Strength For The Journey: April 2015

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Zeal

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11 (NIV)

Well, here we are, the final letter! Congratulations to all the bloggers who have made it from A to Z! For letter Z, I decided to write a sort of pre-reflection of my experience. I call it a pre-reflection because I plan on participating in the A to Z reflection posts next week. So, don’t worry, there’s more to come!

Dictionary.com defines zeal as “fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor.” There are times when I feel zealous for the lessons God is trying to teach me and there are times when I feel a bit more apathetic. When I first learn something, I feel fired up and ready to share it with the world, but I am not good at expressing my feelings or enthusiasm around most people. I tend to hold everything in, and that is why I enjoy writing because it is a way to let it out. I have a zeal for writing and for writing about the things I am learning. But that mountaintop experience fades very quickly once I enter the real world away from the great preaching or teaching. It is in those moments of apathy that I must drive myself back into God’s Word and serve Him more diligently. I like the context of today’s verse in Romans 12:9-21. It includes some of the concepts I’ve brought up in this challenge: love, prayer, waiting (patience), forgiveness; and it follows the passage I used in my post about unity (Rom. 12:4-8). Writing about these, looking up the verses, and remembering what I’ve learned has been both convicting and motivating. It has also renewed my zeal for getting this blog up and running again, better than ever!

I am currently participating in the Blogging from A to Z April 2015 Challenge. My theme is life lessons from the Bible. You can find more information about the challenge by clicking on the badge to the right or click here for a list of participants. It has been an interesting experience so far and I have enjoyed finding and visiting other blogs. If you are a fellow participant, thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment!

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Yield

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:13 (KJV)

In Joshua 24, the people of Israel had conquered the Promised Land and divided it up among the tribes. Joshua challenged them to “choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15, KJV) The people chose to serve God, so Joshua directed them to get rid of their foreign gods and to yield to the Lord God. Sadly, they did not keep their promise very long. After Joshua died, we find that the Israelites repeatedly turn back to their idols, then God would send judgment, and then they would turn back to God. How often do we fall into a similar cycle? We may be doing well, serving and seeking God for a while, but then, temptation hits. Do we yield to the temptation or continue on the straight path of serving God? Unfortunately, we often give in to the sin. God sends retribution for our sins, it may be immediate or it may come over time; and like the Israelites, we turn back to God after a time of rebellion, begging for His forgiveness and mercy. Thankfully, we have Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to cleanse us of our unrighteousness. But, as it says in Romans 6, we should not use God’s grace as an excuse to go on sinning. If we choose to yield to God and plant ourselves firmly in Him, then we can yield good fruit. “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:8 (KJV)

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Xerxes

“This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.” Esther 1:1 (NIV)

This post will actually be focusing more on Xerxes' wife, Esther. Esther is another one of my favorite books; her story is so inspiring. King Xerxes needed a new wife, so he conducted a search among the young single women in his kingdom, and a Jewish girl named Esther was chosen. Mordecai, her guardian and cousin, found out that Haman had persuaded King Xerxes to sign an edict to kill all the Jews. He asked her to plead with the king for mercy, but she said she could not approach him without being summoned or she could be sentenced to death. Mordecai replied, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, NIV). Esther fasted and prayed for 3 days, then went to King Xerxes. After she talked with him, Xerxes overruled the edict and her people were saved. God put Esther in the right position for His will to be carried out and even though she was probably scared, she was willing to follow Him when the time came for her to take a stand. If you haven’t read through the book of Esther, I would highly recommend it because there are a lot more interesting details to her and Mordecai’s story.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Wait

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalms 27:14 (NIV)

Having patience with God and His plan is not easy. There are so many times when I feel stuck within my own weekly routine and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel in sight. It is those times when I must repeatedly remind myself that God has a purpose within the waiting. I think of my mom’s favorite verse, Isaiah 40:31: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (KJV). God uses the time of waiting to strengthen our faith and build our character. We should not be trying to manipulate things to move faster if we know that it’s against God’s will. Sometimes we think we know what should be done in our lives, but God may have something else in mind. If we continue to push for our own way, we may miss out on God’s best for us. James 5:7-11 talks about persevering in trials and mentions Job. Job lost everything and he remained faithful to God. After a time of trial, he was blessed with much more than he had before. Even though the road may seem never-ending, it is always better to wait on the Lord.

This topic really does come up a lot for me, God is still teaching me to be patient after 4½ years of blogging! So if you want to read more, The Waiting Game, addresses patience and I also link these 2 posts within that one: Fasten Seatbelts, Please and When Will This Chapter End?

