Luke 9:23-24: “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”
Dear Lord,
Please help me to sever the bonds that are tethering me down and keeping me from following you. Help me to give up my life and take up your will as my cause
Amen.
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Words of Comfort
Originally I was going to write a big essay on the subject of bad feelings such as depression, doubt, guilt, etc. This isn't because I have been in a particularly bad or good place so if you know me in person - disclaimer - do not worry, I am simply writing about normal feelings that we all experience on occasion.
When it came down to it I realized that I didn't need to write a lot, I just had to revisit the word and retrieve some comforting words.
1. Matthew 6:25 - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
While we may not be able to consciously control our worries, it gives me comfort to know that Jesus has directly said not to worry, and not only not to worry about small things but not to worry about the things we require to survival.
2. Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Worrying about the future is an unnecessary sin. one of the most valuable things I have ever been told is that worrying is a sin. When I was originally told this I got upset to the point of anger, "I can't help but worrying so it's unfair that doing it is a sin!" Then I thought about it I realized worry is thoughts, images and emotions of a negative nature in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. Worry is a distrust, a reliance on our own anticipation of an imagined threat then staying prayerful and trusting in God. How do I handle worrying? Trust in God, focus on the word and pray even though it is hard.
3. These feelings always reminds me of what Paul said in Romans 7:14–25
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature [b] a slave to the law of sin. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Paul writes about the frustration with sin which I can equate directly to worry in my life. Thing I do that I do not want to do is worry, I want to trust in God and yet I drift back into trying to make sense of life myself. What I can do is dive into the word which let's the Lord talk to me and reassure me that he is always there whether I am trusting him or not, he reassures me that i am forgiven even if I drift back into sin. After being reassured I can be like Paul and proclaim "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
In conclusion, depression, worry, pain, and any of life's rigors whether they are triggered by an event or happening for no reason at all can be crazy. Thank God for God! Through the word and prayer we can be reminded to accept his embrace, he loves us and is helping us even though we are trying to do it on our own.
My prayer:
Dear Lord, in the inevitable time that I fall away from me, please help me to remember that you are there. When things are going insane in my life please help me to be still and wait upon the strength you will bring that will come. Thank you for everything you have done, are doing, and will do. Praise to you in Heaven!
In your ever present Holy Name,
Amen
When it came down to it I realized that I didn't need to write a lot, I just had to revisit the word and retrieve some comforting words.
1. Matthew 6:25 - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
While we may not be able to consciously control our worries, it gives me comfort to know that Jesus has directly said not to worry, and not only not to worry about small things but not to worry about the things we require to survival.
2. Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Worrying about the future is an unnecessary sin. one of the most valuable things I have ever been told is that worrying is a sin. When I was originally told this I got upset to the point of anger, "I can't help but worrying so it's unfair that doing it is a sin!" Then I thought about it I realized worry is thoughts, images and emotions of a negative nature in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. Worry is a distrust, a reliance on our own anticipation of an imagined threat then staying prayerful and trusting in God. How do I handle worrying? Trust in God, focus on the word and pray even though it is hard.
3. These feelings always reminds me of what Paul said in Romans 7:14–25
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature [b] a slave to the law of sin. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Paul writes about the frustration with sin which I can equate directly to worry in my life. Thing I do that I do not want to do is worry, I want to trust in God and yet I drift back into trying to make sense of life myself. What I can do is dive into the word which let's the Lord talk to me and reassure me that he is always there whether I am trusting him or not, he reassures me that i am forgiven even if I drift back into sin. After being reassured I can be like Paul and proclaim "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
In conclusion, depression, worry, pain, and any of life's rigors whether they are triggered by an event or happening for no reason at all can be crazy. Thank God for God! Through the word and prayer we can be reminded to accept his embrace, he loves us and is helping us even though we are trying to do it on our own.
My prayer:
Dear Lord, in the inevitable time that I fall away from me, please help me to remember that you are there. When things are going insane in my life please help me to be still and wait upon the strength you will bring that will come. Thank you for everything you have done, are doing, and will do. Praise to you in Heaven!
In your ever present Holy Name,
Amen
Friday, March 4, 2011
Prayer to put Others First.
James 1:19 (New International Version, ©2011)
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
I read this verse over and over again and it never stops speaking to me.
be quick to listen
slow to speak
slow to become angry
Normally in conversation I think to listen last, I have my own personal agenda and I am just thinking about my response. I am not slow to speak, I want to be heard, want my words to be the center of the conversation. I am not slow to become angry, I latch onto every slight and dwell on the negative. This verse is my mantra to end all that.
My Prayer:
Dear Lord please rest your hand upon my heart and soften it, humble it and help me to put other people first in conversation. Help me to let go of my agenda and to focus on the person I am with at all times. Please fill my heart with your love and help me to let go of the negative and forgive people even before the offend. Please fill my heart with loving understanding and help me to let go of the world's anger based on your love.
Amen.
