Sunflower Faith

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

Psalm 15 

Scripture

 ¹ LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
         Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
         
 ² He who walks uprightly,
         And works righteousness,
         And speaks the truth in his heart;
 ³ He who does not backbite with his tongue,
         Nor does evil to his neighbor,
         Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
 ⁴ In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
         But he honors those who fear the LORD;
         He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
 ⁵ He who does not put out his money at usury,
         Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
         
         He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15, New King James Version) 

Observation:

Reading Psalm 15 as part of my life journal reading, it was like a reminder of how we as followers of Christ, should, well follow Him. 

The things that our Father shares to us through Psalm 15 are things that we should often do as a follower of Christ, but to be truthful, how many times in our lives, do we sometimes succumb to doing just the opposite of what He calls us to do. 

That’s where our Father steps in but it’s not a license for us to be complacent in our walk either.No one is perfect nor does our Father call for legalism but He does call for willingness to obey His Word and to follow Him, defined not by what is convenient or culturally acceptted but what He reaches out for us to make it a habit, a goal, a desire in our lives to be and to follow. 

From the MHC (Matthew Henry Commentary): 

The way to heaven, if we would be happy, we must be holy. We are encouraged to walk in that way.

Here is a very serious question concerning the character of a citizen of Zion. It is the happiness of glorified saints, that they dwell in the holy hill; they are at home there, they shall be for ever there. It concerns us to make it sure to ourselves that we have a place among them. A very plain and particular answer is here given. Those who desire to know their duty, will find the Scripture a very faithful director, and conscience a faithful monitor. 

 A citizen of Zion is sincere in his religion. He is really what he professes to be, and endeavours to stand complete in all the will of God. He is just both to God and man; and, in speaking to both, speaks the truth in his heart. He scorns and abhors wrong and fraud; he cannot reckon that a good bargain, nor a saving one, which is made with a lie; and knows that he who wrongs his neighbour will prove, in the end, to have most injured himself. He is very careful to do hurt to no man. 

How often when we follow our Father, we tend to worry less about what He has to think but probrably more about what the world has to think or maybe in the process of following Him, losing sight of the big picture and get to focus on the smaller pictures. 

Maybe it’s legalism, maybe it’s just getting too busy we forget about following Him and that priority starts dropping low on our list, or maybe, it’s in the form of idolism or worse yet, focusing on us too much that we don’t see Him anymore and worry about how it makes US look. 

He speaks evil of no man, makes not others’ faults the matter of his common talk; he makes the best of every body, and the worst of nobody. If an ill-natured story be told him, he will disprove it if he can; if not, it goes no further. He values men by their virtue and piety. Wicked people are vile people, worthless, and good for nothing; so the word signifies. He thinks the worse of no man’s piety for his poverty and mean condition. He reckons that serious piety puts honour upon a man, more than wealth, or a great name. He  honours such, desires their conversation and an interest in their prayers, is glad to show them respect, or do them a kindness. By this we may judge of ourselves in some measure. Even wise and good men may swear to their own hurt: but see how strong the obligation is, a man must rather suffer loss to himself and his family, than wrong his neighbour. He will not increase his estate by extortion, or by bribery. He will not, for any gain, or hope of it to himself, do any thing to hurt a righteous cause. 

Remember the story of the rich man who asks Jesus how to get into heaven and Jesus told him to give up everything to follow him. 

Would you? 

Could you? 

That’s hard to answer isn’t it and the honest truth that its more than going to Africa or Asia or any foriegn country but starting with our heart first. What are we willing to do without, live without, to follow Him. 

It’s not saying, give up your home and live in a tent, but it’s also not saying, covet your home over following Him either. It’s about willing to make the sacrifices that our Father, not society, church or anyone else, but our Father, Himself, lays on your heart to follow Him. 

Sometimes it can be as simple as looking at the way with interact with each other, with our fellow believers and with our fellow non-believers. When people look at you, can they see Him, not you, without you even having to say a word, but letting your life, your actions speak for yourself. 

Twitter, Facebook, Emails, cellphones, blogs, are great and they are fun and can be a blessing, but when people come to visit, it is a question that I even lay on my heart. Who do they see? Do they see me? Or do they see our Father in Heaven? 

I know, I pray and hope with each post, and each time I share or converse with anyone, that it’s not about me, or that I am the one who people see, but it’s our Heavenly Father first and foremost. 

Truthfully, we all would love to be noticed, but honestly, this is not about us or to us; It’s all about Him and that’s where the true focus and glory should be. 

