Growing

Will You Take The Challenge

I just finished reading a news article that shared a recent religious survey. It confirmed what many of us are so aware of, according to the survey most people no longer know what they believe about God, they pick and choose what they want to believe from the Bible. Just like me I know this concerns you too.

I ‘m praying this summer Refresh Life will encourage you to be serious about studying God’s word. We all need to take on the job of helping others discover what they believe. I challenge each of you to study the following verse this summer:   

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15(NIV)

"Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple". 2 Timothy 2:15 (The Message)

The "word of truth" in the verse above refers to the Bible. It is important that this point is clear. Now we can consider the following questions: Are you willing to do your “best” to really study and know the truth in the Bible? Remember that “best" means of the highest quality and excellence” To do your best requires a commitment of time and a willingness to be whole hearted in your pursuit. This commitment will require us to make a choice to say no to certain activities that compete for our time and keep us from the best.

Are you willing as the verse says to humble yourself and to really work at this? We don’t always feel like working. Working takes effort and discipline. God desires us to work hard at studying and knowing his words. He wants us to be able to use his words correctly for ourselves and in the lives of others. God’s words are powerful and we need to know how to use them correctly.

Read 2 Timothy 2:15 again. Are you willing to prepare yourself to be presented to God ? I don’t think we often consider presenting ourselves before God saying “Here God I’ve prepared myself for your service." God desires to use us in others lives every day. The verse says he doesn’t want us to hide and be ashamed instead God is willing to teach us; giving us all wisdom and understanding of his Word. We then can come before him and say “Lord I’m ready, use me!”

Will you present yourself as one “approved”? A workman who was “approved” was one whose work was already proved to be genuine and pleasing;full of integrity.

Will you take the challenge?

-Eileen

SPECS

Dear Refresh Girls,

Hey Ladies here is another great way to spend your personal time with the Lord:

SPECS is a way you can spend some time with the Lord using the Bible not to gain information but as a means through which God can speak to you and show you what is in your heart.

All you will need is your Bible and a notebook and a heart and mind that are willing to hear what God would like to talk to you about today.

We are using the word SPECS as a acrostic to remind you that each day you need to put on your spiritual “SPECS” (glasses) to see yourself as God sees you.

Psalms 119 “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law (God’s word)
Look into the mirror of God’s word and allow the Spirit to point out what needs to be cleansed (the word cleansed means to un-sin)

James 1:23-24, “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man or woman who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself or herself, goes away and immediately forgets what he or she looks like.”

The Holy Spirit is anxious to use the Bible, His words, to reveal things in your heart and life.
Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide before his eyes. This is the god to whom we must explain all that we have done.”
God’s words both cleanses and refreshes us. A great way to start each and every day.
Ephesians 5:26 “to make her holy, cleansing her in the washing of water by the word.”

Now let’s begin. You’re going to read a portion of scripture and ask yourself these questions.

S - Sin - What do the verses say about sin? Sin means to miss the mark...What sin do I need to stop and confess (agree with God about) right now?

P - Promise - What promise does the verse make that I can claim for my life and what I’m in right now?

E- Example - What example in these verses is there for me to follow?
C- Command - What commands (think of a command as an assignment given not a suggestion to be considered) does the verse give me to follow? Will you submit and follow these commands?

S- Stumbling Block - How might I cause other people to sin or fall (thus you become a stumbling block) if you do not obey the verse and take it to heart?

Now let’s try SPECS with these verses:

I’ll give you a few examples.
You don’t need to answer the questions in order but keep them all in mind.

Some verses won’t have the answers for all the questions...some times you will find only promises or only commands.

Don’t hurry, go slowly.

When the Holy Spirit uses God’s word to point something out stop and deal with it right away. What the Spirit reveals is meant to be lived out.

Take good notes on what God is saying, be specific. God is always preparing you for what is ahead.

Colossians 3:12-15 (New International Version)
 12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Sin - not putting on or clothing myself with Christ. Not forgiving or bearing with someone. I need to ask the Lord where this is happening in my life right now. I need to confess it and ask for his help.

Promise
I am chosen by God and I am holy and dearly loved.
I need to meditate for a few minutes about the way God sees me and think about whether I believe this or not. I need to remember that this promise is true for others as well. If believed this how would it change the way I am acting?

