I'm reading two books right now that I have found profoundly helpful. They are helping me to understand two very important concepts in and about my life - spiritual warfare and living the lifestyle that is designed for Heaven...right now. Sounds kind of deep BUT here's the great thing about both books:
- You don't need to be a Biblical scholar to understand these ideas. I will say that it has enhanced my ability to process the information a bit better because I can readily apply it to my life.
- The authors lay a solid foundation about what each concept means - they clearly define the "players" & situations involved, and they point emphatically to the Bible to back up their exposition on the subject. That last point is very important to me because I never ever want to lulled into glorifying a person or following a persons beliefs.
I don't believe in coincidences so the fact that both of these books have concepts that weave into the Bible Study I'm currently doing - "Faithful, Abundant & True" - is in fact just the affirmation I needed that:
- God meets you right where you are at any given moment in life wether you're a believer or not.
- God believes in "iron sharpening iron" so he places people in your life at just the right time to help you learn...and sometimes help you learn the lesson! Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend"
The first book I'm talking about is called "Spirit Warriors" by Stu Weber. Going on memory here at the moment, but...Stu is an ex Army "hoo-rah" soldier who, through his personal experiences, likens the life, lifestyle and experiences of a soldier to being a spiritual warrior for God. Going into the book I expected him to have this "no nonsense, stop your whining, quit traipsing around Namby Pamby land" type mentality towards teaching how to build yourself up as a warrior. I could not have been more wrong. You can tell from every word that if you were to meet him in person he would have a very strong, very loving spirit about him. He would be an encourager and take your salvation so very to heart. I'm about 90 or so pages in and have been encouraged by every page I've read!
The second book is called "Kingdom Principles" by Myles Munroe. He is a pastor, author and public speak to name a few of his hats. This is a book that my Life Group is diving into, and the reason that I've enjoyed it so much is that I've never heard the subject spoken about before! He brings to light God's original plan for the Earth and the way it was to be governed and lays a foundation for living like it's Heaven on Earth...very exciting stuff!!!
I'm not sure I could tell you all of the ways which I have been encouraged these last few months of unemployment. Sounds contradictory, doesn't it? So many verses in the Bible say directly, without room for misinterpretation, "YET, I will praise you"... to spite my circumstances I will CHOOSE to praise you for the provisional, loving, thoughtful and faithful God that you are!!
BE ENCOURAGED for He has a plan for YOUR life...for each and EVERY life! Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" Read through vs 14 for an even more beautiful and complete picture & ponder on the fact that the Creator of the universe thinks about YOU - "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand..." (Psalm 139: 17 & 18) Yeah, that's a lotta thoughts about YOU!!
And on that thought...have a wonderful weekend!!
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