Tonight's Verse

The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

- James 5:11

Ephesians 3:20

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

~ Ephesians 3:20,

Where Has Life Gone?

How can it already be January of 2010? How can a whole year have already passed? How on earth can half the school year be gone? I feel as though I was asleep all last year, living as though in a dream, and have only just awakened.

I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities for that is his lot.

Ecclesiastes 3:22

Psalm 32

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.

¹ Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

² Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

³ When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

⁴ For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

⁶ Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

⁷ You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

¹¹ Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

The Truth Project

Hey all,

Today we just watched the fifth lesson in the Truth Project. This is the second time (well really the third for me because at least one of my parents fell asleep during each session last time, and so we would have to watch it again) we have gone through it. If you have never seen it, you have to. Dr. Dell Tackett does an amazing job presenting the Christian world view. This summer will be the third time I have attended WorldView academy's Leadership camp, and still I learn so much from this series, and ever time I watch one of the lessons, I gain something new from it. You must watch this.

~Bre

Rejection

Today what my Pastor said in his sermon really touched me and I would like to share some of it with you, even though I won't be able to say it just like he did... and it probably won't even make sense the way I say it! :)

It was on Matthew, and focused on these two main points: Through out the book.. 1. Jesus was increasingly rejected by man, and 2. He was increasingly accepted by God.

He was rejected from the time of his birth, when Herod tried to kill him, to His death when he was killed on the cross even though he had committed no sin. Yet, as you go on through the book, God is continually finding favor with him. When we are living to please God, we will be rejected by the world.

It reminds me of part of a chapter in John my little sister knows and loves reading for us.

¹⁸"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. -John 15:18-21

The feeling of being rejected is something that I have been struggling with, and gave me much pain. But God reminded me of this today:

When you are follow in the path of the King, and living to please Him, even when it feels like everyone has rejected you, remember God loves you and has not rejected you.

A New Year

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. -Isaiah 43:18

As my mom's favorite character from all time, Anne of Green Gables said, "Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it." I can't fall asleep at night sometimes just thinking about all the stupid things I have done, all the opportunities I missed, and all the times I could have helped someone but was to shy to ask if they need it. I dwell on my mistakes until the make me sick. But God calls us to learn from the past, and then forget. This is a new year, fresh with no mistakes in it. I need to follow God's leading into the new things ahead. He can give us a new beginning. Joni Eareckson Tada, at the end of my devotions this morning, Prayed, "Lord of beginnings, I'm ready to have you do something new in my life this year. Thank you for leading me into the untouched days ahead. I'm ready to follow."

⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,

teach me your paths;

⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

⁶ Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you are good, O LORD.

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

⁹ He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them his way.

¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful

for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

¹¹ For the sake of your name, O LORD,

forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

Psalm 25:4-11

Reflections on Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

as working for the Lord, not for men.

Colossians 3:23

This verse has been coming to my mind often recently. When my mom asks me to clear the table after dinner, I am tempted to just clear off the dishes and put them, and things I could easily put away, on the counter for her to take care of and not bother with finishing the job by spraying and wiping down the table after. But then this verse comes to mind and I know that all though it might be easier to do it that way, I should really be trying to find more ways I can help her out and make her job easier, not harder, and that I should be doing it for God. Or when I am doing homework and I know what my teacher needs to see to give me an A, but I remember this verse and know I should be doing it for God, and do above and beyond what is required. Is it easy? No. Should we still strive to overcome low expectations, and do every little thing for God? Yes!

Our lives are too short to rush through, and do everything the simple way. Remember this verse as you go about your lives today, strive for excellence, do every little thing you to the best of your abilities , but most importantly, do everything for our Lord!