changed His mind

Do you think that God changes His mind?

Plenty of places in the Bible tell us that God had planned to do something but then decided not to.

In the book of Amos, it tells us a few times that God changed His mind.

Weird to think about, right? 

I think we or I, have grown accustomed to the idea that God has everything planned out and doesn't change His plans. 

So what do we do when we come across verses like...

 "So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people." Exodus 32:14 (He was going to destroy the Israelites, but Moses interceded and God granted them mercy.)

"The Lord changed His mind about this. “It shall not be,” said the Lord." Amos 7:3

"The Lord changed His mind about this. “This too shall not be,” said the Lord God." Amos 7:6

On the contrary, there are other verses say that He will not change His mind. Perhaps in the context He didn't, but that doesn't mean He won't ever change His mind like in Amos.

In the book of Amos, the Israelites were living recklessly. Their arrogance took over and therefore, caused them to live selfishly. All that mattered to them were their desires. It was a time of war. A time of power. A time of violence. A time of greed. 

So of course, God was upset. He was disappointed that His people weren't living the way He wanted them to. They weren't living in peace. They weren't taking care of the poor. 

They were craving power.

Therefore, Amos was trying to warn them of God's judgment. He was saying, "Hey, you've been warned...don't you want to change your ways! God is not happy."

Side note: Do you ever think of God as happy? Sad? Joyous? Mad?

Often, I think we picture God is a blank slate with no emotions, but I argue that.

Throughout the Bible, emotions are portrayed.

Anyway, Amos becomes so desperate for the people. He yearns for redemption and salvation from the locusts God would send. So guess what he does?

He prays. He asks for forgiveness. He cries out to God (chapter 7, verse 2).

You know what happens?

Because of Amos' petition and God's grace, God changed His mind.

"This will not happen," the Lord said (verse 3). 

Side note #2: Clearly, God hears our prayers. Our petitions can make a difference. Good thing, we aren't puppets on a string for God or our prayers would mean nothing to Him, but clearly they do. There is power in prayer.

Just like Jonah 3:10, "When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would [a]bring upon them. And He did not do it." God has planned to act upon His anger, but decided not to.

Continuing on in verse 5, Amos again tells God to stop and not send the fire that would destroy everything. God follows with, "This too will not happen." He had changed His mind once again (verse 6).  I don't think God would ever plan something good, and then decide to do something bad instead, because He isn't bad! 

The book of Amos ends with hope. It foreshadows Christ's coming and proves God's lovingkindness and grace can overpower our mistakes.

Chapter 9: v13 ‘There is a time coming’, says the *Lord.

‘A person will be ploughing a field.

He will catch up with a person who is harvesting the crops.

A person will walk on *grapes.

He will catch up with the person who was planting the *grapes.

New wine will run down from the mountains.

It will flow from all the hills.

v14 I will bring back my people, Israel, from *exile.

They will build again the cities that people have ruined.

And they will live in those cities.

They will plant fields of *grapes.

And they will drink the wine that comes from them.

They will make gardens and eat the fruit.

v15 I will plant my people on their own land.

I will not pull them out again.

This is the land that I gave them.’ This is what the *Lord your God says.

It reminds me of times when I get upset or disappointed and I may say things that are not in my character. Later on, I realize that I was emotional and my real character would not act that way.

God was disappointed in His people. He wanted so much more for them. If only they would listen, things would work out. He was upset and rightfully so, but thank God, His grace is unstoppable. All throughout the Bible, we read about God's judgment, but it seems to me that His grace always win, because He is good. He is loving. He is gracious. He is redemptive.

Like I've said many times before, His grace shouldn't be an excuse for us to live the way we want to live, but His grace should move us toward the love He wants us to live out. 

Jesus is the prime and BEST example, that although we were still sinners, He still died for us. 

Gosh, how amazing?! Redemption is a beautiful thing. We see it played out through the pages of the Bible. 

In the stories where God changed His mind, it shows us that prayer is meaningful and that He is good.
 His grace wins.

It definitely doesn't mean that He is not faithful or loyal because He changed His mind.

He is faithful all the time and He could have changed His mind about sending Jesus, but He didn't. 

Praise God for that!