Example
I am to forgive the way the Lord forgave me. I need to think about the way the Lord has forgiven me and jot a couple things down.
Command
I am to clothe myself with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience. I am to forgive whatever grievances (complaints) I may have against someone. Be thankful. I need to look at what you’re telling me to do and apply it what is going on in my life right now.

Stumbling Block
I can be a stumbling block by not letting the peace of Christ rule in my heart I don’t want to cause people other people to sin. I need to take this command to heart.

Love, Eileen

Fasting

Dear Refresh Girls,

Today I want to share with you how to “fast”. Fasting should become a regular part of your life just like prayer. The word fast means to go without food, to abstain, to deny or humble oneself. I would encourage you to take a moment and go to Biblegateway.com and look up the word fast or fasting. When you read the verses you will notice that fasting is used in many different situations. Fasts were called in times of trouble, in approaching dangers, for guidance, for confessing sin, for mourning, for protection, for healing, for worship, for intercession and so on. Most of us have been in these situations or are presently. God says fasting will make a difference.

As believers when we fast we are emptying ourselves in order to be filled and used by the Holy Spirit. Fasting isn’t just about outwardly denying ourselves. When we fast we are making a faith choice to not fill ourselves up, this leads to true hunger and dependence on God our supplier. Fasts are about taking the focus off ourselves and through denying self we focus on Jesus.

Here are a few things to consider before you fast:
1. Fasts can vary in length of time. If you are fasting from food you can fast for one meal or for whatever period of time you and the Lord decide.
2. What to fast for -Personal strongholds, guidance, answers, illness, focus, thanksgiving, praise, to draw close, for others needs etc.
3. Fasting can be done alone or with a group (Accountability can help)
4. Kinds of fasts - Fasting doesn’t have to be from food only. You can fast from your activities like the gym, television, internet etc. Another way to fast is to fast from areas God is presently speaking to you about. Maybe He will ask you to fast for a period from giving your opinions, or an area of control, or an area you are regularly anxious over. When the situation comes up you will by God’s help say no and replace it with prayer.
5. When you are fasting from food you also can do it a variety of ways. You can fast from food and drink water only or you can drink juices. You also can fast for longer periods by not eating foods you like to eat or drink.
6. It is always a matter of the heart. All for the sake of emptying yourself and being instead filled by Him.

A Simple Fast
In order to not approach fasting as an outward act it is important to take a little time to prepare for a fast. This allows for a time of confession and emptying.
1. Prepare your heart and mind the night before (around 30 minutes or so). Pray and decide what you are fasting for, healing, decisions, someone else’s need, to thank Him and so on. Ask God to help you find verses to use as you fast. Use your concordance or a web site like Biblegateway.com or Crosswalk.com. Have a notebook and your Bible ready. You also may want to use a devotional, a hymnal or music ,a book like Praying God’s Word by Beth Moore etc. Think through your next day and commit ahead to the times you will have sitting before the Lord. Before you go to bed pray and ask God to speak to you, ask Him to examine you, confess sin, ask Him to prepare you. Start emptying self.
2. Wake up early and go to the place you have already prepared the night before. Pray using the scriptures you prepared, confess what God brings to mind, read, listen and write down what the Spirit says to you. The Spirit will often take you into areas that you didn’t expect. Submit to Him. Empty and receive.
3. If you work use your breakfast and lunch time to come before Him. Have scripture on cards to stay focused throughout the day. If you are at home use the time you have committed to Him and keep focused on Him listening through the day.
4. Break the fast with the evening meal

Start a fasting notebook and record the insight and answers God gives.
You will bless the Lord and he will pour blessings on you and those you lift up.

In His Grace and Mercy,
Eileen

Praying God’s Word

Dear Refresh Girls,
Psalm 5:3, “Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” No matter where you’re at in your relationship to God prayer is the first step. You don’t need to be good enough to pray. Prayer is simply talking, crying, pleading to God who cares about you and then listening to what he is saying. A wonderful way to talk to Him and especially to hear Him is by praying using His words. I’m going to share with you a simple way to do this. (You can use this method alone or with friends.)

Let’s start with Psalms 103. Simply start by reading a verse or two out-loud. While you’re reading personalize the pronouns.
103:1, “Praise the Lord, O my soul; and all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” Now talk to God about what you read. What do you appreciate about God? Whether you’re feeling happy about your circumstances or not, stop and give Him praise for being a God who desires to have a relationship with you.

