I decided to start this blog (2010) because my son, John-Robert gave me a One Year Bible for Christmas, the New Living Translation... reading it has changed my life... I post a daily Bible verse on my Facebook page every day and it has been well received... I thought that this would be a wonderful way to share part of what I read each day!... I hope that you enjoy it.



This Year 2012 I am going to do things a little different... not much...just a little. I am again reading through my One Year Bible (for the 3rd time). But I am also using "The Secret Power of Speaking God's Word" by Joyce Meyer. This book is divided by putting scriptures under different categories so they can be used to speak over our life situations. Each day I will read a category of scripture and pick a scripture in that category to write about.



Hugs

Jeannie







Saturday, November 30, 2013

11.30.13

Daniel 6:4-5 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn't find anything to criticize or condemn.  He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.  So the concluded, "Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion."

My Thoughts
Colossians 3:23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  This is what Daniel did... He worked just as if he were working for God and the people administrators and high offers no matter how much they searched could not find fault with Daniel.  We should live our lives in such a way.  And when we are talked about because we are "religious fanatics" we should ware it as a badge of honor.  Once people start attacking our religion because that is all that they can find fault with, we have done good.

On the flip side of that we never, ever want to be called a "religious fanatic" if we are always using our religion to put down others, or as an excuse not to act in a loving manner. We can only ware the title of "religious fanatic" proud if we are acting in love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us exactly what love is and how to act in love... it says, Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God,  if we work like we are working for God, and if we act in love... we too could face a lions den with confidence like Daniel did. 

Thursday, November 28, 2013

11.28.13

2 Peter 1:2a By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.

My Thoughts
I am learning this... I seem to only be getting it in bits and pieces... but I am growing.  As much as I know that when we make excuses we can't change I can still find myself doing this... making excuses.  Then God gently sends down something that teaches me to do better. 

It seems to work like those sappy movies or TV shows work...in 30 minutes to a couple of hours everything comes together..everybody has something that fits too perfectly into the puzzle and the whole family learns something, the same something in the end.  Today as I was reading my Bible I was reminded of something in my past that I needed to ask forgiveness for.  Then Satan, himself tried to give me excuses...then in my reading I read in 2 Peter 2: 19 it said For you are a slave to whatever controls you. God put it all together for me...just like one of those cheesy movies. I do love cheesy.

We can let how others have treated us control us, or we can let our guilt controls us... just the same as we can let drugs or alcohol control us. We can let an "I can't help it." control us. We can even let the affirmation of others control us... or we can call down God's grace over our lives and take back the power over sin that God says that we can have.  

I am slowly learning that God has so much in Heaven waiting on me...there for me to keep me strong, to make me a better person, I just have to call it down.  I keep waiting on it... without calling down what I need...then when I call down what I need amazing things begin to happen.  Just recently I learned to call down God's grace...I know I am slow!!! I kept waiting on God's grace just to fall down from Heaven and help me.... when all I had to do was call it down!!  Silly me.  I had one of those moments that play over and over in your head happen.  One of those moments that you can talk to death with your spouse and you both get worked up.  Instead of getting carried away by it I just kept asking for God's grace. I ask for God's grace for my replaying thoughts, His grace for the thoughts I had about my thoughts, I asked for God's grace to kept my mouth closed....I asked for God's grace to make me feel love... I asked for God grace to help me act in a loving manner no matter what I felt.... and you know what? God sent His wonderful grace!  How many times have I lost my peace because I didn't call down God's grace? Too many to count. God recently sent me Isaiah 30:18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.  I am so thankful that God showed me this verse in a way that it stuck. It is changing my life, yet again He grows me.  So blessed ar we that God would keep growing us, giving us what we need to live Godly lives.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

11.26.13

Daniel 3:16-18 & 26 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.  He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.  But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."  26. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped our of the fire.

