RTW February 23

16 Comments

1. Keep all my decrees, commands and put them into practice. We must never bring shame on the name of God. We are Holy, set apart. This is a hard lesson today Wendy. I can barely let me mind think on that commentary. I searched a little more about “god’s” (idols). I wanted to share an article I found.
   Anyone have thoughts about it?

   https://churchplants.com/articles/6455-the-top-7-gods-americans-worship.html

   1. jlg5309… thank you for sharing this article!!! As I read it, I had tears when it got to the sports. It is sooo true that our children are so wrapped up in the sports world. My brothers were football players in high school and college; now they suffer with pain brought on by those injuries some 30 years ago. My 3 grandchildren play sports; my oldest plays for an elite baseball team at 11 years old; they play on week-ends, so he is no longer in church!!! He has accepted Jesus as his Savior and has been baptized, but now ..how does he grow in the Lord??? I try very hard to keep Jesus in his thoughts with scripture and talking to him about living for Jesus. My heart broke when I read this because I know that these are idols.
      Then with the guns…..my grandchildren play the video game FORTNITE, which is all about guns and killing the opponent to get the most points or something like that!!!
      Idols are everywhere in our lives without realizing they are idols!!!
      I am so grateful that you shared this article. I am heartbroken for my family and for this world that God created. I have to do my part in all of this. Making a stand will not be easy, but it will be worth it for their sake. I will be seeking God in how He wants me to go about “my method”; I know it has to be done in love.
      An eye opener to my heart!
      Thank you and blessings for the day,
      Mema Jeanne

      1. Well, I just finished listening to the First 5 week-end audio. It was “The Fine Line Between Trying and Trusting.” The Lord answered by concerns—- trust Him in the waiting. I have to trust and believe that He will be with my grandchildren as they are really his own!!!
         God is so good!
         God is good to me!
         God is good at being God!
         A Lysa Terkeurst saying….
         Trusting in my Savior as my all and all …
         Mema Jeanne

         1. That is so true Mema Jeanne. I felt the same way when I read that article. It was a feeling of just utter chaos in the world. Our immediate response is that we must do something about it. God has told me over and over again to trust Him. He is working and He is working in all things. Our chaos is no different than the chaos in the times of Leviticus just like Wendy said. It just hurts us so deeply when we see the chaos in either ourselves or the lives of the people we love. This world is so hard to live in but we have to focus our eyes on the eternal. That is all that truly matters. ❤️
            Praying over your dear heart today.

   2. One Christian writer from a book I read years ago put it in terms that really hit me close to home. “What are you thinking about first thing when You wake up in the morning and what are thinking about when I close my eyes to sleep at night?.” At the time for me it was work. Now when I wake up with a prayer on my lips and go to bed with prayers and thanksgiving to God, it makes a difference in driving the idols out of my life!

      1. Julie, I am in agreement with your comment!!
         Mema Jeanne

2. What a great question Wendy!

   I believe more than one answer would apply to me. The first one comes to mind: I am sacrificing health for the god of food. Wow!

   1. crabbitz, I was thinking the exact same thing for myself. Thanks for sharing.

   2. Me too 🙁

   3. I’ve long been convicted of this and I wish I could just turn it off, like a light switch. But it doesn’t work that way. I believe it is a common spiritual stronghold and I’d love to know steps to victory!

3. ~I have been noting repeated words/phrases the past few days in the readings. Today I noted “holy”, “I am the Lord” and “set apart”.
   ~A key verse from today: “You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.” (Lev 20:26)
   ~God chose the Israelites to be His people. It was not because of anything they did or who they were. Likewise, God has set me apart as His own. He chose me. I don’t know why He chose me. I am no better than anyone else but still He chose me. I am so grateful for this. What is my response to this? Be holy because He is holy.

4. Different time different era, same sin. Today is Day of Mourning over practice of infantcide all over the world. Wear black and pray.
   Loving all your insights. Let us call upon Him to make us more like Him and walk in obedience.

5. Abortion is personal because my mother 60 some years ago had an abortion because she had an affair with a man of color, how would she explain this to her family, her husband.
   We rode the bus downtown to a doctors office, she made me stay “outside” by myself for a long time, a scary place. She said she brought me along so if she started heavy bleeding I could get help. That was a very heavy burden to carry as a preteen knowing your mother murdered her baby, it is still heavy on my heart. One consolation, I will see him/her in heaven.
   My daughter was at the abortion clinic, went inside to have an abortion, I sat in the car desperately praying she wouldn’t go through with it, time passed and I continued to bombard heaven. She ran out the front door,, got in the car and said “mom I couldn’t go through with it”, tears streaming down her cheeks..There is much more to the story, most important, God preformed a miracle that day.
   Many years ago I wrote this poem, some will be able to understand my verbiage, it helped me express all the feelings associated with those experiences, that delicate place I found in scripture ~ Psalms 139.

   This Delicate Place That I Live

   Was love to be love, conceived in a dark secret place
   A forceful river, a peaceful stream, beginnings became a race.

   Darkness a delicate womb, searching the character of me
   Straight shot arrows penetrating, to form my destiny.

   Momentarily silence, a times time, a season
   A cry of distress, pain, and fear of treason.

   Destiny altered, was death to be mine
   This delicate place I live, a matter of time.

   Pounding thunder, two hearts beat as one
   My life’s not complete, don’t render me undone.

   NO! Mommy, NO, was my cry from the womb
   Plucked and tossed would soon be my tomb.

   Silence, terror, our hearts felt the pain
   How would I, how could I, my soul ached with shame.

   Looking and waiting my child ran to me
   Safe in the womb, her baby would be.

   Woven together, we are wonderfully complete
   The creators design from my head to my feet.

   Thank you Father, your mercy your grace
   Love was to be love, conceived in this place.

   Written by Carol Ann Coleman

   1. Wow. I’m praying for you Carol. What a story of pain and restoration. He is a God of miracles! I’m so thankful He answered your prayers for your daughter! I’m also so sorry for the burden your mom placed on you so young. My mom also placed a different burden on me at a young age and that has been very hard to carry. I’m sharing this resource that has been a blessing in my life. It is truly worth the time to read through it to process through the different stages of grief. Sending love and hugs to you. ❤️

      Forgiven and Set Free: A Post-Abortion Bible Study for Women https://www.amazon.com/dp/080105723X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-6MCCbZC16J23

      1. Thank you!

   2. Beautiful!

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