Every true living member of the church, like the church itself, is built upon a Rock. He that doeth these things shall not be moved for ever. The grace of God shall always be sufficient for him. The union of these tempers and this conduct, can only spring from repentance for sin, faith in the Saviour, and love to him. In these respects let us examine and prove our own selves 

When I go to church, I’m pretty self-conscious and not so much about myself but about others. I honestly keep an eye out for an unfamiliar face, or someone who might look lost. Why? 

Because, we are not in this alone; We are a body-a family in Christ and we are to help lift up and encourage each other-not to win a popularity contest. 

I feel that this is a reminder and a notice that we have to be careful we don’t get so comfortable that we exclude others unwittingly or purposely. Yes, it’s great to have that close group of friends, but our true service and fellowship for our Heavenly Father, is outside our circle, not within. That’s where true service is. 

No one may know my name or remember me, but that’s fine. That’s the goal; The real goal is that they remember and look and see always our Heavenly Father and it’s my responsibilty, your responsibilty, all of our responsibilty to each other, to those we know, but especially to those we don’t know. 

Application:

Psalm 15 is a challenge to myself, to all of us, to rethink how we are living the Christian faith and what light are we shining to others. When people see us, do they see Him, or do they see us. Do they seek us to know Him better or do they seek us to know us better.

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for being the awesome God that You are and I lift Your name up in praise for all You do and have done in my life and in the others life. I pray and hope that those who do know You and particularly those who don’t know You will seek You and find You and come to know You Heavenly Father and I pray You will continually humble this broken servant of Yours and use me as YOU see willing not as I see willing Lord.

Give me the strength, the courage, the words, to speak for You and about You Lord that eyes will look up to You, not me.

You know me better than I know myself and I am not fit to share Your Glory and Love and just am thankful when You lay what You lay on my heart and pray my heart can just speak out to the four corners of the world, of Your Glory, Your Grace, Your Love.

Lord, Thank You Father, Thank You! Amen.

****Purpose of this post**** 

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here. 

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing. 

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal. 

Either way. 

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you. 

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email. 

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate. 

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day. 

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire. 

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him. 

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well. 

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings. 

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

Acts 5:29

Scripture

²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29, New King James Version)

Observation:

We all want to fit in don’t we? No matter who we are with, where we are: Work, Church, Neighborhood, just the world-We all want to fit in, but look at Peter.

Wow. Look at Peter. When we met him, following Jesus earlier, what did he do? He deny Christ, not one time, but three times and now look at him, chasing and following our Father with a fever that can not be contain.

Looks like he’s worried less now what everyone around him has to think and more worried about what our Father in Heaven has to think.

The truth is that our world, our culture, we as people in general, are like the waves of the ocean-Constantly changing, influence by self, by selfish desires, by changing thoughts, influences and emotions that are not always as controllable as we like to think they are, but our Father-He is a solid foundation whose Truth never changes and is a solid rock that has and always will stand the test of time.

While we and the world we live in changes each day like the weather in the sky and the waves of the ocean-sometimes smooth, sometimes rocky-Not our Father in Heaven.

He is always there.

His word, is always true today as it was yesterday as it is today and will be tomorrow.

That’s whom we should choose to hunger for, to pursue, to crave, to follow,to obey.

He doesn’t come in and out of our lives like the people of our life do; He doesn’t move like our best friend, or our neighbor, or change jobs or homes or towns. God is always there, everywhere, anywhere, with us always when we need Him.

Not just on Sundays, but everyday; Not just during the day, but any time of the day, our Father is there and it is He, who we should seek and obey, not men.

When we get over that hurdle and release our need for the approval and attention of men, but seek instead our Father, we find the Truth and the comfort that we all seek and need.

From the MHC, it is shared:

The apostles testify to Christ before the council.

Many will do an evil thing with daring, yet cannot bear to hear of it afterward, or to have it charged upon them.  

 We cannot expect to be redeemed and healed by Christ, unless we give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Faith takes the Saviour in all his offices, who came, not to save us in our sins, but to save us from our sins. Had Christ been exalted to give dominion to Israel, the chief priests would have welcomed him.  

But repentance and remission of sins are blessings they neither valued nor saw their need of; therefore they, by no means, admitted his doctrine. Wherever repentance is wrought, remission is granted without fail. None are freed from the guilt and punishment of sin, but those who are freed from the power and dominion of sin; who are turned from it, and turned against it.  