My Thoughts
Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego loved God so much that even if He didn't save them it was okay, they would serve Him no matter what! Then God did save them. Today I was really struck by these words. I had prayed to be healed for several years before God healed me... but just a few weeks before I was healed we had had a discussion at church.  I said that night and meant it with all my heart, "Even if God never heals me that is okay.  I know that He can but if He chooses not to I am going to be fine because I know that He loves me. He has brought me through so much already."  I believe that me getting to that point was key in my healing.  When we truly love God with all our heart, His blessings fall down on us! We must love God even if He never chooses to do anything here on earth for us.  We must get to the point that we trust God to take care of us in Heaven no matter what we see before us on earth.  What I choose to do for God needs to be out of my love for Him, not out of what I think He will do for me in return.  What He chooses to do for me is just extra... His love for me and my love for Him is what is important.  Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego knew God could save them and loved God even if He chose not to.  

Monday, November 25, 2013

11.25.13

1 Peter 3:13-14 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it.

My Thoughts
I use to be a people pleaser!  I still love it when I get to make the choice to please people... I have sometimes made the wrong choice because I want to please people so bad. I have even made bad choices in my past to just please people. As I have learned to choose to do what is good in God's eyes...I so often get to please others, but sometimes I can't and I am finding that that is okay too. I am learning to give it to God and say to Him, "God please soften their hearts towards me." And He does.  

One of the best things that has happened to me as I have learned to do what God ask is that it has made making choices much easier.  I find that my options are fewer and that is a good thing... it simplifies my life. If I take my list of options and take away anything that would not make God happy,  my list gets smaller. Then when I go that next step and ask what God would want me to choose  my list gets even smaller. I no longer have to spend days thinking what to do, or days wondering if I did the right thing.  And if somebody does get upset with me... I can know that I did what God wanted and that is what really matters. 

I still mess up sometimes and fall back into those old patterns.. patterns that I learned as a child... and that is where God's forgiveness comes in... I tell Him that I am sorry and ask Him to send down His grace to help me...and I get a little bit better each day.  I know without a doubt that God is rewarding me because the better I get at choosing to do what pleases God the better my life gets...and the better my life gets because of God's blessings the more I want to please God.  I am amazed at how God blesses us... how He pours down His blessings on our lives. When I take the time to stop and think of God's blessings on my life my heart can feel like it is going to burst with joy. And in that same moment I can feel such peace. Peace that feels like I am sitting on a gym sized cloud... right in the middle of it on a almost cold day... wrapped in a blanket that covers the whole cloud, floating in warmth and peace.  Choosing God, choosing what God wants for my life only brings good things. Yet it brings me enough strength that when I do face troubles I will be able to stand strong...I find that amazing!

Sunday, November 24, 2013

11.24.13

1 Peter 3:4-5 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful.  They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.

My Thoughts
I know someone that does this.  If you knew the lady I am thinking of you would never guess her age. She is amazingly beautiful and if you knew her age you would know even more so how beautiful she is.  She is so soft spoken yet when she speaks the whole room listens because they know that wisdom will flow from her mouth.  Her husband has never fixed his own plate when she was home to do it for her, he respects her so much that he has taken her shoes off of her feet and slipped her house shoes on as she washed the dinner dishes. This lady loves God with her whole soul and she acts in that love of God by the way that she treats others.  She meets them where they are at and she helps grow them by her example.  The kindness she shows extends into others lives so much so that it reaches out and touches through the example of her actions, so many other people that she may never even meet.  Any time I walk into a room where she is at I feel comfort and love, because she allows the comfort and love of God flow through her.  She makes everybody around her want to be a better person.  I have been around people that I didn't want to see me mess up, but this lady makes you want to be better even when she is not looking.. not for her... but for God. The amazing thing about her is that even if you mess up, you know that you can tell her and she will love you still, pray for you to be stronger in the future, do all that she can to help you grow... and never see you differently than before.  I have learned so much from this lady, this amazingly beautiful lady.  Because she loves God so much, my life will never be the same. I feel beyond honored to call her my friend.  I feel special because she calls me friend. When we honor God with our lives people know. Do not pass up the chance to be all that you can be by loving God and honoring Him by living His word. 