This week we finish our reading plan by  reading through Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

 

see you in the light

Earlier, I went outside to sit on the deck and read. The sun was shining so bright in the house and I decided that some vitamin D might do me some good. 

Not to mention, the past few days have been gorgeous so why would I stay in the house?!

While I was reading, I got distracted by my engagement ring. 

The sun's rays were hitting it perfectly, making it shine and glimmer in the sunlight.

I love my ring. I think it is pretty all the time.

It's simple and delicate with a pearl enclosed by two tiny diamonds. 

In this moment, however, I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

Of course, this made me think.

When was the last time you looked at person and saw them in the light of Christ?

Do you tend to see people's flaws before you see their attributes?

Do you focus on the darkness of the heart or the lightness?

Even though I tend to be an optimist, I'll admit that there are times when I look at a person's flaws rather than their strong points.

I'm not proud to say it, but it's true.

Instead of zoning in on the imperfections, we should gaze on people through Christ's light.

We are all made in the image of God so why would we look at people in any other way.

Of course, we make mistakes and are imperfect, but we are all given strengths and talents.

When we start to observe people in the darkness of their weaknesses, we eliminate dignity and respect.

Jesus always treated people with respect. He looked at people with hope and saw them in the best light.

Why would we look at people any differently?

This year and all the years to come, let's see people for who they are and what they can be, instead of what they aren't. 

Let's behold people as Christ's light shines upon them, removing any imperfection and shining on their goodness. 

This week we are reading through the book of Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum.

It all changed in a second

Yesterday marked the last day of college football. 

The top 2 teams, Auburn University & Florida State University, ended the season with a nail-biting game.

The favored team, Florida State, won, but Auburn definitely made them fight for it.

I love football. It's my favorite sport to watch. I like the energy, the community, the cheering, and...

the suspense.

It may not be the same as a suspenseful action movie, but since it is a game, there is always the unknown.

We may be able to predict the winner. The statistics might show who is a better team. One coach may have better credentials than the other, but in the end, we all know that anything can happen.

A lot can happen in a second.

One minute a team can be leaving the other team in it's dust, and the next minute, the game could be tied.

The quarterback throws an interception. The kicker's foot lost traction. The receiver fumbles the ball.

None of these players planned on it, but the worst still happened.

I think it's interesting how at the end of a football game during the interviews, the winning team often says things like, "We came here tonight believing we would win" and "We knew from the beginning that this was our victory." I'm pretty sure both teams go into the game feeling that way. Maybe they don't, but I think its a given to go into a game confident, right? 

It makes me think of life.

We practice. We hope. We expect...

and it doesn't come.

We have all the credentials, all the right skills, and all the confidence, yet we're left blindsided by the nonexistent job. 

We have the right amount of money and great real estate agent, yet left without the dream house.

We exercise everyday and eat more than the recommended amount of veggies and fruit, yet left with an ugly diagnosis.

Whether it's a football game, one of the 3 scenarios above or anything else, they all stink!

Sometimes life takes a turn for the worst.

What are we to do?

However tempting it may be to just throw in the towel, we can't.  

We have to keep going.

A football team can't just stop playing after an interception and walk off the field.

The game still goes on.

Although they may walk off the field with their heads hung, they still have the support of their fans and the guidance of their coach. 

They can turn their mistakes into teachable moments. 

They can use it as a motivation to practice harder.

They can rest in the truth that no matter how hard they practice and plan, there is still a possibility of a loss. 

Unfortunately, life can present us these seconds that turn our world upside down.

When this happens, we must turn to God. He is by our side every step or second of the way. 

We must remind ourselves that no matter how much we plan, life can still throw us a curve ball.

At the same time, we should look into the future knowing that even though there may be seconds that turn our world upside down, there are also seconds and moments that can turn it right side up. 

The birth of a child. A new job. Healing. 

There are always going to be game changers in this game of life, but we can rest assured that God is here for us. He is our strength. His mercies are new each morning. He gives us hope even when everything around us looks hopeless. 

This week we'll be reading through the whole book of Daniel, as well as the whole book of Hosea. 

