Romans 12:12

Sharing from Proverbs 31 Ministries today:

"Jesus, help us to walk in the wisdom of Your words from Romans 12:12- Being joyful in hope, patient if affliction, & faithful in prayer."

From me:

According to Wikipedia, "Hope is the state which promotes the desire of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one's life or in the world at large." Let's be joyful in that!

Patient in affliction could be a little harder to work on. Being patient (alone) is something I know I need to work on, especially when it comes to other drivers around me. But when you're sick and maybe don't understand why, it's a little harder to be patient. We want cures NOW! But let's work on that patient part. Trust God to see us through and give us healing. Whether our affliction be physical, mental, or spiritual.

Faithful in prayer. Ever pray for something so long, that after a while, it seems to get old? I feel that way sometimes. I'm guilty of giving up on my own personal prayer requests. Days sometimes turn into weeks and weeks into months and months into years. It gets discouraging, sometimes. But we can't always see God at work. He works in ways we cannot see. So let's not give up on prayer! Stay faithful in whatever it is that God has laid on your heart to pray for. James 4:3 says we have not b/c we ask not. Stay faithful, even when you want to give up. Cause you never know how God is at work in your life.

Just some food for thought. As 2013 comes to an end, and as we embrace a new year, let us reflect on God's wisdom and & learn to walk in His ways. 

He Is Risen!

Matthew 27:5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, just as he said." (ESV)

I thank God for the gift of His son, Jesus! Death could not hold Him! He's alive and well in my soul.

An Approved Worker.

2 Timothy 2:15  ^"Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth." (NLT)

2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (KJV)

In Bible study, this week, it was said, "It is one thing to memorize scripture, and another to KNOW them." -Joyce Myers

Food for thought.

Honor & Glory Belong to God.

John 7:16 So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. 17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. 18 Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies." (NLT)

When we speak of our faith or of God or of His teachings, are we doing so to bring glory to him or do we seek glory for ourselves?

Help My Unbelief

Mark 9:22b- Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (NLT)

Gaining the whole world=loosing your soul.

Mark8:34 (Jesus said,) “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?* 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” 

I don't want to gain the whole world, just to loose my soul! How about you?

99 vs. 1

Luke 15:3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! (NLT)

Aren't you glad God left the 99 to find you? I am glad that He did it for me too! :)

The Gospel.

I got my Child Training Bible kit all finished and put together. Today I decided to start reading it, starting with the Gospel. It is broken up into four categories:

1. God
2. Man
3. Jesus
4. What Now?

Today, I just focused on #1. Here are the scriptures I read:

• Gen.1:1
• 1 Sam. 2:2
• Psalm 24:1-2
• Matthew 4:48
• James 2:10

Reflections:

God created and owns everything. 

God is perfectly holy.

God requires perfect obedience to His Law.

(This is all from the CTB by Mindy Dunn.)

I think the scripture that stuck out the most to me was James 2:8-13. (I like to read a little more than what is suggested to get a better idea of what is being said.) I am reading from the NLT Bible. I like it because it is broken down into every day english and is easier to understand.

Verse 10-11 says, "And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who as broken all of God's laws. (11) For the same God who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." So if you murder someone, you have broken the entire law, even if you do not commit adultery."

I understand what the scripture is saying, but it just hit me differently today. You can't commit one sin and think you are still more righteous than one who commits more than one sin. No matter what we say or do, we'll be judged by the law of love, the same law that made us free. (vs. 12)

I hope to share more of this as I go along. Today, I've been a little distracted with a sick baby. I'm so thankful for answered prayers since her fever has dropped down some. 

Blessings!

1 Peter 5:6-11 (KJV)

^"6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 

⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 

⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 

¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." 

The Person God Created Me to Be.

This morning, when I first woke up, this is the thought that came to me:

"Lord, please help me to be the person You created me to be."

That is my simple prayer for today. I feel like I need a renewal in Him as Romans 12 talks about.

Romans 12:2 to be exact.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Renew. Refresh.

I feel like since my sweet baby duck has come along, I've kind of dropped the whole Bible Study thing and mostly find myself praying through the day. Not long ago, I did start reading a Bible story to her every day from her baby Bible. So it still gives me food for thought, but I just feel like I need more. I owe Him so much more than I give Him. An area I really must work on. I can't live on prayer alone.

I want to be the person that God created me to be.