 Christ gives repentance, by his Spirit working with the word, to awaken the conscience, to work sorrow for sin, and an effectual change in the heart and life. The giving of the Holy Ghost, is plain evidence that it is the will of God that Christ should be obeyed. And He will surely destroy those who will not have Him to reign over them. (Ac 5:34-42)  

The advice of Gamaliel, The council let the apostles go.

The Lord still has all hearts in his hands, and sometimes directs the prudence of the worldly wise, so as to restrain the persecutors. Common sense tells us to be cautious, while experience and observation show that the success of frauds in matters of religion has been very short. Reproach for Christ is true preferment, as it makes us conformable to his pattern, and serviceable to his interest. They rejoiced in it.  

If we suffer ill for doing well, provided we suffer it well, and as we should, we ought to rejoice in that grace which enabled us so to do. The apostles did not preach themselves, but Christ.  

 This was the preaching that most offended the priests. But it ought to be the constant business of gospel ministers to preach Christ: Christ, and him crucified; Christ, and him glorified; nothing beside this, but what has reference to it. And whatever is our station or rank in life, we should seek to make Him known, and to glorify his name.  

Application:

 

This is a reminder of Acts 17: 10-12 

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable woman which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” 

Our Father is the final authority and we should strive in all areas of our lives to be discerning Christians and part of that is to seek for ourselves, His Word and test all and not just rely on what someone says or does. 

 One of the things that todays scripture really just laid on my heart is being careful to based what our Father has to say on just what someone else has to say, but first and foremost go to His Word, read for myself and particularly follow our Father and not just what is the popular trend or thought that is happening.

Everyone’s walk is personal and more than just that, if we lose sight of Him and based what we believe in Him on what others are doing or thinking, it’s easy to lose sight of the whole picture which is bigger than us.

We should always search the Bible, go to Him in prayer, obey what HE lays on our heart to do and follow that true and true, for the truth is that people will fail us whether intentionally or unintentionally but our Father in Heaven never does.

It’s all about Him and all about for His Glory,not ours.

If there is anyone to follow and who is the Leader, it’s our Heavenly Father:

I Chronicles 29:11: “Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, and the might, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; Yours is the kingdom and You are He Who is exalte…d over everything as the Leader.” 
 

 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Strength, Encouragement and Guidance; Lord, I pray our hearts are forever humbled, hungry always for YOU and YOUR word and that we seek You always and to obey You, Father, for You are the solid rock that we could always depend on.

Thank You Father for the blessings, the lessons and the challenges You lay before us, knowing we are strong enough, in and through You to face each day.

Amen

---

  

****Purpose of this post****  

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.  

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.  

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.  

Either way.  

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.  

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.  

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.  

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.  

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.  

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.  

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.  

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.  

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.  

is plain evidence that it is the will of God that Christ should be obeyed. And He will surely destroy those who will not have Him to reign over them. (Ac 5:34-42)   

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

Genesis 12,13,14:Luke 5

Scripture

³⁰ And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
³¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:30-32, New King James Version)

Observation:

I remember hearing this from my pastor and he shared the importance to not keep within our “safe zones” of just ministering to those who know the Word of God, but that we need to widen our circle and go beyond for those who know the Word of God, maybe have accepted Christ as their Saviour, or are just starting their journey or are at whatever point it is in their journey, there is a point that it becomes a matter of God is working on and in and through them, and often, we, as fellow believers, need to remember that He wants us to reach out and share the word among those who don’t know Christ or maybe fleeting but are in need of love and ministering in their lives.

The analogy he just as our Heavenly Father provides is a powerful one.

Doctors are there not really for those who are well and healthy; Yes they guide us but the truth is, they know as well as we know, when we are healthy, we are capable of taking the necessary steps to keep us healthy and do not to be treated as children.

However, the real purposes of doctors are for those who are in real need of them: the sick, the injured, the deeply wounded. It is they who needs to be ministered and guided back to health or to health.

Keeper of the Home shared this great quote,”Remember, brothers and sisters – it’s not our job to save people. It’s just our job to tell them how to be saved. After that, it is between God and them.”

How often do our focus is too much on those who are well or who are well enough to know, by free will, what is good for them, but rather seek to minister those who are not well enough or are lost and seeking for help, we too often focus our attention on the wrong sights, maybe out of good intentions and maybe out of blind intentions.

In Luke 5:30-32, the Pharisess are in an uproar of the company that Jesus keeps and questions why those people, not them and Jesus replies to them that they know who He is and what He is about and yet, they are more focus on keeping appearances then  they are concerned about keeping Him in their heart.

Their focus is on everyone else, while they, themselves unwittingly strays and ignores the needs of those of a hurting world around them.