The Reason for the Season

It's that time of year again where we find trees in living rooms, wreaths on doors, strings of lights on light posts, and continuous [cheesy-which I happen to love] Christmas movies on every single night [thanks to the Hallmark channel]. It's the time when people go from store to store, checking their lists and checking them twice. It's the time when you spend hours cooking an extravagant meal for your loved ones, when temptation of throwing in the towel is just beneath the horizon when you realize that the oven was never turned on in the first place. Through the chaos of it all, I think it's important that we stop in the silence of the Christmas music, hustle and bustle of shopping, and the aroma of the holiday meal so that we can focus on the reason for the season. 

When we turn our minds to the reason for the season, we come face to face with our beliefs. Maybe you resonate with many beliefs or maybe you aren't sure what you believe in. It makes me think of one of my favorite Christmas movies, "Miracle on 34th Street". The reoccurring theme of the movie is "believe". Dorey Walker and her daughter, Susan, are skeptics of the man who travels around the world in one night with a nice and naughty list in hand with every child's name listed. The movie follows the relationship they have with Kris Kringle, the Macy's Christmas Santa, and the controversy the city of New York faces when it comes to believing without seeing. 

Last Christmas, the series I wrote was the Cast of Christmas, but this year, I'm going to change it up a bit. Instead of going through only the Nativity Story, I want to write about the core of the holiday season...believing. No matter what religion we practice, our actions often stem from our beliefs. A couple years ago, I was asked to write out a list of my beliefs and honestly, I had a hard time with it. So I'd like to challenge you to sit down and write out a list of your beliefs. It can be about life in general. It can be about faith and religion. It can be about the holiday season specifically. Let's focus on believing this holiday season. It may be difficult and in fact, you may find that it's easier to write about what you don't believe in. 

My inspiration for this topic came from the book, "Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father's Questions about Christianity" by Gregory Boyd and Edward Boyd. Just like Dorey and Susan in Miracle on 34th Street, this father-son duo ask some difficult questions and explore the depths (or lack-thereof) of their beliefs. I'll be sharing bits and pieces of their challenging conversation in hopes to begin discussion and aid in the strengthening of beliefs. It's amazing what the end result can be when we question, explore, and believe. I would say that Dorey, Susan, Gregory and Edward would all agree that through the wrestling, joy and hope can be born. 

Bible Reading Plan: Ezekiel 16-30

The roll of the wind & Typhoon Haiyan

I was sitting on the deck today, reading and I couldn't help but notice the wind.

I've said before that wind happens to be one of my favorite things. Most of the time it reminds me of a gust of refreshment and the powerful presence of God, but today the wind reminded me of something else.

 

Today the Los Angeles Times reported that more than 11 million people have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan, as well as 660,000 people are homeless. Some people have estimated that the death toll will be around 10,000 and others have guessed around 2,000. No doubt, the Philippines has experienced the most powerful storm yet.

 

Erik De Castro/Reuters

 

 

Noel Celis AFP/via Getty Images

 

 

We've experienced plenty of tropical storms here in the south, but nothing to the magnitude of Typhoon Haiyan. As I sat on the deck this morning, the wind spoke to me.

 I heard it in the distance.

I saw it through the trees.

Yet, I wasn't being affected by it.

 

I was in the calm, while others were in the storm. Just like we are in the calm over here in America, while the people of the Philippines are in the storm. Aside from actual storms, it's the same in life.

 

As I watched the leaves struggle to hang on, the branches sway to and fro, and the dirt be lifted off the ground, it made me think of the times in life when we struggle to hang on...when we sway to and fro...and when we are thrown off our feet.

 

Times of divorce, sickness, and death can feel like a storm. Either we are the ones experiencing the storm or we watching a person face that storm. Both places aren't fun places to be in. Although I didn't experience Typhoon Haiyan, it still makes my stomach hurt and heart ache to think about the emptiness, sadness and anger they must be feeling. It's not an easy place to be in.

 

Storms like these often make people question the character of God.

However, times like these are simply the reality of life.

Thankfully, these times don't last forever, even if it may feel like it.

They are followed by a time of stillness, quiet, clean up and rebirth.

 

In the still and the quiet, we are able to clean up the mess, while realizing that God did not send the wind to destroy us. He didn't send a typhoon to kill thousands of people (at least I don't think He did). You know why I think that?

