I woke up this morning to myself speaking in my sleep. In my dream, I was at a potluck, and someone was trying to shoot me with a disguised gun. I caught them and, after wrestling their little gun from them, I asked them why? Their reply was simply, "because you are happy." Someone would want to kill because I was happy? They were so upset by the fact that they couldn't find happiness, and that was all they wanted in life-- to be happy. I looked at that person and started telling them that the devil was working really hard on them right now. The last thing the devil wants is for us to be truly happy. The only way we can attain that happiness and peace however, it through God. I woke up saying this out loud, and it took me a moment to recognize that my dream was over.
As I write this, I realize why I had this dream. A friend of mine came to me last night, just to hang out and say hi. Over the course of our conversation, she mentioned that she wanted to be happy. We've had this conversation before, and each time I am desperate to tell her that it is possible, but only through God. And I do tell her, but she always brushes it off. So I continue to pray, and be there for her.
I will add a brief disclaimer to finding happiness in God-- you will have sad times, but you will feel His peace if you ask for it, and His love always.
Matthew 5:3-10 NKJV is the perfect way to sum this up:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
God's Chisel
This is so powerful and so true.
Don't miss out on watching this thought-provoking skit. It hits RIGHT on target.
Thanks for loving me, God.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Prayers
A while back, I heard someone mention that 1 Chronicles 16:8-12 is a perfect example of how to praise God. Here it is:
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
10 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
11 Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth."
Compared to the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:10-13), which Jesus told His disciples to pray to His Father in heaven like, the two are very similar.
"Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
The prayer in Chronicles is a psalm by David, made specifically to thank the Lord. The prayer in Matthew however, is like a template for prayer. I just tend to think of the two together. Whenever I pray I thank God first, because He knows what I'm worried about. He is also a king, so I don't want to complain right away-- I need to be grateful!
Chronicles really epitomizes how we are to worship God: to sing to Him, talk of all the wonderful things He has done, seek Him, all the time!!
That's what I will try to do today.
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
10 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
11 Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth."
Compared to the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:10-13), which Jesus told His disciples to pray to His Father in heaven like, the two are very similar.
"Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
The prayer in Chronicles is a psalm by David, made specifically to thank the Lord. The prayer in Matthew however, is like a template for prayer. I just tend to think of the two together. Whenever I pray I thank God first, because He knows what I'm worried about. He is also a king, so I don't want to complain right away-- I need to be grateful!
Chronicles really epitomizes how we are to worship God: to sing to Him, talk of all the wonderful things He has done, seek Him, all the time!!
That's what I will try to do today.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
I Begin in the Middle
I begin in the middle, at least, that's how I think about it. It is really the end of a lot of things; nearing the end of my first year in college, the end of my carefree days, the end of days with no responsibilities. I now begin to have a life of my own, with responsibilities and choices that only I can take care of and make. It's a weird feeling, but I'm starting to get used to it.
I don't want to get used to the feeling however, that I can do whatever I want. I may be old enough, or far away enough from my parents to get away with a lot, but I have to remember that my body is not my own. It was bought for a price.
"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
1 Corinthians 6: 20
That is my aim for this blog: to constantly remind myself and anyone else who reads this; that we are NOT our own. We owe our lives to God, and we need to remember His ultimate goal for our lives: to one day be with Him. This is why I have chosen to name this blog "Not Mine Anyway." It's one of my favorite songs by JJ Heller, and this verse is something I am always reminding myself of when I get worn down with my daily life.
I pray that as I write and you read this blog, we will both discover things that we never knew about God and ourselves and just, life in general. It may be through the mundane, or talking to family, or hanging out with friends-- there is no limit to how God speaks to us.
Happy Sabbath!
I don't want to get used to the feeling however, that I can do whatever I want. I may be old enough, or far away enough from my parents to get away with a lot, but I have to remember that my body is not my own. It was bought for a price.
"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
1 Corinthians 6: 20
That is my aim for this blog: to constantly remind myself and anyone else who reads this; that we are NOT our own. We owe our lives to God, and we need to remember His ultimate goal for our lives: to one day be with Him. This is why I have chosen to name this blog "Not Mine Anyway." It's one of my favorite songs by JJ Heller, and this verse is something I am always reminding myself of when I get worn down with my daily life.
I pray that as I write and you read this blog, we will both discover things that we never knew about God and ourselves and just, life in general. It may be through the mundane, or talking to family, or hanging out with friends-- there is no limit to how God speaks to us.
Happy Sabbath!
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