Friday, November 22, 2013

11.22.13

1 Peter 2b May God give you more and more grace and peace. 

My Thoughts
I just felt joy when I read these words! Great joy!  I smiled so big that my face hurt.  To think that God gives us more and more grace and peace.  That means that we get stronger and stronger in Him.  That means that bigger and bigger things can come along and we will be able to deal with them with God's grace! It means that I wont be blown over by little things any more...that God is making me stronger and stronger .... and as much stronger as I am now than I was 4 years ago... in 4 years I will be even stronger... and when I face life's situations... I will have peace... lots of it!!  It means that the wonderful peace I feel now.. will just get better and better... no matter what I might face!!  There is no end...the more I study God's word.. the more I know God... the better life is going to get even in the mist of problems. Life is going to be better on the best days...and life is going to be better on the worse days because God sends down more and more grace and peace!!  The thought makes me want to dance!!    

Thursday, November 21, 2013

11.21.13

Matthew 6:10b May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.


My Thoughts
We studied the Lord's Prayer last night in church... but we skipped over this verse. When we did it rather broke my heart. The person teaching the class was getting to some important information about other parts of the Lord's Prayer that were very helpful... I learned so much. But when I read over this verse as we went on to the next verses I could not help but think of my healing.... a gift from God that was in Heaven all along waiting on me to call it down in faith. I secretly desired to stand up and say... please let's go over this part of the prayer too!! And let me tell you why it is important in my life.
We were taught last night that the Lord's Prayer was a model prayer...that we could use it to write or say prayers of our own... following this outline. Then we were given verses on some of the verses in the prayer that explained this. For me Matthew 16:19 is an example of this very verse... Matthew 16:19 says, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” for me this is the same as May your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Jesus tells us in both places...that we can bind up evil and sickness and we can set loose love and healing. It is God's will that we love, that we are healed, that kindness abounds. God binds up evil and does not allow it in Heaven...there is no sickness in Heaven. So when we say our prayers modeled on the Lords Prayer this, to me, is our place to bind up all that is bad...and set loose all that is good.
Why did I notice this verse and feel so strongly about it? Because God gave me this verse when I was being prayed over for healing from sickness... from Lupus and Fybromylgia... God showed me that the keys were in my hands...no the keys were in my words and in my faith to call down from heaven what is in heaven...and to bind up here on heart what God binds up in Heaven. When I bound up sickness...and called down healing in faith... knowing that God was sending me that scripture because He wanted me healed... then God sent down His healing straight from Heaven for me!
Why did God wait... Isaiah 30:18 tells me that. It says, "So the Lord must wait for you to come to him o he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help." And you know what... God gave me this verse just as I went off to retreat ... just before He gave me the keys to the Kingdom.

My favorite line in the Lord's Prayer is this line... "May your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven" I will never again say that verse when I say the Lord's Prayer without smiling, without feeling blessed and thankful, without knowing that God wants me to have what is up in Heaven here on earth... I just have to go to God so He can show me His love and compassion!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

11.20.13

James 3:17 But the wisdom for above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

My Thoughts
This is one of those verses that we need to put into our memory...thinking of it every day as a way to measure our words and our actions against what is good and noble. It is a good checklist to discern if it is the Holy Spirit speaking to us or if it is Satan trying to disguise himself in something that looks like wisdom.

We couls ask ourselves, "Am I choosing peace?" "Are my thoughts/actions gentle?" "Am I demanding my own way or am I yielding?" "Is this decision merciful?" "Am I choosing to do good?" "Am I being sincere?"

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

11.19.13

James 2:17 So you see, faith by itself isn't enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

My Thoughts
This verse use to really throw me!!  We learn when we read God's word that our works don't save us. And here we learn that if we don't produce good deeds our faith is useless. Talk about confusion!!  In James chapter 2 James talks about how our faith  should change us... he warns us not to be fooled by what we believe... What he is telling us that if what we believe is not making us better people than what we believe is wrong.  So we need to re-examine and re-learn what we think we know about God.  We can try to be good enough to get into Heaven...but that is not true faith... and we can say we know God but still act worldly...that is not knowing God... that is more hoping we know God enough.  Truly knowing God makes us want to do better, to be better, to please God.  If we don't see these things in our lives it is a warning and we need to heed that warning.  How horrible it would be to think you knew you had faith to find out at your death that you didn't.  Here James gives us a way to know...but to know we must be honest with ourselves!  Sometimes being honest with ourselves is the hardest honest to be....but it will produce much good once we get over the sting! 

