2 Corinthians 5:9
So whether we are at home
or away,
we make it our aim
to please Him.
MIB has a whole lot of quotes about memories being made. And after working with Pro Life for almost 4 years, and having every kind of conversation, I can relate to this pretty well. Never had to say, "This one is eating my popcorn, honey." Not because pregnancy is so funny, at all. More because we did STD STI tests and people are in a state of shock and want someone to tell. These conversations were honest to the bone, raw and asking, even crying to have, a teachable moment. Very fortunately, we were sent to classes to have the compassion replace any other comment.
We had some very astonishing conversations with young, young girls being pressed into sexual trafficking through pregnancy. These young girls were encouraged to give birth, to have their infants, babies, children taken from them until the daily quota was made. And have no idea this is about to happen to them. Police understand this better than some of the mothers trying to be comforting. And we would refer these young girls and moms, when they couldn't understand, to free county legal aid. The third time a situation is explained by authorities, then the conclusions could be seen.
One young woman came in for STD, STI, (A disease can even be the flu. The term STD definition is this isn't the normal functioning of continued health.) We started to look at the results and I asked her why she had come in for testing with her father. They must be very close and comfortable to do this. Not usually something we saw in our offices. She said, no, that wasn't her dad. Her parents had both died very, very young in separate accidents. I said I'm sorry to hear that, my dad had died when I was 30. She said it had changed her expectations of her life, and now she worked in a restaurant, not something she thought her life was going towards, but it was ok. And we examined the test results, she was very calm. Which was really fairly unusual. I said she had obviously been working as an adult for more than 10 years, unusual for her age. She said she had been with her dad as an only child, and she usually tried to think about his reactions. He had told her he had to mature, quickly, as an only parent and widower.
We talked about the more personal aspects of dating, society, expectations. Things we did, mostly, during these tests. What the statistics are locally, within the state. What people emotionally feel. Mostly people cry, really.
We prayed, she said she had something she wanted to ask me, and it embarrassed her, could she be frank. Sure. Her mother had died when she was very young. And her mother was the Spiritual side of her marriage. So she remembered going to Church with her mom, and it was good. Her dad had filled her in on the basics of Christianity, but other than the songs during Church, she found she mostly thought about her own life. And did that make her... you know.. om... evil.
She looked more worried about being evil, than any STD test. I said no, of course not.
"Ok, could you be more specific?"
I said ok, do you read the Bible, you said you have your mother's Bible. She replied, yes, she looked at it about 2 or 3 times a month, but it's like reading the Bible is the same as going to Church. Her attention wanders all over the place.
I said, when the Bible grabs your attention, and it's the one phrase you see and remember, that is the power of God working to speak to your heart.
She said, ok, that's good. But, could you be more specific and give me a Bible verse that explains you understand your answer.
Sure. And that is an excellent point to consider!
Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered,
“It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes
from the mouth of God.’”
1 Peter 2:2
2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,
so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Hebrews 5:13
To teach you the basic principles of God’s word.
You need milk, not solid food!
For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant,
inexperienced in the message of righteousness.
14But solid food is for the mature,
who by constant use
have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.
I went on to explain, that later, as she grew in the Lord, this might seem like I had insulted her, yet, actually, this was to explain why someone new in the Lord would not be drawn to listen to every word of a Church Service.
She asked what advice would I have for someone who remembered their mom in this religious way and this is why she knew she should be interested. I suggested reading the Gospels and the Psalms, to find the phrase warming her heart. And if she read one chapter and found one verse, then she was doing very well.
I'm sure she does well!
Mature Christians need this as well.
When we are pushed and pulled by good news and good days to find a tiff or a situation suddenly crowding out the Light, we need to have the hope His verse will uplift us.
1 Kings 19: 11
11 Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake there was a fire,
but the LORD was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a still, small voice.
Psalm 100
Know that the LORD is God.
It is He who made us, not we ourselves;
we are His people,
the sheep of His pasture.
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal:
“The Lord knows those who are His,”
And, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
must turn away from iniquity.”
20 A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver,
but also of wood and clay.
Some indeed are for honorable use,
but others are for daily and common use
Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore,
and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Freedom, not worrying about the daily and common use verse portion of God knowing who is His. The Ten Talents Parable tells us to expect the Grace upon Grace of Jesus. We expect the Love and Compassion of His Word and do not ridicule or disdain His meaning. Every word of Scripture is for Salvation. And His Salvation is a gift.
1 Thessalonians 3:8
For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.
Abba, Father,
The Heart of Your Exact Nature is Jesus Christ.
Jesus has come to us from Your Word,
and has brought us the good news of your faith
and love
and reported
that You always remember us kindly and long to see us,
as we long to see you—
for this reason, brothers, and sisters,
in all our distress and affliction
we have been comforted
about You
through Your Faith.
For now we live,
if we are standing fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for our gift of salvation, for all the joy that we feel for Jesus Christ's sake
before our God,
10 as we pray most earnestly night and day
that we may see you face to face
and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Please, Father, Help and Helper,
Comfort and Comforter,
Now may our God and Father Himself,
and our Lord Jesus,
direct our way to You,
12 and may the Lord
make us increase
and abound in love for one another
and for all, as we do for The Lord Jesus,
so that
He may establish our hearts
blameless in holiness before our God and Father,
at the coming of our Lord Jesus
with all His Saints.
Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name,
by the greatness of His might,
and because He is strong in power
not one is missing.
Thank You for Your Protection.
Let the Name of Jesus cover me
and you
always, always, always.
Thank You, Father.
Let Your Great Name of Jesus
King of Kings
cover my loved ones,
the people You give me
and the Nations of People,
peace for Israel,
calling upon Jesus
to have more Holy Spirit
by asking in the Name of Jesus.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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