Wow! 2012 is over! We made it through the end of the world as foretold by the Mayans, and we live to see another day. Praise God!
Tomorrow is the beginning of a whole new year. What resolutions are you making--or not making?
If that last year was okay (or less than okay) for you, why wasn't it great? Did you struggle will loss, illness, financial struggles? Did your family split or have conflict? Did you feel just plain empty? Sometimes life is (really) rough. But if your struggle was more internal than external, I invite you to a challenge:
Feed your soul.
How does a person make it through the dark times in life? They have hope. How do they overcome rejection? They feel never-ending love. How do people make the right decisions? They pursue wisdom.
"Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him." (Romans 12:1-2)
"You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God's right side. Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth....Christ gives meaning to your life....Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator and you will understand him better....Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us." (Colossians 3:1, 2, 4, 10, 11b)
Transform your heart and mind this year by daily reading God's Word. I am living proof that scripture adds richness to life, peace to the soul, and wisdom to the mind. I have pursued God over the last year and a half, reading his word daily and my spirit is alive because of it. Monday through Friday at 5:00 AM, I'll post a set of verses. Read them, and then if you feel moved to read my thoughts on them, do so. I'd love to hear your thoughts as well, so comment away.
May the Lord bless you this year. May 2013 be your best year yet.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
First Christmas and This Christmas
Matthew 2:16-18
When Herod found out that the wise men from the east had tricked him, he was very angry. He gave orders for his men to kill all the boys who lived in or near Bethlehem and were two years old and younger. This was based on what he had learned from the wise men. So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet Jeremiah had said, "In Ramah a voice was heard crying adn weeping loudly. Rachel was mourning for her children, and she refused to be comforted, because they were dead."
All was not calm, all was not bright.
Twenty children died today when a heavily armed man invaded a Newtown, Conn., elementary school and sprayed staff and students with bullets....Six adults also were slain, bringing the total to 26. Among them was the school's principal, Dawn Hochsprung, multiple sources told ABC News. (abcnews.go.com)
Earlier, Obama had spoken the names of the six teachers and administrators who were killed. As he did so, the wailing in the auditorium was audible. When he read this litany of the children, the wailing returned. He read the names slowly. He read them surely, like someone looking out loud for a fallen friend on the black granite of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. He then asked for the blessings of the Almighty on those who were killed and his comfort on those who are grieving. (cnn.com)
All is not calm, all is not bright.
On that first Christmas, Jesus did not come into this world at a time when life was beautiful and peace abundant. He came into a world rocked with murder, terror, and pain.
On this Christmas of 2012, our country is experiencing a moment when the beauty of life is forgotten and peace seems extinct. Our world is filled with murder, terror, and pain.
My heart continues to be burdened with the events of last Friday in Newtown. My soul breaks for them. I do not know the children or families, but during this holiday season, I can't help but feel like there is a powerful connection here. Jesus came, not to fix all the problems right away, but to offer hope and love in this dark world. The same opportunity is still present today. During the early years of Jesus' life, it wasn't a single madman who murdered children, it was a governmental decree. And it wasn't 26, it was hundreds, perhaps thousands. This comparison, by no means, diminishes the incredible value of life lost this week, but it does present a perspective that we need to consider--life is dark. It has been and is and will be.
But how does one fight darkness? With light.
How does one fight the most vicious of evils? With the most powerful love. The love of Jesus.
So during this holiday season, as it is tinged with the darkness of the recent tragedy, remember that all was not calm, and all was not bright, but that doesn't hinder the incredible power and life of Jesus, the Savior of all humanity.
Thank you, Jesus.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut
The tragedy in Connecticut is truly an act of evil. How could God let something like that happen? And what do we do now? These are hard questions to answer.
I collected some thoughts from friends on Facebook and placed them below. I think it is extremely interesting the discussion posted there. I left them anonymous because it is the ideas that they express that are powerful, and who they are is not significant in this setting. While I am not endorsing all of these ideas, I think there are some things here to consider and pray about. As you process the awful reality, I pray that God will give our nation wisdom and comfort in this horrifying time.
"'Today's tragedy in Connecticut is not about guns. This is a spiritual battle between good and evil; without God there can be no morality. The only answer is Jesus Christ, without whom there is no cure, no hope; no salvation. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV) Only God knows the darkness in the heart of man and our need for redemption, for a Savior. This is the message of Christmas. In spite of our ungodly culture, He is with us.'"
