It would seem as though I missed a few days. I've been a little discouraged this week, and even less motivated. So I opened up to the beginning of Psalms, which is always a good place for me to find a little encouragement, started at Chapter one, continuing until I really felt God speaking to me.
Today's passage: Psalm 5:1-3
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Notes:
God hears our prayers.
He knows what we need.
He hears when we cry out to him.
And he really does care.
consider - to think carefully about, esp. in order to make a decision; contemplate; reflect on
to bear in mind; make allowance for
to pay attention to; regard
to regard with respect, thoughtfulness, honor, etc.
expectation - the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.
something expected; a thing looked forward to.
a prospect of future good or profit: to have great expectations.
How this passage can be applied to my life:
God knows what my family needs right now. He's heard my prayers every day. He knows what I'm worried about, but he doesn't want any of us to worry.
All there is for me to do, is keep praying, and have faith that the Lord, my God, will provide. And wait patiently. If I'm worrying, then I'm not really being patient am I?
I know God will act. He wouldn't tell us to expect Him to, if he wasn't planning on it.
Memory verse from today's reading:
Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
(definitions are from http://www.dictionary.com/)
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
ON THE ROCK!
Today's Passage: Matthew 7: 24-27
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had it's foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain blew down, the streams rose, and the winds beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.
Notes:
If we read the words of God like it were a novel, with no real meaning, we will just move on with our daily lives as though we never read it.
The bible is here to teach and guide us, not to entertain us. It should not only be studied as though we will be taking a test that we can not afford to fail, but also lived as though it is an instruction manual for life itself. Imagine building a car, piece by piece, without an instruction manual. What happens when you get behind the wheel? If you have a basic knowledge of building cars, if you're lucky it may last you a few weeks, maybe even a few months, but eventually, it'll crash or die.
How this passage can be applied to my life:
Many times I have been like the foolish builder, building on my own hopes and dreams, living off of my own motives, doing what I wanted when I wanted, because I knew what was best for me.
I became a Christian when I was 16, but until this year, church was the only place I ever opened my bible. I only went to church for about a year, got too busy with work, school, and the rest of life, so I stopped going. I started living for myself again, until a couple years later when I started going to church again. This cycle repeated itself in my life for nearly 10 years. Every time, except for the last time, when I started going back to church, it was because of that great crashing wave. Every thing would be going great in my life, until all of a sudden there was a storm so huge that it tore it all apart, leaving me face down in the sand, knowing that the only one that could help me back up was God himself. God has worked many miracles in my life, and many times I have turned my back on him as soon as my life was looking up again, like I was telling him, "Thanks for the help but I got it from here."
Not this time! Never again! I'll keep my foundation right here on the Rock where I belong!
Memory verse from today's reading:
Matthew 7:24
Therefore everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Something to think about:
Would you rather be standing on the rock, or sinking in the sand?
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had it's foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain blew down, the streams rose, and the winds beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.
Notes:
If we read the words of God like it were a novel, with no real meaning, we will just move on with our daily lives as though we never read it.
The bible is here to teach and guide us, not to entertain us. It should not only be studied as though we will be taking a test that we can not afford to fail, but also lived as though it is an instruction manual for life itself. Imagine building a car, piece by piece, without an instruction manual. What happens when you get behind the wheel? If you have a basic knowledge of building cars, if you're lucky it may last you a few weeks, maybe even a few months, but eventually, it'll crash or die.
How this passage can be applied to my life:
Many times I have been like the foolish builder, building on my own hopes and dreams, living off of my own motives, doing what I wanted when I wanted, because I knew what was best for me.
I became a Christian when I was 16, but until this year, church was the only place I ever opened my bible. I only went to church for about a year, got too busy with work, school, and the rest of life, so I stopped going. I started living for myself again, until a couple years later when I started going to church again. This cycle repeated itself in my life for nearly 10 years. Every time, except for the last time, when I started going back to church, it was because of that great crashing wave. Every thing would be going great in my life, until all of a sudden there was a storm so huge that it tore it all apart, leaving me face down in the sand, knowing that the only one that could help me back up was God himself. God has worked many miracles in my life, and many times I have turned my back on him as soon as my life was looking up again, like I was telling him, "Thanks for the help but I got it from here."
Not this time! Never again! I'll keep my foundation right here on the Rock where I belong!
Memory verse from today's reading:
Matthew 7:24
Therefore everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Something to think about:
Would you rather be standing on the rock, or sinking in the sand?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
DO I HAVE SOMETHING IN MY EYE?
Today's Passage: Matthew 7: 1-5
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the spec in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother "let me take the spec out of your eye," when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the spec from your brother's eye.
Notes:
It is easy to see other's faults and not our own, when we are looking outward, not in at ourselves.
It is easy to point fingers and call people out for their mistakes, and ignore our own.
