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Faith and Confidence

Martha RodmanLeave a comment

9 Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9. NLT.

Our God is constantly amazing me. I am so awed by His character, His promises and His faithfulness that I can only sit quietly before Him. This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel says: Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. Isaiah 30:16. NLT. So I would ask us to examine our confidence level? How confident are you in the Lord? I am not just talking about head confidence, but heart confidence. Where you actually expect Him to answer your prayer!

We are exhorted in Hebrews 4:16 to come boldly to the throne of grace in our time of need. Can you just picture it? A bold soldier striding into the War Room, telling the commander-in-chief, we need help. This soldier has utmost confidence that the commander-in-chief has the needed supplies and weaponry to defeat the enemy. They trust their commander-in-chief to deploy whatever strategy is necessary to win the current battle. With no hesitation, he makes his plea. He then waits, trusting his commander-in-chief to answer. This is how our God wants us to enter His throne room. NO fear of interrupting or bothering the commander in chief, just confidence that He is able and willing to supply every need.

My friends, one characteristic of mature faith is confidence. Often people don’t pray because they don’t really have the faith to believe God is going to answer that prayer. James 4:2 tells us “you have not because you ask not”. If you do not expect Him to answer, why bother asking? When my children were younger, we did not have a lot of extra funds. My oldest was an astute young lady. She really didn’t ask for much or often. I think she just assumed we couldn’t afford it. As a parent, my heart hurt when I found out (when she was an adult!) that she wanted to take ballet lessons! We will never know if she would have gotten to have them or not, because she didn’t ask. I know people who have not asked for healing because they don’t want to bother the Lord. My friends, you are doing Him such a disservice!

Oh my friends, difficulties, trials and challenges arrive in everyone’s life. The blessing we have is that we don’t have to face them alone. Deuteronomy 7:7-9 is an amazing reminder of God’s motives and character. Moses gave this discourse of remembrance to the Israelite’s, to help them as they entered the Promised Land. The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping an oath he had sworn to your ancestors. His love and care for them was not based on what they were or could or could not do. It was based on His promise to love them and care for them. It is the same with us. We have been adopted into His family, as our Father, He cares for us. Does that give you confidence? Or do you struggle with understanding His Fatherhood? My friends, please ask Him to reveal to you what it truly means to have Him as your Father. Take the time to understand this. Don’t live beneath your privilege as His child.

If you are insecure about your relationship with Him, it shows you don’t know Him well enough as yet. Read one of the gospels. Watch how Jesus interrelates to his disciples and talks to His Dad. Read the letters from Paul and see how Paul prays and talks to the Father. We can pray those same types of prayers for ourselves and others!

When we boldly enter God’s throne room, we must do so with faith, but also respect. He is, after all, Lord of All. The respect and trust we give Him means we trust His answer. The answers may be a quick yes or a definite no. Sometimes, like natural parents, the answer might be to wait and see. In all cases, we need to trust Him. Don’t give up, keep on asking, seeking and as He promises you will find. Often, during the waiting times, if our eyes are open we can learn so much about Him and ourselves. Our desires may change. The initial toddler-like demands for a yes transform into a wiser acknowledgment. We realize, ‘I don’t really need that, thank you for the no.’

Confidence is really an inner trust and faith in Him and His ways that is born out of knowing Him. Knowing Him takes time and requires intention. The more we do it, the more confident in Him we become. That is always a good thing.

Father, I thank you for helping us grow in our confidence in You and Your ways. Show us areas were we rely too much on our own ways, and not your ways. Teach us to return to you and rest in Your ways, learning from You about You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Legacy

Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15. ESV.

The word the Lord gave me this year for our family Christmas sharing, was legacy. I felt to encourage all of us, but especially my grandchildren, that they are actually developing their legacy right now.

When most people think about leaving a legacy, they think about money and possessions. But as a believer, we have an opportunity to leave an even greater legacy. This legacy can influence many, not just our own families. I discovered in my biological family missionaries went in the 1800’s to what is now Senegal, very close to where Darryl and I ministered in Ghana! Did they pray for future generations to influence the region? We won’t know till we get to heaven.

We found out that some of our relatives founded a college for freed slaves They also established it for their children. It is now Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina! Their heart was for education. I wonder if my heart to teach came from this DNA? Is it a coincidence that our oldest grandson graduates in May, with an education degree?

I just finished watching some of the memorial service for our 39th president, Jimmy Carter. What a legacy he and his wife left, not only for our nation, but also for the Kingdom. I admit

, Darryl and I were so isolated (no TV, no radio) that when he ran for president, we had no clue who he was! We realized weren’t being good citizens at that point. How could we pray for our country if we didn’t even know what was going on? There is a stigma upon “one-term” presidents that they somehow “failed”. He did not let that stop him from living an impact full life. He left office at 56, in 1981 and by 1982 they founded the Carter Center which continues touching lives all over the world. He came from a small town in Georgia and continued to champion small towns and villages around the world. Each speaker mentioned his faith. He was a man of character. He not only verbally shared his faith with others, but he lived it. I found myself praying for those in attendance, that they would embrace this man’s faith and change their world.