God is love and I can't seem to bring myself to believe that love would kill and destroy.

 

The reality is, we are in a battle between good and evil.

Ephesians 6:10-20 says, " Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

 

Jesus conquered the grave already and He will bring victory once and for all, when He comes again. For right now, we are in the middle of this tug-of-war match. Sometimes the bad wins, but in the end, good conquers. Jesus is the one who is walking with us in the these storms and lends a hand to pick us up. He is in the business of rebirth and redemption. Just like Apostle Paul says in Ephesians, we must put on the armor of God and stand firm in His promises. Like the trunk of a tree and the ground that is holding it in place, God's promises can ground us through the wrestling of the wind.

 

Hard times will come. The roll of the winds will break and we'll be able to catch our breath and receive peace. Our thankfulness for the quiet times becomes magnified and if we never faced the roll of the wind, we would take the calming times for granted. The gusts of wind sometimes force us to cling to God our vine, look toward hope, and appreciate the quiet times even more.

 

Lets pray for those around us who are in the middle of a storm, as well as our brothers and sisters in the Philippines. Let us also pray that we have strength to stand firm and remember God's presence in our lives even when a storm rolls through.

 

Bible reading plan this week:

 Jeremiah 35-52

 

Hey, I see a...!

While I was riding in the car yesterday, I looked up at the sky and saw these beautiful, white fluffy clouds and it made me think of...

 

Charlie Brown - "I see a.."

Linus - "Gargoyle! Like they have at Notre Dame!"

Lucy - "The sack of Carthage!"

Snoopy - "And the Dodger's Yankee Game! Go team!"

Linus - "All twelve apostles,
Waving at me!"

All - "What do you see, Charlie Brown?"

 

That was a song from Snoopy the Musical. I was one of the chorus members when I was younger and I always loved this scene of the play

because I could really relate to it.

Just like Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and Snoopy, I too, remember laying on the grass field at recess finding different shapes in the clouds with my friends.

 

 

Unlike the characters of Snoopy, I remember it going more like this...

Jessica - "I see a unicorn!"

Bobby - "No, that's not a unicorn, that's a race car!"

Me - "I don't see either of those, I see a puppy in a dog house! How do you see a race car or a unicorn?"

 

Sometimes instead of actually seeing what the other person saw, we would just focus on what we saw individually. Other times, we would take the time to really see what the other person was seeing. Sometimes that meant getting up and switching places with a friend. Other times, it meant simply looking at it longer to see the puppy's ears point up like a unicorn and a dog house somehow morph into a race car.

 

Living in relationship with others is a lot like finding similar shapes in the clouds on a bright, sunny day. There are times when we may not see eye to eye and that's okay, but there are other times when it takes work to reach common ground. It may be more work like actually getting up off the ground and moving to another place. Sometimes it might not be convenient, but at the same time it's necessary in order to understand what the other person is feeling.

 

That thing called empathy...putting ourselves in someone else's shoes is a huge and important aspect of life. It may be uncomfortable to turn your head the other way to see the unicorn in the cloud, but many times when you are willing to see from another perspective, beauty is born. However, there are other times when you may try your hardest to understand where the other person is coming from, but you still just don't get it and that's okay too. It's bound to happen, yet that isn't an excuse not to try.

 

Just like my previous post about different routes, we should understand that everyone has different ways of thinking, but we can really make a difference when we take the next step of understanding each other, rather than only respecting. When we don't take the time to listen, understand and support, we run the risk of hurting a friendship, ignoring a teachable moment and being closed off to a whole world of opportunities and beauty. Being respectful and willing goes along way.

 

Instead of insisting that the cloud is in the shape of a puppy, looking from another perspective can give you a puppy AND  a unicorn...what's better than that?! :)

There is beauty in differences and there is more beauty in seeing differences from another person's eyes. 

 

 

 Bible Reading Plan-
By the end of this week, we should have read through Jeremiah chapters 14-34.

 

 

 

 

 

journey

I had an epiphany last week...

Dave and I were driving back to my house and I turned down a certain street.

Dave said, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going the shortcut", I said.

"This is a shortcut?" he said, "you have to go through all these stop signs."

