I'm quite behind on posting the weekly Scripture that I'm to memorize; do forgive me!
This week is Psalm 37:7, which goes something like this:
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
I find it sadly amusing that this is quite pertinent to how I should live my life; I'm constantly on the go and am constantly late to appointments and other things that must be done. That and I don't slow down to listen to what God has to say; that's the sad part about the whole thing. I need to slow down and listen to that still, small voice that whispers amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Perhaps now would be the best time to stop and listen. Won't you join me in that?
5/16/11
This Week in Scripture; Encouragement At It's Best!
When I chose this week's Scripture verse to memorize, I paused after I read it.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2, ESV)
It made me pause for this reason: During our trials and various problems through life, God will always be there and He will not turn His back on you.
When I was growing up, my dad was not the best dad out there; I knew that he would only show up at events I was involved in because my mom practically begged him to show up. Even when he did, he'd sit in the very back and closest to the exit; he was clearly not interested in being there and he showed his lack of enthusiasm. I knew that he would be bored out of his mind, yet I wanted him there to support and encourage me; I still never received that support and encouragement. The one thing I longed to hear from Dad was "I'm proud of you" and I never heard it from him.
When I became a Christian (God's grace alone did that; I can't claim anything on that one.) when I was 20 years old (That was 10 years ago; God's timing is perfect.), I had a hard time relating to God as Father (Sometimes, I still do.) and a perfect Father at that (That was even more mind-boggling.); He encourages, consoles and disciplines His children perfectly and with love. I never had that kind of example growing up and I struggled with that. I struggled a long time with the idea of an affectionate, loving and encouraging Father.
When I was younger, I looked at fathers with their kids and I ached with sadness; I was jealous of those kids because their dads actually cared. My dad was more concerned about his golf game and whether or not things were done his way.
I would not be surprised if Dad despised the idea of his daughter embracing Christ as Savior; it was the exact opposite of how he lived his life. He chose early on to reject Christianity and showed in various ways how hostile he was to the faith.
Now, I watch my husband with his little girl and I smile; he's encouraging her, he consoles her when she falls and disciplines her when she needs it. My daughter will know what a loving father is like, because she'll have both her temporal father and her eternal Father; that's what I want Bee to witness as she grows up and when the Holy Spirit draws her near to her Savior.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2, ESV)
It made me pause for this reason: During our trials and various problems through life, God will always be there and He will not turn His back on you.
When I was growing up, my dad was not the best dad out there; I knew that he would only show up at events I was involved in because my mom practically begged him to show up. Even when he did, he'd sit in the very back and closest to the exit; he was clearly not interested in being there and he showed his lack of enthusiasm. I knew that he would be bored out of his mind, yet I wanted him there to support and encourage me; I still never received that support and encouragement. The one thing I longed to hear from Dad was "I'm proud of you" and I never heard it from him.
When I became a Christian (God's grace alone did that; I can't claim anything on that one.) when I was 20 years old (That was 10 years ago; God's timing is perfect.), I had a hard time relating to God as Father (Sometimes, I still do.) and a perfect Father at that (That was even more mind-boggling.); He encourages, consoles and disciplines His children perfectly and with love. I never had that kind of example growing up and I struggled with that. I struggled a long time with the idea of an affectionate, loving and encouraging Father.
When I was younger, I looked at fathers with their kids and I ached with sadness; I was jealous of those kids because their dads actually cared. My dad was more concerned about his golf game and whether or not things were done his way.
I would not be surprised if Dad despised the idea of his daughter embracing Christ as Savior; it was the exact opposite of how he lived his life. He chose early on to reject Christianity and showed in various ways how hostile he was to the faith.
Now, I watch my husband with his little girl and I smile; he's encouraging her, he consoles her when she falls and disciplines her when she needs it. My daughter will know what a loving father is like, because she'll have both her temporal father and her eternal Father; that's what I want Bee to witness as she grows up and when the Holy Spirit draws her near to her Savior.
5/9/11
This Week in Scripture!
This week I decided to focus on the Old Testament, specifically from the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 43:1 states the following:
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."
Several passages in Isaiah speak of a coming Messiah, one who will rise up for the Jewish people and will be a conqueror.
Christians, though, see Jesus as that Messiah; He conquered death and triumphed over sin (Granted, that's incredibly oversimplified.) just to save those that God has called to Him.
Pretty neat if you think about it.
Isaiah 43:1 states the following:
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."
Several passages in Isaiah speak of a coming Messiah, one who will rise up for the Jewish people and will be a conqueror.
Christians, though, see Jesus as that Messiah; He conquered death and triumphed over sin (Granted, that's incredibly oversimplified.) just to save those that God has called to Him.
Pretty neat if you think about it.
5/2/11
This Week in Scripture!
I'm ready for this week's Scripture!
It's Romans 6:17-18, which goes like this:
But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
At one time, we were slaves to sin; our ankles were shackled to the most foul and disgusting things that weighed us down. We weren't able to free ourselves from that heavy burden; we were free when Christ took those foul and disgusting things and placed them upon Himself at the cross. In turn, we became slaves to that yoke that is Christ's righteousness.