It’s like a doctor who walks through the corridor of those who are crying out in sickness and skips them to help the healthy person who is checking out of the hospital and leaving to rejoin the world outside.

In MHC, it is shared:

Levi called, Christ’s answer to the Pharisees.

It was a wonder of Christ’s grace, that he would call a publican to be his disciple and follower. It was a wonder of his grace, that the call was made so effectual.

It was a wonder of his grace, that he came to call sinners to repentance, and to assure them of pardon. It was a wonder of his grace, that he so patiently bore the contradiction of sinners against himself and his disciples. It was a wonder of his grace, that he fixed the services of his disciples according to their  strength and standing.

Reading Luke 5:30-32, this is just a pointedly reminder that there is a time and place for everything and in a broken and hurting world, as we encourage each other, as fellow believers and followers of Christ, we must not forget, either the bigger picture, that there are many who don’t know Christ, who don’t call His name and, we are called to share the Good News with them, but the rest belongs to our Heavenly Father.

He, in His perfect time and way, working in and through us, will soften the hearts, change the hearts and lead the hearts, but that is not our job to do His job. Our job is to be an example, an imitation of Christ, our personal Lord and Savioiur who seeks, in and through each of us, to change us, to liken us to His image, and to use us to be His ambassadors to a world that needs Him.

Application:

Reading the actions of Jesus as He walked among those who dearly needed Him the most and how the Pharisess, rather than seek to heal and deliver, instead judge and condemn and burden with legalism,  ignore the most cargo of all,their own hearts, reminds me that we live in a complicated and burden world where people need Him and sometimes we may find them in our own church, but majority of the time, we will find them in our everyday life and walk.

Our greatest missions, isn’t just overseas, but in our own backyards, our neighbors, our community, our town; The people whom we have the most contact with, often are the ones who know Him the least and it is there we need to remember, as we go out and about our day, to share His word, if not directly by Scripture, definetely by actions.

It could be a manager who not by his words but just his mere actions of allowing Christ to work in and through him, and in Service to Him, just be the best he can be and let Christ be reflected in his work, who, without saying a word, can lead and guide others to wonder what it is that leads him, and in turn be lead to Christ without a word being spoken at all.

As a follower of Christ, we lead by love and example, not by force and persuasion. As an anonymous quoter had said,”“Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God, will come to know God because they know you.””

Just by sheer example can make or break a personal testimony and can encourage or discourage a person to come to know Christ better.

This is a reminder for me, for all of us, to live our lives in a way that when people see us, they see Christ and will know something is there, without us having to speak a word.

God bless you, Gentle Readers!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word and Your love and I pray and hope that others continue to be encouraged this new year and just everyday to seek You, to come to know You and to allow You to work in and through their lives without any fear or reservations.

You are an Awesome God and I thank You that You came into my life and You are my Lord and Saviour.

Amen.

****Purpose of this post****

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.

Either way.

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

 The Lord trains up his people gradually for the trials allotted them; we should copy his example in dealing with the weak in faith, or the tempted believer.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

John 9,10,11

Scripture

³⁹ And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
⁴⁰ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. (John 9:39-41, New King James Version)

Observation:

I pulled up MHC and wanted to share what it says:

He reproves the Pharisees.

 Christ came into the world to give sight to those who were spiritually blind. Also, that those who see might be made blind; that those who have a high conceit of their own wisdom, might be sealed up in ignorance.

 The preaching of the cross was thought to be folly by such as by carnal wisdom knew not God. Nothing fortifies men’s corrupt hearts against the convictions of the word, more than the high opinion which others have of them; as if all that gained applause with men, must obtainacceptance with God.

Christ silenced them. But the sin of the self-conceited and self-confident remains; they reject the gospel of grace, therefore the guilt of their sin remains unpardoned, and the power of their sin remains unbroken.

Our pastor spoke a powerful sermon yesterday that I will share more after the holidays; Right now it’s a time of reflection on remembering that our Saviour and Lord was born a tiny babe and through that miracle, was a gift to all mankind, by our Heavenly Father for the sacrifice of Him, for our sins so that all will be saved through salvation.

However, this reading, is something that even as I noted to go back and share my reflections, is a reminder this holiday season, that in the midst of everything going wrong, and it does, that what is essentially important is remembering at heart what our Lord and Saviour has done for all of us and not just a select few.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the holidays and so focus on our family and friends, to forget that we have a bigger family to think of too and a Father who is above us all.