Monday, November 18, 2013

11.18.13

John 14:6 I am the way, the truth and the light.

My Thoughts
I was in Bible Study today when we read this verse.... when I say the I am the truth part...my brain went straight to the fact that God only tells the truth. He only tells the truth about us. So often we listen to what the world says about us, what Satan says about us....and what we say about ourselves... we don't listen to what God says about us. And what God says is the truth!

God says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 130:14). God says that we matter so much to Him that He even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). God says that He has great plans for us..... plans to make us prosperous and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). God loves us so much, no matter what we have done in our lives we still matter to Him! (John 3:16). The list goes on and on and the more that we know God's word...the more we know God's truth! His truth about us and how much we matter to Him.

If you ever wonder whether God love you.. He does...and if you need me to tell you ... I can and I will... I want to!! Just let me know.

Friday, November 15, 2013

11.15.13

Proverbs 27:20 Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. 

My Thoughts
I read this and it took my breath away.  It was like a big wind that engulfed me with truth.  I thought about how we, as humans, always want, want, want.  I often see people go shopping  get home and feel a great let down! Then they need a new shopping trip.  A moment of purchase feels good...then we need another moment of purchase.  Lucky for me I am not much of a shopper... But, I can make a pretty necklace and love it...then it is not pretty enough and I feel the need to make another one.  It seems I loose interest in a craft when I get as good as I am going to get.  I keep wanting to be better.  And when I get at my best I find something else new to do. And I do love all the gadgets that go with each new craft.  I like knowing how, maybe more than the craft... I like learning to use new things. When I save money, I have a goal in mind...then I reach that goal...and I set another one...because that amount that once seemed big... doesn't seem quiet so big anymore.  Why? Because all of those things are human desires. The list can go on and on... and it is different for each of us.  But the fact is no matter what it is... a lower golf score, a higher bowling score... when we seek after human desires we are going to keep needing more and more and more.  We can't seem to step back and say, "Okay this is enough, I am letting this get out of hand."

What I am learning in my walk with God is that what He gives me has a lasting effect.  I don't need more... what God gives me is always enough and it feels so perfectly good it fits just right. When God feels me with joy, it feels me completely, when God feels me with peace, it feels me completely.  It never gets old or goes out of style.  When I bask in what God provides for me it feels just right and I am content so completely content.

Is it bad to shop? To do crafts? To enjoy golf or bowling? Is it bad to save money? NO! Not when we use it for good and in right measure...but when we use it to fill up something that is missing, then we will never fill full ... we will never understand pressed down, shaken together and overflowing because we will be chasing the next fix.  When we seek after God, He fills us overflowing... pressed down, shaken together overflowing!!  Then when we go shopping we can stop and what we need, when so do a craft we can use it to love others, when we golf and bowl we can share in friendships without such need attached to it.  God put a place of desire in our souls... we are constantly trying to fill it up with things of this world... but it can only be filled with God things.

I picture it like a sifter... the things of the world are sand size...and the things of God are bolder size...when we put the things of the world in that sifter... it just all falls through and we are left in need... but when we put God things in that sifter it fills up completely.  We are never going to complete the task of filling up the sifter no matter how hard we try, if we put worldly things in it all the time.

The wonderful thing about God is that when we seek after Him, all else is added, but added in just the right amount to create balance in our lives.  

Thursday, November 14, 2013

11.14.13

Hebrews 12:10a For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how.

My Thoughts
This goes on to tell us how God's discipline is because He loves us and wants the best for us.  But this verse just stood out to me today!   When that happens I think it is a God thing.  All good things come from Him.  This verse comforted me me deeply.  As a parent I tried really hard.  All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mom...and I wanted to be a good mom!  So many times I failed so bad, it would have helped me so much if I had know God as deeply as I do now, but I didn't. I knew Him more on the surface.  But I read books and parenting magazines. I did what the doctor told me and I was pretty good at it...then we hit the teen years...and there just were not magazines that covered the teen years. I was not as good at those... but I still tried hard... even when it didn't always show.  Thank goodness God only puts us in charge of our children for a few years!! And I always, always loved my kids, even if they didn't always feel it...I believe they always know it. 