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Vessel

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (KJV)

There are many times that Christians are compared to vessels, more commonly known as jars of clay. We are being formed at the potter’s wheel by the hands of the potter. Through trials and blessings God, the potter, is forming us into the people He wants us to become. Creating a vessel is a very long, thought out process. The piece must be shaped at the wheel and the potter’s hands must be in exactly the right position. So, if we try to get out from under God’s hands, we can end up deformed. However, as it says in Jeremiah 18:1-6, the potter can reform the marred pot. Once it’s shaped, in order to keep that shape it needs to be refined by fire. “For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver” (Psalms 66:10, NIV). The fiery trials that we go through in life are God’s way of refining us so we can become more purified and stronger vessels. When we try to struggle against the potter’s hands or escape the fire, we must remember that God is using that process for our good.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Unity

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalms 133:1 (KJV)

When we live together in unity, it means we come together and unite for the cause of Christ. Each one of us has different gifts and we can use those gifts to serve the body of Christ. Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 are both great passages about the various spiritual gifts. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12, NIV). Isn’t that an excellent analogy? We, the church, are like a body; many parts working together and each one has a different function within the body. I appreciate my pastor because he often points out the various roles fulfilled within our church. He has a humble attitude about his own position and points out those who are not often recognized. We come to church on Sundays and Wednesdays to find everything clean and the temperature is cool inside when it’s hot out and warm inside on cold days. It is like that because people are willing to give of their time to clean, and someone comes in early to adjust the thermostats to a comfortable temperature. It may not appear to be important, but it helps bring about better harmony and fellowship among the believers. We can each do what we can to bring glory to God and to unify the body of Christ. There is no role that’s too small, God can use anyone!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Trust

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I don’t have as much time to concentrate on this post as I would like. So, I thought I would share some verses about trusting God that help me through tough times. Because, God is with us and He knows the individual trials we each may be facing. We just need to trust Him and allow Him to work through those trials in life.

^“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” Psalms 91:2 (KJV)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (KJV)

I hope everyone has a great Thursday and enjoy the letter T!

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Seasons

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 gives a list of opposite extremes within the seasons of life. Throughout life, we go through many different stages, and everyone tends to go through these seasons at different points in their timelines. There are some seasons that everyone goes through, like childhood, adolescence, and adulthood; and there are some seasons that some people do not experience. As a thirty-year-old single woman, I can definitely see this. Most of my peers are married, many have children, some have or are working on doctorates, and a few never went to college. Even within those big picture stages, there are periods of grief and moments of pleasure. It is a marvel that we are able to maintain friendships amongst these various seasons. God tells us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Rom. 12:15, NIV). Sometimes, you may just have to look outside of yourself and your own situation, and look at things from another person’s perspective. If you have been in their season before, then share with them what helped you through it or what you enjoyed about it. If you can’t relate, then at least offer some words of encouragement. Believe me, it’s not always easy, but it’s worth it to take the time to share in someone else’s joy or grief. I wish I would do it more often.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Ruth

“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.’” Ruth 1:16 (NIV)

The book of Ruth is one of my favorite books in the Bible. What a woman to look up to! When a widow named Naomi lost her two sons, she told their wives to go back to their homeland and she would return to hers. Ruth was not willing to go back to her old way of life; she wanted to follow Naomi. God rewarded Ruth’s willingness to turn to a new way of life. He provided food for them and a new husband for Ruth. It may not be the most romantic story, but it is an illustration of God’s faithfulness to those who follow Him. In those times, women were dignified by their children and their heritage. Ruth was the grandmother of King David and in the lineage of Jesus. And it was all because Ruth made a choice to follow a good example and listen to her advice. What can you learn from those you choose to admire? Do you set an example for others to follow?

Monday, April 20, 2015

Quiet

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Psalms 23:2

You would think that as an introvert being quiet and still before the Lord would come naturally for me. But, that is not the case. There are so many “voices” in my head; I think about what happened today, what’s happening tomorrow, what I should have said, what I should not have said, and all of the things that need to be done. My mind is constantly racing and it can be very distracting when I want to sit down and pray or read the Bible. I think of Mark 4:35-41 where Jesus calmed the storm. Our thoughts and circumstances can feel like a raging storm sometimes, but Jesus can calm those storms too. You just need to allow God to fill you with His presence and peace and you may even have to ask Him to quiet those voices that divert your attention. The first part of Isaiah 46:10 (KJV) says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Those are such powerful words, and there are times when I need to just be alone, repeat that verse to myself, and heed its words. The rest of Psalms 46 repeats over and over that God is our refuge. He is always with us and will handle the wars and storms for us, all we must do is find quietness and peace in His arms.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Prayer

