Today I went to the park at lunch, but instead of painting, I returned to my Bible study titled Breaking Free by Beth Moore. As I went through the lesson, I kept hearing the song of gurgling water coming from a little stream behind me. I went and sat on the bank and watched the water flowing over a rock and listened to its sound. The verse came to my mind and I could only think of bits of it “streams of water…make glad the city of God…” When I got back to work I used BibleGateway.com to look up the verse and then from the photo I took, I made the photo below by cropping and adding the text. My “artwork” for today is from my heart although not in painted or sketched form.
The study for today was on Tamar – her story appears in 2 Samuel 13:1-22. In Beth’s words, “If Satan has convinced you to see yourself as anything less than the handpicked daughter of the King of all kings, you have something in common with Tamar. If you think anything could happen to you that could steal your royal heritage, you have something in common with Tamar. If you think you deserve mistreatment or disrespect, you have something in common with Tamar. What you may have in common is a stronghold. My prayer is the Holy Spirit will be free to mend the torn coats of the daughters of royalty. And that he will also restore lost dignity, teach us our true identity, and liberate us to live in purity.” (pg. 119, Breaking Free Making Liberty in Christ a Reality in Life. Beth Moore. LifeWay Press, Nashville Tennessee, 1999.)
I don’t know about you, but I have lived for years thinking I deserved mistreatment and disrespect. I dated guys who were abusive and I probably helped them be that way toward me by my low sense of self-worth. I married a man that was abused verbally and neglected as a child and so the only thing he knew was verbally abusing and controlling me. I gave him power over me for over 10 years --- until God… began to set me free from the bondage of low self-worth and lack of self-respect. For the past 5 years God has been teaching me about who I am in Christ – a daughter of the King of kings – a woman with a royal heritage! I’m so happy to report to you that my husband is learning about his self-worth too and we are still married by the grace of God. Though separated for 2 years, God brought us back together and our marriage is healing. I say “is” because it will be a process until we both get to heaven it seems. But oh what a journey! I would have it no other way. There are still some tough times, but walking in God’s will is worth any and every tough moment! Because only in walking in His will do we find peace and contentment. I’ve learned that I don’t find peace and contentment in my marriage or in my husband – but only, only in Christ Jesus my Savior.
I started this study every day at lunch time and got halfway through and just stopped. I began painting and doing other things at lunch and put the study aside…even though I told myself in the beginning that I would finish it. I enjoyed it and looked forward to it every day for weeks, and then I just stopped. Today, I asked myself why I ever stopped, and I knew that it’s because we have an adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan’s plan is to so distract us from our purpose and from God’s purpose for us, that we are rendered completely ineffective in all we do. He doesn’t want me in the Scriptures, growing and becoming the woman that God intends me to be, seeing myself as a true daughter of the King, and walking in that identity. So he distracts…he devours – my time, my energy, my thoughts – and he draws me away from the Lover of my soul. BUT! I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me (Romans 8:37). God desires to give me “beauty for ashes” and to make me a “tree of righteousness”. (Isaiah 61:3)
I encourage you, if you have not read any of Beth Moore’s books or done her studies – check her out! Her studies feel as if you are sitting down with her over coffee and talking with an open Bible before you both. Intimate and very easy to understand.
The study for today was on Tamar – her story appears in 2 Samuel 13:1-22. In Beth’s words, “If Satan has convinced you to see yourself as anything less than the handpicked daughter of the King of all kings, you have something in common with Tamar. If you think anything could happen to you that could steal your royal heritage, you have something in common with Tamar. If you think you deserve mistreatment or disrespect, you have something in common with Tamar. What you may have in common is a stronghold. My prayer is the Holy Spirit will be free to mend the torn coats of the daughters of royalty. And that he will also restore lost dignity, teach us our true identity, and liberate us to live in purity.” (pg. 119, Breaking Free Making Liberty in Christ a Reality in Life. Beth Moore. LifeWay Press, Nashville Tennessee, 1999.)
I don’t know about you, but I have lived for years thinking I deserved mistreatment and disrespect. I dated guys who were abusive and I probably helped them be that way toward me by my low sense of self-worth. I married a man that was abused verbally and neglected as a child and so the only thing he knew was verbally abusing and controlling me. I gave him power over me for over 10 years --- until God… began to set me free from the bondage of low self-worth and lack of self-respect. For the past 5 years God has been teaching me about who I am in Christ – a daughter of the King of kings – a woman with a royal heritage! I’m so happy to report to you that my husband is learning about his self-worth too and we are still married by the grace of God. Though separated for 2 years, God brought us back together and our marriage is healing. I say “is” because it will be a process until we both get to heaven it seems. But oh what a journey! I would have it no other way. There are still some tough times, but walking in God’s will is worth any and every tough moment! Because only in walking in His will do we find peace and contentment. I’ve learned that I don’t find peace and contentment in my marriage or in my husband – but only, only in Christ Jesus my Savior.
I started this study every day at lunch time and got halfway through and just stopped. I began painting and doing other things at lunch and put the study aside…even though I told myself in the beginning that I would finish it. I enjoyed it and looked forward to it every day for weeks, and then I just stopped. Today, I asked myself why I ever stopped, and I knew that it’s because we have an adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan’s plan is to so distract us from our purpose and from God’s purpose for us, that we are rendered completely ineffective in all we do. He doesn’t want me in the Scriptures, growing and becoming the woman that God intends me to be, seeing myself as a true daughter of the King, and walking in that identity. So he distracts…he devours – my time, my energy, my thoughts – and he draws me away from the Lover of my soul. BUT! I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me (Romans 8:37). God desires to give me “beauty for ashes” and to make me a “tree of righteousness”. (Isaiah 61:3)
I encourage you, if you have not read any of Beth Moore’s books or done her studies – check her out! Her studies feel as if you are sitting down with her over coffee and talking with an open Bible before you both. Intimate and very easy to understand.
1 comment:
Awesome post. Fantastic learning. Great to hear you allowing God and the Spirit to heal you and bring you into the fold of His arms of protection. Keep doing..
Great journaling post.
Amy in Florida
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