What comforted me when I read this verse is that God knows!!! God knows that we as parents do the best we can with what we know at the moment. God knows that some days are much harder than others.  God knows that sometimes life challenges get in the way of parenting. God knows that sometimes we under parent and sometimes we over parent.  God knows that sometimes we are too tired to parent.  God knows when we are doing the best we can and God knows that some days our best is more and some days I best is less.  God sees the big picture.  When we ask God forgives our mistakes and forget them, even when I children can't God knows that we are human.

What I am learning as the parent of adult children is that now I can lead by example.  That even if I didn't know God like I do now... now I can be a godly example. I can pray that what I do good in life now, that I didn't know how to do before, effects them in positive ways. I can be there for them when they need me... and I can move out of the way when they don't.  I an act in love.  Because now I know that love is action... not a feeling. The feeling might follow.... but love is an action. And I can love them by trying my best, with God's grace, by being patient and kind, never being envious, boastful, proud or rude by trying not to demand my own way.  I can do my best, with God's grace not to be irritable and I keep no record of being wronged.  I can rejoice when truth wins out...but never rejoice in injustice.  I can never give up on them, never lose faith in them and I can endure through ever circumstance with them.  (I Corinthians 13: 4-7).  I can pray for them... I can cheer them on. I can grow best by not dweling on what I didn't know how to do...and loving God all that I can.  Loveing God makes me a better person which in turn makes me a better parent!
 

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

11.13.13

Psalm 111:5 He gives food to those who fear him, he always remembers his covenant.

My Thoughts
I read this and thought, "All I have to do is seek God then He takes care of the rest."   To fear God means to be in awe and reverence of Him.  I was trying to think of a moment that I was in awe...I remember the first time I saw the ocean...all I could do was look at it...I wanted to stand there and look at if for hours upon end.  Even when we left and did other things... I was excited to get back to see the ocean. We need to always be excited to get back to the presence of God. We should want to just stand in His presence!!  When we feel this way about God, He makes sure that our needs are met.  Our job is to love God, to thank God, to praise God... Matthew 6:33 tells us to see God first and all else will be added.

We as people make life so hard.  We want to work hard enough, be good enough!  God gives so much that often we feel like He expects so much from us.  But it is really so simple... we need to love God above all else and He will take care of the rest!!  Here in Psalm 11:5 it says He give us food if we are in awe of Him!!  Wow! 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

11.12.13

Hebrews 11:6 And it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

My Thoughts
I love this...we must believe that God has good things in store for us!!  I have heard of people being criticized for saying, "If I do this God will reward me."  Treated like they were in "it" for the rewards.  Here we are told that we are to believe that God will reward us.  And the Bible is filled with promises of rewards!  There are all kinds of "if and then" statements in God's word.  Because Sarah believed that God would give her a child, even though she was too old, Sarah had a child.  But we have to believe in order for God to give us His promises.

In  Isaiah 30:18 it tells us that the Lord must wait for us to come to Him. For the Lord is a faithful God.  Matthew 16:19 says, "I give you the keys to the Kingdom. Whatever you bind up on earth is bound up in Heaven and what ever you loose on earth is loose in Heaven.    God waits for us to show our faith by asking with faith ...then he acts on what we ask for.  It was just recently that I "got it" when it said, "I give you the keys to the Kingdom." We have them, God gives them to us.. WE have to use what God has given us and WE have to open our mouths in faith. 

You might ask me how I know this to be true... I can tell you because I am living proof!  I lived with Lupus and Fybromylgia for 12+ year.. not sure how many + years I had...but I was told 12 years ago that I had Lupus, then Fybromylgia followed.  Then God gave me these two verse... first Isiah 30:18 just before I went off to retreat, and Matthew 16:19 once I got there.  I started using MY keys to God's Kingdom... binding up sickness and pain and calling down healing and restoration... 10 days later I woke up and was drying my hair, getting ready for Church and I knew, that I knew, that I knew that I felt healthy...not sick on a really good day, but healthy!!  I finally learned how to sincerely seek after God and all the rewards that He promises me!!

Please, please believe in the wonderful rewards of God. If you do... on there are so many wonderful things in store for you life... wonderful things. 