So my friends, if you are reading this, you are still breathing. If you are still breathing, then you are still forming your legacy. One of my last conversations with my father involved money. He said, “Martha, you and Darryl will never have any money”. I said, “when did you teach us?” We are open to anything you want to share. He said, “well, stay in the lane God has given you. I only lost money when I tried to step out in areas God did not anoint me to do (like oil or gold mines)”. So we took that to heart and stayed in God’s calling, ministry.

I have tried to be wise with my finances, so my children will not have to care for me. But I admit I am more concerned for my spiritual legacy. I want to exemplify what it means to love the Lord. Serving Him is the best life you can lead. It is my heart that they discover their own relationship with Him. Jesus instructs us in Matthew not to store our treasures on earth. Instead, we should lay them in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy. There is a balance we need in stewarding our finances here on earth, while focusing on heaven as well. God give us Your wisdom, please!

Oh my friends, another area of legacy is our character. Are we gracious? Hospitable? Or are we difficult to please and get along with? Do we seek to let the fruit of the spirit be tasted by everyone, or only those we deem worthy? Are we short-tempered and focused on ourselves? If you are in a later season of life, it may be difficult to change your financial legacy. But, we can always change our spiritual and character legacy. It is in our control.

Paul exhorted all believers in so many of his letters about behavior issues. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. Romans 12:9 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32. Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. Colossians 3:12-14. Many people read over these verses (at times, me included) without applying them to their own lives. Even after such an encouraging and uplifting memorial, the commentators quickly judged and criticized. They focused on the difficult relationships the current living presidents have with each other. I don’t know if they realized they were sowing seeds of division. This happened right after listening to stories about how the man they were honoring sought to bring people together!

Thinking about my own life and those who have impacted me the most, are those who have applied Paul’s exhortations. They took the time to be gracious and kind. They encouraged me to seek our Savior even more. My parents taught me the logistics of hospitality, but I learned the heart of hospitality from a home church I attended as a student at the University of Washington. I am still learning how to do this. It’s not easy to change, but with His help we can.

Cartoons make fun of the grumpy old men and the “Karen’s” of this world. Unfortunately, they are based on reality but this should not be the case with us believers. Christians get mocked in the media because of hypocrisy. Let’s not give them fuel for the fire. President Carter, according to his grandchildren, lived a genuine Christian life, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, so can we. Thank you, Jimmy Carter for your legacy that we can learn from.

Father, help us leave Your kind of legacy, but we need your help to do it. Show us our short comings, and help us make any change necessary. Forgive us for messing up. We are so grateful your mercy covers a multitude of sin for us, let us make sure we share that mercy with those we meet. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Resets

Martha Rodman3 Comments

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13. NLT.

So how are you doing entering in this New Year? Do you feel strong and hopeful that God is going to be moving on your behalf this year? Or are you entering this new calendar year with uncertainty? Do you find yourself saying, “I hope it works out” or “I hope we can make it”? Sometimes our situations speak so much louder than our faith. Maybe you are growing weary in your battles, wondering if you have the strength to finish. Maybe you find the rising grocery and fuel costs overwhelming. You might wonder how you are going to maintain, much less moving ahead and If your emotions are running higher than your faith, it’s time for a reset and re-evaluation.

How do we do that? First, take time to look at the different areas of your life. It is a good time to examine not only your physical health, but also your physical environment. I know I need to add some more movement into my schedule (like exercise!). This is my choice! I wish I could blame someone else, but it is on me. Just because I failed in the past, doesn’t mean I have to fail this year. How about your home? Do you have areas that need some changing and up doing? Maybe deep cleaning or de-cluttering? Or do you choose to “live” with it another year? These things are pretty black and white. Either you do them, or you don’t.

Emotional evaluation can be a bit trickier. It may be hard to admit you have some depression, discouragement or insecurity. An honest conversation with the Lord is always so helpful in these areas. He is a safe place to admit your struggles. Confess your weaknesses (perceived or real) to Him. Freedom and encouragement are waiting for you. Ask Him to show you how to move through those areas. If you need more help, then ask Him to open the right door or lead you to the right person. Sometimes He will show you the roots of your emotional situation. If He does, then trust Him to show you what to do about them. It may entail forgiveness of yourself or others, and if it does then walk that out. One time He showed me a root of abandonment, that came from my adoption story. Just that revelation brought freedom and understanding. He is after all the Mighty Counselor! I’m focusing on our emotional health because this has been a hard year for so many.