"Please don't let all these knee jerk response posts about the political implications of this tragedy cause you to forget that there are presents waiting under Christmas trees in CT bearing the names of children who will never come home to open them. As we learn more details about what happened there will be time to debate what our nation needs to do to prevent situations like this (a debate that encompasses far more than just guns) but as the shock and pain are still new and raw, maybe at the moment we should instead choose to mourn with those who mourn and regardless of what comes next commit ourselves to build a strong community that is always there to sustain each other in times of tragedy."
"The terrible tragedy in Newton, Ct where 26 people have been senselessly shot by a 20 yr old deranged young man should be a huge wake-up call for all of us. Those families will never be the same. Pray for each of them, none of us can come close to understanding the depth of the agony and hurt that each family is enduring. Friends we live in a society where violence is tolerated, a mental health system that remains broken and ineffective, and a lack of respect for human life. Violent video games will be purchased by parents as Christmas presents. Reality TV which promotes violence and disrespect of others flourish. I wonder how many of these tragic events could have had stopped if someone would have cared enough to report bizarre behavior. The problem is that most of our laws regarding getting people psychological help have been shut down by certain "rights" groups. I grieve for the families in Newton, Ct. and for the direction our sick society is headed. Pray."
"I taught kindergarten.
I was a public school kindergarten teacher.
I just keep thinking and thinking...
Do you ever notice when watching a kindergarten teacher cross the street with her class, she stands directly in the middle of the road? Kindergarten teachers have the natural yearning to protect your child, even at the expense of their own lives. I was one of those teachers that would have risked my own life for those of the kids in my class.
That being said, I wasn't always treated kindly by parents. A parent was once irate with me because her son cut his hair in my classroom. It's petty. That same kid, I would have jumped in front of a speeding car, if coming at my line of crossing kids.
So, please treat your teachers with the kindness, compassion, and respect that they deserve. Your child is your world and for 7-8 hours out of the day your child is the world to his or her teacher.
Hug your children, first and foremost. But, please, don't forget to hug your child's teacher, too."
"When I crime as horrid as this happens, we start to hear about how we need stronger gun control from some. However criminals are not known for following the law and making something illegal doesn't make it disappear. Just look at the war on drugs. Illegal drugs can be found easily. If guns are made illegal, criminals, terrorists, psychos, etc. will still get them illegally just as they do right now.
It was the choice of the man who pulled the trigger that caused this tragedy. Look sometime at the stories of lives that are protected because someone legally had a gun. Outlawing guns just disarms the good guys."
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world."
"All of my friends know that I am not someone to shove my beliefs down the throats of people. I don't force them on people who don't want to listen. The events of today sparked something in me though and if you don't want to hear the answers I believe I have for the lives of my friends who don't know The Lord and have not put their trust in Him, please stop reading now. The events of today were a reminder of how sin destroys lives and I can not stay silent. For those of you with the slightest interest in the One who made me who I am, please continue reading...
I have always tried to model my faith by my actions. I always figured that if people saw something different in how I treated people they would want to know why. Today I feel the time has come for words to be said. Please know this doesn't come from anything that remotely resembles a high horse. The tragedy that happened today happened because of sin in our world. It is sin that resides in the hearts of every person in the world. That sin separates us from God who is holy and perfect and will at some point separate those who don't place their trust in Him from Him forever. The penalty for sin is death. I think we can all agree that we have sin in our lives. We lie, cheat, feel hatred and anger. We are all at fault. I believe that there is a Savior in Jesus. I have trusted in Him and made Him Lord of my life. I have asked Him to forgive me for my sin and save me. I have also committed to serving Him with my life; I've committed to putting aside my own desires to honor Him. Now the part that tends to offend people. I believe that believing in Christ: that He died for my sins, rose again and lives in me; is the only answer. I believe in heaven and hell and I believe that if you don't place you faith in the God who loves you, created you to be in relationship with Him, and has called you to believe that He is the answer, that at the end of your life, you will be found guilty and separated from God forever. Sin reigned today in Connecticut. Fortunately, the Bible tells us that the story ends by God triumphing over sin. God is not passive in our world. So today I beg you to think about your life. I beg you to see how sin has seeped into every fiber of our world. But more so, I beg you to see that there is a way to freedom. Freedom from guilt and sin. Salvation brings a life more abundant that you could ever imagine. My salvation has changed my life. My faith is not emotion... It is the groundwork for who I am and who I was created to be. God reigns in my life... Does He reign in yours? If you have any questions please ask. Death and Eternal separation from God is much too high a price to risk your soul for. I love you all and pray for you everyday. I pray that you would come to know the God who saved me and if you already do that He will continue to mold you into a person fully committed to honoring Him."