Monday, November 11, 2013

11.11.13

Hebrews 9:13-14 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ceremonial impurity.  Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our conscience from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God.  

My Thoughts
Conscience: the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong : a feeling that something you have done is morally wrong

I knew what conscience meant...but I needed to read the definition!!  I know that the Bible talks about throwing our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12... that God does not remember our sins. But I loved reading this and knowing that God does not want me to wallow in my past sins.  God wants me to be able to move forward so that I can focus on Him... not all that I have done wrong. 

I was taught to feel guilty... like you were not sorry for what you did wrong if you didn't feel guilty. We need to be sorry for our sins, we need to ask forgiveness and we need to ask for God's grace when we want to sin again.  But once we ask for forgiveness, God forgives us.  And we need to forgive ourselves too so that we can worship God.  If we are busy worrying about all that we have ever done wrong we are not free to worship God.  And that is exactly where the devil likes us to be...stuck so that we can't worship. We are told here that Christ purifies our conscience, the part of our mind that makes us aware that we have done morally wrong things.  God makes us right. God frees us to worship Him. 

God told me once after my mom died, "Jeannie if you are busy worrying about what you didn't know how to do, you won't be able to become the person I want you to be." This very verse confirms what God told me that day I was wallering in worry of things that I had not done, of my sins of omission. 

God does not want us waling around feeling bad all the time... God want us to feel so free of all burdens that we are able just to love and praise Him.  When we do this it honors God and it grows us!!  Wow I love that!

Friday, November 8, 2013

11.8.13

Ezekiel 19:21-22 But if wicked people turn from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is right, they will surely live and not die.  All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.

My Thoughts
I love that God gives us another chance... that He is a God of mercy... In verse 32 God says, "I don't want you to die. Turn back and live." He even gives us His Word so that we can learn to live a righteous life.  How special is that!  He forgets all of our sins!  When we are reminded of our sins it is not God, He does not remember!  It is Satan trying to trip us up... because God loves us so much He forgets...and we can tell Satan that we know that!!  We with boldness can say, "God has forgiven me, God loves me so much that He has even chose to forget my sins!" God wants us to grow in Him and He knows that we can't do that if we are living in the shadow of our past, so He forgets our past for us so that we can grow!!  We can never be so bad that God will not forgive us if we ask and begin to do better. That is love!  An amazing love.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

11.7.13

Proverbs 27:7 A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.



My Thoughts
I have read this at least 3 other times...no each time I go through my Bible I go through Proverbs twice...so this is the 6th time I have read this verse. FINALLY I get it!! Which means I am growing... so I will not beat myself up... I will just be so very thankful that I got here to the "getting it" part!

There have been stories, and sometimes there still are, that I have read in the Bible that just baffled me, upset me even that now I love!! Even when I have to hang my head in shame because I know that those verses that day are speaking directly at me. Telling me that I have done wrong and I must do better. Even the harshest stories of the Bible are sweet now... I am finally hungry enough... and I hope that I stay hungry for God's words, for God's truths...those truths no matter how harsh they may sometimes seem make my life better and better and better...and they help keep me focused on God.

Even today I thought how could I bet too full of God's word to be hungry, then I realized that when I am not hungry for God is not when I am too full of God's word, after all the more I read God's word the hungrier I am for it. It is when I am too full of myself that I am not hungry for God's word. The less full I am of me, and the more I hunger for God's word the more I am able to rejoice even in God's correction of my actions. Why? Because those corrections make me able to draw closer to God and all that He has for me. They make me able to know God more deeply... and in the process bring me closer and closer to God. Which also grow the joy God places in my heart.

I love that the more I know God the more starved I feel for His Word... and the more full of love I feel all at the same time. The hungrier I am, the less I get in my way. The hungrier I am the more blessings God can send to overflow my life with. What a blessing it is to read this verse and know that I know, that I know what it means to me and for me!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

11.6.13

Ezekiel 9:17-19 You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them.  This is adultery against me! You used the beautifully embroidered clothes I have you to dress your idols.  Then you used my special oil and my incense to worship them.  Imagine it! You set before them as a sacrifice the choice flour, olive oil, and honey I had given you, says the Sovereign Lord.

