Monday, January 28, 2013

O


Omnipresence: The concept that God is in all places at all times.

Easy enough right? It is for me.

Deuteronomy 31:6 - "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:5 - No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

1 Kings 8:57 -
May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us,

1 Chronicles 28:20 -
And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God-my God-will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

Hebrews 13:5 -
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."


Footprints in the Sand
 
 
        One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
             Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
                  In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
                       Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
                           other times there were one set of footprints.
 
                                  This bothered me because I noticed
                                that during the low periods of my life,
                             when I was suffering from
                         anguish, sorrow or defeat,
                     I could see only one set of footprints.
 
          So I said to the Lord,
      "You promised me Lord,
         that if I followed you,
             you would walk with me always.
                   But I have noticed that during
                          the most trying periods of my life
                                 there have only been one
                                       set of footprints in the sand.
                                           Why, when I needed you most,
                                          you have not been there for me?"
 
                                 The Lord replied,
                          "The times when you have
                  seen only one set of footprints,
          is when I carried you."
                                                   Mary Stevenson
 
 
This poem is so true for me. He is always with me. Always! There have been many times, even a most recent one, that I, too, was a point in my life where I cried out to the Lord. Sadly, it was not for several weeks that I noticed what He had done for me. I still reflect back on that ... and say Thank you Lord for carry me so many times and staying with me even when I didn't deserve it. 

  

Sunday, January 20, 2013

2 Timothy 3:10-17

Journal Prompt: Read 2 Timothy 3:10-17. Paul is writing this letter from prison, shortly before he is killed. He is writing to Timothy – and us – with an important message. Write out verses 14-15. Paul is urging us to continue to learn…and to be convinced. 

We learn in a variety of ways – reading our Bibles, listening to sermons, worship through song, small group studies to dig deeper, daily devotions to think upon, etc. As we learn, we gain knowledge, but remember, being convinced is recognizing what you have learned as truth. Being convinced allows you to live a life that is different without being afraid. Are you convinced? 

Celebrate Jesus by taking your knowledge to the next level and becoming convinced. This may mean more regular church attendance, getting on a Bible reading plan {and sticking to it}, starting a family devotion, or getting involved in a small group. Whatever it means for you, dig in to reveal the truths God has to show you and then share with others!


Thank you SpotLIGHT316 for sharing your journal prompts!


2 Timothy 3:14-15 (NKJV)

14) But you must continue in the things in which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15) and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

It isn't the same as writing it out on paper but I wanted to make sure that I spent that time at least 'typing' it word for word. This is a very good prompt for me. Knowing and being convinced are definitely two different things. To be convinced you can not pass up an opportunity to learn, to praise and to thank God. The more I study, the happier I am. God loves us each so much it is inconceivable for us to understand. For us to understand that He knows us better than we know ourselves. To grasp the true concept of His love for everyone. I know that as I come across so many post, scriptures and others reminding me to study His word each day ~ that I do not do it enough. I definitely have the knowledge that Jesus is my Savior. But I am truly convinced of all He can do.....I know in my heart that the answer is no. But I am working on it. Studying more and more. Listening to others more and more. Seeing the work He is doing with my husband, my boys. Life is good. GOD is amazing. How convinced are you?






N

 

Nazarene

Naz·a·rene

noun 
1. a native or inhabitant of Nazareth.
2. a member of a sect of early Jewish converts to Christianity who retained the Mosaic ritual.
3. the Nazarene, Jesus Christ.
 
adjective
4. of or pertaining to Nazareth or the Nazarenes.
 
This one was actually very hard. To find a single word to represent what you believe. I asked around. I had thought of choosing this word before it was presented to me but couldn't decided. So I asked my husband and he came up with the same one. Meant to be.
 
I started researching to make sure I had at least a tiny understanding. I did.  But not as much as I thought. It is nice to be able to seek out what we need. 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

M

 

Miraclenoun
1. an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
2. such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.
3. a wonder; marvel.
 
Miracle: An event in which God suspends one or more natural laws and makes an impossible outcome happen. The stopping of the apparent movement of the sun across the sky, as mentioned in the Bible, is regarded by some as a miracle. 
 
Miracles happen every day. Have you been honored to witness a miracle? Have you read the Heaven if for Real ?? It definitely talks of miracles.   I went looking for other accounts of miracles and came across this website Real Miracles and Angel visits. Wonderful shared accounts of God at work. ......headed back there now!
 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

John 1:1-5

Journal Prompt: Read John 1:1-5. Verse 4 says, “In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people.” Jesus came into the darkness – a world deep in sin. To a people deep in need of a savior. He brought life, and light, for us. How do you carry that torch for him today?  VIA - SpotLIGHT316

 John 1:1-5 (NKJV) 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Light = Savoir

Jesus came to us when we needed Him most. Before Jesus, there was no 'buffer' from God's wraith. You were instructed how to live, to obey. If you did not...there was consequences. Such as with 1 Samuel 15 when the Lord rejected Saul as King. Saul did not follow the Lord's instructions.  (Before the celebration of Jesus's birth, Christmas, we were studying this chapter with our Pastor.) Saul suffered for what he had done.

Thankfully we have Jesus. He came just for each and everyone of us. For you. 

Matthew 1:21-23 (NKJV)
21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

I do try to be the light for others. As I learn more and more each day, it becomes easier. I want to be able to share His word with others. To show and explain God's love for everyone. To share you don't have to be perfect, to be a child of God. We are all sinners. To be forgiven is easy. Not to say that it is always easy....you have to make the right choices in everything you do. WWJD? We have all seen this....but do we really think about it each time we do something or say something? We should. Each time we open our mouths we should think about what God would think if He was standing next to us. Because He is. Each look. Each thought. If we strive to do this...we are working towards God. To show others what He can do for them. Do you think about 

  
1 John 2:6 (NKJV)
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
 

L


love

noun
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
5. (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?
 
They are all right. There is so many definitions of the love. The English language is the only language that actually only has one word for them all. God directs to love everyone.

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

To Love our neighbor.
 

Mark 12:31 (NKJV)

31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

1 Corinthians 13 (NKJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

There is so many reasons to love out there it is truly sad that we can not see them all. If you spend your days looking for the bad, for the evil...you will surly find it. If you spend you days looking for the good, the positive and wonders of life...that is what you will find. People make mistakes....forgive them as quickly as God forgives you <3