I collected some thoughts from friends on Facebook and placed them below. I think it is extremely interesting the discussion posted there. I left them anonymous because it is the ideas that they express that are powerful, and who they are is not significant in this setting. While I am not endorsing all of these ideas, I think there are some things here to consider and pray about. As you process the awful reality, I pray that God will give our nation wisdom and comfort in this horrifying time.
John 16:33: "In this world you will have troubles but take heart I have overcome the world."
John 15:17: "This is my command: Love each other."
___________________________
"'Today's tragedy in Connecticut is not about guns. This is a spiritual battle between good and evil; without God there can be no morality. The only answer is Jesus Christ, without whom there is no cure, no hope; no salvation. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV) Only God knows the darkness in the heart of man and our need for redemption, for a Savior. This is the message of Christmas. In spite of our ungodly culture, He is with us.'"
"Please don't let all these knee jerk response posts about the political implications of this tragedy cause you to forget that there are presents waiting under Christmas trees in CT bearing the names of children who will never come home to open them. As we learn more details about what happened there will be time to debate what our nation needs to do to prevent situations like this (a debate that encompasses far more than just guns) but as the shock and pain are still new and raw, maybe at the moment we should instead choose to mourn with those who mourn and regardless of what comes next commit ourselves to build a strong community that is always there to sustain each other in times of tragedy."
"The terrible tragedy in Newton, Ct where 26 people have been senselessly shot by a 20 yr old deranged young man should be a huge wake-up call for all of us. Those families will never be the same. Pray for each of them, none of us can come close to understanding the depth of the agony and hurt that each family is enduring. Friends we live in a society where violence is tolerated, a mental health system that remains broken and ineffective, and a lack of respect for human life. Violent video games will be purchased by parents as Christmas presents. Reality TV which promotes violence and disrespect of others flourish. I wonder how many of these tragic events could have had stopped if someone would have cared enough to report bizarre behavior. The problem is that most of our laws regarding getting people psychological help have been shut down by certain "rights" groups. I grieve for the families in Newton, Ct. and for the direction our sick society is headed. Pray."
"I taught kindergarten.
I was a public school kindergarten teacher.
I just keep thinking and thinking...
Do you ever notice when watching a kindergarten teacher cross the street with her class, she stands directly in the middle of the road? Kindergarten teachers have the natural yearning to protect your child, even at the expense of their own lives. I was one of those teachers that would have risked my own life for those of the kids in my class.
That being said, I wasn't always treated kindly by parents. A parent was once irate with me because her son cut his hair in my classroom. It's petty. That same kid, I would have jumped in front of a speeding car, if coming at my line of crossing kids.
So, please treat your teachers with the kindness, compassion, and respect that they deserve. Your child is your world and for 7-8 hours out of the day your child is the world to his or her teacher.
Hug your children, first and foremost. But, please, don't forget to hug your child's teacher, too."
"When I crime as horrid as this happens, we start to hear about how we need stronger gun control from some. However criminals are not known for following the law and making something illegal doesn't make it disappear. Just look at the war on drugs. Illegal drugs can be found easily. If guns are made illegal, criminals, terrorists, psychos, etc. will still get them illegally just as they do right now.
It was the choice of the man who pulled the trigger that caused this tragedy. Look sometime at the stories of lives that are protected because someone legally had a gun. Outlawing guns just disarms the good guys."
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world."
"All of my friends know that I am not someone to shove my beliefs down the throats of people. I don't force them on people who don't want to listen. The events of today sparked something in me though and if you don't want to hear the answers I believe I have for the lives of my friends who don't know The Lord and have not put their trust in Him, please stop reading now. The events of today were a reminder of how sin destroys lives and I can not stay silent. For those of you with the slightest interest in the One who made me who I am, please continue reading...