I then declared, "Well, what about all those street lights and traffic on your 'shortcut'? This is the fastest way!"

 

A few days later we were riding with my parents on the way back home and my dad turned down a different street.

Mom said, "I just don't understand why you go this way...the speed limit is lower and there are all these speed bumps!"

Dad replied, "Well, I don't understand why you go the other way, this is definitely faster...there's no traffic."

"I go through the lights on the main road and I think it's the fastest," Dave said.

I joined in and said, "Yeah, our (mom & I) way is definitely the fastest, but go the way you wanna go...we'll just be home faster!" ;)

 

It reminds me of picking a route on a gps.

 

Because of these discussions about who's way is better, I realized that it can be likened to our faith journeys, as well as life in general. We can't expect for everyone to go the same way as we do. Some people may need to sit at a stop light for a little while, while a slower speed may be better for others. It's okay for that one person to wrestle with the many questions about God and it's okay that another person may put their faith in Christ quickly. It's okay that one person may have read the whole Bible in one year and it's okay that another person may need ten years to read the Bible. It's okay that one person may have experienced their first mission trip at the age of 15 and it's okay that another person went on their first mission trip at the age of 70.

 

Everyone is different. We all have different ways to learn, different experiences, and different personalities. So of course, our walk with Christ may be different than others. We can't expect for everyone to follow in your footsteps of 24 years of Sunday School, 5 mission trips, and 3 times of reading the whole Bible all the way through. If we all had the same faith journey, I think that would be boring. We should focus on our similarities, learn from our differences and respect our unique experiences.

 

We should never look at another person's journey and feel inferior or superior. Reminding ourselves that our journey is just as good as everyone else's. Just like my route works for me, but my dad's route works for him.

Maybe I should have ended the conversation with my family by saying...

"It's okay that we all go different routes, at least we all end up at the same place."

That's all that matters, right? 

 

 

Bible Reading Plan

Today: Isaiah 59-63

Tuesday: Isaiah 64-66

Wednesday: Jeremiah 1-3

Thursday: Jeremiah 4-6

Friday: Jeremiah 7-9

Saturday: Jeremiah 10-13

 

 

 

Randomness: Weddings of 2013, treatment & finale!

Long time, no write :(

I'm so sorry I've been absent for awhile, but I'm back!

I've been busy, busy!

 

One of my best friends got married this past Saturday and I was her maid of honor.

We've been friends since 3rd grade. Crazy, huh?!

I'm so happy for her & feel honored to be a part of her beautiful day!

She was gorgeous AND although it was very hot (outdoor wedding), it didn't rain!!

It was a beautiful ceremony focused on Christ being the foundation of a marriage.

Now the happy couple are on their "mini-moon" and I can recoup from the festivities.

I would never let Lyme Disease get in the way of a beautiful union like 2 of my best friends' weddings the past couple months!

Here are a few pictures from this weekend...

 Getting my hair done!

 Viola! Isn't that a cool hairstyle?!

 The Bride & I :)

 The Brides of 2013

 The Bride & her maids

 

Not only have I been busy with Mindy's wedding, I have continued my IV treatments.

It has continued to be rough because of the dying of bacteria (Herxhiemer reaction), but luckily, I have seen the fruits of this not-so fun treatment protocol.

I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and for the first time in a long time...drum roll please... we can see some improvement! It wasn't a huge improvement, but it's a few rays of light coming through the end of the tunnel. I've only been on IV for a month & a half so that's pretty good...I'll take it!

Hopefully, I'll be able to make even more progress so I won't have to have this lovely (not) PICC line for 6 months, but I guess if that's what it takes, I'll have to tough it out.

Also, our gofundme fundraiser to help pay for this treatment (not covered by insurance) is going really well! Although we have not met our goal, we can feel God providing! If you don't mind, please keep me in your prayers for both healing & finances...thank you so much!

 

Last but not least, I started reading a new book titled, Red Letter Revolution. Woa-it's really good! So good that I've had to put off my finale post of Following in Your Footsteps series. There is too much good stuff that has opened my eyes even more to following in Christ's footsteps. So get ready, the next post will be the last post of the series (hopefully tomorrow)!

