Matthew 5: verses 31-34: "Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be ]added to you.
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
These verses were in one of my devotions that I receive in my email each day. I really have no clue what the devotion was actually about, but this verse just reached out to me and to my heart. Why do we worry about clothes, food, what will happen tomorrow, what are we going to do if something terrible happens, are we prepared, what about paying for the kids college or taking a family vacation....blah blah blah! Look at what it says: Do not worry...... for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things....BUT seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
That last part is what got me. In the mornings is usually my devotion and private study time with God, but over the past few weeks, because of the surgery and taking pills for pain, I have really neglected my time with God. I am feeling better and returned to work this week but still haven't been seeking Him first!
Last week was VBS and I did read my bible and prepared for my class but that is totally different than pouring my heart and thoughts out to God. I need to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. Before daily laundry and pick up the house time. Before making Walmart lists and cleaning out the fridge. Before anything, I need to seek Him First!
Maybe I am the only one that sees this message in the verses above and maybe they were just for me, but I pray that tomorrow, I seek His kingdom and righteousness first, then continue my day.
Verse 34 of this chapter was good too: Don't worry about tomorrow, it will take care of itself. Nothing we can worry about and fret about will change anything. And Jesus reminds us that each day is trouble all its own and doesn't need us to worry about it!
Thank you Lord for your words and for your leadership. Help me tomorrow to be more aware of my need to spend time with you and the word before I start anything else in my day!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
God has given me a beautiful day today. I am sitting in my living room looking out my very dirty, needs to be cleaned, front windows and it is breathtaking to me. God has given us such a wonderful view if we just take the time to look around us. I get so busy in my life that I forget to look around and enjoy God's scenery. I am still recouping so I am able to sit and look instead of rushing to do the 50 million things I want to be able to do and really just physically can't yet. I have been thinking of how busy I have let my life get and how sometimes I have even been too busy for God. Hummmm....something to think about isn't it?
I could have died a few weeks ago, no not an exaggeration, a fact. I am not saying this to evoke sympathy or anything like that, just truth. The situation that lead to my most recent surgery was life threatening and even though I am not sure I understood it fully at the time, I certainly do now and am grateful for God's intervention to spare it. I know without a doubt that God isn't finished with me and has more work for me to do here on earth for Him. So now that I am fully aware of this fact, am I going to change things? I am certainly going to try to be more in Him and less in the world. I am certainly going to put my life on His plan for me and less on me. I understand the seriousness of all of this and I was ready to die if that was His plan for me, but He obviously wasn't done with me! Has nothing to do with me or my life, but everything to do with Him. Always remember that our lives are not ours if we are His children, our lives should belong to God. Everything we do should point to Him, whether at our jobs each day, hanging with friends, time with family or even just doing a load of laundry! If we are His children, then we ought to act like it. Just my observation for my life...
My verse for today and yesterday is in Titus 2:3,4,&5 (NASB) "Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored."
Wow! Powerful verses for us older women! The way we live and the examples we set in the world affect those young women around us. Hum....Is my life something that they can look at to see how to love their husbands and their families and to pattern their lives after? Is my attitude one that I want them to take into their own selves and use? Is my life an honor to God or to myself? I can't answer these questions for anyone else, but I can answer for my own. I pray that my life shows Christ, I pray and strive that I am the example He wants me to be and I pray that my attitude is always Godly and prayerful and not snotty and worldly. I pray that when the world tries to take over my heart and life that I immediately turn to God in prayer and bible study to pull my heart back to Him.
None of us are perfect, far, far from it, but as Christian women, we do have a responsibility to show a life dedicated to God and His service. I have always known this but until recently it was not as real as it is now to me. I just have one final question.......What kind of example are you and I to the world? Are we inspiring young women to want God in their lives or the world? Are we living so that others know what we believe and what we stand for? Are we showing Christ? Just something to think about today, I know I will.
I could have died a few weeks ago, no not an exaggeration, a fact. I am not saying this to evoke sympathy or anything like that, just truth. The situation that lead to my most recent surgery was life threatening and even though I am not sure I understood it fully at the time, I certainly do now and am grateful for God's intervention to spare it. I know without a doubt that God isn't finished with me and has more work for me to do here on earth for Him. So now that I am fully aware of this fact, am I going to change things? I am certainly going to try to be more in Him and less in the world. I am certainly going to put my life on His plan for me and less on me. I understand the seriousness of all of this and I was ready to die if that was His plan for me, but He obviously wasn't done with me! Has nothing to do with me or my life, but everything to do with Him. Always remember that our lives are not ours if we are His children, our lives should belong to God. Everything we do should point to Him, whether at our jobs each day, hanging with friends, time with family or even just doing a load of laundry! If we are His children, then we ought to act like it. Just my observation for my life...
My verse for today and yesterday is in Titus 2:3,4,&5 (NASB) "Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored."