Obviously, our spirit, body and soul are all integrated. I admit, sometimes, I wish I could just tend to my spirit and the rest of the stuff would be handled, but not so. So how do you evaluate how your spirit is doing? The first thing I would look at is your hope level? Are you hopeful about your future. In Romans 15:13, Paul emphatically states God is the source of hope, and will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. So the next question, how is your joy and peace level? We once had a friend who was like the old Tony the Tiger commercial. Life (or anything else you asked him about) was GREAT! We knew life wasn’t always that great, but it had become his automatic response. He thought that, as a Christian, he always had to be GREAT. After growing in the Lord and in His ways he learned to have a more balanced approach. When I focus on Him more than my problems, I have more joy and peace. Hard situations do not overshadow my focus. I automatically hope for His intervention. I believe in His ability to use those things for good in my life and the lives of others. It may take a minute for my emotions to catch up, but I know He has a good plan.

Looking back on my younger believer self and my self today, I can see where I have grown. I have grown through applying the Word to my situations, instead of my situations to the Word. I have grown through honest conversations with Him and submitting to His Will as I have known it. My friends, I have learned to let the Word of God be the cleansing agent in my life. I read it every day. It touches my soul. This brings the refreshment and reset I often need in my perspective. I know some of you totally understand this, while others have yet to experience it. Don’t give up. Ask, and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you, for everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7 NIV. Asking, seeking and finding are all action words. Sometimes we have to wait, but we must always ask, seek and find in faith. So my friends, if you are needing a reset He has one for you. We often have not because we ask not. So evaluate what you have been or have not been asking. It does make a difference. Maybe you thought you were asking, but actually were just whining (I may have done that a time or two or one hundred!)

Living in hope is so much better than living in hopelessness. If your hope waxes and wanes, ask Him to show you why and what to do about it. Join a small group where you can encourage each other in His ways. Do not neglect assembling yourself together with His body. You will not prosper as well as you could.

Father, I thank you for helping us take the time. With courage, we do a reset and evaluation this time of year. I thank you for the courage to ask, seek and find everything we need to prosper this coming year. You are an amazing personal God who has good plans for each of us, in Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Rejoicing

Martha Rodman2 Comments

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4 ESV.

I read this verse in the NLT this week. It says: Always be full of joy in the Lord, I say it again–rejoice. What a challenge! Paul writes about many things through his letters, but to tell us to always be full of joy, or rejoicing? Many of my friends and family members face challenging situations. These situations are not ones that would naturally lead them to be full of joy. Or are they?

I will admit that many in my life are surrounded by life’s difficulties: financial, health and relational. But, so was the church at Philippi! Paul founded this church during his second missionary journey and developed a close relationship with them. The book (letter) is so encouraging, even though Paul is likely writing this letter from prison. As I ponder what makes him capable of encouraging them to rejoice always? I realize, once again, it is his own relationship with Jesus.

My friends, when we forget to focus on Him, it is easy to fall into discouragement and depression. Last night I heard some test results that are not trending in the way we want. My heart said, “no, Lord”. I began to focus on her numbers and grew sadder. But then the Holy Spirit stopped me, and I had to say, Lord, I choose to trust You. I choose to know you are bigger than these test results. In the midst of this battle, I reminded myself that the government is upon His shoulders, not mine. He rules and reigns over all things. We do not have to walk this alone, but with Him and His plan.

Peace was restored. I can’t rejoice at this point in the test results. However, I can rejoice in the fact that God is in charge. All night I thought about this encouragement by Paul. Always be full of joy. “Father, I am not full of joy, I only am about 25% joyful right now. Please help me.” I deliberately reminded myself of who our Savior is and what He has done for me and others. Joy started to grow. My friends, this continues to be a learning process in my life, rejoicing always isn’t for our natural man!

Today I read through the book of 1 Peter. These gentile believers were living in Asia Minor and were suffering persecution because of their beliefs.3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3-5. NLT. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I forget to live with “great expectation”. The things of this world become so real, I forget they are temporary. What joy to know that God is protecting us by His power. Our enemy would like us to quit trusting Him. To think our faith is in vain, but in actuality, we have a living faith. A living faith that He wants to grow and develop so we can be overcomers, no matter what we face. James reminds us to count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1: 2-3.

There is that word again, joy. It isn’t easy to “count it all joy”. Maybe our first response is to whine or feel fear. Once we finish with that, we need to “count it all joy”. To learn to rejoice in all things, we need to find Him in our circumstances. We have to search for Him in each situation. Where is He? What is He trying to do in and through it? We can’t do that until and unless we apply His Word to our circumstance.  I searched my concordance for all the verses containing the word “rejoice”. There are a lot! Just reading them, cause my joy level to increase.

