WHY NAPHTALI...
I started blogging here at Xanga on February 12, 2007. In my first post (here), I explained why I chose the name Naphtali:
So why Naphtali? Some of you may be wondering, “What’s that all about?” Others may be familiar with the name. Naphtali was one of the sons of Jacob (Israel). In Bible Study Fellowship last year we studied the blessings Jacob gave his sons at the end of Genesis. The blessing to Naphtali popped out at me: “Naphtali is a deer let loose; he uses beautiful words” (NKJV, Genesis 49:21). In the months prior to that time I could see God beginning to loosen me from many things that were keeping me from worshipping and serving Him as He desired (and that, of course, is His continuing work in me). The phrase “he uses beautiful words” hit me since so often I have used my tongue in ways to harm others rather than to encourage and edify them, and it is God’s desire for our words to honor and glorify Him (see James 3:10). My prayer is that this blog glorifies Him and encourages fellow believers in the Body of Christ.
Since that time God has done exceedingly above all I could have asked or imagined – as He blessed me with a supreme satisfaction in Himself! In Deuteronomy 33, as Moses is pronouncing blessings over the tribes of Israel, here are the words he speaks over Naphtali (please also see my post here for more on this):
Deuteronomy 33:23
And of Naphtali he said,
“O Naphtali, sated with favor,
and full of the blessing of the LORD,
possess the lake and the south.” (ESV)
And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south. (KJV)
In that post I cited above, I included some words I'd written in a comment on a friend's blog:
I am the last person I would have expected to be writing so much about joy & assurance, for not so long ago I had NO sense of joy or assurance. My desire for believers is to read and study the Scripture and understand that the promises there are for them, so they might begin take hold of those promises and ask, and then keep asking the Holy Spirit to make them a LIVING reality. We have not b/c we ask not! Luke 11:13.
So, that gives you the background as to why my blog tagline includes the following:
beautiful words / the deer set free / satisfied with Christ's favor
WHY JOURNAL...
I've always liked to write, and I find writing one way to process what God is teaching me. This blog has chronicled the journey God has had me on. This journey has not been without pain, heartbreak, stumbling, and bumbling! And thank God that this journey has not been without my heavenly Father's loving discipline!
As a disclaimer, I have to say that there are citations and references that I made several years ago which I would now question as iffy (or perhaps would recommend with reservation), but all of that was part of my journey, so I am leaving them as they are.
That said, God did an amazing thing as he brought Martyn Lloyd-Jones on to my radar screen back in 2008. The Lord used the Doctor's words to begin to help me to think Biblically, i.e. - to turn my thinking from "me first," to God first! (And THAT is a continuing journey, a daily struggle in my soul! ~ the flesh will certainly continue to lust against the Spirit until our dying day!) (To read about some of the impact Dr. Lloyd-Jones has had on me, please see this post.)
During this journey, there have been many times when God was hiding His face, and I questioned His way, but all the way He has proven Himself ever faithful and ever true!
Isaiah 42:16
And I will lead the blind
in a way that they do not know,
in paths that they have not known
I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I do,
and I do not forsake them.
In great part, as I cited above, this blog has been a record of my coming to know the joy of the Lord and the assurance of my salvation. If you look through my tags, you'll notice a tag "assurance and joy". A few years ago, I was greatly depressed and burdened over my sin, plagued by guilt and failures, and after a time, the Lord was gracious to me and granted me an Spirit-imparted assurance of salvation, and later on, joy unspeakable and full of glory ~ Psalm 112:4. I've been writing about assurance and fighting for joy since the fall of 2009: a total of 165 posts (so far!). I consider this such a vital part of my journey, and not only that, but I consider this a missing ingredient in so much of 21st century Christianity. Until the Spirit bore witness with my spirit, I had little to no interest in revival or in missions. Since that time, however, God has begun to increasingly burden my heart in these areas because a revived Church cannot help but be a Church overflowing with a new song to sing to the world:
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!
This blog is a continuing accounting of the grace of God to my soul, and I pray it might spur you on to seek the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to know the height and breadth and length and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (see Ephesians 3:14-21), that you might increasingly know Him, fear Him, enjoy Him, and serve Him, and render unto Him all the praise, honor, and glory due His name!
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!
For your furtherance and joy of faith, to the glory of God,
~ Karen
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
October 30, 2013
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