He did say that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30); why not lean on that Truth and take Him up on it?
It's Romans 6:17-18, which goes like this:
But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
At one time, we were slaves to sin; our ankles were shackled to the most foul and disgusting things that weighed us down. We weren't able to free ourselves from that heavy burden; we were free when Christ took those foul and disgusting things and placed them upon Himself at the cross. In turn, we became slaves to that yoke that is Christ's righteousness.
He did say that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30); why not lean on that Truth and take Him up on it?
4/29/11
Barbed wires and concrete; wire cutters and sledgehammer.
Lately, I've been checking out various blogs and interesting websites; sometimes, it's for a design element that I'd like to try out for a website or because the layout itself is visually appealing and it kick-starts my creative streak.
This time around, however, I've been checking them out for their content. Not because I still find the layout awesome (They can be incredibly attentive to detail, while others are minimalist at best; both should reflect the writer(s).), but what a person says should matter and it does matter.
It's almost by accident that I find a blog or two that shatter my perceptions of life, family and, most importantly, faith. Frankly, I needed those perceptions smashed to tiny shards; I've been flippant and numb in those areas.
In one blog entry, two simple pictures speak volumes. The first picture has a little girl (Possibly one of Mrs. Voskamp's daughters.) holding a picture saying "You are loved"; the next picture has "and together we can do it (Jesus is in us!)!" Later on, she writes about how someone that is closed off eventually entraps herself in that "protective barrier" that she builds for herself.
For the record, my preferred way of building walls like that was with concrete topped with barbed wire (Figuratively.); the walls were thick and the barbed wires pierce the toughest skin. That way, no one will hurt me and I won't let their words hurt.
However, words hurt deeply and they can bear the most unpleasant of scars. Proverbs 12:18a says it like this: "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts..."
God wants a vulnerable heart; He wants a teachable pupil; He wants a trusting child.
The rest of the verse in Proverbs is encouraging: "...but the tongue of the wise brings healing." It is that soft-spoken word, that encouraging cheer, that prayer being lifted up by a close friend is what heals that heart. Thankfully, I've met several women like that and they don't know just how helpful they've been.
Another blog (One I just stumbled on this evening!) has an entry back in December 2010 that spoke of this very thing; however, the author encourages sisters in Christ to take up a commitment of words. The link to it is here and I encourage everyone to read it.
Yours truly has used words as barbs and as scourges in her past (Some as recent as this year!). I can't do that anymore, seeing how hurt I've been.
It's time to bring out the heavy-duty wire cutters and a sledgehammer; God's been at work and it's time for me to come to the wall and tear it down.
One more thing: To those women that have been encouraging and uplifting me as of late? Thank you. I believe with all of my heart that God has placed you in my life so that His glory can be seen and that He will be praised.
This time around, however, I've been checking them out for their content. Not because I still find the layout awesome (They can be incredibly attentive to detail, while others are minimalist at best; both should reflect the writer(s).), but what a person says should matter and it does matter.
It's almost by accident that I find a blog or two that shatter my perceptions of life, family and, most importantly, faith. Frankly, I needed those perceptions smashed to tiny shards; I've been flippant and numb in those areas.
In one blog entry, two simple pictures speak volumes. The first picture has a little girl (Possibly one of Mrs. Voskamp's daughters.) holding a picture saying "You are loved"; the next picture has "and together we can do it (Jesus is in us!)!" Later on, she writes about how someone that is closed off eventually entraps herself in that "protective barrier" that she builds for herself.
For the record, my preferred way of building walls like that was with concrete topped with barbed wire (Figuratively.); the walls were thick and the barbed wires pierce the toughest skin. That way, no one will hurt me and I won't let their words hurt.
However, words hurt deeply and they can bear the most unpleasant of scars. Proverbs 12:18a says it like this: "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts..."
God wants a vulnerable heart; He wants a teachable pupil; He wants a trusting child.
The rest of the verse in Proverbs is encouraging: "...but the tongue of the wise brings healing." It is that soft-spoken word, that encouraging cheer, that prayer being lifted up by a close friend is what heals that heart. Thankfully, I've met several women like that and they don't know just how helpful they've been.
Another blog (One I just stumbled on this evening!) has an entry back in December 2010 that spoke of this very thing; however, the author encourages sisters in Christ to take up a commitment of words. The link to it is here and I encourage everyone to read it.
Yours truly has used words as barbs and as scourges in her past (Some as recent as this year!). I can't do that anymore, seeing how hurt I've been.
It's time to bring out the heavy-duty wire cutters and a sledgehammer; God's been at work and it's time for me to come to the wall and tear it down.
One more thing: To those women that have been encouraging and uplifting me as of late? Thank you. I believe with all of my heart that God has placed you in my life so that His glory can be seen and that He will be praised.
4/25/11
This week in Scripture!