Remember, this is Paul, writing through the Holy Spirit, that wrote this encouragement to always be full of joy. He endured so much more than most of us can even imagine. I believe he must have found a secret in getting through them, and that secret was rejoicing. I would like to encourage you to start to look at your situation. Then start to thank God (the beginning of rejoicing) for the most difficult thing in your life. Bring Him into it. Thank Him for what He has planned. Follow the Spirit and you will find heaviness and sadness fleeing away. Joy will come. Do it out loud. Something about declaring and thanking Him (the person we trust!) out loud begins to break through our old thought patterns. I did this for the situation I talked about above. I realized that person belongs to Christ, and she is in His hands. He only wants what is best for her. I am not stopping praying for healing for her, because that is the children’s bread. However, I am choosing not to be influenced by the test numbers either.

Often we think the word “rejoice” is a spontaneous reaction to circumstances. Where we laugh out loud or possibly jump up and down in glee. However, to a believer, it is a response to knowing that God is working His salvation in it. He is also working His salvation through it. There is an anticipation of what He is going to do in and through it. Expectation of His moving becomes our focus and trust.

Friends, rejoicing is something that often must be a choice. But, as we choose to rejoice, faith will arise and we will see His handiwork in our situation. Try it! It works.

Father, please teach us how to rejoice. There are so many reasons to doubt, dread, and fear in our lives. But the good news You have brought to us, gives us even more reason to rejoice! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Guard Duty

Martha Rodman1 Comment

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. I Corinthians 16:13. NLT.

Oak Harbor is the home of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. The station itself has two different locations with at least four manned gates. The men and women who guard these gates must stay vigilant. They must check every car and their occupants for the proper clearance documents. I am sure there are times they don’t “feel” like being so vigilant, but their training keeps us safe.

Scripture also gives us a responsibility to be a “guard”. Every believer must accept this duty call, or deal with the circumstances. What are we called to guard? Our hearts! Proverbs 4:23 tells us not only what we need to guard, but why. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. We must guard our hearts above everything else in our lives; our marriage, our children our jobs. Why? Because out of it flows the issues of life. Everything we do, think or dream comes from our hearts; which is why they must be guarded, and guarded well.

You don’t need a guard, unless there is an enemy. The Bible clarifies that we have one. He uses various tactics in his warfare against us, one of which is appealing to our pride. He wants to make us feel we are somehow the exception to the need to avoid temptations. He lures us into feeling it’s ok to watch media that portrays adultery, pornography, cursing, and hatred. We don’t think it will affect us. But sadly, it is not true. We must protect our hearts from fantasies. We must also avoid comparisons. Avoiding things that erode our love for our spouse and our children is essential. This is one area our hearts must be guarded.

Another tactic is fear. If allowed, he floods our hearts and minds with the “what ifs of life”. Unless we guard our hearts well, insecurity and fear will overwhelm us. Our life will grow smaller and smaller as we attempt to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. God’s goal for us is to enlarge our lives, not shrink them!

One of my fears, during the early years of our marriage, was that something would happen to my husband. Praying one day, the Holy Spirit showed me, that although this fear was “normal”, it wasn’t trusting Him. As I continued to pray about the situation, He led me to Hebrews 13:5-6. As I read and meditated on these scriptures, peace and trust descended. Don’t love money, be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, I will never fail you. I will never abandon you. So we can say with confidence, The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? NLT. This scripture became a guard over my heart whenever those fears would try to rise again. When it happened, I went back to this scripture and reminded God of this promise.

There is more good news. We have a helper to help guard our hearts and that is the peace of God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7. If we pay attention, the peace of God functions almost like a guard dog. When a guard dog sense danger, he begins with a low growl and his hackles rise. Pay attention to the peace of God abiding in your hearts. If/when you find that peace disturbed, pay attention. Something is up. Take the time to pray or think through the situation. Your guard dog is warning.

God has given us the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts. If you have ignored it and walked in unrighteousness, your heart is unprotected. This can lead to heartbreak. If you find yourself in this situation, repent and go back to your first love. Put on the whole armor of God, not just part. Then you will walk in peace.

Satan loves to attack our hearts because from them comes our dreams, our passions and our future. If he can use discouragement, disappointment or even disillusionment, he will have won. His desire is to get us to lose heart and quit walking in God’s ways. If he wins with these tactics, not only will we suffer but also those around us, including the next generation.

Friends, if you recognize your heart is damaged, please remind yourself of Psalm 147:3. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Go to Him. Acknowledge your broken heart and your need for His care. Take the time to sit in His Presence and allow His healing to flow in you and through you. It will be worth it. Allow His Spirit to wash away any bitter infection, unforgiveness, disappointment, or anger. These things will sabotage your future relationship with God and with others. God has planned a much better future for you than that!