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

As soon as I came up with a theme for this challenge, I knew that P would be for prayer. Prayer is very powerful and my church has recently gone through a tragedy that has proved its power. My assistant pastor’s children were in car accident with their grandparents in February and the youngest was in severely critical condition. They didn’t think she was going to make it, and my church did the best thing we could do, we prayed. It has been 8 weeks since that accident, and she is still in the hospital but she is doing much better. Her life is a miracle of God and she has brought many people together in prayer. It is also a miracle that the rest of the family in the accident were unharmed besides her brother who had a fractured ankle, and he is already walking around again. This is a very dear family to me and this circumstance has helped me to see that in those moments when all seems hopeless, God is still right there with us. When things are completely out of our control, there is liberation in handing it all over to God. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present you requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7, NIV). It is much better to lift everything up to God in prayer, not just in times of disaster. Sometimes, He won’t answer the way we expect, but He will work things out for good according to His will. For further study on prayer, I suggest reading Matthew 6:5-13 and James 5:13-18. And if you do pray, keep this little girl in your thoughts as she is on the road to recovery, her name is Victoria.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Onesimus

“I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” Philemon 10-11 (NIV)

You’re probably thinking, “What a strange choice for the letter O, who is this Onesimus?” Well, I’m glad you asked. We are introduced to this man in the short book of Philemon. There is not much written about him, but there is enough to piece together some of his story. We know that he was Philemon’s slave and he ran away. Then he met Paul, who was in prison at the time, and he became a Christian. The notes in my Bible say that Onesimus’ name means useful, and it appears he was very useful to Paul. Knowing that it was right for Onesimus to return to his master, Paul sent his new helper back with a plea to Philemon. Paul had also led Philemon to Christ, so he said that they were no longer master and slave, but brothers in Christ. Paul’s plea was that Philemon would be willing to forgive Onesimus instead of flogging or even killing him as was the custom. Paul even offered to pay any debt Onesimus had accumulated. Some scholars* believe that Paul was also subtly hinting that he wanted Philemon to be freed from slavery so that he could further assist Paul. I enjoy this story because it’s a basic example of what forgiveness and brotherly kindness look like. It shows that we are all in unity with Christ. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus…there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26, 28 (NIV)

*Source- Holman, Illustrated Bible Handbook

Thursday, April 16, 2015

New

“You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV

What really gets to me in these verses is the part about being new in your attitude. Most people who accept Christ into their lives know about the “big” sins that need to go, but what about all those little habits or even the outlook we have on life? 1 Corinthians 5:17 states: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (KJV, emphasis mine). As fallen creatures, we cannot become new on our own. We must allow Christ in first, but it is still a daily struggle to live outside of the ways of this world. One thing I’ve heard that has really helped me look at it differently is that if you give something up, you need to replace it with something else. Whatever that “something” is. It could be your attitude; replace negative thoughts with positive. If it’s a negative thought about another person, put yourself in their shoes and pray for them instead. It could be a bad habit. It could be an idol in your life. When I was spending too much time on Facebook, I finally decided to delete it from my phone for a while. I got back into reading again and I replaced the Facebook app with Rosetta Stone. By making these exchanges, we can help improve our lives and strive to be that new person. I would recommend reading Ephesians 4:17-5:1 for a further explanation of what that new creature looks like.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Ministry

“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:4 (KJV)

"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.” 2 Corinthians 4:1 (KJV)

I wrote about showing God’s love yesterday, and by being kind and showing compassion, we can open the door to share the Word of God. If we don’t show people that we genuinely care about their needs, they may not be receptive of the gospel. That is why I really admire missionaries who choose to live among the various peoples and do ordinary work. I know missionaries who are carpenters, nurses, English teachers, and cooks, among many other positions. They perform a service for the people and build relationships, and then, they share the gospel. But it does not have to be just missionaries who participate, it is the Christian’s ministry. As a Christian, I should be longing for others to come to know Christ; that is what I’m here for. Jesus said in His great commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matt. 28:19-20, KJV) I like the end of that chapter, Christ is always with us, and we are not alone in sharing His ministry. 2 Corinthians 4 is also a great chapter on this subject.

Congratulations to all who have made it to the half-way point of this A to Z challenge with me. 13 letters down, 13 more to go! We can do it!

