Bountifulness
January 18th, 8:51am
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 The Cheerful Giver
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
It is not what you have; It is what you give I hear God speak to me. As I sit here thinking about where to start, I hear God say to write from the context that it was given and how it is better to give than to receive.
When reading verse 7, I heard Elohim say I need you to see the purpose in your story. My story, I thought to myself, and which part? Because there have been many ups and downs on my journey called life. And that is when I heard his still, small voice speak, “Have Faith’.As I think about what this passage spoke to me, I ask myself what it is that I have to give others, and to be honest the only thing worth passing on is the Word of God and how my relationship with Christ has changed me.
This is not easy, nor can one expect it to be. Between the sleepless nights and tearful days, the reality that there will always be a space in photos hurts me beyond spoken words. I have nowhere to put the pain but under the cross when it hits like a flood, but that is where I need to be, and I encourage you all to stay there.
This week, I will share 10 of my go-to Bible verses that have helped me when things get tough, and I feel grief wanting to unravel me. This will be a lengthy post, as I will put all ten verses below. Some may not have a physical Bible now, and I believe there is power in reading and speaking the word.
1) I decided to take this list off with Isaiah 51:1-5 a verse that speaks of a man of great faith. Abraham and Sarah’s testimony has taught me that even when I think that God is late, he has already done it, and I need to be patient and walk in it with great expectancy.
Isaiah 51:1-5 Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.2 Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.”3 For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.4 “Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples.5 My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust.
2) The wounds I have from the Death of Joshua are not visible to the naked eye but are seen by the God that sees El Roi. But when I feel like healing is impossible, I wash with Isaiah 53:5, reminding myself that he was wounded for my transgression.
Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
3) Romans 5:5, I can’t tell you the number of times I have felt and even said, Lord, what is this? Discouragement has been the place where the enemy wants to hold me captive, but the blood of Jesus is against him and his kingdom. The devil hates that I believe in God and that despite what has happened, he will continue to carry me through life and not just this season, strengthening me with his word.
Romans 5:5-Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
4) Psalm 91:7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.
I love this verse as it reminds me that things will come but must fall before they can touch me. I pray that this word will be rooted deep in your heart.
5) Isaish 61:3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
At times, the emotions of grief can come on so strong I do not even have the words to speak that all I can do is cry, and it is in those moments that I begin to worship.
6) 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
The mind is the number one target for the enemy in hopes that he will cause people to lose sleep and hope. If you find that your mind is racing and have no rest, speak the verse above, remembering that God’s word is sharp enough to cut through the lies of the enemy.
7) Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Although I had other children when Joshua died, to be honest, I wondered and still do how God can use me, knowing that a piece of me is missing, but I leave that for God to answer.
8) Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
This is a big one. Isolated is where I wanted to be, but my friends kept on pulling me out. Having people who can pray God’s word over you when you are at your lowest helps, and I am grateful God has given me that.
9) Psalm 23:1-5 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;He leads me beside the still waters.3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Reminds me that I am and that God supplies my needs
10) Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear. The name of the Lord from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
Satan is a loser and kicks you down when you are feeling low, but this verse reminds me that God protects him and will never let satan pull one on me.
I pray that this helps you stand against the wails of the wicked one until next time
The Carpenters Mother