“British royal guard png sticker“/ CC0 1.0

Father, I ask that You help us guard our hearts. Let Your peace reign strong and well in every area of our hearts. Help us pay attention whenever our peace is disturbed. Thank you for healing every brokenhearted person reading this post. Give hope where hope has gone, In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Accomplishments

Martha RodmanLeave a comment

11 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. 2 Thessalonians 1:11. NLT.

I came across this verse when I was feeling wimpy and weak. Our Senior Life ministry had just finished a very successful breakfast for 83 seniors. My vision for meeting more needs keeps on enlarging, but I wasn’t feeling very strong in my body. My thoughts were a jumble between what we can do, and, oh Lord, how can we do it? Between faith and unbelief! Have you ever been there? Maybe it’s not with a ministry, but with your marriage? Your parenting skills? Your job or schooling?

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Paul’s prayer for them was that He would enable them to accomplish all the good things their faith prompted them to do! It is the same for me and for you. I settled it in my heart, we will accomplish all the good things God has prompted us to do by His power and purpose. I felt my insecurity fading away as faith arose. Of course we can do it, by His strength and by His timing.

I know some folks are facing impossible challenges right now. Dealing with difficult marriage partners or struggling children can be overwhelming. I urge you to take the time right now to pray this prayer for yourself and your situation? Remember, He is able to do above and beyond all we can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Today is the day to strengthen your faith in Him. Do not let the fear of your own inadequacy cause you to waver or back off from His plans for your life. The Holy Spirit understands you, your personality, your gifting and calling. Sometimes, we quit too soon. We give up because we are focused on ourselves, not Him and His power and ability. Yes, it may take time to discover the way through. You may need to apply endurance, perseverance and tenacity. But the reward will be worth it all. If you find yourself at a decision point and struggle to decide what to do, remember this. “Charity never fails.” Do the most loving thing you can!

The church at Thessalonica endured hardships and persecutions. Life was difficult for them. Choosing to walk in faith during hard times is the best thing to do, instead of quitting. When I think I have done all I can do, I remember the verse that says: 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. Ephesians 6:13-14. NLT. My friends, you can do it. Everything He has called you to do. You can do it. His Kingdom needs you to do it. What an impact on the surrounding unbelievers, if every believer walked in their gifts and callings. The believers in Thessalonica affected their world. Their faith flourished and they grew in love with each other. Come on, release your faith! We can do it!

Several years ago, our pastors lived in a small town on a small island. They reached out and gave three Christmas food bags to people in need. Last year our church gave out 800 Christmas food bags, and this year our goal is 1,000. Quite a leap. Sometimes our small endeavors are the beginning of bigger endeavors. Do not let the size of the opportunity stop you from fulfilling those good thoughts He has given you.

Father, I thank you for helping us accomplish those good thoughts and ideas that you have given us. I thank you we do not have to do them on our own, no matter how hard the situation we find ourselves in. You are more than able to give us wisdom, solutions and miracles, In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Giving God Time

Martha Rodman1 Comment

 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11. ESV.

I am borrowing my focus today from Pastor Louie Giglio’s teaching on the book of Joshua. Our Life Group finished this study and his last point really affected me. The above scripture is God’s promise to work His good for us. The final thoughts in the Joshua teaching focused on the burying of Joseph’s bones. From his request, to his final burial spot, took many,many years. Joseph was embalmed in Egypt before the Exodus. The Israelite’s spent 40 years in the wilderness. Then they fought to take the land before they found a place to bury Joseph. Joseph trusted God’s promise and the Israelites to fulfill their promise to him. It took time. Pastor Giglio’s encouragement that affected me so much was a simple statement: Give God Time.

Give God time to answer your prayers. Do not judge too quickly that His seeming quiet means He is not moving. Give God Time to work the change you’ve asked Him to do in yourself and others.

This is a simple message and reminder. God sees you and your situation. He is working behind the scenes, out of your sight; but He is working. How do we know? Because He is a promise keeper.

The story of the importunate judge is not my favorite. But there are some wonderful insights we can learn from it, if we keep reading. And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming. Luke 18:1-5. During this period in time, women were prohibited from going to court. Their husband or other male family member would usually bribe the judge to hear their case. This widow was alone. She had no male relative. She had no money to bribe the court. But she used what she had: her voice. She would show up and shout into the tent (which was the courtroom of the day) making herself a nuisance. The heartless judge finally heard her case, simply to get rid of her. I’m always relieved to read that part. Whew, justice was finally done.

When we keep reading: 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” We discover we have an elder brother who loves and makes intercession for us. We are not alone when we face our mountains. It is up to us to stir our faith. We must stand strong. We must give God the time to work on our behalf, without fear, without doubt. No matter how long it takes.

