you share your faith others.

Teach Children

Bind up this testimony of warning and seal up God's instruction among my disciples.  - Isaiah 8:16

"Bind up this testimony" and "seal up God's instruction" mean that the words would be written down and preserved for future generations. Because some people faithfully preserved the teaching of God and passed on these words from generation to generation, we have the book of Isaiah today. Each of us needs to accept the responsibility to pass on God's Word to our children and grandchildren, encouraging them to love the Bible, read it, and learn from it. Then they will faithfully pass it on to their children and grandchildren.

Worship

When you became a Christian, you joined a family - sometimes called "the body of Christ," which means you're not "related" to Christians all over the world. You need to join a portion of that family by beginning to attend a local church.

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24, 25

If you found a really good doctor, or a helpful mechanic, or even a terrific diet, you probably would tell your closest friend about itl. Since you've found the One who forgives sin and gives you a new life, don't you think that's something to share?

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes; first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. - Romans 1:16

Obedience

The statement that Christians should love one another is a recurrent New Testament theme. Yet love for one's neighbor is an old command, first appearing in the third book of Moses (Leviticus 19:18). We can show love in many ways: 

• by avoiding prejudice and discriminations
• by accepting people
• by listening
• helping
• giving
• serving
• refusing to judge

Knowing God's command is not enough. We must put it into practice, walking "in obedience to His command." 

It has given Me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.  This is love, that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. - 2 John 1:4, 6 

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land, but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. - Isaiah 1:19-20







And, one final reminder about obedience, can be found in the book of Joshua.

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him, to keep His commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul. - Joshua 22:5

Special Note: When life on earth ends, so will our concerns about knowing God's Will. The day we enter glory, we'll learn firsthand how God's Will is done in heaven. And, since we'll live to enjoy Him forever, we should begin now to learn what pleases Him.