Sticky verses

I just got home from church and read a little with the husby. This post will be sort of a continuation of my very first post just because I've been troubled with this topic in my spirit. It's really been eating me up so it may get lengthy, I apologize. Anyways, We started in 1 John 2 because that is where Christopher thought of. And we got down to verse 3 and the lightbulb came on for me. It says "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." Very simple yet it totally fit with verses in Matthew that I seem to keep quoting in my head. Chapter 7 verses 21 through 23. "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Can you imagine the lord saying that to you? I think it would probably feel like someone knocked the air out of you. I would be so devastated. The sad thing is, it's really going to happen to some people. Can you honestly without a shadow of a doubt say that you're ok with God? That if you died today you would be with him? Do your actions reflect him? Do you walk as he walks? Can people truly see the love of God in you? These are questions you have to ask yourself. In 2 corinthians 13 Paul writes "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates."

Continuing on with 1 John 2 verses 4-6. "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." Ok I feel better now. I want to study on this more, but that is all I have for now.

Lord, my prayer tonight is that you would just completely take over my life. I know that you are in me but I want to walk EXACTLY like you. I can do nothing by myself. And you are the best teacher I know. Help me to walk in your ways. Help me to be a reflection of you and to be the light you told me I would be. I don't want anyone to die without knowing you. If I can help you in any way please use me. But mold me first into the servant that YOU would have me to be. Guide me lord. Amen.

God Bless!

quick thoughts

Today I am just going to give some quick thoughts. I have to go to work soon and don't have a lot of time but wanted to post something for today. So I was just skimming along and came to John, and for those of you who know me and have been to my bible studies, you know that is my absolute favorite book. So I found a place that reminded of a certain night @ church. I hadn't been doing so well in my relationship with God. I was super busy with school as usual and my priorites had gotten skewed. I don't think God leaves us, but we leave him and he'll let you walk by yourself for awhile to show you how bad it sucks. But anyways, I was working out one night and I remember praying while I was on my elliptical, "lord I feel I don't know even feel like I know you anymore. Why don't I feel you're even here?" I went to church a few nights later (and this one of the reasons I know without a doubt God is real), and my preacher had started preaching out of John. I had told him nothing about what was going on. He went to chapter 14 verse 9 where Jesus is speaking to Philip to the part where he says "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip." And I promise you my head snapped up as soon as he said it. And I know where he is talking to Philip, it's in a little different context but I felt like he was talking directly to me. As if to say, I've been here all along, and I haven't changed. The better question is, where have you gone? It was really one of those strange moments you have with God, where if he were standing right in front of you, you would have run to hug him and just fallen in his arms. I really needed that at that time. It made me realize that your relationship with God is like any other relationship. You have to spend time with him and let the relationship grow. But I just wanted to share that quickly. I hope it touches someone out there because it sure did me when it happened.

God Bless!

so lazy

Ok I totally have neglected my new blog. I have no excuse lol except that I've been bumming it up on the couch engrossed in books that I didn't get to read during the year. I do lots of nonpharmacy related reading in the summer. Anyways on to the more important book, the bible. I'm sitting here in the dark because christopher is asleep and I'm reading off my ipod and using my flashlight app to read my actual bible. I like having the bible app on my ipod but you have to tell it where to go and sometimes I find randomly opening the bible to a page is more helpful. I don't always know where to go. So the solution is to use both. And I'm too lazy to lug the laptop into a different room so this will have to suffice. Anywho, I'm babbling. Now to the point. I don't have a particular topic today like I did in my last post. I was a little ticked that day. But instead just wanted to share a few verses that I am currently reading. They are from Isaiah 53.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Sometime it's difficult to imagine what Jesus had to go through, what sacrifice he made. I think about how I would have reacted in that situation. I probably would have gone all matrix on all those people instead of letting them beat me, spit on me, and crucify me. I guess it's a good thing I'm not God lol. But he says later in Isaiah 55:8 for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.

He had to do it to save us. But the thing that breaks my heart the most is what he did say on the cross. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34). He wasn't bitter. He didn't say destroy these idiots. He asked for forgiveness on their behalf.

How can people deny the love that he has? Why carry around all the heavy loads and worries. Let him take it away! I don't understand why people don't want to go to him. I didn't for many years though he tried to call me many times, and now I can't fathom not having him in my life. He's real and I have so many stories to share that's happened to me personally that I will someday on here. He would never force someone to serve him. He wants people to serve him because they love him.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Lord, I thank you for the sacrifice you made for me. I thank you for calling me out of the darkness I was in. And I thank you for always being there for me, just a prayer away:)




God Bless!

Soap box for the day

First off I would like to say thank you Jesus! I took my last final today. What a load off my shoulders. I'm running on very little sleep and slowly detoxing myself from coffee. I'm sure I will have a massive headache tomorrow. But while I am still riding the caffeine high (fabulous drug by the way), I will jump on my soap box for the day. Now that I am out of school, I can read my bible a lot more. I know my calling is not to teach. My husband would be fabulous at it. He understands the bible well and quotes stuff off the top of his head. I can understand pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, chemistry, biology, you name it. Science stuff I can do. Bible is a little harder for me. I try though and that's what counts. And I find the more I try, the more I understand. I really believe when you seek the lord with all your heart, you'll find him. But anyways here's the verse for the day and my thoughts. It's from Matthew 15:8 but it's a reference from Isaiah.
"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."
Let me begin by admitting that I make mistakes and by no means am I perfect. I am not trying to sit up here on my high horse. I'm fully aware of 1 John 8. However, I also know that there is a difference between messing up and willfully sinning. I am a relatively new christian but I have been trying witness lately and I come up against such a wall. Do you know what answer I get mostly when I ask people to go to church? Usually it's "why would I go to church? It's always full of hypocrites." No kidding! And it's so so sad to me. And why would people think any different? What are we doing as christians to prove them wrong? Or the better question is, what are we doing to make them think that to begin with? I'm guessing the answer to the second question is a much longer list than the first.
One of my pet peeves is for people to confess christ, yet their life is not reflecting that he is in it. How do you expect people to come to him when you don't look like him yourself? They have to be able to see something in you that makes them want that for themselves. And when you talk a good game and yet you act entirely different, you are not bearing fruit. Revelation 3:16 "So then because thou are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Don't lie to yourself. Know where you stand! Otherwise, you are doing more harm than good.
My mom told me a story of a girl she knew who went to church. She didn't have money to buy new clothes. She just wore a dress that she had that wasn't necessarily appropiate but that's all she had and some ladies in the church scolded her. She didn't go back. No wonder! Would you? Why couldn't they have offered her some clothes? Seriously what is wrong with people? If she never gets saved because of those people, her blood is on their hands.
Jesus is not like this. Please people don't ever think he is anything like our sinful flesh. He had to take it on to come here and be an example, but he never succombed to it. Jesus is full of love but let me tell you, when he came here, he was straight up blunt. There are sometimes I read the gospels and I literally laugh. He didn't spare the pharisees' feelings. He called them out! You go Jesus! He doesn't like hypocrites. Read Matthew 23 and you'll see. Don't make a mockery of him people and bring him to an open shame. Live as he did (this goes for me too). Walk it, talk it, and love it. You've been given the gift of salvation!