I have always tried to model my faith by my actions. I always figured that if people saw something different in how I treated people they would want to know why. Today I feel the time has come for words to be said. Please know this doesn't come from anything that remotely resembles a high horse. The tragedy that happened today happened because of sin in our world. It is sin that resides in the hearts of every person in the world. That sin separates us from God who is holy and perfect and will at some point separate those who don't place their trust in Him from Him forever. The penalty for sin is death. I think we can all agree that we have sin in our lives. We lie, cheat, feel hatred and anger. We are all at fault. I believe that there is a Savior in Jesus. I have trusted in Him and made Him Lord of my life. I have asked Him to forgive me for my sin and save me. I have also committed to serving Him with my life; I've committed to putting aside my own desires to honor Him. Now the part that tends to offend people. I believe that believing in Christ: that He died for my sins, rose again and lives in me; is the only answer. I believe in heaven and hell and I believe that if you don't place you faith in the God who loves you, created you to be in relationship with Him, and has called you to believe that He is the answer, that at the end of your life, you will be found guilty and separated from God forever. Sin reigned today in Connecticut. Fortunately, the Bible tells us that the story ends by God triumphing over sin. God is not passive in our world. So today I beg you to think about your life. I beg you to see how sin has seeped into every fiber of our world. But more so, I beg you to see that there is a way to freedom. Freedom from guilt and sin. Salvation brings a life more abundant that you could ever imagine. My salvation has changed my life. My faith is not emotion... It is the groundwork for who I am and who I was created to be. God reigns in my life... Does He reign in yours? If you have any questions please ask. Death and Eternal separation from God is much too high a price to risk your soul for. I love you all and pray for you everyday. I pray that you would come to know the God who saved me and if you already do that He will continue to mold you into a person fully committed to honoring Him."
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Everyday???
How in the world am I going to fit in reading scripture every day? That's like...EVERY day.
I'm already inundated with life: school, job, family, exercise, Facebook, Twitter, The Voice...where will Bible reading fit?
How do I know what to read and what it means?
The Bible is just so...long.
I grew up in church; sang in the kids' choir; performed in the Christmas plays; went through, and later helped run VBS; It was a huge part of my life. But, I always felt like I was missing out on something. Why were there people who were so much more "spiritual" than me? These people could reference verses off the top of my head and used words like "I felt God speaking to me" and "God led me to __." Whoa.
Then I read the book Radical and was awakened to (you guessed it) a radical idea. How does a person grow closer to God? The same way a person grows closer to a friend: spend focused, special time with them. Shocking, I know. I realized that if I really want my life to center around Christ, to be lived for him every breath of every day, then I needed to get to know him, on an extremely personal level. That meant sacrifice.
No, not sheep sacrifice. Thank goodness. I don't think my vegetarian-self could handle that. Ew.
My sacrifice? My time. One of the most precious things I have. I knew that after being challenged by the radical message of Radical that I needed to take a serious step in my faith and make a serious commitment. If I wanted to get close to the Lord, to grow in the ways of Christ, to focus all I am on Him, then I needed to spend time with him, listening to his voice through scripture.
So, I started waking up 20 minutes earlier every day. Was it hard? Yes. Did I always want to? No. Did I require a cup of coffee? Absolutely. But what I soon discovered is that this girl looked forward to those 20 minutes early in the morning. I often couldn't wait to go to sleep so that I could wake up and hear more from God through the stories of the Bible.
And since then, the Lord has poured his love, truth, and wisdom into my life into a way that I wouldn't trade those morning minutes for anything.
I'm already inundated with life: school, job, family, exercise, Facebook, Twitter, The Voice...where will Bible reading fit?
How do I know what to read and what it means?
The Bible is just so...long.
I grew up in church; sang in the kids' choir; performed in the Christmas plays; went through, and later helped run VBS; It was a huge part of my life. But, I always felt like I was missing out on something. Why were there people who were so much more "spiritual" than me? These people could reference verses off the top of my head and used words like "I felt God speaking to me" and "God led me to __." Whoa.
Then I read the book Radical and was awakened to (you guessed it) a radical idea. How does a person grow closer to God? The same way a person grows closer to a friend: spend focused, special time with them. Shocking, I know. I realized that if I really want my life to center around Christ, to be lived for him every breath of every day, then I needed to get to know him, on an extremely personal level. That meant sacrifice.
