Week 2 The Art Of Walking Slow
May 11, 2009 by Cath
Filed under Trusting In The Names Blog ~ Catherine Martin
I am loving these days of reading through and thinking about the names of God and knowing God more. I especially loved Day 8. Some of my favorite parts of this day:
I loved the translation of James 4:8 at the very beginning: “Come to meet God, and he will come and stay close to you.” What an invitation from the Lord to know Him.
I loved Howard Vos’ words: “When it comes to Scripture, one must stop just casually looking and must start to see. True sight or perception will sometimes involve the use of a pencil and even some tabulation.” I have found this to be true. When I am reading the Bible, I always have a pencil in my hand. We don’t want to just merely look - we want to SEE!! And oh, how exciting it is when God opens our eyes to His truth. It makes me think of the prayer in Psalm 119:18 “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.”
Frederick Faber’s words encourage us: “Within a thought so great, our souls little and modest grow, and, by its vastness awed, we learn the art of walking slow.” I need to learn more this incredible art of “walking slow.”
I want to do what Tozer speaks of - I want to “drink deeply at the fountain of living water, delight in His presence, and experience the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center” of my heart. I loved reading those words this week and they express better than I ever could my own great desire for God.
God bless you as you read through and think through Week 2 of Trusting In The Names of God.
What stands out to you in Week 2 - did you have a favorite verse, insight, or illustration from your reading, thinking, and studying this week? Feel free to share your thoughts in the Comments section here. Just click on “Comments” or “Leave A Comment” and share. Then click on “Submit Comment”.
From My Message “The Key That Unlocks The Door”
May 8, 2009 by Cath
Filed under Trusting In The Names Blog ~ Catherine Martin
Yesterday we shared together about Week 1 in Trusting In The Names Of God. And I shared a message about “The Key That Unlocks The Door”. In that message we learned that the key unlocking the door to knowing and understanding God is the names of God. I loved having the opportunity to share more about the names of God. Almost always, when I am sharing a message, the Lord seems to emphasize one thing out of that message for me in my own life. Yesterday, as I was talking, the part that meant the most to me was when I said this: In fact, when you stand face to face with your Lord having stepped from time into eternity, you want to know that you KNEW HIM - that you did not waste a bit of His revelation of Himself to you, but instead that you explored Who He was, What He Does, and what He says through an intimate knowledge of His names - you might think of it as being on a first name basis with God. When I shared this with all of you, I was thinking “Oh Lord, that’s how I feel. No time wasted. No opportunity in your Word squandered. Lord, I want to KNOW YOU!!” It must be how Moses felt when he was with God and cried out “Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight…Please, show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:13, 18). And of course, the Lord did let the shades come down a bit and revealed His glory to Moses. May our prayer together be “Lord, show us your glory!”
Week 1 What Is God Teaching You
May 6, 2009 by Cath
Filed under Trusting In The Names Blog ~ Catherine Martin
Reading about the great adventure of knowing God was such an encouragement for me this week. There were many quotes that meant so much to me, but my favorites were:
“Knowing God will alter the course of your life. Knowing God will change how you live, influence the decisions you make, and shape your responses to trials and adverse circumstances.” p. 16 My Response: This quote motivated me this week to commit my heart anew to the pursuit of God. My life can’t help but change as I go deeper in drawing near to God and knowing Him more.
“I have learned not to define how God can and should work in my life.” p. 25 My Response: This is always a challenge because I have my own ideas of how things should be sometimes and knowing God requires a surrender of my small-sized dreams to God-sized plans and purposes.
“When you trust God in the storms of life, your history with God becomes a platform on which you can stand in future difficulties. These experiences help you remember your God and what He can and will do for you.” p. 46 My Response: This was an encouraging reminder to me to stand strong now and remember all that God has done through “many dangers, toils, and snares” as the hymnwriter has written in “Amazing Grace”.
“You may be approaching your finest hour, where you will discover God’s names, draw near to His names, declare His names, depend on His names, and delight in His names. Others may say it is over for you, but God never says such words. He is waiting for you to draw near and know Him as you have never known Him before and then to trust Him as you have never trusted before.” p. 52 My Response: Oh these words were just so encouraging this week!! All I can say is may God get the great glory in our lives as we draw near and know and trust Him.
And so, in this first week of study, what stood out to you and what is God teaching you? What was the greatest encouragement to you as you read and thought and studied? To share, simply click on the “Comments” or “Leave a Comment” words above and below this post.
Welcome To Cath’s Blog
May 1, 2009 by Cath
Filed under Cath's Blog
Catherine Martin
God is doing a new thing and I am excited!! I love Cath’s Community and look forward to connecting with all my brothers and sisters who love the Lord and are committed to spending time with Him in His Word. To God be the glory!
