Having fun in the sun at Loganberry’s Author Alley made for a great day, but after talking to people and other authors it also came with some emotional questioning. It’s like an annoying loud voice or should I say, like a lion roaring, saying things to discourage me. So I say a prayer and try to shrug them off, but for some reason I just couldn’t shut it out. Sunday morning the gnawing was still lingering. As I was walking down the hall to my bedroom to get ready for church, I said to God, “I need to hear from You today.” I got myself ready and went out to feed the dogs before leaving for church. When I came inside my daughter said, “Verda wants to talk to you.” And she handed me my cell phone.
Verda is my sister-in-law and she said, Janet, an old friend of mine that I grew up with, was visiting at her church and wondered if I wanted to come to see her. I asked, “When does your church start?” She said, “In five minutes.” Quickly, thoughts went running through my mind. I changed my plans with going to church with my daughter and drove to my sister-in-law’s church.
The man who was giving the sermon was the guest speaker Bob Edinger, he was friends with Janet and her husband. They came together, from out of town, for the service.
The sermon was on Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It wasn’t until the end of the service that His words quickened my spirit. I sat in quiet attention soaking in each word. I knew I was supposed to be there to hear his final remarks. I love how God works, He totally had me change my plans at the last minute, because He knew what I needed to hear to shut up the lion’s roar. After hearing his sermon, I knew in my heart, I’m right where God wants me. Sometimes those places are hard, especially when people say negative things. But I am never to give up. I don’t know why I always have to be reminded of that. Maybe because I’m in an uncomfortable place and Satan is using that to discourage me to feel unworthy to serve my Lord and Savior. Comfortable or uncomfortable I am to be content and never give up. A lesson I need to learn is to not flinch when the Lion roars!
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I think God used Verda, Janet and Bob to encourage me. I don’t think it was Janet that I needed to see, but God used her and it was nice to reconnect. I’m so glad I listened to God’s Gentle Whisper, “Go! Change your plans!”
I asked Bob if I could have a copy of his last comments of his sermon because I felt it was written just for me that day and I wanted a copy so I could read it over and over again. I also asked permission to post it, because if you are in the Lord’s work, most likely you need to be encouraged also. It is so worth the read, here it is:
To Every Man His Work
The Lord has given to every person his work. It is our business to do it, and the devil’s business to hinder us, if he can. So, sure as God gives a person a work to do, Satan will try to hinder us. He may present other things more promising; he may allure you by worldly prospect; he may assault you with slander, torment you with false accusations, set you to work defending your character, employ pious persons to lie about you, editors to assail you, and excellent men to slander you. You may have Pilate and Herod, Ananias and Caiaphas all combined against you, and Judas standing by to sell you for 30 pieces of silver. And you may wonder why all these things have come to pass. Can you not see that the whole thing is brought about through the craft of the devil, to draw you off from your work and hinder your obedience to Christ? Keep about your work. Do not flinch because the lion roars. Do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs. Do not fool around your time chasing the devil’s rabbits. Do your work; let liars lie; let sectarians quarrel; let editors publish; let the devil do his worst. But see to it that nothing hinders you from fulfilling the work God has given you. He has not sent you to make money; He has not commanded you to get rich. He has never bidden you to defend your character nor has He bidden you to contradict falsehoods about yourself with Satan and his servants may start to peddle. If you do these things you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord. Keep about your work. Let your aim be as steady as a star. Let the world brawl and bubble. You may be assaulted, wrangled, insulted, slandered, wounded, and rejected. You may be chased by foes, abused by them, forsaken by friends, despised and rejected of men, but see to it that with steadfast determination and with unfaltering zeal you pursue that great purpose of your life and the object of your being. If we make Philippians 4:13 our life verse it is limitless what we can do for God. We have no promise of an easy life as a follower of God, but if we take this verse and make it a part of our DNA God will be there for us.
😆 That’s appropriate & encouraging for me. Thanks for sharing Naomi. Onward!