Bible Reading Plan:
Today: Isaiah 31-35
Tuesday: Isaiah 36-41
Wednesday: Isaiah 42-44
Thursday: Isaiah 45-48
Friday: Isaiah 49-53
Saturday: Isaiah 54-58

 

 PS- Kindle & Nook have a special sale price on A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans for only $2.99 until the 31st! I'm not paid to advertise this either, I just love the book so much, I figured I'd share this awesome deal with you!

 

Happiness

Hey everyone!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! :)

 

So I wasn't able to make it to church yesterday because I was feeling really bad :(

BUT I listened to a sermon (for the second time haha) and I figured I would use it for my "Sermon Notes" series, especially since it's clear that I enjoyed it enough to listen to it twice within a few days. It wouldn't make sense if I didn't share it with you.

 

 

I'm going to summarize it, but provide you with the link in case you want to listen to it (which I think you totally should so you get all the great examples and details).

 

The sermon is titled "A Christian's Happiness" by Pastor Tim Keller and is based upon the popular verses, Romans 8:28-30...

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

 

I know I've talked about this verse a lot, but I feel like it's something people really need to grasp, as well as the encouragement it can provide.

 

Many people believe this idea that when you put your faith in Jesus Christ, that life will be easier. Perhaps suffering, life obstacles, and trials can't touch a Christian, but the truth is, that's not true. This idea can create a lot of heartache because if you are a believer and something bad happens in your life, it would be natural for you to question God's goodness or even the strength of your faith.

In fact, there was a period where I thought why is this happening to me and is my faith not strong enough that God would allow this to happen?

 

Pastor Tim Keller would answer, "No." He explains his reasoning in 3 simple points.

1. Bad things will happen.

2. Good things will never be lost.

3. The best things are yet to come.

 

Let's dig a little deeper into each point...

1. "Bad things will happen even if you love God."

Jesus never promised that if you believe in Him, your life will be free of worry, suffering, and hardship.

Instead, He promised that you will face trouble. For example, all of His disciples faced many hardships, even persecution and death. Therefore, we can't believe that suffering is not included if we love God.

John 16:33 says, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

So bad things will happen, however, God can use them for good in totality. 

Pastor Tim  says, "The lower you lay me, the higher you'll raise me."

If something bad happens to us, we can't expect it to turn to good the following week. Maybe it will, but maybe it won't.

In my experience, the first 6 months after my diagnosis, I was angry. I didn't understand why God would let this happen to me. It became a wedge between us. However, as time went on, I realized that through this suffering God had shown Himself to me in ways I had never experienced. I started seeing the good that has come out of it. Lyme Disease is bad. Period. However, God has shown me that through times of suffering, good can be created.

We may never see the good that comes from our suffering whether it be death or disease, but we can rest in the truth that even if we don't see the positive outcome, our suffering can bring us closer to God if we realize that He's not doing it to us, but better things are yet to come.

 

2. "The good things will never be lost."

Anything good that happens to us means that God is working together for good.

"Jesus did not suffer so that you will not suffer, but when we suffer we will become like Christ."

Through our suffering we can become like Christ and closer to Christ because we are able to taste a piece of what He went through for us. We can come to appreciate the life that He lived, including the suffering.

Our faith can be strengthened.

These good things will never be lost.

 

3. "The best things are yet to come."

"The Bible doesn't promise better circumstances, but a better life."

Things like grad school and marriage are considered a circumstance.

We are never promised that because we are Christians that we will go to the best grad school and have the best marriage, but we are promised that our life in totality can be better. In verse 30, it says that our life is already better because "He has glorified" us. The "ed" shows that it's already been done.

God will change our inner essence into Christ's essence which in turn gives us a better life because we are able to live in humility, nobility, joy, love, service, etc.

The circumstances don't last, but what Christ can offer us can last forever.

Just like I talked about in the last post, the stuff doesn't last, but the way we live can. Not to mention, the best thing that is yet to come, is the truth that we will live forever with Jesus.

 

When bad things happen, Jesus is right by your side, crying with you. Use that time to cling to Him.

When good things happen, praise Him for the good in your life because that's where it comes from and know that this life isn't promised to be paradise, that's later...the best is yet to come.