Application:

I pray and hope our Heavenly Father keeps my heart on straight and my heart always focused on Him and not on anyone else. It’s so easy to get caught up in personal glory that we lose focus and the truth is, we are small wheels in the bigger picture, it’s all about Him and nothing else but about Him.

It’s not about numbers; It’s not about who we know, it’s about “Do we know about Him, Abba, our Father in Heaven and have we called to Him and allow Him to be our Saviour and Lord”?

Men’s hearts are fickle and go everywhere which way and it’s like water that is poured out and with no direction, goes everywhere, but when we do what we do, for Him and only Him and give Him the credit and not focus on us, our lives, our hearts, our worships, are like a river that is directed in one direction, to Him.

Prayer:

Lord, Thank You for everday a powerful reminder of You, Heavenly Father and I pray and hope that You chastise me, give me strength and discernment and help us all remember, all is to and for Your Glory not us.

It’s a struggle for we all want to feel accepted and feel a part of something that is really smaller than what You are doing and I thank You for forgiving us like children who are slowly learning and maturing and pray as a loving parent, You continue to guide us, and give us discernment and lay on our hearts, the directions, YOU want us to take and we don’t supercede with what WE want.

In Your Name, I pray.

Amen

****Purpose of this post****

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.

Either way.

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2009All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

2 Peter 1,2,3; John 1

Scripture:

   
⁵ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
(2 Peter 1:5-9, New King James Version)

Observation:

The passage alone speaks volumes….want to know how to grow and mature as a follower of Christ? A post it note of this verse serves as a great reminder,but then again, isn’t there a lot of great passages from the Bible, from His word, that we can keep close to heart to remind us?

Reading it, it reads like a ladder, do one thing and on another, build another and from that another and from that is a tumbling effect that happens throughout our lives and our walk.

My words seem so inadequate to share the gentle reminder and love that comes from this passage….if we wish to grow deeper and more mature in our walk..wow…this is a good start.

Application:

Remember what it took to start walking? I don’t personally, lol, but it is a remind that there is a step that leads to another step that leads to another, and this is a reminder that everything has a process.

We would like to get from point A to point C in a hurry, but we have to remember that this is not our time, it’s His and everything has a step and a process and the trick is, to persevere through those processes.

For me, it’s a reminder that we have weaknesses, but they are not to be excuses (and I’m not saying I’m not guilty of that myself), but we do have the free-will to choose, for ourselves, to follow and learn from our Heavenly Father or not.

No one else can do that or do that for us. We could go to church all we want, but it doesn’t make us a mechanic (referencing just because we go to a garage….lol).

It’s up to us,you, me, everyone,to lay claim to His word, to open it, to read it, to keep it close to heart and walk in His steps and listen to Him.

No one can do that other than what we allow it and when we open our hearts, humble our souls and say, “Lord, I am here in Thy will not mine, and what do I have to learn from You”, oh the blessings that He lays on our hearts and souls.

Prayer:

Lord, Thank You Father for Your word and your lessons and though there are times that are hard, though there are times that are good, through good and bad, Lord, lead me, Lord, humble me, give me strength for when I am weak and teach me,Heavenly Father to be Your humble servant.

Amen.

****Purpose of this post****

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.

Either way.

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2009All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

1 Peter 1,2,3,4,5

Scripture

¹⁷ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ²⁰ He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:17-21, New King James Version)

Observation:

This past year has been a year where our Heavenly Father has called on and convicted and begun a work of refinement that He has laid heavily on my  heart and that I accepted with just submission, praise and gratitude.

It’s funny how something as simple as just reading your bible, is a difficult task to do in today’s world, when we have so much going on and keeping ourselves, so busy, that we overlook, something as life giving and vital as working on our always growing and developing relationship with our Heavenly Father.

I am a huge advocate of that, because as I really begin to dig into reading His word, taking the challenge at church to read our bible, every day and finding the time to read our bible, I began to realize, that there was so much more in my growth that I needed to do that I welcome with open arms and a desire to submit myself to His will be done, not mine.

Using the life journal method and the S.O.A.P. help, for me, develop a discipline to read His word every day that it’s reach the point, I honestly feel incomplete if I don’t spend time reading His word so I incorporate that with our homeschool routine.

Biggest reason, is it helps the kids learn by example and not by words, how to pursue that active and living relationship with our Heavenly Father and if we don’t do that ourselves, how can we expect them to.

Application:

I’m learning to really look at my life and decide, how important is this over this and that over that. I am also learning that just because I volunteer at church, go to bible study, it’s not really “having a relationship”, but for me, it just felt more like doing everything, but going directly to Him and learning from Him, and growing in and through Him.