When we have big issues of our own, we are more likely to look for things in other people that will take the attention (of ourselves and everyone else) away from our own problems.
How this passage can be applied to my life:
When I find myself judging someone else, whether an individual or a group of people, I usually only do it in my head, sometimes share with someone close to me, but absolutely never directly confront the specific person/people. (Confrontation has always been something I've worked hard to avoid.) I've started to catch myself doing this more often lately. I have to say to myself, "Hey stop that! Bad thought!"
I have been asking God nightly for the last few months to open my eyes, to make me less blind to my own impurities, to help me see them, so that He can help me to be rid of them. There are quite a few that we have discovered and our working on cleaning up. For example, sarcasm! Sarcasm has always been a huge part of who I am, or was. For lack of a better phrase, the "smart ass" comments that used to come so easily in any given situation, are now few and far between, and getting less and less. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Memory verse from today's reading:
Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Something to think about?
What's in your eye?
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the spec in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother "let me take the spec out of your eye," when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the spec from your brother's eye.
Notes:
It is easy to see other's faults and not our own, when we are looking outward, not in at ourselves.
It is easy to point fingers and call people out for their mistakes, and ignore our own.
When we have big issues of our own, we are more likely to look for things in other people that will take the attention (of ourselves and everyone else) away from our own problems.
How this passage can be applied to my life:
When I find myself judging someone else, whether an individual or a group of people, I usually only do it in my head, sometimes share with someone close to me, but absolutely never directly confront the specific person/people. (Confrontation has always been something I've worked hard to avoid.) I've started to catch myself doing this more often lately. I have to say to myself, "Hey stop that! Bad thought!"
I have been asking God nightly for the last few months to open my eyes, to make me less blind to my own impurities, to help me see them, so that He can help me to be rid of them. There are quite a few that we have discovered and our working on cleaning up. For example, sarcasm! Sarcasm has always been a huge part of who I am, or was. For lack of a better phrase, the "smart ass" comments that used to come so easily in any given situation, are now few and far between, and getting less and less. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Memory verse from today's reading:
Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Something to think about?
What's in your eye?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
OF SALT AND LIGHT
Today's Passage: Matthew 5: 13-16
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt looses it's saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Notes:
Salt that isn't salty will not make your food more flavorful.
A lamp under a bowl will not make the room any brighter.
In the same way, faith without action does nothing to show others how great God is.
The love of God is nothing to be hidden or kept to oneself. It is to be shared with the world.
How this passage can be applied to my life:
Show love and kindness to everyone, even if I don't feel like it or don't think they deserve it. God loves me and shows me mercy and grace every day, even when I don't deserve it. Through my actions and attitude, I can show people how great His love is.
Share the word of God. When a friend is seeking advice, give them a verse or two from the Bible that relates to their current situation, rather than just my own opinion of what they should do.
Study the bible daily to continually add fuel to my lamp.
Share my testimony. Most people need to see something in order to believe it. My testimony is my personal evidence of God's action in my life. I can add some flavor to the day of a random stranger just about any where; on the bus, waiting in a line, waiting at a stoplight for the pedestrian light to turn green.
Volunteer to help people. I can help an elderly neighbor put away their groceries or walk their dog. I can help a single parent by watching their kids while they run errands. I can help tutor children in the neighborhood that are struggling with their home work. There are so many ways that I can help others just in my own community.
Memory verse from today's reading:
Matthew 5:16
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Something to think about:
What are some simply things you can do to help someone, to share the love of your Father with the world?
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt looses it's saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Notes:
Salt that isn't salty will not make your food more flavorful.
A lamp under a bowl will not make the room any brighter.
In the same way, faith without action does nothing to show others how great God is.
The love of God is nothing to be hidden or kept to oneself. It is to be shared with the world.
How this passage can be applied to my life:
Show love and kindness to everyone, even if I don't feel like it or don't think they deserve it. God loves me and shows me mercy and grace every day, even when I don't deserve it. Through my actions and attitude, I can show people how great His love is.
Share the word of God. When a friend is seeking advice, give them a verse or two from the Bible that relates to their current situation, rather than just my own opinion of what they should do.
Study the bible daily to continually add fuel to my lamp.
Share my testimony. Most people need to see something in order to believe it. My testimony is my personal evidence of God's action in my life. I can add some flavor to the day of a random stranger just about any where; on the bus, waiting in a line, waiting at a stoplight for the pedestrian light to turn green.
Volunteer to help people. I can help an elderly neighbor put away their groceries or walk their dog. I can help a single parent by watching their kids while they run errands. I can help tutor children in the neighborhood that are struggling with their home work. There are so many ways that I can help others just in my own community.
Memory verse from today's reading:
Matthew 5:16
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Something to think about:
What are some simply things you can do to help someone, to share the love of your Father with the world?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)