F.R.O.G.

I saw this acronym a few years ago, F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely On God), and I thought, ‘how cute’.  There were t-shirts, bumper stickers, bracelets, you know how it goes.  Then I started to wonder, how many of us really do it?  Fully rely on God?  F.R.O.G. means I don’t do things in my OWN power, or rely on other natural beings, but I rely on the matchless power of God. 

You buy a new TV stand, and you get home to put it together.  You don't bother with the instructions because you've got this.  How hard could it be.  You put it together, and there are lots of pieces left.  How can that be?  The pieces must be necessary because they put them in the box.  NOW you refer to the instructions.  It would have saved you a lot of time, and been much easier if you had consulted the instructions FIRST.  It's the same way with our lives.  If we consult Him FIRST, and follow HIS instructions, our lives would be much easier. 

Can’t sleep at night?  Agonizing over a family member or situation?  You are not practicing F.R.O.G.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 MSG says it like this: “Cursed is the strong one who depends on mere humans, who thinks he can make it on muscle alone and sets GOD aside as dead weight.  He’s like a tumbleweed on the prairie, out of touch with the good earth.  He lives rootless and aimless in a land where nothing grows.  But blessed is the man who trusts me, GOD, the woman who sticks with GOD.  They’re like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near rivers – never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season.”

Chances are you already know what happens when you don’t F.R.O.G.  Now it’s time to experience what happens when you do F.R.O.G.  God is interested in every detail of our lives.  Turn 'it' over to Him, and let Him instruct you on how to handle 'it'.  God’s Word tells us if we rely on HIM and not ourselves, we will be blessed.  We don’t have to worry when we look around and every’thing’ or every’one’ seems to be falling apart, He’s got it. 

Here are a few more scriptures to help you F.R.O.G.:

“Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” – Psalm 37:5

“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid what can mere man do to me?” –Psalm 56:3-4

“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” –Psalm 121:2

“Trust in the LORD forever, for in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.” –Isaiah 26:4

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” –Philippians 4:6

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” –Proverbs 3:5

 

Let's F.R.O.G.!

Margaret Slaughter

I'm Going Back

I'M GOING BACK

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”  ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.  ¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.  ¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

In layman’s terms, leprosy is defined as: a chronic, mildly infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affecting the peripheral nervous system, skin, and nasal passages, including ulcerations, tubercular nodules, and loss of sensation that sometimes leads to traumatic amputation of the body part.

Traditionally, lepers were considered unclean and banished from society, forced to live in seclusion with no physical contact for fear of spreading the disease.  “As long as the serious disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean.  They must live in isolation in their place outside the camp.”-(Leviticus 13:46)  If a leper encountered a ‘clean’ person, they were required to shout, ‘unclean, unclean’.  That Jesus interacted with the lepers was in itself uncommon, compounded by the fact that they were Samaritans.  By all accounts, this interaction should have never taken place.  Not only did it take place violating numerous societal regulations, but they were healed.  You would think that would cause a great deal of thankfulness, however, only one returned to show Jesus his gratitude. 

In biblical terms leprosy was sometimes seen as associated with sin.  Like leprosy, sin can quickly spread, affecting every area of our lives, and more importantly separating us from God.  We’ve all been in situations where we’ve said, “Lord, if you get me out of this one . . .”, and Jesus does it, and we go on with our lives as if nothing happened, failing to keep our promise.  How many times have you been ‘healed’ or forgiven, and failed to ‘go back’ and tell Him thank you? 

As Christians, we must get to a place of thankfulness.  We cannot continue to take God’s healing, forgiveness, grace, and mercy for granted.  If He’s done something for you, no matter how small, we must begin to live in a state of thankfulness.  Don’t be like the nine.  ‘Go back’ and tell Him, ‘Thank you!’

Margaret Slaughter