I started to say “no” to many activities and began to carve more time for Him and what I discovered, what a deeper conviction and desire in my heart to really follow Him, to learn from Him and that nothing in the world can truly replace or justify having that one on one relationship with our Heavenly Father and reading His Word.

Now…I read His word, before I read everything and it helps set that mental mindpath and that’s not to say, I still don’t slip and make mistakes.

I’m still human but I also learn not to use my mistakes as excuses but as growing markers in my life and to learn from them and strive not to repeat them.

My love and worship with our Heavenly Father is growing and maybe not rapidly, but that’s okay, it’s growing and I know that He is and always have been and will be more my center and focus of my life.

There is nothing on this earth that can replace Him and there is nothing on this earth He craves more than just to have that personal relationship, with you, with me, with everyone.

Prayer:

****Purpose of this post****

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.

Either way.

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2009All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

James 1,2,3,4,5

Scripture

 ¹ My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. ² For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ³ Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.   
¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:1-18, New King James Version)

Observation:

*****Updated****

A friend just posted this great quote that I wanted to share; I think it goes well with today’s reading:

While we are never to put God to the test, we should certainly ask Him to test us. In surrendering to this examination, we are tried and often refined during the process.

` “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” ~ Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) quoted by Laurie of “A Magnolia Heartbeats”.

James is a great book to read but it’s also a humbling book to read, because it seems to focus a lot on how we interact with others and how we use our words.

Honestly, whenever I read James, it makes me stop and do a major evaluation of how I use my words, be it here on the blog, on Twitter, on Facebook and in real life and how we present ourselves can make or break our testimony.

We live in a world that well, seems to be anything goes and sometimes prey on the exploitation of others for the rising of oneself. This is just a personal observation, and just a personal thought, but it sometimes, feel like, we revel in hurting or using our words to tear down others to build ourselves up, versus working on encouraging and lifting each other up.

When we speak, how does our words reflect ourselves, our spouses, our friends and more than anything our Heavenly Father?

Does the words and actions we portray, lift them up to the greater gloryof our Heavenly Father, or are they designed to just lift ourselves up?

I pray and hope that the words I speak and write would be in worship and praise our Heavenly Father and serve to lift His name up and to glorify only Him and not me, because me…well…I’m just really a small dot in the bigger picture of things.

Him; He is the beginning and He is the constant foundation that never changes and it’s always with prayers and hopes that this blog is in service always to Him.

Application:

James 3: 9-16,stays with me and will be something I will mull about over the day:

⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.   
¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷

It’s a good reminder to take throughout the day, to remember and to ask oneself, where-ever we speak and where-ever we speak our words…who are we speaking about and for and how?

We can speak in such a way that even in gentle love and constructive encouragement, it can still glorify our Heavenly Father, but we can also speak in a way, that doesn’t show us to be followers of Christ, but follower’s of self or of  other.

A fine line to walk and something to remember throughout the day, when people see us, are they seeing us, or can they see our Heavenly Father in us?

My prayer and hope that when we speak, we speak in a way that will encourage and challenge and give strength and righteous conviction to refine not to judge and to condemn.

This is both an easy and a difficult passage to go over, but then again, if we seek to grow and mature, don’t we tell our children that sometimes it means having to face what is not easy and to persist through and from those lessons, we can grow and mature?

Yes, I will be hitting the commentary and re-reading this passage and well, just these chapters more later today, but it’s a welcome encouragement to understand and to apply further our Heavenly Father’s words and ask the difficult questions.

When people see me, will they see Him or do they see just me?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your loving strength and Your loving guidance and I pray and hope You keep challenging, encouraging and convicting what needs to be challenged or refined or matured as I follow You,Heavenly Father.

I pray You will guide my heart and words as I seek You and that I reflect You in and through me, so it’s always about You, never about me.

Lord, I thank You for Your welcoming hands for the days that I stumble or stray and Your gentle reminder to go back on the path that I was on and not off into the wilderness, far from You and Your word.

Help keep my heart open and willing, teach me discernment and taming the tongue that it may always speak words that reflect Your work and love.

Thank You Father, Thank You.

Amen

****Purpose of this post****

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.

Either way.

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2009All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

Hebrews 12,13; Jude

Scripture

³ Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.(Jude 1:3, New King James Version)

Observation:

There’s never a “good time” to share our faith, or so we tell ourselves.

We don’t want to offend, it’s a bad time, we don’t know what to say.