When we face adversity, it is often tempting to run and hide. Our God wants us to stand tall with courage, declare His Word in the matter. Not our feelings, not our fears, but His faith. When my husband was in the hospital after his massive stroke, the doctors wanted me to just let him die. We kept praying for healing and declaring God’s victory. They kept telling me how severe his situation was. They even refused to give him a feeding tube because they claimed it wasn’t “ethical”. My response was, I wouldn’t let my dog die of starvation, much less my husband. It was very difficult to defy their “expertise”. We prevailed and brought him home, where he lived two and half more years. Was it difficult? Yes. Was it worth it? Oh, yes.

I think I am still giving God time. I want to see the fullness of His plan and purpose through that season and my widowhood. So many good things have happened. I get to watch God change lives through our Life Group and the Senior Life Ministry I get to direct. Though my heart still aches for my husband and our marriage, I am giving God more time to work all things together for His good. I am learning the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:15, And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls. We are not our own, my friends. We have been bought with a price for a purpose. Some of the spending our God uses us for may not be comfortable. It may also not be logical to our earthly minds. Just as our cash is ours to spend as we choose, we are His to spend as He chooses. We may not discover the fullness of His purchase till heaven, and we have to be ok with that.

I believe God uses everything we go through in this life, if we let Him. It’s our choice to trust Him or not. A miscarriage, disabling injury, or financial catastrophe are emotionally devastating. The good news, after giving God time they can actually be the beginning of some amazing opportunities. Keep on trusting Him, my friends. I have some friends facing some difficult challenges and it is hard to watch. United together in prayer and faith, we will see God’s purpose, and that is always good!

Father, I pray with my friends who are struggling with your time table. I ask you encourage them today, with your presence and comfort. I thank you for teaching us how to give you time to work for us, in us and through us. You are more than able to do abundantly above all we can think or ask, so we choose to trust you today. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Dealing With Oppression

Martha RodmanLeave a comment

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11. NLT

Oppression is one of Satan’s subtle tactics that can sneak up on believers. Sometimes it is like a mist that rolls in. It goes unnoticed until it thickens into a deep fog. This fog can cause confusion and disorientation. Years ago, while living in the Rogue Valley in Oregon, we experienced a weather inversion. There was no wind for days and the fog became thicker and thicker. Because the fog obscured normal landmarks, people lost their way.  The government issued health alerts because the air quality was so bad. This went on for days. Normal, peaceful people became angry and frustrated much more easily because of the pollutants in the air. This went on for days.

We got used to it. We didn’t really understand the scope of the problem until we left the valley and drove back into the sunshine. The difference was shocking! Oppression is like that. It starts very subtly, and if we don’t deal with it, it gets worse and worse. It clouds our thinking and makes it hard to see clearly. It targets our emotions. As a result, we find ourselves dealing with anxiety, fear, and a lack of peace in an ever increasing manner. Self-pity draws us inward, and we isolate.

To be honest, I started noticing some of these symptoms a few weeks ago. Lack of confidence, insecurity which led to uncertainty started creeping in, in areas I normally had no trouble with! Life felt hard, and joy was hard to find. I first made excuses. Life hasn’t been easy for our family and I just blamed those things. But, I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit. He whispered, “oppression”.

Oppression? I suddenly felt freer, just knowing the truth of what I was fighting. The enemy tool had me focusing on what was wrong with me. He tried to get my focus off of the Lord and His workings, and onto myself. And, I admit, it worked for a while. Since then, I have noticed others dealing with some of the same things!

I would like to remind you, God has given us His armor. Paul’s exhortation to put on the whole armor, not just part of it, is invaluable. The helmet of salvation is so key to protecting our mind. Satan delights in targeting our thoughts with his condemnation, fear, and hopelessness. This can lead to self pity, which is never helpful for anyone. Forgetting to access this helmet opens us up to his lies and deception. We wander through life feeling like we are all alone, without help and hope. What a lie! As you put on this helmet, remind yourself of Philippians 4: 8. And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. It can take effort to do the “fixing”, but it is so worth it. Praise and worship are excellent tools to shift our thinking away from our own puny selves and onto Him.

Wearing the helmet reminds us who we belong to. Every time a sailor or soldier puts on their uniforms, they remember their commitment to Uncle Sam. I know that, in the Navy, sailors refer to their hats as “covers.” What a wonderful reminder. When we put on the helmet of salvation, we are covered. We are protected by Him. Beginning your day with Him, in His Word and prayer, is essential. Walking together closely with other brothers and sisters is also essential to walk in freedom and clarity.

My friends, oppression can make it difficult to ask for prayer. Lies and condemnation can lead to shame and discouragement. I would like to remind you, every believer is a target for Satan. If you need prayer, ask for it. I did. What a relief when the oppression lifted. Sometimes we need the two or three standing together to break its hold on us. That’s why God adopted us into His family, so we wouldn’t be alone.