Wow! Powerful verses for us older women! The way we live and the examples we set in the world affect those young women around us. Hum....Is my life something that they can look at to see how to love their husbands and their families and to pattern their lives after? Is my attitude one that I want them to take into their own selves and use? Is my life an honor to God or to myself? I can't answer these questions for anyone else, but I can answer for my own. I pray that my life shows Christ, I pray and strive that I am the example He wants me to be and I pray that my attitude is always Godly and prayerful and not snotty and worldly. I pray that when the world tries to take over my heart and life that I immediately turn to God in prayer and bible study to pull my heart back to Him.
None of us are perfect, far, far from it, but as Christian women, we do have a responsibility to show a life dedicated to God and His service. I have always known this but until recently it was not as real as it is now to me. I just have one final question.......What kind of example are you and I to the world? Are we inspiring young women to want God in their lives or the world? Are we living so that others know what we believe and what we stand for? Are we showing Christ? Just something to think about today, I know I will.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Ok, so I started out strong in writing in my blog, and then life just caught up with me. I am sitting here at home, having to take it easy because of recent surgery, and thinking on all the things swirling around in my head. For those that know me, this is a very scary place sometimes. My brain tends to run faster than the rest of me and I often wonder if it ever turns off!
I can't believe it is June and only 6 months till Christmas. See how my brain works. I am working on Vacation Bible School and even though it starts next week, I am still thinking of and coming up with great things to do ( which will most likely not materialize because due to the surgery, I am a little out of commission by Doctor's orders, ugh!) I love VBS. I have since I was a kid. I love spending a week so focused in on God's word and memorizing scripture and now as an adult, sharing Jesus with kids who may never hear the story of Jesus and all He wants to offer to them. Some people think VBS is a waste of time and money and it is just a free babysitter for a week, who cares!!! I can't think of a better time than sharing Jesus with these kids. I understand that not everyone has the same fire and excitement that I have, but that's ok, if you can't or don't want to join in then pray for all those that do and for all those little faces and hearts that your words (hopefully and prayerfully) will touch.
Having to be off work for a few weeks has been very weird to me. I am a self proclaimed workaholic and not being able to do everything I want is cramping my style a lot! I know that God is using this time with me to help me grow and to change my heart about things in my life and to also make me more appreciative for all the things He has given me. I get so tangled in the things of the world sometimes and this time of rest and doing nothing has made me so aware that I want to be tangled in the spiritual things in my life, not so much in worldly things. I have people in my life that chose, even though the proclaim to be children of God, to lean on their worldly friends and not on God. They are mad at God(sorry, whole other issue or post for another time), they don't want to be in God's word or with God's people. It breaks my heart because I know how this will all end, I know what will eventually happen to their lives. All I can do is pray. Pray for them and pray that God will work in their lives and then stand back and let Him.
As I said, my brain is on overload today thinking of all the things I want to do and take care of but I think I will just pour me another cup of coffee and read my bible before I start on this day.
My verse for today is Philippians 4:8:
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
In everything I do today, whether thoughts or words, Lord, help me remember these words that I keep my mind and heart on You today and not the world. Amen
I can't believe it is June and only 6 months till Christmas. See how my brain works. I am working on Vacation Bible School and even though it starts next week, I am still thinking of and coming up with great things to do ( which will most likely not materialize because due to the surgery, I am a little out of commission by Doctor's orders, ugh!) I love VBS. I have since I was a kid. I love spending a week so focused in on God's word and memorizing scripture and now as an adult, sharing Jesus with kids who may never hear the story of Jesus and all He wants to offer to them. Some people think VBS is a waste of time and money and it is just a free babysitter for a week, who cares!!! I can't think of a better time than sharing Jesus with these kids. I understand that not everyone has the same fire and excitement that I have, but that's ok, if you can't or don't want to join in then pray for all those that do and for all those little faces and hearts that your words (hopefully and prayerfully) will touch.
Having to be off work for a few weeks has been very weird to me. I am a self proclaimed workaholic and not being able to do everything I want is cramping my style a lot! I know that God is using this time with me to help me grow and to change my heart about things in my life and to also make me more appreciative for all the things He has given me. I get so tangled in the things of the world sometimes and this time of rest and doing nothing has made me so aware that I want to be tangled in the spiritual things in my life, not so much in worldly things. I have people in my life that chose, even though the proclaim to be children of God, to lean on their worldly friends and not on God. They are mad at God(sorry, whole other issue or post for another time), they don't want to be in God's word or with God's people. It breaks my heart because I know how this will all end, I know what will eventually happen to their lives. All I can do is pray. Pray for them and pray that God will work in their lives and then stand back and let Him.
As I said, my brain is on overload today thinking of all the things I want to do and take care of but I think I will just pour me another cup of coffee and read my bible before I start on this day.
My verse for today is Philippians 4:8:
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
In everything I do today, whether thoughts or words, Lord, help me remember these words that I keep my mind and heart on You today and not the world. Amen
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