Forgiveness First - Day 8

Today's Scripture:
~ Luke 5:17-26
~ Job 25-31
~Proverbs 7-8

*He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light. - Job 28:11 (NIV)

Today, I found great fascination with my Lenten study. It had me reading out of Luke 5, which is the story of when Jesus heals a paralytic.  The pharisees accuse Jesus of blasphemy because He is claiming to be able to forgive sins.  As usual, Jesus answers with a question, "Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" (Luke 5:23, NIV)  So, obviously Jesus catches 'em off guard, and the people are all amazed and praising God for this miracle of healing this man.  But, I find it interesting that Jesus forgives the man's sins before the healing comes.  And that's exactly what my Lenten study was talking about.  I would type it out for you if it weren't for copyright permissions. 


One thing that the study presents is that our sin paralyzes us spiritually.  The burden of it is so great that we try to hide it in every corner of our hearts, yet Jesus is able to come into our lives and forgive us of that sin and to heal us.   That is what the Gospel is all about.  God loves us enough to clean out our pantries and our messy desk drawers and our closets and underneath the bed where the we have kicked who-knows-what under there...In all those places of our hearts, God is willing to clean up the mess and restore it to new.  Beware that God isn't always a collector of useless things.  He will go in with the trash bags.  But the multitude of sin will be forgiven and the healing will come. 

However, it will always be in this order:  Forgiveness, then healing.  Always in love.  

FBYTG+30 - WEEK 1 DONE!

Day 7

Today's Readings:
~  Luke 8:22-25
~ Job 20-24
~ Proverbs 6


* They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.  Yet they say to God, 'Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.  Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?  What would we gain by praying to him?'  But their prosperiety is not in their own hands...
- Job 21:13-16a (NIV)


Wahoo!!!  Week one of Lent is complete.  While, I am not really rejoicing this moment, the worst of it is over with.  I have made it a week further into my relationship with God.  And while, yes, I failed for a brief moment, I am that much closer to God through overcoming that struggle. 

I am beginning to enjoy my time off of Facebook.  A dear friend helped me realize that good can come to those who don't stalk.  :)  In other words, I have had more conversations with people that I know, rather than merely stalking each other's facebook pages to see what one is up to.  I think the time off Facebook is helping me see that there are people out there who truly care enough to talk to me outside of Facebook.  While I miss some of the relationships that I nourish through Facebook, I think I'll live for a while without it.  So, I think that makes the countdown...39 days???  :)  It'll be fine.  I'm excited still for it all.

YouTube hasn't really been a hard sacrifice.  I hadn't really kept up on it before Lent.  So, no worries there.  And as for Google...I really have no clue if the sacrifice is doing me any good.  Honestly, it's kind of a pain, rather than good.  Haha.  So, we shall see how well this one continues.  I'm okay with using the search engine as long as it isn't for my health.  That's honestly what God wanted me to stop researching.  But hey, we'll see. 

Ummmm....Other than that, that's all I have for you.  Today is the continuance of what seems to be an RA flare.  Every joint hurts more than I'd imagine, and especially my hands.  I am beginning to wonder if the red meat (hamburger) is causing more pain.  This could be a very sad occasion.  But who knows?!  I'll keep track the best I can.  Alright.  I'm done.  Adios, from Reclaimed!

Praying the Rosary

My Rosary

Recently, I have begun to pray the rosary.  

No, I am not Catholic.  I am a protestant.  

However, I have begun to see a peace from God and reverence for God that I haven't had in a REALLY long time.  While you may think that this is a horrible thing and that I should be able to get those things (peace and reverence) by doing something else...okay, you may be right.  But, for me, the rosary isn't about praying to Mary, Jesus' mother.  It is a meditation tool.  It is something that I can do to keep me focused.  It gives me something to play with while I pray, something to say while I meditate, and something specific to meditate on.  While I don't agree with one set of the mysteries (because I don't know that they are biblical because they go off of assumptions), I still LOVE the other three sets of mysteries.  

There are four sets of five mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous.  If one wishes to pray the rosary, you typically choose one set of the mysteries to meditate on, rather than doing all 20 mysteries (4 sets), or follow the pattern set by Pope John Paul II.  

