Together

“Again, I give you an eternal truth: If two of you agree to ask God for something in a symphony of prayer, my heavenly Father will do it for you.”Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬ ‭TPT‬‬

A symphony of prayer, what a beautiful connotation. When our prayers are in harmony our God turns up. Surely this should be our goal!

As I prepare for a weekend away in prayer, worship and fellowship next weekend, this will be my goal, to create a symphony. I love music and the idea that I create a symphony is appealing to me.

Lord I welcome You to show us how to prepare for next weekend. Show us how to bless Your heart as we spend time with You! Amen!

Finding our God

“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How to attract the Lord: meet together with two or three others to fellowship. Daily my flatmates and I do bible study together, then we pray. Hunger for our God is not always evident, but when it is, He is there.

Next weekend a friend and I are going away for the weekend to do a retreat. I believe spending time with God is the best refreshment we can find. My friend has been serving in Nepal for 16 years. We have chosen a beautiful place 31kms from Kathmandu. I have found a good study plan and am looking for worship songs to take along.

When our purpose is seeking God He is delighted and makes an appearance. Finding Him is most satisfying. Amen!

Character

“It takes a grinding wheel to sharpen a blade, and so one person sharpens the character of another.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Character is not a given, it is formed in the furnace of life experiences and relationships. It is how we react to life’s problems that creates habits and habits are the stones on which character is formed.

Character speaks to the submission and obedience to the hand of God. Rather than reacting and rebelling good character submits.

I live with two young Nepali women who are sisters. The elder tends to come across as a bossy boots type of personality. I have been that person, I am no longer that person. However, not reacring to a bossy person still challenges me. Gratfully, the woman is learning not to boss with her speaking, we are both working things out. Praise God!

Iron upon iron

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Iron is not usually used to sharpen iron, a whetstone is. However, I had two grandfathers who were butchers and ai still remember them sharpening their knives, either one against another or against a sharpening rod. It is not a quick and easy process, it takes time and effort.

Friendships sharpen each other over time. I had three friends visit yesterday. Two were a couple and one a single man. Both sets have a different effect on me. All are Christians. I have another friend whom I will walk with later today, a new female friend who has been in Nepal for 16 years. Her dedication and committment to the Nepali people speaks to my heart. I have two female friends who I share our flat with. We are more active in sharpening each other. We come from different perspectives in life and have conflict, which when resolved sees us all sharper.

All the above are people I do life with. I have newer friends who I am acquainting myself with and looking to learn from. At the language college I attend I am making new friends, one is a very generous Chinese woman. I want to visit China and am interested in the Chinese language.

Expecting people to put up and shut up is extremely rude. We must allow others to counter our attitudes and opinions. This is how we are sharpened. This is how we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus, and this process is a must. Amen!

Iron upon iron

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Iron is not usually used to sharpen iron, a whetstone is. However, I had two grandfathers who were butchers and ai still remember them sharpening their knives, either one against another or against a sharpening rod. It is not a quick and easy process, it takes time and effort.

Friendships sharpen each other over time. I had three friends visit yesterday. Two were a couple and one a single man. Both sets have a different effect on me. All are Christians. I have another friend whom I will walk with later today, a new female friend who has been in Nepal for 16 years. Her dedication and committment to the Nepali people speaks to my heart. I have two female friends who I share our flat with. We are more active in sharpening each other. We come from different perspectives in life and have conflict, which when resolved sees us all sharper.

All the above are people I do life with. I have newer friends who I am acquainting myself with and looking to learn from. At the language college I attend I am making new friends, one is a very generous Chinese woman. I want to visit China and am interested in the Chinese language.

Expecting people to put up and shut up is extremely rude. We must allow others to counter our attitudes and opinions. This is how we are sharpened. This is how we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus, and this process is a must. Amen!

A good return

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:”Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Two definitely can employ greater effort than one, unless one is used to going alone and makes no room for the mate. Sharing the load is wiser, as two minds, two hearts and two spirits have a greater capacity.

I see many women who tag along after their husbands. Sure sometimes you are to be a support structure, a safe, soft place, however, by seeking God perhaps there is a better place beside the man. John and Lisa Bevere seem to do this well.

Two spirits focussed on serving together is definitely a good plan. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together. One alone does not carry the load.

Time to rethink?

Together

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Whilst I agree with this scripture and am not a loner, I have stayed single for 21 years because the Lord told me to wait for Him. He has shown himself to be my other person.

I have come to know Him and appreciate Him as a faithful God. His love sustains me. His strength emboldens me. When everyone else has an agenda that is their own, He is trustworthy. His agenda is my best in Him.

As I seek His opinion and His direction I am sure of the path I am on. When others fail me, He does not.

He is good! Amen!