Imagine if our Heavenly Father said the same to us.  But He found time and didn’t pay mind to those who were offended because sometimes when people get offended, it’s because they don’t want to hear the truth or want to feel that nagging suspicion to rethink what they spent so much time, convincing themselves they want to believe.

His truth is a sunshine that lights up and reveals everything, the good, the bad, the ugly. We don’t like it, but  there comes to a point either our hearts hardened to the truth or we awaken to the truth and strive to change.

Reading “Voice of the Martyrs” it’s a reminder that there are people in other countries, fellow brothers and sisters, who unlike us in the States, don’t have the freedom at all, to practice thier faith. Being a Christian is considered being the enemy.

Yet they pursue under worse challenges in a modern day reminder of the older days of Christian persecution.

We speak for those who have gone before us and for those who can not speak with us now.

If we had a stain on our shirt, we would want someone to let us know before we head out the door wouldn’t we?

If we had spiniach stuck between our teeth, wouldn’t it be nice someone tells us before we head into the office to meet the big boss?

Sharing our faith is not an easy thing but it’s not a hard thing to do either.

It’s by just our common day actions to each others and to those who are non-believers; It’s by living out our faith and not just speaking about our faith; It’s about not being afraid to share what our Heavenly Father has and will do with our lives and for those around us.

It’s taking the time to pray for others, even when it’s inconvenient for us, and just a simple note of encouragement.

We don’t have to have loud speakers to proclaim who we are or what we believe in, but we shouldn’t hide away our faith as if it’s something to be ashamed of either.

Application:

Truthfully, there have been days, I thought twice about pulling out my bible to read while at a doctor’s office without thinking “what will other people think” or sending a Christmas card with scripture for “fear of offending”, but as God laid it on my heart, I realize that by being more concerned what the world thought and not what He thought, I was choosing, by my actions, the world over Him.

I soon, stopped worrying and when I wait for the doctor, or whomever, I open my bible and read it, and send out cards with scripture in it, with a “Merry Christmas” and “God Bless You” in it.

There was a time, that no one said “God Bless You” to me or share His word with me. It was a time before I became a Christian and I can’t help but wonder, “What difference would it have made, had someone said that to me”.

Maybe I would have been offended, but it would have planted a seed, that you and I wouldn’t have seen, but later in the future it might have come to fruit.

We don’t have to share His word, by just pulling out a bible and quoting Scripture. We can share His word, by just simple actions, living His word and letting that speak for itself, rather than we speak for Him. It’s His job to save, but it’s our job to share His word and often not by verbalizing, but just by our very existance and letting that bear testament to His word.

Don’t feel like you can “show your faith” only around fellow believers and don’t think, you have to share your faith by standing on a corner.

Just sometimes, the simple act of extending a hand and saying” Hi” and letting your life speak for itself, can speak volumes for itself.

Don’t be afraid to say “God bless You” or  “Merry Christmas”, after all…doesn’t He bless us all rather we know it or not?

Prayer:

Lord, Thank You for standing up for us and seeking us even in the faces of those who had seek to silence Your Son and the work that He did; We don’t face the same as our fellow brothers and sisters, but we shouldn’t feel that we need to modify our faith to fit in a broken world that seeks to conform You to what it desires versus to allow You to change it for the better.

Lord, give us strength and words to speak and live in Your truth and not ours or that of the world.

Amen

****Purpose of this post****

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.

Either way.

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2009All Rights Reserved

My Daily Bible Reading

Today’s Life Journal Reading is from:

Hebrews 5; Hebrews 6; Hebrews 7; Hebrews 8

Scripture:

 ¹ Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do if God permits.
⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; ⁸ but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.   
⁹ But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:1-12, New King James Version)

Observation:

Maybe it’s because it’s a Saturday or maybe as I read over today’s passages, I found myself reaching for the commentary, praying and mulling over what I had just read.

They are powerful passages,Hebrews 5; Hebrews 6; Hebrews 7; Hebrews 8, and I found myself sitting back and looking more deeply over what I had just read.

Normally, with Life Journals, it’s a verse here or there that really “hits” you, and for me, it’s often several that work in relation with itself.

Today, wow.

It was a good block of passages that wouldn’t fit my sticky note and tells me…this is something to re-read later today, if I can, and just really read through what our Father is sharing.

 Using MHC (Matthew Henry Commentary), I looked deeper at this particularly chapter, chapter 6.

From the MHC:

The faith and hope of the church encouraged from this.

 Every part of the truth and will of God should be set before all who profess the gospel, and be urged on their hearts and consciences.

