A lot of thoughts have been swirling around in my mind lately. Byron and I are currently working through a "Read the Bible in a Year" plan, and the last few weeks, we've been in Leviticus, Numbers, Proverbs, and Hebrews. At first glance, I would consider these books to be somewhat daunting, and maybe only slightly encouraging. But, as we've been reading and studying through them, I've realized that God has us reading these books right now for a specific reason, and we've been extremely encouraged by them.
I'm reminded of 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
As we were reading through Leviticus, we had just arrived in Ternopil, where we are staying with friends that have been able to really encourage us and point us to Jesus during this time of uncertainty. Leviticus really spoke to me, which kind of surprised me. I had always thought of Leviticus as a bunch of outdated laws. But as we read it, the Holy Spirit showed me so much more than laws. It taught me about the character of God, and God's precious thoughts toward His children.
Many people have been asking us lately, what happens next for you guys?
I wish I had an answer to that... I have absolutely no idea what happens next. And truthfully, I don't even know where we'll be living after May 13th, but, the Lord gave us an amazing promise from Leviticus 26, which I am clinging to with all of my strength right now:
"If you walk in My statues and keep my commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season [...]. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright." - Leviticus 26:3-13
Byron and I have never experienced slavery in the human realm, but once, we were slaves to sin. The Lord brought us out of that. He broke the bands of our yoke to sin - He cleansed us from our sin, and now, we can walk upright through the power of Jesus Christ. And because we are no longer slaves to sin, and because we have followed the Lord thus far, followed Him out of Donetsk, and are continuing on, we know that the Lord will give us rain in its season. We know that God will show us a path, will give us a place to sleep, and will care for us.
Lately, we've been talking a lot to Pastor Dave and his family, who are all now living in Bangkok, planting a Calvary Chapel there. Over and over again, he encouraged us by saying, "The Lord is teaching you guys a huge lesson, and He's producing faith in your lives." At first, I thought to myself, We have been through so much, I feel like we have plenty of faith. But, obviously, I was wrong.
We've been facing the hard reality that our home in Donetsk might be gone, and we really don't know if the Lord will allow us to go back there anytime soon. Every time I even allow myself to think that entire thought, my eyes fill with tears, and I have to choke them back before they fall down my cheeks. But again, the Lord has been using His Word to minister to us in such an amazing way.
Last night, as I read Hebrews 11 and 12, the Lord really ministered to me and I could feel Him speaking through His Word.
"For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." - Hebrews 11:14-16
Throughout all of the blog posts I've written over the last two years, I've mentioned home many times. And I think I've finally realized, for the first time, I still consider earth my home. And my deepest desire has always been to have a place to settle down, grow roots, and call home for the rest of my life. But now, I finally understand, I have no home here on earth, and now, I'm really ok with letting go of the idea of home. And I am so encouraged by Hebrews 11:14-16. The Lord is not ashamed of us, and He has prepared a city for us, a heavenly country. Something better than I could ever hope for or imagine myself.
I think this is the faith God's been wanting to produce in me. I think the Lord wants me to trust Him, that He's already prepared a place for me, and that I don't need an earthly home to be joyful, fulfilled, or satisfied.
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." - 2 Peter 1:5-11
I feel like this section of scripture fits with Leviticus 26 so beautifully. Both passages ask us to not forget that we're no longer slaves, to remember the depths of the cross. Both call us to press forward in faith.
My prayer right now, is that in the midst of everything, the Lord would develop diligence in my life, and that my life would produce good fruit in the name of Jesus Christ, and that He would never be ashamed of being ashamed of me - and that the thoughts of the Lord would always be far more important to me than the thoughts of man. And my prayer for all of us is that we would remain diligent until Christ's return, and that none of us would become shortsighted, that we would remember that Jesus promised He was preparing a place for us, an everlasting kingdom.
In all things, the Lord is good, and worthy of all praise.
Blessings,
Emily
I'm reminded of 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
As we were reading through Leviticus, we had just arrived in Ternopil, where we are staying with friends that have been able to really encourage us and point us to Jesus during this time of uncertainty. Leviticus really spoke to me, which kind of surprised me. I had always thought of Leviticus as a bunch of outdated laws. But as we read it, the Holy Spirit showed me so much more than laws. It taught me about the character of God, and God's precious thoughts toward His children.
Many people have been asking us lately, what happens next for you guys?
I wish I had an answer to that... I have absolutely no idea what happens next. And truthfully, I don't even know where we'll be living after May 13th, but, the Lord gave us an amazing promise from Leviticus 26, which I am clinging to with all of my strength right now:
"If you walk in My statues and keep my commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season [...]. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright." - Leviticus 26:3-13
Byron and I have never experienced slavery in the human realm, but once, we were slaves to sin. The Lord brought us out of that. He broke the bands of our yoke to sin - He cleansed us from our sin, and now, we can walk upright through the power of Jesus Christ. And because we are no longer slaves to sin, and because we have followed the Lord thus far, followed Him out of Donetsk, and are continuing on, we know that the Lord will give us rain in its season. We know that God will show us a path, will give us a place to sleep, and will care for us.
Lately, we've been talking a lot to Pastor Dave and his family, who are all now living in Bangkok, planting a Calvary Chapel there. Over and over again, he encouraged us by saying, "The Lord is teaching you guys a huge lesson, and He's producing faith in your lives." At first, I thought to myself, We have been through so much, I feel like we have plenty of faith. But, obviously, I was wrong.
We've been facing the hard reality that our home in Donetsk might be gone, and we really don't know if the Lord will allow us to go back there anytime soon. Every time I even allow myself to think that entire thought, my eyes fill with tears, and I have to choke them back before they fall down my cheeks. But again, the Lord has been using His Word to minister to us in such an amazing way.
Last night, as I read Hebrews 11 and 12, the Lord really ministered to me and I could feel Him speaking through His Word.
"For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." - Hebrews 11:14-16
Throughout all of the blog posts I've written over the last two years, I've mentioned home many times. And I think I've finally realized, for the first time, I still consider earth my home. And my deepest desire has always been to have a place to settle down, grow roots, and call home for the rest of my life. But now, I finally understand, I have no home here on earth, and now, I'm really ok with letting go of the idea of home. And I am so encouraged by Hebrews 11:14-16. The Lord is not ashamed of us, and He has prepared a city for us, a heavenly country. Something better than I could ever hope for or imagine myself.
I think this is the faith God's been wanting to produce in me. I think the Lord wants me to trust Him, that He's already prepared a place for me, and that I don't need an earthly home to be joyful, fulfilled, or satisfied.
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." - 2 Peter 1:5-11
I feel like this section of scripture fits with Leviticus 26 so beautifully. Both passages ask us to not forget that we're no longer slaves, to remember the depths of the cross. Both call us to press forward in faith.
My prayer right now, is that in the midst of everything, the Lord would develop diligence in my life, and that my life would produce good fruit in the name of Jesus Christ, and that He would never be ashamed of being ashamed of me - and that the thoughts of the Lord would always be far more important to me than the thoughts of man. And my prayer for all of us is that we would remain diligent until Christ's return, and that none of us would become shortsighted, that we would remember that Jesus promised He was preparing a place for us, an everlasting kingdom.
In all things, the Lord is good, and worthy of all praise.
Blessings,
Emily
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