Please take the time to re-acquaint yourself with the whole armor of God found in Ephesians 6. 13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. ESV.

Satan’s plan in using oppression is to make us useless for God’s Kingdom. He wants us to feel powerless, hopeless and weak. But this is not who we are. We’ve been given power over every wile, strategy, or scheme of the enemy. Stand strong my friends. No matter what you are facing right now, God has a solution. Remember: God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and a self-discipline (sound mind). 1Timothy 1:7. NLT. Take the authority God has already given you to speak freedom and life into your circumstances. He is the way maker and will show you how and where to walk through whatever valley you are in. Remind yourself of the price He has paid for you. He will take care of you at that expensive price! It doesn’t mean we won’t face hard challenges. It means He knows the outcome and is working them together for His good plan. No matter what it looks like, He is worthy of our trust.

I was thinking about believers who are in prison today for their faith. Comparing their life to mine is foolish, but also sobering. I pray for them.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. ESV. When we face oppression or afflictions, we must walk with faith. We must have faith in our Lord. Having faith in His purposes in and through our lives is crucial. It is essential to living a fruitful life in Him.

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Father, I thank you for breaking the spirit of oppression that is affecting any of your children reading this post. Remind us to put on the whole armor of God, you have so freely given to us. Help us stay alert to the wiles and strategies of the enemy. Guide us not only for our protection but also for the sake of others. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Your Calling

Martha RodmanLeave a comment

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Phillipi, he asked his disciples, “who do people say that the Son of Man is? “Well, they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” Matthew 16:13. NLT.

But then He got more personal. Then he asked them, “But who do you say that I am? This is such an important question. If we are to walk in the power and authority of the Lord, we must have settled in our hearts who we believe He is. Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”. How powerful is that statement? You are the Messiah (the anointed one) and the Son of the Living (not dead) God! What good news! What a privilege to know the Living God!

When we clarify God’s identity to us, then we will have a better grip on who we are. I found an old journal where I listed in my journal who I am/was. I wrote it on September 4, 2004. Here is what I wrote

I am your daughter, purchased by Your blood; adopted into Your family; called to walk with You to influence others for Your kingdom. By encouragement, by loving words of grace, by living much an authentic life as possible, By obedience to Your call in Your Word and by Your Holy Spirit. Please help me to grow in this process, because I too often forget who I am.

Reading this entry, I realize this list still embodies my purpose and calling. God keeps answering this prayer when I get distracted and off track. Because He is the Living God, He meets us where we are. Obviously, this list did not include specific goals or steps to fulfill them, it just includes my heartfelt desires. With humility and gratitude, I see where He has helped me fulfill them. Have you ever taken the time to discover your call? His purpose for your life? It makes such a difference, especially when you navigate the twists, turns and decisions that must be made in this life.

I am so amazingly grateful to Him for the revelation of the call and purpose in my life. I had to first understand who He was who called me, then I could understand my purpose in the calling. It is humbling and often overwhelming to sit in His Presence letting ,Him touch and restore my soul. We find Jesus’ response to Peter. Jesus replied, “You are blessed Simon, son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. There are things the Holy Spirit wishes to reveal to each of us. He uses various means (like His Word, His still small voice, and others) to communicate these personal thoughts to us. The important thing is our ears and hearts are open to them. Fear or insecurity will shut down our faith, and without faith, we can’t hear Him.

Through a series of events, I found myself in Kodiak, Alaska, after college graduation. It was hard, lonely and wonderful at the same time. I spent much of the time seeking Him. The day I flew back to the Lower 48, I opened my Bible to Isiah 40:9 O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Life it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God.” I read that verse, slammed my Bible shut and said, “That’s not me, I can’t do that”. After I landed, my friend took me to meet a lady who, like the woman at the well, “told me all I had ever done”. Actually, she prophesied this verse to me! This was the first time I thought about God’s specific call and purpose in my life. My life pivtoed and I was never the same again. (I also met Darryl that day!) I have used my teaching degree, but not in the way I thought I would!

When we find His purpose and our calling, things settle in place. Hard things are still hard, but there is a good reason to go through them. Trusting in God’s goodness and character enabled me to get through my husband’s stroke and subsequent passing. The calling He revealed to me, even before our marriage, is still in place today. Those prayers I wrote in 2004, He is still answering. He hopes to do the same for you.

If you already know His purpose and calling in your life, are you walking in it? God prepared each of us, like Esther, for this time in history. It is important we each walk it out to the fullest. Do not let Satan rob you of the joy of fulfilling that purpose, even when it is hard. Remember, He is the Living God who sees you, hears you, and desires to walk with you.