My Thoughts
Verse 23 says, "What sorrow awaits you, says the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness,  you built a pagan shrine and put alters to idols in every town square.

What all do we do this with today?  I think of stars having their hand prints in the sidewalk...of collages putting up statues of their sports hero's  and of Washington putting up statues to great presidents.  I thought of us spreading out a wonderful meal in front of the TV to watch our favorite teams play and of all the wonderful smells of food surrounding a football stadium by the tailgaters.  I though of how much pomp and circumstance we give so many things and then ponder on Sundays if we will go to Church or stay home.  How many times do we miss worshiping God because we stayed up late to watch "the game." I couldn't help but wonder what God thinks of all of that!!  It actually made my heart sad... the thought has truly brought tears to my eyes this morning.

God has given us so very much... so much of what He has given us gives us more time...yet we spend less and less time with God. I think of how much I have grown in the past 4 years by getting up each morning and reading my Bible and I feel proud of myself...but today I think... what if at night I gave up one more TV show and read that much more of God's word? I would have grown even more!!  

I have heard it said that if we are too busy to make time for God then we are way too busy.  So often we spend our days looking for a minutes peace...when peace would come in spending time with God.  Each night I look forward to settling in and turning on the TV for a couple of hours... a whole couple of hours of peace... have I neglected God in the process... have I made TV an idol?  It seems that I need to adjust my life a little more... I can see this as frustrating...as giving up something I enjoy... or I can see this as a wonderful chance to find more peace, to know God more, to grow my joy.... there are so many moments in my day where I have the chance for this.. yet I pass them up.  I have a couple of changes I need to make... I am sure there is more than a couple...but I can at least start with a couple and go from there.... I want so God to smile down on me....


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

11.5.13

Ezekiel 13:10 This will happen because these evil prophets deceived my people by saying, "All is peaceful" when there is no peace at all.  It's as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to reinforce it by covering it with whitewash!

My Thoughts
When I read the words whitewash, I though of white lies.  These prophets didn't want people, especially kings who could have them killed to dislike them.  So they said what the people wanted to hear. God called them evil. 

As I child I was taught to tell "white lies" to spare hurt feelings.  You know the kind, the phone rings (back in the day of no caller id) and your mom says, "If that is so in so tell them I am not at home."  A white lie to spare someones feelings... my mom didn't want to talk to them, but didn't want to hurt their feelings.  There are other examples, "I love this dress! Do you like it" and you answer, "yes" when your mind screams NO!  The list can go on...and some of the white lies you learn to tell... become more of a gray.  When you are taught something as a child, by a parent who has good intentions... you do what you are taught.  And sometimes you even pass these things down to your children...and them to their children.

The more I read God's word the more I understand how harmful these things can be in our lives and in the lives of the people around us.  A white lie...is white wash...it is something that makes things look better than what the truth is. And as harmless as a white lie seems it does not please God.  And as small as a white lie seems it could have consequences that we never intended.  What if we told a "white" lie about a dress being pretty...and that dress was worn to a job interview? The way that person looked in that dress could make all the difference.  We never ever know how far the ripples of a "white" lie reach.  God understand this...and in this verse I learn that we are not to white wash anything... we are to say everything with love and kindness... even if it stings a little. 

If you think about it... white washing the truth only benefits you... we are taught that it is for the benefit of others... but in reality it isn't. It makes us look sweet while the person we told a white lie to walk around in an ugly dress.  Is that kind... or would the truth been kinder?  The truth is always kinder if we could see the big picture.  God sees the big picture enough to warn us that white washing things is evil in His eyes. 

Monday, November 4, 2013

11.4.13

Hebrews 6:19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.  It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary.

My Thoughts
I love this ...a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls!! An anchor for our souls!!  I love that word picture!!  Even tossed in a storm when we are anchored to God by Jesus we can weather the storms of life!! And when we are anchored and the sun is shining bright we don't have to stay at the controls of our ship...we get to go about the ship and enjoy life.  The anchor has everything under control! Held firm into place!! On top of all of that... when Jesus is our anchor He takes us straight to God.. to the safest place we can be.  An anchor with GPS...we throw it out into the waters, no matter where we are and it lands in the inner sanctuary of God.  We have to be smart enough to never cut that anchor from our lives even in the toughest storms then we will come through to the other side...better and stronger than we have ever been before.   

