I have recently begun Beth Moore's Paul: 90 days in his journey of faith.I didn't think I'd really catch anything amazing yet, but of course, I did!
The first few days of this book describe how Paul would have been born, circumcised, and forced to follow the Jewish rituals. He had to be sent away when he was 13 to learn more about the Torah and who knows what else...
The first portion of his life, he was forced into religion, then finally he couldn't take it any more. I bet that he grew bored in going through the same rituals daily and the same prayers over and over again.
It just reminded me how grateful I am to have a Savior who died for me to let me pray however I can and not have to go through any special ritual to talk to Him.
-K
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Plans...
If you read my blog, you know that I'm pretty busy and like to plan ahead...
Welll...letting Jesus plan for me is sorta difficult.
You see, I have always dreamt of my first job being at Starbucks...So, for over 6 months after I turned 16 I was applying and waiting for a response from them. I was SO discouraged when I never got a response. Then, all the sudden, people started asking me to babysit, then recommending me to their friends who recommended me to their friends...before you know it, I have 4-5 days a week scheduled!
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" -Jeremiah 29:11
He knows every hair on my head and surely He knows where my life is headed...and yours, too! Just TRUST!
Welll...letting Jesus plan for me is sorta difficult.
You see, I have always dreamt of my first job being at Starbucks...So, for over 6 months after I turned 16 I was applying and waiting for a response from them. I was SO discouraged when I never got a response. Then, all the sudden, people started asking me to babysit, then recommending me to their friends who recommended me to their friends...before you know it, I have 4-5 days a week scheduled!
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" -Jeremiah 29:11
He knows every hair on my head and surely He knows where my life is headed...and yours, too! Just TRUST!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
It's almost October...?
Wow. So...I only have 8 months left of my high school career. That's pretty crazy.
Overview of my life currently:
I've babysat ~75 hours this month (which is why I haven't had time to blog..)
My wisdom teeth extraction went totally fine, as did my post op...:)
I took the ACT and got my not-so-great scores, but hey, I have 8 months to take it again, right?
New favorite way to study the Bible from my Youth Pastor:
Find a passage: Ask Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Then Interpret it (what it means to everyone...) then Apply it to your own life.
I've used this 'system' for a week now and it really is my favorite. Note: When you have no idea where to read in the Bible, go to Bible Gateway and read their verse/passage of the day. And, of course, ask these questions. These questions can be over 1/2 a verse or a whole chapter, but IMO, passages are better studied slower. I've been trying to stick to 1-2 verses.
-K
Overview of my life currently:
I've babysat ~75 hours this month (which is why I haven't had time to blog..)
My wisdom teeth extraction went totally fine, as did my post op...:)
I took the ACT and got my not-so-great scores, but hey, I have 8 months to take it again, right?
New favorite way to study the Bible from my Youth Pastor:
Find a passage: Ask Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Then Interpret it (what it means to everyone...) then Apply it to your own life.
I've used this 'system' for a week now and it really is my favorite. Note: When you have no idea where to read in the Bible, go to Bible Gateway and read their verse/passage of the day. And, of course, ask these questions. These questions can be over 1/2 a verse or a whole chapter, but IMO, passages are better studied slower. I've been trying to stick to 1-2 verses.
-K
Friday, August 12, 2011
Be Still
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10
Do you ever wonder if God laughs at you? I sure do. I am going to Israel in March, I'm starting my Senior year soon, I have a consult with my oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth taken out, and I am taking the ACT in less than a month. As you can imagine, I am going nuts and worrying about every little thing. I want to get a good grade on my ACT :Math and Science are not my strong subjects, and I don't like them on top of that...I'm gonna fail and not get into a college...then not get a job, then be homeless, then.....I want to get good grades in school this year : But I can't do this, I am not smart enough....I want to get the most out of going to Israel :but what about the plane ride? Is it safe there? Wait...I'm gonna be where Jesus actually walked on this earth? But, He's everywhere now....But in the flesh He was actually there. I am not worthy to be walking where He walked.....My wisdom teeth are being taken out: There will be a ton of pain, I won't be able to handle it, on top of my ACT, school, babysitting, ect...
Hey Kathleen?
-Sup, God?