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Love

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

1 Corinthians 13 is often called The Love Chapter because it explains what unconditional, agape love looks like. God showed us the perfect example of His unconditional love when He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins. God’s love is a remarkable thing, and through His example and by His strength, we can learn to love others the way Christ loves us. God tells us to not only love our families, but our neighbors, and even our enemies. It’s certainly not an easy task, but we have a great example to follow: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NIV). Stop and think about the way you treat others throughout the day. Do you treat them with love and kindness? With indifference? With rudeness or anger? Even the smallest gesture or word of encouragement can be used to show God’s love to someone else.

On a side note, I thought it was noteworthy that I reached 1000 pageviews yesterday! I would like to thank two of my best friends (they know who they are) and a handful of family and friends I’ve met through church who have been my loyal readers since I started this blog. They are the ones who brought the first 600 views, and the rest have come with this challenge. Thank you all who have come to visit and I hope that you have enjoyed it so far!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Knowledge

“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.” Proverbs 18:15 (NIV)

God wants us to have knowledge of His Word; to study and meditate on it. In 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) it says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” My pastor often says that we know the Bible as well as we want to know the Bible. Studying God’s Word can be exciting, in fact, I’ve already written about a time when my enthusiasm was renewed in my post called The Greatest Story Ever Told. Not only should we seek out knowledge, but we should share that knowledge with others and pass it on to our children, teaching them also to study the Bible. If you want to read and study God’s Word but don’t know where to start, Proverbs is full of short sayings and advice. It even states in Prov. 1:1-7 that its purpose is to give knowledge and insight. Do you have a favorite passage or book in scripture that you have studied?

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Joseph

“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.” Genesis 41:39 (NIV)

This will be my first post about a person from the Bible. I will be featuring a few more people who have put these biblical lessons into action in days to come. Joseph lived a very difficult life. Can you imagine being thrown in a well and then sold into slavery by your jealous brothers? And that was just the beginning! After that, Joseph was working for Potiphar until his aggressive wife falsely accused Joseph and sent him to jail. Some years later, this mistreated and forgotten man was finally noticed in that jail cell when Pharaoh needed an interpreter for his dream. Talk about endurance and grace! But, in the end, Joseph was blessed with the second highest position in the kingdom and he was able to save his family from famine and death. He was even willing to forgive his brothers because he knew that God had a greater purpose through his sufferings. “But Joseph said to them, Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Gen. 50:19-20, NIV) You can find the complete story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. What would you have done if you were in Joseph’s position?

Friday, April 10, 2015

Idleness

“She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27 (NIV)

In Proverbs 31:10-31 we find a well-known passage about a virtuous woman. I could go many different directions with this passage, but today I’m focusing on my topic. “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop” may not be a Bible verse, but it makes a valid point. To be idle is to do nothing and be unproductive. Like an idle car, you’re not getting anywhere. I’ve realized over time, especially as I get older and time seems to get shorter, that I am never really bored, just procrastinating. Believe me, I have indulged in the bread of idleness far too many times, and when I look back on that nothingness, it repulses me. All those instances I could have learned something new or gotten some chores done, but instead I wasted it on pointless YouTube videos or channel surfing. Now I’m not saying that it’s wrong to relax or unwind once in a while, but every good thing has its limits. There are productive things that can be relaxing: journaling, drawing, sewing, baking, walking, and many other pursuits. I’ll leave you with some antonyms (opposites) to the word “idle” from Thesaurus.com: active, ambitious, diligent, effective, productive, worthwhile. Those are what we should aim to be!

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Heart

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

I was a counselor at a camp a couple years ago and the theme was “Guard Your Heart.” We focused on Proverbs 4, especially verse 23. I know that the sermons were aimed at the youth, but I learned quite a bit myself. Unless you attend my church or one like it, you may not hear that much about guarding your heart anymore. Many Christians have chosen to follow a more compromised path. And it is not just about remaining pure, your heart can be easily persuaded by impulses or feelings and lead to bad decisions in many areas of life beyond relationships. Genesis 25:27-34 tells how Esau gave up his birthright for some stew. He made a decision based off of impulse and short-sightedness; it was all about what he wanted at that moment, and he had to live with that decision for the rest of his life. We cannot see what is down the road, but “the heart wants what the heart wants” is not a good enough reason to steer your course in the wrong direction.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Grace

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which (was bestowed) upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

Where would we be without God’s grace? Those of us who are saved, were saved by His grace. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Paul gives a brief summary of the gospel and resurrection of Christ. He also calls himself the least of the apostles because of his past. But, that is the amazing thing about God’s grace; regardless of your past mistakes and sins, His grace is sufficient! By His grace, He can save us and by His grace we can serve Him. If you really think about and study the meaning and context behind those verses above, you will realize how great the gift of grace truly is. I know I’m not going into much detail, so I encourage you to look up the word “grace” in the Bible to study it further, and I may touch back on this subject in a future post.

