Donny gave me a great bible study book. “The Message//Remix: Solo” a 365 day bible study. It looks great, Hoping to come back to blogging daily.
Read: Genesis 3:1-10
Passage: Genesis 3:9
“God called to the Man: “Where are you?”
Pray:
There is no better way to begin to understand God’s Message than to grasp our separation from him because of sin and our desperate need for him to reconcile our relationship.
Live:
If God knows everything, why did he call out to Adam asking, “Where are you?” In Verse 10 Adam responds to God’s question, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid.” When am I most tempted to hide?
Scripture
John 4:50
“Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.”
Observation
There was a government official who’s son was very sick, traveling to Jesus he begged him to come to Capernaum to heal his son who was about to die. Jesus instead tells him to go home and his son will live. Having faith, the official turned and went home to find his son healed. He not only believed Jesus could heal, but he obeyed Jesus by returning home.
Application
It isn’t enough for me to say I believe that Jesus can take care of my problems, I need to act as if he can. When I pray about a need or problem, I need to live as though I believe Jesus can do what he says, and not make a “backup– just in case”
Prayer
I pray I become more trusting of you. I pray that in the future when I do pray for something of importance, I don’t make a backup.. I pray that I can hand over everything to you and let you take care of it and have no anxiety from me.
Scripture
John 3:4-7
“What do you mean? exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again? Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say You must be born again.”
Observation
Nicodemus was a Pharisee who came to talk to Jesus in the middle of the night. Nicodemus spoke of how God must be with Jesus because of all the miraculous signs and Jesus replied with verses 4-7. Nicodemus became confused with Jesus’ statement because he did not get the concept.
Application
While reading John 3 this popped right out and I knew this was the verses I should pick. When I try to explain what “born again” means to me, people don’t get it. It’s hard for me to try and explain it to them and I always fumble over my words. I feel convicted to memorize these phrases so when someone does ask me about my relationship with God and I say I’m “born-again” I’ll be able to explain without fumbling over words.
Prayer
Lord, give me the capabilities and conviction to memorize these verses, give me the chances to speak to people who don’t know you, give me the chances to show You through me. Amen
Scripture
2:14
“In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money.”
Observation
Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover celebration, upon walking into the temple Jesus see’s vendors set up trying to sell things. He becomes ENRAGED. The people selling things in the temple had rationalized that it was okay to sell things in the temple because it was a convenience for the worshipers and it made the temple money for upkeep.
Application
When I rationalize, they are big rationalizations. I make huge lies and try to make myself believe them. Sometimes God wins and snaps me out of it, sometimes not so much. Jesus became angry because these people had setlled for rationalizations of selling in the temple. I wonder what in my life Jesus is angry about my rationalizations.
Prayer
Lord, whatever I’m rationalizing now or in the future, please show me clearly what I am doing and snap me out of it. Please show me how to not rationalize and how to succeed in the areas I am trying to rationalize over.
Scripture
John 1:38
“Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them….”
Observation
Two of John’s disciple’s were with John when Jesus walked by, John said “Look, where is the Lamb of God! The two disciples, as scripture says, “followed Jesus”. While following, Jesus turns around and asked them what they wanted. Obviously John must have talked to his disciples if they knew who he was when he walked by. They dropped everything and left with him. While walking with Jesus, he turns around and asks them what they wanted. At first I really thought Jesus was being rude .. “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” but then I realized… Just following Christ is not enough, we have to follow him for the right reasons. If we were to follow Christ for our own purposes, that would be asking him to follow us — so we can advance our motives. By following him completely for HIM, we can seek glory for Him.
Application
Sometimes I think I’m just following Christ for the wrong reason.. Sometimes I feel like I’m just following Christ to.. Follow Christ. Sometimes it seems like I have no original thoughts and am using people’s thoughts that they’ve said before. When someone asks me about Christ I sometimes stutter and don’t know what to say. I’m really interested in reading John over again to see what kind of ideas spring forth. I plan to apply this to my life by being able to talk about God more fluently and feel like I know what I’m saying… Follow Jesus for the right reasons.
Prayer
Lord I pray that you can show me how to follow you for a cause, for when the time comes to speak through me so I’m clear and concise and not a jittery bumble mouthed baboon.
It’s time to embrace where I’m at and enjoy where God has me.
June 7th- Cookout!
Be there at 945 to help set up.
Facebook with personal invites.
June 14- keigwin
July 2- Water bottles for Fireworks
Something is going to go wrong, but at the heart of it God will be there.
You’re invited to suffer.
For when I am weak, I am strong.
Am I willing to suffer?
Am I suffering?
Satan doesn’t have to make me sin, he just has to distract me. I am no use to God while Distracted.
I am invited to suffer.
Luke 10:38
-It’s not about the work, it’s about you worshiping me.
