by Annie Corser | Nov 4, 2013
“Extending undeserved favor to those who make your life miserable.” These words, spoken through the radio, have echoed in my heart since that day. God used those words to put me in my place, remind me to be humble and call me to obedience.
During a trying week when I felt trampled on and thrown aside, God reminded me that He is who builds me up when the world brings me down. It is God who gives me meaning and hope, and my response should be to glorify Him in all things.
Let me take you back to the start of my week, where a friend called me fat, and decided she did not need to apologize. That’s not an easy situation to get over. There is emotional and mental pain that goes with that.
Galatians 5 describes the flesh characteristics to watch out for, and to be honest, I responded with these: “anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,” (v.20). I held on to anger and bitterness because I was hurt. I did not want to talk to her until she apologized. I did not want to be around her because she had hurt me. Yet, that is not acting in the Spirit.
She is a friend, and she does not make my life miserable, but at the time, I felt miserable. But it was because I was allowing her words to define me, and I let my emotions choose my actions.
Gal. 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
When we choose to let go of the bitterness we carry, God will heal our broken heart.
What defines you? What do you lean on for support? What do you trust in? May it be Christ alone.
Psalm 34:17-18
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
and delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
He saves those crushed in spirit.
by Annie Corser | Sep 30, 2013
When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. (Neh. 4:15 HCSB)
Nehemiah faced opposition throughout the rebuilding of the wall. Chapter four is probably one of my favorite chapters in Nehemiah.
Nehemiah did not allow doubts from the opposition to cause him to stop rebuilding. Nehemiah knew whole-heartedly that he was in God’s will by rebuilding the wall. There are often times when flaming arrows are thrown at us, but we allow our perspective to shift from trusting God to doubting Him.
We doubt what He has commanded us to do. We doubt that He wanted immediate action. We doubt that His blessing is no longer on us. My youth minister once said, “if you don’t live life feeling as though there is a target on your back for the devil, then what are you really doing with your life?”
The gist was that the closer we are to God and the more we are in His will, the more evil will try to stop us and make us stumble. But we have been given the armor of God.
The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. (Neh. 4:15, 17 HCSB)
These men risked their lives because they obeyed God. However, they were also prepared to fight for what they were doing.
Likewise, we need to be prepared for the battles that are coming to destroy our testimonies. Be assured, if you’re in the center of God’s will for your life, you will be under attack. However, be comforted in knowing that you are most protected when you are in the center of His will. That doesn’t mean suffering won’t come, it means His peace will be stronger. That doesn’t mean you won’t fail, but it means His grace is bigger.
Put on the armor of God each day, be ready for battle and continue in the center of His will.
by Annie Corser | Sep 23, 2013
“Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. Next to them the repairs were done by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the authority of the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River. After him Uzziel son of Harhaiah, the goldsmith, made repairs, and next to him Hananiah son of the perfumer made repairs. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.” Nehemiah 3:6-8 (HCSB)
How do you pronounce those names? Can’t I just skip to the good stuff?
I must admit, there are many times that I do. But I asked myself another question as I read over this: “What does this tell me about my God?” And then those names take a whole new meaning.
1. The men’s work pleased God. Each of these men worked to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Side by side they worked together. Unity pleases God, and it accomplished the work He has called us to do.
2. God cared about each man. These names were not written down and kept safe out of coincidence. Each name was diligently recorded by a man and God saw it fit to keep their names in His Word. How incredible is it that there are human names written in God’s Love Note to us?
3. They left a legacy. These men, and their legacy, were written down and shared. Not only were they rewarded for their work by being obedient and storing up treasures in heaven, but they were also rewarded on earth. There are not many people outside the written pages of the Bible who can say their name has been recorded for several centuries.
Now, whenever I read over names and generations in the Bible I am left to ponder.
What can I do that will please God today? How does He show me He loves me? What kind of a legacy will I leave for my family generations down the road?
by Annie Corser | Sep 9, 2013
John Mark McMillan wrote the song How He Loves, following the news of one of his best friend’s tragic death.
In an interview with Relevant magazine he says, “Really, what it came down to is I was angry with God. I didn’t quite know what to do with those feelings, but through that anger and resentment, I was able to see the heart of God in it all. God was able to take something terrible and show me something through it.”
His anger and confusion led him to his music, and ultimately a conversation with God. In a short video documentary McMillan expresses more about the kind of love he sees God as having.
He said, “This song isn’t a celebration of weakness and anger. It’s a celebration of a God who would want to hang with us through those things, who would want to be a part of our lives through those things, and, despite who we are, He would want to be a part of us, our community, and our family.”
As the song plays, you hear these words:
“Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes”
When this song played at my home church last Sunday, this line jumped out at me. It is not the fear of condemnation that drew crowds to Jesus as He walked the earth, but rather His love for sinners and the sick.
To end this blog post, I want to challenge you:
How do you show people Christ in you?
Do you use fear?
Do you speak empty promises?
Or do you offer the same grace that drew you in?
Luke 13:34-35 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
by Annie Corser | Aug 23, 2013
My goal for this post is not to reach everyone, but that everyone who reads this will pass it on to a college student. That this post will remind the future generation what is important.
This year I am on track to graduate in May… and then a week later I will marry my best friend. Being a senior has brought a lot of new perspectives. One of which includes offering my own advice to incoming freshmen. Here is a little bit of what I’ve learned:
- Go to church. This seems explanatory, but so many statistics show that college students enter college but drop church. The first few weeks are critical to show where you will be the rest of your semester, either in church or in bed. One great thing about college towns is that churches typically have multiple services, and sometimes that even means there is a 11 a.m. service on Sunday, or even an evening service Saturday or Sunday. This past Sunday I was so excited to see new faces at church, and I was even blessed to sit by a few freshmen from back home.
- Get involved with like-minded people. This can take place many places, in your major, in your dorm, in your hobbies and especially in your faith. Colleges are filled with people who want to form relationships with other people. Be careful who you associate yourself with, because those you are around will be who influence you the most.
- Continue personal study. Don’t stop digging into God’s Word. For me, it was joining a women’s Bible study at the church I visit. I was able to have a time of fellowship and digging into the scriptures I’d read throughout the week, but I was also challenged on my own to make my faith a priority.
- Reach out. There are many people who are shyer than you are, and they are just waiting for an invitation to something. Maybe you could be the one who invites them to a clean, fun, Christ-centered event? Who knows, you might even find your best friend!
For me at least, my growth depended on all of these areas. I found a church that preaches from the Word of God; I got involved and met people walking similar roads as I walked; I continued my personal Bible study time as well as got involved in two group Bible study times; and I gathered other people with me as I went; and yes, that is how I met my best friend.