 

Here is the link to the audio of the sermon...check it out! It's much better than my summary.

http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/christians-happiness

 

Reading plan:

Today: Isaiah 5-8

Tuesday: Isaiah 9-12

Wednesday: Isaiah 13-17

Thursday: Isaiah 18-22

Friday: Isaiah 23-27

Saturday: Isaiah 28-30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is my life of value?

 

Hey everyone!
I hope you all had a great weekend :)

 

Yesterday, I was able to make it to church, thankfully!

I haven't been able to go much lately due to traveling and just feeling really crappy.

I wasn't feeling real good yesterday, but I was determined to at least try.

I'm glad I did because it was a great reminder for me.

 

Although I'm not materialistic, but because I am human, I think it is always good to be reminded that "stuff" is not going to last even after I die.

When the day comes when our Father calls me home, He isn't going to tell me, "Okay Chels, you've got an hour to pack your bags before you come with Me. Grab whatever means the most to you. We've got plenty of room for it all."

I don't have the option to grab my beloved Curious George stuffed animal or my favorite earrings or my framed college diploma that I worked so hard for or even the few bucks stuffed in my wallet.

All the "stuff" that I have accumulated will lose its value to me.

 

Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

 

Here are a few points from Pastor McCallon:

~"Leave life better than we received it.

~When we lie to get something we want, we will lie to keep it...that's not what God intended.

~The only value that can never be devalued comes from Jesus Christ.

~Live for what lasts.

~Do what is right because it is right, not what you get out of it.

~Act on what you believe."

 

As hair turns gray and skin wrinkles up, the only thing that matters is Christ in you.

 It is the only thing that will last.

Loving like Jesus is what will last for eternity.

 

So when we start to worry about a promotion or stress over throwing an amazing party or finding money to buy the newest, fastest car, let's ask ourselves...

"Will this last? Will the value be devalued one day? Will it further Christ's Kingdom?"

What is amazing about these questions is that I think it can save us from a lot of worry, time, and heartache.

 

Another post about "stuff", check it out here!

 

Reading for the week:

Today: Proverbs 30-31

Tuesday: Ecclesiastes 1-4

Wednesday: Ecc 5-8

Thursday Ecc 9-12

Friday: Solomon

Saturday: Isaiah 1-4 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Following in Your Footsteps: With Your Help

The last post in the series, I talked about how living a life following in Christ's footsteps can be difficult. Wouldn't you agree?
 I mean that is a tall order to live like Christ, right?

In my opinion, my answer to that question would be a simple, "yes".
Jesus is perfect, while I, on the other hand, have never been perfect one day in my life. So how am I expected to follow in Christ's footsteps?

Thankfully, I don't think God expects me to be perfect.
In fact, He has sent us a helper. Did you know that?
We call that helper, the Holy Spirit.

God knows that we can't do this on our own. Because He is so loving, He wanted to help us out, so God has sent Himself in the form of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16-18 says, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

This should offer us confidence and comfort to know that the Holy Spirit is with us...to guide us, to comfort us, and to love us. Stepping out of our houses and into the world would normally cause us anxiety, but knowing that God has sent us a Helper should motivate us to go out and walk in Christ's light.

How gracious and loving it is, that Jesus would not leave us out on our own to live in a chaotic world, but to be by our side every minute of the day.
I don't know about you, but I often forget this truth.

Rachel Held Evans says in her book, A Year of Biblical Womanhood (which I will talk about later ;), "The same applies to faith. One need not to be a saint, or even a mother, to become a bearer of God. One needs only to obey. The divine resides in all of us, but it is our choice to magnify it or to diminish it, to ignore it or to surrender to its lead."

 I think I would be a better follower of Christ if I woke up every morning and said, "Christ in me, give me the tools and the confidence to live out your love today. May I align my life with Your characteristics so that people will come to know You. Help me to hear Your voice, feel Your love, and see Your will. I can only do this with Your help. Amen."

 

 Readings for the week:
Monday: Proverbs 13-15
Tuesday: Proverbs 16-18
Wednesday: Proverbs 19-21
Thursday: Proverbs 22-23
Friday: Proverbs 24-26
Saturday: Proverbs 27-29