If you’re praying with a friend have her read the next couple of verses.
103:2 - 3, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases,” Now is your friend’s turn to talk to God about what she read. Remember the verses don’t ask you whether you “feel” like praising, they simply tell you to do it.

Take a moment to ponder some of the benefits of knowing God. The first verse was about praising God for who he is, the next couple of verses are about praising Him for what he has done for you. How often we come to God with a list of requests and don’t stop first to remember all He has done for us. Tell Him how very grateful you are that He has forgiven you of your sins. Thank Him for being the only one who can really heal you. What have you been healed from? An illness, a broken heart, a deep wound? Give Him a word of praise or just maybe you need to stop and ask God to heal you or someone else right now.

If you are praying with a friend, both of you might want to say a few words to the Lord before you go to the next set of verses. Continue to take turns through the Psalm. Sometimes you will read a single verse or two and sometimes you may read a small set. Just let the Spirit lead you. If you don’t understand some verses just pass over them and look into them later.

After you pray through a portion of scripture you can finish by talking to Him about whatever else He has laid on your heart.
If you start doing this with regularity you will be surprised at how many times the Lord will have you praying in just the right place and you will find His words meeting your needs and the needs of your friends. Many times I have found that later in the day I will be sharing with a friend the very verses I prayed through earlier. Our God is a personal God and He knows ahead what we need.

I pray this happens to you, let me know!
In Him, Eileen

A fresh way....

to have your life changed.

Did you know that God has the power to change your life by reading his words? Try this for a month.

1. Pick an area you need to change in, for example: Do you need more courage and power in your life? Do you spend too much time in fear and worry?

2. Go to the concordance in the back of your Bible and you will find a list of verses under one of those words or go to Biblegateway.com and put the word in under word search and it will bring you up a list of verses.

3. Next pick a verse to think about all week from that list and put it on a 4x6 card (put a copy by your bed, in the bathroom, and in the car)

4. On the back of the card write 3 ways you can specifically apply the verse to your life this week in the area you need to change.

5. Daily read the verse and ask God to speak to you about it and ask Him to start changing you.

6. At the end of the week record on the back of the card what you have seen God doing in you.

7. Each week in the month choose a new verse from the area you are working on and repeat the process. You will start to change.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.

In Him,
Eileen

Consider God’s Plan

Praise God the Lord has blessed each of us who are reading this with another year to live for Him. If the Lord will’s I hope to walk along side of you week by week and encourage you as you do his will.

Let me share one thing I do every January in the hope that you will join me once you understand what I do. Every year I ask the Lord to show me what He would desire for me to work on in the coming year. Last year the Lord challenged me to learn how to intercede for others (I’m still learning). That became the major theme of my year and will most certainly continue into this year. In 2005 I was challenged to work on what it meant to be “fully surrendered”. This year God has started speaking to me about a verse in Philippians 3:16 which says, ”But we must be sure to obey the truth we have learned already”. In December as I was looking at the gifts God had given me over the past year I was reminded by the Spirit that I had been given several good gifts but far too often I had opened the gift, used it, been thrilled with it but eventually set it aside for something new. When we set aside things God has been faithful to give we start losing the fruit and victory in our lives. God has been speaking to me about being obedient to what he has already given me, this means, “regaining lost territory”. (A good theme!)

I encourage you to spend some time with the Lord and his words and let him speak to you. Then take a 4 x 6 card and write out what the Lord says and what he is leading you to do. I like to put a copy above my desk and in my Bible. Allow the Lord to encourage you and set his purposes for your year.

Enjoy the fresh start of a new year,
In Him,
Eileen

A Little Christmas Encouragement

Dear friends,

Here is a precious way to stay in love with Jesus through this Christmas season. You will be blessed if you join me today. Pictured above is a simple 4x6 photo album that you can find at Michaels or Target for a dollar or two. I have replaced the front piece of cardboard with the verse above. Oh, that we would truly believe his promise to us that every good and perfect gift is from Him and Him alone. Come let us adore Him. He alone is worthy of our praise.