No, not sheep sacrifice. Thank goodness. I don't think my vegetarian-self could handle that. Ew.
My sacrifice? My time. One of the most precious things I have. I knew that after being challenged by the radical message of Radical that I needed to take a serious step in my faith and make a serious commitment. If I wanted to get close to the Lord, to grow in the ways of Christ, to focus all I am on Him, then I needed to spend time with him, listening to his voice through scripture.
So, I started waking up 20 minutes earlier every day. Was it hard? Yes. Did I always want to? No. Did I require a cup of coffee? Absolutely. But what I soon discovered is that this girl looked forward to those 20 minutes early in the morning. I often couldn't wait to go to sleep so that I could wake up and hear more from God through the stories of the Bible.
And since then, the Lord has poured his love, truth, and wisdom into my life into a way that I wouldn't trade those morning minutes for anything.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Beginning
Blogging is something that I have wanted to do for a while now. It seems so awesome that anyone can be an author and tell their story. I want to share what God has done in my life, how he has reached the depths of my heart with his Word, and if nothing else, I am being faithful to share that in my little corner of the web.
What this blog is all about is providing a Bible reading plan. A couple of years ago, I acquired a Bible called The Poverty and Justice Bible. All the verses that deal with the poor, how to serve them, justice, and injustice are highlighted in a cant-miss-it orange. Even being raised in church all my life, I never realized just how much God's heart is devoted to the orphans and widows. God loves the down-and-out, the beaten-down, the lonely, and he wants his followers to love them and serve them as a part of our daily walk on this planet. So, with each post,verses from this Bible's daily reading plan will be included. You don't have to read my comments -- I'm not a theologian anyway -- but they are there to provide my thoughts and applications of the scripture.
I don't expect to be able to uncover the "secrets of scripture" or comment on the Greek or Hebrew translations. To me, when Jesus thanked his Father that the messages he was sharing were revealed to ordinary people, that told me that I could get it if I prayed that God would teach me and if I was persistent in my study. What I started doing in August of 2011 was reading the Word and generally asking 2 questions: what does this say about The Lord and how can it apply to my life. Sometimes books like Deuteronomy and Leviticus seems so obscure, but the more I read them the more God reveals to me that they indeed do connect with me. So, since I'm only an expert in my life, that is what I present to you, friend, the application of God's Word to my life and hopefully it will encourage you in yours.
Perhaps, my humble thoughts will provide you with the inspiration to read God's precious and life-giving Word and write down your own thoughts. I will begin on January first, as that seems to be the day people start anew. Feel free to read, explore, pray, and comment. I pray that God blesses you through his scriptures.
What this blog is all about is providing a Bible reading plan. A couple of years ago, I acquired a Bible called The Poverty and Justice Bible. All the verses that deal with the poor, how to serve them, justice, and injustice are highlighted in a cant-miss-it orange. Even being raised in church all my life, I never realized just how much God's heart is devoted to the orphans and widows. God loves the down-and-out, the beaten-down, the lonely, and he wants his followers to love them and serve them as a part of our daily walk on this planet. So, with each post,verses from this Bible's daily reading plan will be included. You don't have to read my comments -- I'm not a theologian anyway -- but they are there to provide my thoughts and applications of the scripture.
I don't expect to be able to uncover the "secrets of scripture" or comment on the Greek or Hebrew translations. To me, when Jesus thanked his Father that the messages he was sharing were revealed to ordinary people, that told me that I could get it if I prayed that God would teach me and if I was persistent in my study. What I started doing in August of 2011 was reading the Word and generally asking 2 questions: what does this say about The Lord and how can it apply to my life. Sometimes books like Deuteronomy and Leviticus seems so obscure, but the more I read them the more God reveals to me that they indeed do connect with me. So, since I'm only an expert in my life, that is what I present to you, friend, the application of God's Word to my life and hopefully it will encourage you in yours.
Perhaps, my humble thoughts will provide you with the inspiration to read God's precious and life-giving Word and write down your own thoughts. I will begin on January first, as that seems to be the day people start anew. Feel free to read, explore, pray, and comment. I pray that God blesses you through his scriptures.
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