Make a priority to get to know God
make it a priority to be prepared.
—eager expectation
/Bible, pen, a scratch pag, reading plan, a journal
For SOAP: write out entire verse to help God slow you down.
Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
Observation: tell how/what you see going on
Application: how this pertains to you and how it changes your life
Prayer: make it personal to the application — super specific
It takes 21 days for something to become a habit, try this without it becoming a burden or a guilt thing.
All failures are prayer failures
Pray for ARC
Personal invites on Facebook for Sunday’s BBQ
RSVP on facebook
Give generously… Soon?
I eagerly drive down the winding road passing under rows of weathered oak tree’s growing towards their savior, the sun hit’s my eyes in short bursts seeping through the branches. Pulling around the corner I see a house on the top of a hill lit up by the sun. Turning up the driveway my tires rumble and grab for rocks as it pulls me up the hill. Stopping and turning off the engine I hear a dog barking frantically and see her moving the curtains on the second floor. I step out and hear the noise of a car trying to catch it’s breath. A head peaks around a curtain and I smile and wave. The light shines brightly on the window and I don’t know if she can see me. My phone rings as she steps outside with a phone plastered to her ear. Looking down I see it isn’t her and answer it. We both exchange a smirk and I realize how technologic we have all become. Minutes pass and another car zooms around the corner and rushes up the driveway. Creaking to a stop and popping out is a girl ready for some hiking. We get ready and after a quick change, a leash for honey and a quick tighning of shoe laces. Heading towards the woods I hear the air dance through the branches singing songs of excitement. Up a mountain and back we trek through God’s kingdom of beauty and grace. Across a stream and into the thicket of it all we take turns laughing and having an amazing time. Worn out and two hours later we arrive back at our original destination. A big circle has led us back to the house where it all started. Saying our goodbyes and promises of tomorrow, I sloutch down into my car, turn the key — bringing her back to life, kick it into reverse and take off towards God know’s what.
My computer hums a deep melody of power, the only thing being heard is that and the librarian making her rounds through the rows of computers hypocritically yelling at students to be quiet. A friend walks by, I grin and go about my business. She smiles, and walks past going about her business. The typing and clicking heard faintly through the grand library reminds me of an orchestra practicing for a big night. Two people whisper to each other, probably about Chemistry. They’re brains are working and thinking, expanding and growing. A kid sits at a computer and play’s pool, trying to pass the time. I wonder if he has any school work and is procrastinating. The chair I sit in is a stereotypical school chair, hard and requires great posture. Artwork lines the walls, people’s creativity posted for the whole school to see. The sun shines in through a back window onto my neck, warming and waking my skin. Outside in the hallway people rush back and forth, like little bee’s on a mission to somewhere far more important. In here, people work with great precision and a certain delicate way of doing things. The printer hums and makes some noise as it prints a boy’s creative thoughts onto a piece of paper. The boy picks it up and makes a noise, the paper is hot. Sitting back down he reads over it and gives it an approval. He gives his computer a break and shut’s it down. Walking out the door he begins his journey to someplace else, somewhere else, a more important place to go. I sit here and think of all the lives intertwined in this one room, how one person can affect another which then inturns affects another. Like a long, crawling spider-web weaving throughout the school. The bell rings and like clockwork everyone rushes off to someplace more important.
Today it rained. Usually I’m not as happy on days that it rains. However, After school while it was down pouring outside I sat in my livingroom and watched “Little People, Big World”.. Mike’s used this show a ton of times to show the immenseness of God and what he can do in people’s lives. And as I sat there and watch them go on their trip to the Bahamas I was just utterly blown away.
Today was a great day. I watched “little people, big world” and felt the grandness of God. I felt him in my heart and my body. I read the Bible during commercials and really learned a lot more than I’ve learned in a reading session in the past. My pages are all marked up from comments and questions. God is so great. Sure, I’m strapped for cash and praying something comes through so I can fill my gas tank until my next paycheck, But if I didn’t have situations where I could chose to lean on God instead of leaning on other things in life, Where would I be? I love God and I love our church.
PS: Lauren Woods, if you’re out there.. Please blog more — I miss reading your take on the Bible. (more…)
God, I want you to use me.
I’m tired of feeling like I’m someone just hanging around. I want to have motivation to do great things FOR you. I want that burning desire in my heart to live FOR you. I want my life to help broaden your family. I want to make sacrifices FOR you. I want to know what it feels like to have to sacrifice for you, just like you had to sacrifice for us.. even just a hint of it. You’ve done so much in my life so far and I want more. I’m greedy God, I’m not going to lie. I want. I need. I desperatly beg for You to do unthinkable things in my life. I don’t want just an ordinary life. Use me please. Make me glow so bright that people know You’re in me. Let me be a rolemodel to people around me. Please.