This is the next page in my little book (it is actually glued on the backside of the front) I have simply chosen three more verses that speak of the gifts our Father gives.
1 Corinthians 12:4   God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit.
Ephesians 4:8 That is why the Scriptures say, "When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people."
Hebrews 2:4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
On the next page ....I have these words and instruction...
What if I could guarantee you a stress free, peace filled Christmas with the perfect gifts? I can!
That is what Christmas is all about.

God gave us Jesus: Is. 9:6 Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

He gives Peace: John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you

He promises we can be free from anxiety and worry: Phil 4:6,7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
He gives all the wisdom we need (James 1:5). If you need wisdom, if you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.

Now label 4x6 cards from Dec 1st thru the 24th. Each day when you receive a gift from Him, record it. For example:
A promise from God's word
An answered prayer
Seeing God at work
A phrase from a song and so on...
Don't be too busy to open His gifts. It is a season of giving and receiving! There are plenty of gifts to open between now and Christmas.

May you have a peace filled Christmas season and share your gifts with many.
In His goodness, Eileen

I'm Thankful

Dear Friends
Here we are, the week of Thanksgiving. What a wonderful holiday to start off our holiday season, a time to reflect and give thanks. I have so much to be thankful for and I’m blessed to have the opportunity right now to think about it. Please if you’re reading this grab a pen and paper and join me.
I’m thankful
that God in his Sovereignty wanted me to have a personal relationship with Him
that he wants to use me every day
that daily his mercy, grace and power are available me
that he continues to forgive and restore
that His Spirit is actively encouraging, instructing, convicting and teaching me
that His word can powerfully change my life
that every trial that He brings into my life is for my good and a strengthening to my faith and the faith of others
that I know the outcome of my life, I’m going to heaven
that I live in a country where I’m free to call myself a Christian and lead us others to Him
that this holiday season the greatest gifts I will receive are all from him
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”

What real joy comes from simply stopping and thinking about what is true. I hope if you started your list with me that you will continue on. Next week I will share a way to remain thankful throughout this blessed season.

In Him, Eileen
My parents ranch where I will be spending Thanksgiving Day (pictured above)

Welcome

Dear friends

Welcome to this little blog. It wasn’t long ago I wouldn’t have had any idea what a blog was since I’m in the “over 50 group “ but I’m going to give it a try. I’m always open to a new way to share the joy of growing in our relationship with God. I’m hoping to weekly encourage you and challege you. Let’s just take a moment to look at what the Bible says about growing.

Col 2:6 sums it up well....And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. 7Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head--Christ.

To grow, a verb meaning evolve, increase, mature, build, produce, become, flourish, unfold, develop, abound and so on. If we are going to grow we have to have a life source and that is Christ. We can’t grow spiritually apart from him. Is it your desire to flourish and mature? Your roots must find their nourishment in Him. Roots grow where no one else sees. You must choose to come spend time alone with Him reading and studying His words, listening and talking to Him. If you want to have deep roots you need to find your own “potting shed” and meet the master gardener there. It is my desire to encourage you along the way.

Looking forward to growing roots together,
Eileen

Time To Replant

Can you believe it is already Fall? Many of you are busy harvesting the fruit God has faithfully produced from the seed of his word that you planted this past summer. For some of you the seeds you wanted to plant are still sitting in your box of good intentions. The good news is a new season has come. God knew we needed new beginnings, so he gave us new days and new seasons. His desire is for us always to begin again.

The Lord led me to a verse in Ecclesiastes the other day and he really spoke to me through it. Ecc. 11:4 says, “Whoever watches the wind will not plant, whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” The New Living Translation says, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” To often when a new season comes we simply beat ourselves up over what we didn’t do last season. Then with the burden of guilt and shame that we carry we look at the new season and see all the reasons why this is a less than an ideal time to start again.

Don’t let the enemy win. God still desires you to grow. He planned long ago for you to live a life that would produce much fruit. Jesus said to us in John 15 "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.” Mark 4:20 says, "But the seed (God’s word) planted in the good earth (your heart) represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams."

I know each of us wants to produce a harvest beyond our wildest dreams. God is so willing. We simply have to look to Him and take our eyes off all our circumstances and excuses. We must receive his word in to our hearts and he will produce a harvest at the end of the season. That is his guarantee.

Please keep coming for “Growing Tips” and I will encourage you a long the way.

Written By: Eileen Terpstra