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
I read this verse over and over again and it never stops speaking to me.
be quick to listen
slow to speak
slow to become angry
Normally in conversation I think to listen last, I have my own personal agenda and I am just thinking about my response. I am not slow to speak, I want to be heard, want my words to be the center of the conversation. I am not slow to become angry, I latch onto every slight and dwell on the negative. This verse is my mantra to end all that.
My Prayer:
Dear Lord please rest your hand upon my heart and soften it, humble it and help me to put other people first in conversation. Help me to let go of my agenda and to focus on the person I am with at all times. Please fill my heart with your love and help me to let go of the negative and forgive people even before the offend. Please fill my heart with loving understanding and help me to let go of the world's anger based on your love.
Amen.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Love must be Sincere
I was just reading Romans and I came across the following statement.
Romans 12:9 - Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Wow! I love it when the statement is simple. Meditate on this for 1 minute. Please share your comments.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Being Generous in a Financial Crisis
Psalm 112:5 (New International Version)
5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
Wow, what an awesome promise! Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely.
When I read this I think “Well that is all well and good but I have my own issues, it is a recession. How in the heck can I be generous?” Really, how?
This is one of those times that I can’t do it on my own. I can’t be that kind of generous because my sinful self, and this world tells me when times I hard I need to look out for me and my own. It is a time when I really need God’s love in my life to help me to let go and know that since it is God’s will it is good.
Dear Lord,
I pray to you for the kind of faith that allows me to do good and follow your will even though times in the world seem hard. I pray for that kind of generosity and love when I feel the opposite.
Amen.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Can I have faith like Peter?
“But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”- Matthew 16:15-16
Jesus asked Peter who he thought he was and Peter answered him faithfully! "You are the Christ"!
wow!
Can I have faith like Peter? no, not on my own anyway, my sinful self won't let me. It is not as easy as saying I believe. I only believe through the holy spirit who brings the understanding of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ into my heart. Can I have faith like Peter?
Yes, with Christ's help which is always available. Christ loves me and wants to help me and I can pray and feel his loving arms wrap around me. Can I have the kind of faith that when asked who Jesus is to me I can answer "the Christ, the son of God, who came into this world and died for my sins, who loves me so much that he saved me from the sinful self that couldn't possibly embrace his love.
Do I have faith like Peter?
Yes! Because Christ died for my sins, I have the faith that he is my savior!
My Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for coming into this world and saving my life. Thank you for saving me from the sinful self that does not allow me to experience your love. Thank you for life Lord! I love you and I thank you for the ability to love you.
Amen
Jesus asked Peter who he thought he was and Peter answered him faithfully! "You are the Christ"!
wow!
Can I have faith like Peter? no, not on my own anyway, my sinful self won't let me. It is not as easy as saying I believe. I only believe through the holy spirit who brings the understanding of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ into my heart. Can I have faith like Peter?
Yes, with Christ's help which is always available. Christ loves me and wants to help me and I can pray and feel his loving arms wrap around me. Can I have the kind of faith that when asked who Jesus is to me I can answer "the Christ, the son of God, who came into this world and died for my sins, who loves me so much that he saved me from the sinful self that couldn't possibly embrace his love.
Do I have faith like Peter?
Yes! Because Christ died for my sins, I have the faith that he is my savior!
My Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for coming into this world and saving my life. Thank you for saving me from the sinful self that does not allow me to experience your love. Thank you for life Lord! I love you and I thank you for the ability to love you.
Amen
Friday, February 13, 2009
Everything is Meaningless
For a while now I have been keeping a Meaning Journal. Every few days I write about meaning; what has meaning to me, how I can make meaning, and what have I done in a given day/week/month that has meant something. Yesterday while writing my meeting journal I received a nudge from God to search for the word meaning on BibleGateway.com.
This is what came up for meaning:
My meaning affirmation is; I will make meaning by praying to God to help me surrender to his will and live my life to his glory. My life in this world can only have meaning through him.
I pray,
Dear Lord, please help me to live my life in a way that is pleasing to you, even when I don't want to. Please help me to desire a God pleasing life and to work towards your glory, not mine.
Amen.
This is what came up for meaning:
Ecclesiastes 1:2Ecclesiastes 1. Solomon wrote that everything is meaningless; everything of this world. So, to create meaning we have to create outside of this world; witness, fill our lives with the word, and pray. This is how we create meaning in our lives because everything else is meaningless. Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as a warning to those who think they can be satisfied with what the world has to offer. Solomon had tried it all. He had taken of all the pleasures the world had to offer. He could speak with experience. All is vanity and vexation of spirit. Nothing under the sun offers any permanent profit. In the end, the wise man is he who fears God and keeps His commandments
2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
My meaning affirmation is; I will make meaning by praying to God to help me surrender to his will and live my life to his glory. My life in this world can only have meaning through him.
I pray,
Dear Lord, please help me to live my life in a way that is pleasing to you, even when I don't want to. Please help me to desire a God pleasing life and to work towards your glory, not mine.
Amen.
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