strengthen yourself in the Lord~

Every year our church has Bill Johnson from Bethel Church in Redding, California come and do a conference. One message he gave several years ago that I have hung onto is called Strengthen Yourself in the Lord (or maybe Encourage, but you get the picture.) He basically keeps a notebook of testimonies, prophecies, scripture, etc. that he reads on a daily basis to remind himself of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness. I think that is a marvelous idea as even though we Love Him, and we know Him, we are flesh, and we forget so quickly...

That said, the devotional I am going through right now, Homeschooling With A Meek and Quiet Spirit, encourages moms to ask the Lord to give them scriptures for homeschooling. You know, something to hang onto when you're having one of those surely I am ruining my child for all eternity kind of days. Or am I the only one that has those on occasion? ;o)

This wasn't actually a difficult exercise for me, as I had several scriptures already that the Lord had given me, that I had "claimed" as mine. It had not occurred to me to write them down in one place and read them, meditate on them, and find life and encouragement from them on those aforementioned days. There are five passages that I really cling to, although I am sure there are many more, but these are mine...

"God is able (Able is God) to make all grace abound to you,that always having all sufficiency in everything,you may have an abundance for every good deed:

as it is written,"He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,His righteousness abides forever."

Now He who supplies seed for the sower and bread for foodwill supply and multiply your seed for sowingand increase the harvest of your righteousness;you will be enriched in everything for all liberality."

2 Corinthians 9:8-11

(If you remember from a few months ago, this was the scripture that my dear friend, Heather Norman, gave to me after praying the Lord would give each woman at her birthday party the Scripture that was for her specifically. It was life to me. I have the original scroll that she handmade hanging in my laundry room.)

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed."
Proverbs 16:3

(This one has another special significance to me, as the night that Glen and I decided to officially become a couple, knowing that we were moving toward probable marriage, we prayed this verse together, committing our relationship and our plans to the Lord.)

"All thy children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great will be the peace of thy children.
In righteousness you will be established..."
Isaiah 54:13-14a

(This one is just plain encouraging, and the cry of my heart. I have this framed on my living room wall.)

"...but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:31

(Another verse that is just good, for all of life. May I always remember that when I trust in the Father, and depend on Him for my strength and wisdom each day, that I can run this race in such a way as to be found worthy, but when I fall back on my own strength, I am easily tired and burned out, growing weary and faint. And not only can I succeed, but I can soar.)

(This next one is long, and is bits and pieces gathered from Deuteronomy, where I find my calling and my encouragement for home schooling and raising my children, intentionally, to know the Lord. Trusting in His love, His faithfulness, and His promises. Some of the meaning has to be inferred and understood as an analogy, but it speaks volumes to me, in so many areas. It is so rich. At some point after we finish our school room, I plan to put all this up on the wall. Tied up in this as well, is why we moved where we did as we strongly felt the Lord preparing the way, and speaking to us about our life here and what we were to be about.)

"...Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

When the Lord your God brings you into the land... a land with large, flourishing cities that you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyard and olive groves you did not plant-then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, out of slavery.

Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you...

In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?" tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders - great and terrible...but He brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that He promised...The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive."

...The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples...But it was because He loved you...

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands...

the Lord your God will keep His covenant of love with you, ...He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land...

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God,failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees...Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build find houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery...You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me," But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth..."

To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it...Fear the Lord your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him...He is your praise; He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes...

Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: His majesty, His mighty hand, His outstretched arm...Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them...Do not covet the silver and gold...or you will be ensnared by it...

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds;...teach them to your children

~from Deuteronomy 6-8

So, this is what I encourage myself with. I would encourage everyone, whether you home school or not, to take some time to ask the Father to give you some life scriptures that you can call your own and you can go back to and remember the Lord's love, His faithfulness, His promises, and who He is...