I had the fortunate blessing of going to church this past Sunday (It was Easter; I can't help but celebrate the fact that my Savior's alive!); during the past week I came down with bronchitis and, while it affected my ability to sing in the choir (It's not good for a soprano to squeak while failing to hit a high note!), I was still able to make a joyful noise. :)
I'm thankful that I was well enough to stand in the choir and to be able to worship with everyone; I'm even more thankful that God was glorified.
Being thankful for what I have and not desiring what I don't is something that I need to work on; that said, my Scripture verses this week are from Colossians 2:6-7, which goes like this:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
I'm focusing on that this week because I should be thankful for what God graciously gave me; I shouldn't dwell on the things that were "missed opportunities" or "unanswered prayers". Those things weren't meant for me to begin with; He knows what He's doing and He wants what's best (It's similar to what a father would do for his children; God is the same way in that aspect!). Why not let Him lead you?
I'm thankful that I was well enough to stand in the choir and to be able to worship with everyone; I'm even more thankful that God was glorified.
Being thankful for what I have and not desiring what I don't is something that I need to work on; that said, my Scripture verses this week are from Colossians 2:6-7, which goes like this:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
I'm focusing on that this week because I should be thankful for what God graciously gave me; I shouldn't dwell on the things that were "missed opportunities" or "unanswered prayers". Those things weren't meant for me to begin with; He knows what He's doing and He wants what's best (It's similar to what a father would do for his children; God is the same way in that aspect!). Why not let Him lead you?
4/22/11
Good Friday musings
Today is Good Friday, a day in which Christians are reminded that their Savior was tortured and executed for them.
I had wondered why we call it "Good Friday", since it normally isn't considered a good thing for someone to face his or her execution (At times, it's obvious that I'm still a toddler in the faith; today happens to be one of those days!); however, it's what happens three days after Jesus' death that makes it "good".
Jesus was resurrected (Latin resurrēctiōn, which is the past-particle of resurgere, which we get "resurge"; that means "to rise again").
Given that Adam (the first man) brought us death (through the sin of disobedience), I think that it's appropriate that the Second Adam (Christ) brought us life.
The Romans were incredibly cruel with their punishments and, morbidly, perfected the "art" of executing criminals; the whippings alone were more than enough to kill a man. With a crucifixion, a criminal was either tied to two beams formed in a T (During the Roman Empire, the style and method of crucifixion changed considerably; they started with a single pole and eventually moved to what's known as a Latin cross; that appears as a lowercase T to us.) or was nailed directly onto the beams (The nails would go through the feet and through the wrists (There are several nerves and ligaments within the wrists that would be destroyed, but no bones would be broken. The bones and muscles that the hand, wrist and arm meet would hold the nail in place.) in order to anchor the poor soul to the beams.); the condemned would actually die of asphyxia (Being hoisted up in that fashion would make the lungs work harder and the person would be taking deeper breaths to compensate; that quickens the person's death in actuality.) and blood loss from the whipping endured prior to the crucifixion.
It was agonizing, to say the least. That's why we have the word "excruciating" in our lexicon today; crucifixion was a horrendous way to die.
Yet, Jesus died this way. For you. For me. With our sins weighing Him down.
The best part of the whole thing is this: He didn't stay dead.
God was gracious enough to forgive us of our sins, but they were placed on His own Son instead.
Read up on Matthew 27 and 28 to get just a foretaste of what our Messiah went through.
I had wondered why we call it "Good Friday", since it normally isn't considered a good thing for someone to face his or her execution (At times, it's obvious that I'm still a toddler in the faith; today happens to be one of those days!); however, it's what happens three days after Jesus' death that makes it "good".
Jesus was resurrected (Latin resurrēctiōn, which is the past-particle of resurgere, which we get "resurge"; that means "to rise again").
Given that Adam (the first man) brought us death (through the sin of disobedience), I think that it's appropriate that the Second Adam (Christ) brought us life.
The Romans were incredibly cruel with their punishments and, morbidly, perfected the "art" of executing criminals; the whippings alone were more than enough to kill a man. With a crucifixion, a criminal was either tied to two beams formed in a T (During the Roman Empire, the style and method of crucifixion changed considerably; they started with a single pole and eventually moved to what's known as a Latin cross; that appears as a lowercase T to us.) or was nailed directly onto the beams (The nails would go through the feet and through the wrists (There are several nerves and ligaments within the wrists that would be destroyed, but no bones would be broken. The bones and muscles that the hand, wrist and arm meet would hold the nail in place.) in order to anchor the poor soul to the beams.); the condemned would actually die of asphyxia (Being hoisted up in that fashion would make the lungs work harder and the person would be taking deeper breaths to compensate; that quickens the person's death in actuality.) and blood loss from the whipping endured prior to the crucifixion.
It was agonizing, to say the least. That's why we have the word "excruciating" in our lexicon today; crucifixion was a horrendous way to die.
Yet, Jesus died this way. For you. For me. With our sins weighing Him down.
The best part of the whole thing is this: He didn't stay dead.
God was gracious enough to forgive us of our sins, but they were placed on His own Son instead.
Read up on Matthew 27 and 28 to get just a foretaste of what our Messiah went through.
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