 We should not be always speaking about outward things; these have their places and use, but often take up too much attention and time, which might be better employed. The humbled sinner who pleads guilty, and cries for mercy, can have no ground from this passage to be discouraged, whatever his conscience may accuse him of.

Nor does it prove that any one who is made a new creature in Christ, ever becomes a final apostate from him. The apostle is not speaking of the falling away of mere professors, never convinced or influenced by the gospel. Such have nothing to fall away from, but an empty name, or hypocritical profession.

Neither is he speaking of partial declinings or backslidings. Nor are such sins meant, as Christians fall into through the strength of temptations, or the power of some worldly or fleshly lust.

But the falling away here mentioned, is an open and avowed renouncing of Christ, from enmity of heart against him, his cause, and people, by men approving in their minds the deeds of his murderers, and all this after they have received the knowledge of the truth, and tasted some of its comforts. Of these it is said, that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance. Not because the blood of Christ is not sufficient to obtain pardon for this sin; but this sin, in its very nature, is opposite to repentance and every thing that leads to it.

If those who through mistaken views of this passage, as well as of their own case, fear that there is no mercy for them, would attend to the account given of the nature of this sin, that it is a total and a willing renouncing of Christ, and his cause, and joining with his enemies, it would relieve them from wrong fears.

We should ourselves beware, and caution others, of every approach near to a gulf so awful as apostacy; yet in doing this we should keep close to the word of God, and be careful not to wound and terrify the weak, or discourage the fallen and penitent. Believers not only taste of the word of God, but they drink it in.

And this fruitful field or garden receives the blessing. But the merely nominal Christian, continuing unfruitful under the means of grace, or producing nothing but deceit and selfishness, was near the awful state above described; and everlasting misery was the end reserved for him. Let us watch with humble caution and prayer as to ourselves. (Heb 6:9)

It’s so easy to get caught up in the holiday season, with everyday life, with what is going on, on the outside and lose focus of what is going on spiritually or emotionally or mentally.

There are days that our hearts may feel like it will break from rejection, isolation, or maybe we’re just having a bad day, but there is something bigger than all of us, and our focus should be on that, because our Heavenly Father, is above that which ails us or we feel ails us.

It can be difficult and sometimes we may feel like, what is the point, but so many have gone before us, where they have faced worse adversaries.

When we feel like we are hurting, when we feel like we are at our most weak, that’s when we need to draw even more closer to our Heavenly Father, for there is no one on this Earth, that can supplement all that He does have to offer and can give.

He is the solid rock and never changing foundation that promises always to be there without condition.

Application:

Prayer:

****Purpose of this post****

Gentle Readers, There are days that I will read a verse or passage and just feel pulled to share here, but there are days when I will read something and just feel, I need to spend the day, in personal contemplation of what is being convey and may just post via Twitter, what passages I have read that day and post nothing on here.

That is what bible reading is about; It’s not about having to write something down everyday; There maybe days when you are reading say, Numbers and it’s just lineages, but other days, you may find yourself dealing with a “powerhouse verse” of the moment and have to just go “WOW” and seek God in personal time and prayer to understand what He is sharing.

I will try to post daily, but particularly on weekends, if I’m sick or I’m just completely in awe of what I’m reading or maybe I am trying to understand what I am reading, I may not post here, I may just write in my Life Journal (hardcopy), because I will find myself having to seek His Word and/or the Commentary and just seek in prayer to understand what our Father in Heaven is seeking to reveal.

Either way.

Reading His Word, is about getting to know Him better and developing your Christian growth and maturity. Do what is right and good for you.

If you do use the Life Journal and participate in the daily readings, I would like to hear from you and your perspective on each day’s reading, when I do have a post up, or feel free to comment on a previous “Daily Bible Reading post” or send me a quick email.

Please feel free to join in the linky that I post below, so others too, who uses the Life Journal/or SOAP method to read the bible can participate.

Don’t feel obligate to have to blog about each passage to be read, but if anything, feel free to share those passages that have the most impact on you that day.

There maybe some days that you may read your daily reading and find nothing to jot down in your journal or on your blog and that’s okay, but there maybe other days, that you will find yourself inspire.

This is about you being encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spending each day with Him, You and Him.

It is my prayer and hope that this will be an encouragement to establish a personal daily reading as well.

To find out more about using the S.O.A.P. method, here’s a link to an ehow article and here’s the link to the Life Journal to find out more what it is, and how you can use it for your own daily bible readings. If you don’t want to order the journal or if it’s not available through your local church, another method is simply, buy a journal or notebook or even blog about your life journal readings.

Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2009All Rights Reserved