Sunday, November 3, 2013

11.3.13

Hebrews 4:15-16 This High Priest (Jesus) of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. there we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most!


My Thoughts

Jesus understands!! He understands every single feeling we have! So we can talk to Him about anything...we can boldly tell Him how we feel.

I loved reading this today... just loved it... I needed it! For most of my life I just did not understand this... I felt like I could only go to Jesus when I was being good. Now I understand that I can go to Jesus when I am at my worse, when I am having my worse thoughts ever and that is when He will go to God on my behalf and ask for God's grace to help keep us strong, to help us make the right decisions in spite of ourselves!!

How wonderful that God sent Jesus to earth to be a man, so that He could totally understand us! So that He would know exactly how we feel... how wonderful it is that Jesus called always on God's grace to help Him not sin... and God will give us that same grace to help us not to sin. We just have to learn to go to Jesus before we sin, so that we don't have to go after we sin. I never really understood that I could go to Jesus and say, "Oh I feel like sinning, I feel like giving in! Please help me!!" It seems an odd thing to say...but isn't it much better than saying, "I have sinned please forgive me!" Jesus "gets us"... He so understands... we just need to understand that we can go boldly and confess our desire to sin...and ask for help!!

Friday, November 1, 2013

11.1.13

Hebrews 3:19 So we see because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. 

My Thoughts
Oh wow! Looking back over my life this verse really hits home. For so long I thought I believed in God.  I did believe that God existed .... I believed that Jesus died of my sins. I had been taught that all of my life.  But there was so much that I missed...even when I thought I was trying.  All along there were things my Sunday School teachers would say, or that the preacher would preach on...that I just didn't believe.  I more felt like I didn't "get it" ...but really I didn't believe it.  Why? All because I didn't understand all that God says in His word.  Why didn't I understand?  Because I had not taken the time to read God's word for myself.  I had only read bits and pieces and then I had just gone on what the preacher preached. I probable had faith about a few things...but not about all the things that God promises me.  I just didn't know all the things that God promises me. I had not read them for myself. And all along I was never at rest... I didn't know how to enter God's rest.

If I think about it...what I believed is that Jesus died so that I could be forgiven and that I needed to be good.  That may be all that I really understood.  I sure didn't understand that if I loved God and kept my eyes and my heart on Him, He would make me want to be good, and He would make me able to be good. I had the Jesus died for my sins part right. I just had no grasp what so ever on God's amazing grace...that made me able, that gave me the deep desire to do better and better and better.  I was out in the world trying to please God by my actions, not by loving Him and accepting all that He had to give me.  Once that I learned about how God loves me so completely... I couldn't help but love Him... once I knew how to look for God's love around me, I couldn't help but feel loved by God.  Once I got that...the peace of God just flowed down from heaven into my life like a river filled from a never ending rain.

These days I just bask in the peace of God...sometimes I stop and feel a bit sad for the me that was trying so hard without direction...so void of God's wonderful peace.  Once I understood the Holy Spirit and learned to actually feel His presence inside of me... my life was, finally, forever changed.

You might be asking, as you read this, "How did you get to this place?" I always had that question in my mind when I met a Christian that glowed with God's peace and understanding.  But I would never ask for fear of looking like I was not a Christian myself.  What I was, is a Child of God stuck at the very beginning of a wonderful journey for years upon years... Found but so lost all at the same time.  And all along I was afraid to ask, "How do I get what you have?????!!!!" I can tell you how I got what I have today... I picked up my Bible and started reading.  God tells us that if we seek wisdom, wisdom will find us.  And that is just what happened to me. It happened when I had not ever known that promise of God.  I started seeking wisdom...and slowly but surly I begin to understand...and as I did I begin to live under the protection of God.  Then God wanted me so protected that He surrounded me by godly people, who taught me even more...now I live totally in the peace of God.  Every once in a while when I feel peace slipping away...I go running to God and find out where I put peace down and picked up the world... and I fix it fast... because peace, the peace of God is an amazing place to live!