Good Morning

Hey, ya'll!  Sorry we've been so tardy about starting up the weekly memorization again...  this week we're going to start Romans 8.

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Song in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-5

Have a lovely Wednesday!  :o)

We're Back!

Hey, everyone!  Kelsie here to let ya’ll know that Emily and I are returning to our little corner of the web after our extended break!  We will be continuing our Monday posts for Bible memorization and other thoughts during the week, but have decided not to continue the Bible reading together.  We aren’t reading at the same pace, though we both hope to have read through the Bible by the end of the year.

It’s good to be back, and we’ll see ya’ll again on Monday with the beginning verses of Titus 1!  :o)

Beatitudes

In my personal devotions I was reading the beatitudes in Matthew 5. I was reading them just as I have 100 times before (that may be a slight exaggeration lol), when I started thinking differently about what they said. Often we see them almost like a bargain: do this, get that. And I have tended to think of these blessings as something we receive on earth. However, this time as I was reading, I realized that most (if not all) of them are blessings for the life to come.

Matthew 5:2-12

And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Some may be for this life. But many of them don’t seem to be. “Theirs is the kingdom of heaven… They shall inherit the earth… They shall see God… For great is your reward in heaven…”

I find it comforting to think that we won’t always get our rewards on earth because a heavenly reward will be so much greater than anything we could receive here!

Thinking Out Loud

Today I bring you some random things I’ve been thinking about this past week or two. A wee bit of what I’ve heard, seen, and thought.

Firstly, God makes the most beautiful things! We had an ice storm last week and everything was covered in a layer of ice. It was so amazing! The trees looked beautiful with drips of ice stuck to the branches and everything shone beautifully in the sunlight. I was struck with how much God appreciates true beauty. Not just landscapes, He also takes wicked men stained with sin and turns them into something wonderfully clean and pure. He is truly incredible!

Secondly, at church Sunday the sermon was on obedience to God and His commands.

1 Samuel 15:22

Then Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

John 14:15

If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Am I really following God's commandments? Because if I claim to love Him then I will. Something to think about...

And the last thought I bring is the old saying “cleanliness is next to godliness”. Why bring this up? Cause I’m very lazy about cleaning my room and am thinking I need to straighten up. Hopefully if I keep this old saying in mind I’ll be motivated to actually spend more of my free time cleaning. :o)

Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-3 – The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And He said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, Thou knowest.

We’ve all heard this before. When we were little a lot of us sang “Ezekiel cried them dry bones”. But as I was reading this again I started thinking about how Ezekiel answered God. “O Lord God, Thou knowest."

If I was in a valley full of dry, dead bones, and was asked by God if they could live, what would I respond? I hope I would respond that “all things are possible with You, Lord.” But since I’ve never been in any such situation, how can I know?

Or have I been in similar situations, just not as obvious? When we question an “impossible” situation as if there is no good way out, are we telling God that we don’t think He can make the dry bones live?

“O Lord God, Thou knowest.” Indeed He does, and praise His Holy Name that He knows everything that has happened, is happening, and will ever happen, and it’s all in His control, even when we don’t understand it!

Exodus and Psalms 2

I'm looking forward to another good week studying, and this week we will be reading Genesis 37-Exodus 7 and memorizing the end of Psalms 2. I can't believe we're already ready to finish Genesis! It helps motivate me when I feel like I'm accomplishing things. :o)

Psalms 2:7-12

7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord;
He said to Me, 'You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.

8 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.

9 'You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.' "

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.

11 Worship the Lord with reverence

And rejoice with trembling.

12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,

For His wrath may soon be kindled.

How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Hope everyone has a good week in the Lord!

Called to HIS Purpose

Isaiah 43:1-3 – But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

This verse was used during a recent sermon at church. It wasn’t the main point of the message; he just read it in the middle. But I thought it was very encouraging, especially the first verse!

“But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.”

Wow. The Lord that created thee. The one, true God who created everything. He that formed thee. And He says “Fear not”. If only people would listen to that! I know so many people who worry about so many things, things that they can’t even control. Even worrying about their salvation, which in some ways is good, but not when it’s excessive. Sometimes God uses fear to draw people to Him, but sometimes it’s the devil pulling them away.

“I have redeemed thee”. How comforting that God has redeemed us! “I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!! That He has called such wretched sinners as we is a miracle in itself, and it has only happened by His incredible mercy, grace, and love for us!