Father, thank you for the privilege of being Your children. Thank you, like Simon Peter, You long to reveal your purpose and plan for each of us. Remind us, when we lose sight of that calling and purpose. Stir up the gifts you have given to Your children. Let us not take them for granted. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Stress

Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25 NKJV

Everywhere we look we can find stress producers. Finances, relationships, politics, health issues can definitely generate stress in our lives. We know it is not “healthy” to live with chronic stress because God did not intend us to live that way. Lately, as I have been praying for myself and others about anxiety, I realize more of Satan’s devious plan is at work.

First, his goal is to get our eyes off the Lord and onto ourselves. When we “feel” anxious, our natural response is to turn inward. We become self focused rather than others or God focused. When that happens, our faith level drops and there is often a struggle to get out of our heads and into His thoughts. Then Satan employs his next level of strategy, hopelessness.

Hopelessness can begin subtly. Remember, Satan is here to steal, kill, and destroy. So he tries to steal your hope, making you feel smaller than you are. Could you tell me why you should even pray, because….(fill in your own blanks). Some of those blanks may get filled in with you not being worthy enough for God to answer, you are a disappointment to God, or even you don’t have enough faith to believe for that prayer to be answered. So he subtly steers us away from even beginning to pray! Have you ever had Hebrews 11:6 thrown back at you when you tried to pray? But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Condemning thoughts show up, just about the time you start to pray: “you don’t really believe he is going to answer your prayer because you haven’t been diligently seeking him, have you???” His goal is to deter you from coming to the Lord you love. This is condemnation, my friends, not something our God does. A condemned man has no hope, but that is not us! Our sins have been forgiven and we have been set free.

Once your focus is distracted, he moves on to the size of your problem. He works to diminish the power and authority of our God, and magnifies the magnitude of the PROBLEM. As the problem gets bigger, your stress mounts–which again, clouds our vision of our loving Savior. We start to feel even worse and begin to look at how to get away from those stressful feelings.

This is Satan’s really sneaky attack. He suggests your right for relief. So instead of praying to the God who can change things, he tempts you with ways of escape. “Remember that pint of ice cream in the fridge? Go ahead, it’s ok. Or just turn on the TV and binge watch that show you like.” Now, neither of these things are wrong in themselves, but if they interrupt you from praying to peace, then you have been hoodwinked. He stole from you the opportunity to receive God’s true peace.

Satan then attempts to draw us into outright deadlier distractions. Alcohol, drugs and porn are powerful temptations. One glass of wine can turn into two or more, a prescribed anti-anxiety pill dose can be doubled, pornography can be substituted instead of fixing relationship issues. All of these temptations can lead to even more costly consequences. Every addiction began with the first step. When stress and anxiety are running high in our hearts, it is much easier to fall for these “quick fixes” rather than deal with the root issues. What started as a “relief escape” now becomes a trap, pushing the person farther and farther from the Lord and His correct solutions.

My friends, counseling and prescription drugs can be helpful. But the most important way to deal with stress is going to the Lord first, or in the middle…or even if you think it is the end. He always has a way out or a way through. God has given us tools in His Word for us to use in times of anxiety. Don’t forget to use them!

We have so many promises from Him. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16. Don’t let Satan steal your confidence in the Lord to respond to your every need with His mercy and grace. It is always there, no matter if/when we mess up. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Psalm 57:1. Stay close to Him, learn to hide and take refuge in Him. He is a strong tower we can run to.

By following His teachings, we can avoid many stressors. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6.

Turn to Him with gratitude and thanksgiving, even before the answer is evident. Rehearse what He has done before. Remind yourself of His faithfulness in the past, which makes Him bigger than the current situation. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7. The next time you are feeling stressed, I challenge you to burst out in song! It breaks the hold hopelessness, stress and anxiety have on us. If need be, put on worship or praise music and sing along. My family used to sing this song when we were children. It is still one of our go to songs when things are rough: “My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow. Strength for today is mine all the way and all I need for tomorrow, all I have to do is follow, my Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow.” It is quite simple, but it always brings breakthroughs and hope. Google it, if you don’t know it.

My friends, we don’t have to let the stressors of this life rule and reign in our lives. Our God is the God of Hope. Jesus is the Prince of Peace as we allow Him to rule and reign in our hearts, we can live in that peace. Don’t settle for less, it’s not worth it. Satan really would like to enslave you in his addictions, don’t let him win. We don’t have to let stress run or ruin our lives.

Father, I ask You to open our eyes where we have let stress and anxiety rule and reign in our hearts instead of your peace. Anxiety can have a loud voice, but Your quiet one shuts it up quickly. Open our ears to hear Your wonderful words of life and hope, in Jesus’ Name, amen.

We don't have to let stress run or even ruin our lives.
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