CHILL.
I don't know what it sounds like to you, but it sounds like the devil is trying to get a hold of my life. Jesus is trying to tell me He's got it. He knows the plans for my life (Jer.29:11) and He knows the grades I will get on my ACT and my senior year, He knows the exact day my wisdom teeth will come out, He knows how going to Israel will impact my spiritual walk... He knows everything and He is trying to get my attention to tell me to be still and not worry.
You may not be taking the ACT, starting your senior year, getting your wisdom teeth taken out or going to Israel next year, but I assure you there is something in your life Satan is telling you that you cannot do. Remember, God is God. Be still and know that He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (all-present..He is everywhere)
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10
Do you ever wonder if God laughs at you? I sure do. I am going to Israel in March, I'm starting my Senior year soon, I have a consult with my oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth taken out, and I am taking the ACT in less than a month. As you can imagine, I am going nuts and worrying about every little thing. I want to get a good grade on my ACT :Math and Science are not my strong subjects, and I don't like them on top of that...I'm gonna fail and not get into a college...then not get a job, then be homeless, then.....I want to get good grades in school this year : But I can't do this, I am not smart enough....I want to get the most out of going to Israel :but what about the plane ride? Is it safe there? Wait...I'm gonna be where Jesus actually walked on this earth? But, He's everywhere now....But in the flesh He was actually there. I am not worthy to be walking where He walked.....My wisdom teeth are being taken out: There will be a ton of pain, I won't be able to handle it, on top of my ACT, school, babysitting, ect...
Hey Kathleen?
-Sup, God?
CHILL.
I don't know what it sounds like to you, but it sounds like the devil is trying to get a hold of my life. Jesus is trying to tell me He's got it. He knows the plans for my life (Jer.29:11) and He knows the grades I will get on my ACT and my senior year, He knows the exact day my wisdom teeth will come out, He knows how going to Israel will impact my spiritual walk... He knows everything and He is trying to get my attention to tell me to be still and not worry.
You may not be taking the ACT, starting your senior year, getting your wisdom teeth taken out or going to Israel next year, but I assure you there is something in your life Satan is telling you that you cannot do. Remember, God is God. Be still and know that He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (all-present..He is everywhere)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
He is Light
We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.
This is the message we heard from Jesust and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
1 John 1 (NLT)
Okay, so the whole Bible is about the Trinity (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) and proclaiming the good news. Right? Right. So, He is the only way we can get eternal life and He IS LIFE. So, without God, there is no life. Because (In the Beginning God made the heavens and the earth..Gen 1:1) I often say that God is the only reason I am on this earth, and this is the verse that shows why! Without God, there is no earth, there is no life. Yet, we often "don't have time" for Him. He could very easily end our glamorous lives at any moment, either by snapping us out of our "perfect life" and making us poor, or even ending our life.
There is no darkness in God at all, because He is light. In Revelation, it says that there will be no light (sun/moon) because God is/will be the only light we need. We cannot have fellowship with darkness, as well. This is a touchy subject because we are supposed to reach those in the dark. Funny thing is, many people go "into" the dark to reach those people. The problem that presents itself, is there is now no visible difference between Christians and nonbelievers. If Christians drink, party, swear and sleep around, why would nonbelievers have any interest in becoming a Christian? Also, once we realize that we are sinners, we cannot just go on living and think we are saved, we have to repent, not only when we ask Jesus into our lives, but when we sin, we need to ask God to forgive us. The cool thing? He is faithful and just (fairly doing the same to everyone) to forgive us!
Just remember, even if you are a Christian, you can't live a different life away from church.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
2 Corinthians 6
-K
This is the message we heard from Jesust and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
1 John 1 (NLT)
Okay, so the whole Bible is about the Trinity (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) and proclaiming the good news. Right? Right. So, He is the only way we can get eternal life and He IS LIFE. So, without God, there is no life. Because (In the Beginning God made the heavens and the earth..Gen 1:1) I often say that God is the only reason I am on this earth, and this is the verse that shows why! Without God, there is no earth, there is no life. Yet, we often "don't have time" for Him. He could very easily end our glamorous lives at any moment, either by snapping us out of our "perfect life" and making us poor, or even ending our life.