I am currently participating in the Blogging from A to Z April 2015 Challenge. You can find more information by clicking on the badge to the right or click here for a list of participants. It has been an interesting experience so far and I have enjoyed finding and visiting other blogs. If you are a fellow participant, thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment!

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Fruit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

Galatians 5:16-26 and Matthew 7:15-23 both talk about fruit. Just as an apple tree should not bear oranges, Christians should not bear bad fruit. We can’t live perfectly, but our lives should ultimately reflect what we are. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20, KJV) If others look at your life, do your actions and attitude show the fruit of the Spirit? As it says in Galatians, we should walk in the Spirit because He can keep us away from the temptations of the flesh so that we can bear good fruit.

This short and sweet post is not my first time to tackle this letter, in fact, one of my favorite posts was titled Brought to you by the Letter F.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Endurance

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter (finisher) of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

I chose a longer passage of scripture today, mainly because it’s fairly self-explanatory, and there’s also a handful of E words, which is an added bonus. The assistant pastor at my church likes to use Hebrews 12 a lot because he enjoys running. He says when you run it is best to keep your eyes on the finish line or at least a fixed point in front of you, because if you turn to the right or left, you are likely to veer off course and end up taking longer. In the race of the Christian life, sin may try to take us off course or we may feel tired and like we can’t go on. But if we look at Jesus, who set the course and finished the race before us, we can endure to the end. For more details on this topic you can read my post titled Attaining the Prize.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Deer

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.” Psalm 42:1 (NIV)

Imagine that you’ve been out in the hot desert sun all day long without a drop of water and you finally come to a fresh stream and take in that wonderful, clear, soothing water. That is how the psalmist in Psalm 42 felt about hearing from the Lord. We also should be like this deer he mentioned. We should crave the living water of the Lord as much as we crave and need water for survival. Whether we feel downcast and disturbed like the psalmist or if we are experiencing God’s greatest blessings, we should put our hope in God and thank Him for the things He has done. Not only should we cast our cares on Him, but we should also seek Him in joy and in despair, for He is our water of life (John 4:13-14).

Friday, April 3, 2015

Casting Cares

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)

When I was little, one of my favorite songs was derived from this verse. The lyrics are: “I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all of my burdens down at your feet. And any time I don’t know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon you.” In fact as I sing along typing this, I realize it’s still one of my favorite songs. Most of my life, I have been full of worries. Even when I was a kid, I would worry about my parents getting in an accident or that some other horrendous thing would happen. That song has always been a comfort to me because it’s a reminder that when things are out of our control and when we feel like everything is about to crumble, God is still in control. He wants to take our burdens upon His shoulders and carry them for us. So take comfort in His words and do not worry (See Matthew 6:25-34).

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Blessed

“Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments.” Psalm 112:1 (KJV)

When we obey God and live for Him, we will receive His blessings. My pastor likes to say that even if you never receive another blessing from God beyond salvation, you can still consider yourself blessed because that is the greatest gift you can ever obtain. But, if I really stop and think, I know that God has blessed me far beyond salvation. I have food to eat, a roof over my head, friends and family that care about me, and the list could go on and on. Sometimes the trials of life cause us to forget our blessings and we only see what we don’t have. In those times, we must learn to count our blessings. Another B word is found in Matthew 5:1-12; the Beatitudes speak to believers about how they are blessed.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Armor

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 (KJV)

What better way to start off this month and this blog challenge than to put on our armor? Armor is used as protection or defense from outside penetration. Without armor, we are left venerable during an attack. Those of us who are Christians are under attack by the devil every day and we need the armor of God listed in Ephesians 6:11-18 to protect us from these attacks. It’s a choice we make each morning, do we start the day in prayer that we can stand in truth and righteousness and take up the shield of faith and the sword of the Word of God, or do we carry on with our own business and go out ill-prepared? I know from personal experience that it is far better to seek God and put on His armor from the very start of the day than to look back on a day full of regrets or bad decisions. So, my challenge to you today and each day this month is to put on the armor of God that we find in Ephesians.