There is no darkness in God at all, because He is light. In Revelation, it says that there will be no light (sun/moon) because God is/will be the only light we need. We cannot have fellowship with darkness, as well. This is a touchy subject because we are supposed to reach those in the dark. Funny thing is, many people go "into" the dark to reach those people. The problem that presents itself, is there is now no visible difference between Christians and nonbelievers. If Christians drink, party, swear and sleep around, why would nonbelievers have any interest in becoming a Christian? Also, once we realize that we are sinners, we cannot just go on living and think we are saved, we have to repent, not only when we ask Jesus into our lives, but when we sin, we need to ask God to forgive us. The cool thing? He is faithful and just (fairly doing the same to everyone) to forgive us!
Just remember, even if you are a Christian, you can't live a different life away from church.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
2 Corinthians 6
-K
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
All Scripture is useful...in righteousness
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
-2 Timothy 3:16
I can't remember if I've blogged my thoughts on this verse yet, or not...if so, here it is again :)
Okay. So, at the surface, this verse says that we can use Scripture to teach, rebuke, correct and train...
Well, if you think about it, there are so many different passages that just 'appear' right when you need them; whether you're looking for a random verse or reading your daily plan.
Another cool thing is, all Scripture is useful IN righteousness. That doesn't mean you can rebuke someone with Scripture unfairly. The cool thing is, God judges with righteousness. Although we cannot judge others, only God can do that, we can correct them justly (the definition of righteousness). Pretty cool task given by and through God, hm?
-K
-2 Timothy 3:16
I can't remember if I've blogged my thoughts on this verse yet, or not...if so, here it is again :)
Okay. So, at the surface, this verse says that we can use Scripture to teach, rebuke, correct and train...
Well, if you think about it, there are so many different passages that just 'appear' right when you need them; whether you're looking for a random verse or reading your daily plan.
Another cool thing is, all Scripture is useful IN righteousness. That doesn't mean you can rebuke someone with Scripture unfairly. The cool thing is, God judges with righteousness. Although we cannot judge others, only God can do that, we can correct them justly (the definition of righteousness). Pretty cool task given by and through God, hm?
-K
Thursday, July 21, 2011
He restores my soul
He restores my soul. -Psalm 23:3a
Wow. A simple verse with SO much meaning. Lately I've found myself not nearly as close to God as I have been in the past. The world teaches us that everyday life just 'gets in the way' of reading the Bible, and taking time to strengthen a relationship with God. The really amazing thing is, no matter what the world says, once God gets your attention again, you are always welcome right where you were.
When I hear the word 'Restore' I think of a computer or iPhone (yes...this is a major geek sign...)
In computer language, it really means to erase everything and begin anew. All of the distorted files are wiped away, everything is gone and you get clean slate. When you think about that happening to your soul, it is overwhelming. I, a sinner, get a clean slate when I mess up. Granted, God does not love that people walk away from Him, but it doesn't matter what you've done. God searches for you, well for all of us. (Matthew 18:12) He is so greatful when we come back (as told in the parable of the prodigal son) He forgets that you ever went away, and you start anew. I am so grateful that nothing matters except for the present and the future. My past has been forgotten and yours has too!
God bless.
-K
Wow. A simple verse with SO much meaning. Lately I've found myself not nearly as close to God as I have been in the past. The world teaches us that everyday life just 'gets in the way' of reading the Bible, and taking time to strengthen a relationship with God. The really amazing thing is, no matter what the world says, once God gets your attention again, you are always welcome right where you were.
When I hear the word 'Restore' I think of a computer or iPhone (yes...this is a major geek sign...)
In computer language, it really means to erase everything and begin anew. All of the distorted files are wiped away, everything is gone and you get clean slate. When you think about that happening to your soul, it is overwhelming. I, a sinner, get a clean slate when I mess up. Granted, God does not love that people walk away from Him, but it doesn't matter what you've done. God searches for you, well for all of us. (Matthew 18:12) He is so greatful when we come back (as told in the parable of the prodigal son) He forgets that you ever went away, and you start anew. I am so grateful that nothing matters except for the present and the future. My past has been forgotten and yours has too!
God bless.
-K
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