If you wish to know more about how to pray the rosary you can follow this link and it will give you instructions on how to pray and the set of mysteries for each day:  How to Pray the Rosary 

I do not plan on ever becoming Catholic, as I do not agree with much of their doctrine.  But, I love this meditation tool of the rosary.  And I don't only have the choice of praying the mysteries, I can also pray the rosary for a person or special need.  

Here is a link to a great website that will explain more about the mysteries as well as some FAQ that you probably are thinking too!  Might explain some of those horrible things that you are thinking about me because of what you consider the rosary to be.  The Rosary - Catholic Bible 101


I am more than happy to discuss this rosary thing with you, so if you have a question or concern, feel free to post a comment or email me.  Hope to hear your thoughts!
 

Happy Endings - Day 6

Monday's Readings:
~ John 15:1-8
~Job 18-19
~ Proverbs 5

*I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. - Job 19:25 (NIV)

Sometimes, it is just nice to have a happy ending when you are reading a depressing story.  That's kind of what it was like to read Job today...I just wanted to have a happy ending, and this verse really just foreshadowed what it was all about.  This verse captures what Easter is all about and what His return will be like.  Not going to lie, I'm pretty excited for it all.  But, it makes me wonder though.  Am I ready for His return?  Do I have too much to get rid of?  Or, have I told everyone that I am supposed to tell about Jesus?  Just a thought.  But a good one to ponder in the season of Lent. 

For those who know and love Jesus, there is a happy ending... :)

"And they all lived happily ever after.  The end!"

FBYTG+30 Update

Day 5

~ Job 11-15 (I think)
~ Proverbs 4
~ James 1

*Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. - James 1:27 (NIV)

I just want to announce that waking up early before church to do Me and Jesus time was DEFINITELY a challenge. Today is a bad day for pain (unknown reason).  SO, I dislike daylight savings time.  Unfortunately, I really didn't feel like doing much journaling this morning.  I have to crochet later, so I am saving the strength in my hands...This post won't be long. 

I have so much to do and not much time to do it in.  I have homework like crazy, because Spring break went by SO QUICKLY!  Oh, and while i don't regret not going on the mission trip to New Mexico with the college ministry, I do wish that I could do mission work like that these days.  I have less than two months until I'm no longer a teenager, and I DEFINITELY do not feel like a teenager these days.  Kind of sad.  And frustrating.  So, I'm working on finding ways to serve without wrecking havoc on my body.  Anyhow...My hands are totally done.  Adios for now.

That Thing Called Trust - Day 4

FYI - This post is directly from my journal, so it's a lil' crazy, but I didn't feel like re-writing/editing it for the blog. So you have everything I wrote in my journal (minus one sentence that really wasn't necessary). Here ya go!

Today's Scripture:
~ Mark 10:17-22
~ Job 11-14
~ Proverbs 3

*Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge (know) him, and he will make your path straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Trust seems to be a huge issue for me. Especially recently. A friend and I had a heart to heart last night about my trust issue, but I still have to deal with it. It doesn't come overnight. I think it takes a lot to trust someone. People always say that it takes time to trust. But I think that it is because with time, you get to know that person. I am very familiar with the key verses for today; I have them memorized. But they really stand out to me today. Every Scripture I have read today, deals with trust. I don't know if I trust God completely yet. I know that's bad to say, but I don't know if I've given Him every part of me. I'm not sure if I trust Him to really change my heart into something good, and one day holy. I know that God will not take more than I've given Him, and while I've said "Take everything." I don't think I've given Him the keys or my own messed up map for how I want my life to go.

In the story of the rich young ruler, I noticed a mere sentence that I've not noticed before. It says: "Jesus looked at him and loved him." Before the man showed complete and full trust, Jesus loved him. Yes, the young man had a long way to go, but he desired to know what it took to get there. I wonder if the young man ever went and sold his stuff.

I think there are areas that God doesn't have full grasp on me yet, but I don't think I could ever EVER turn away from that love God offers. Until the day I can trust fully, I will continue to know God more and try to increase the number of doors that I have closed, locked, and built durable walls in front of...I'll try to open them for God to see what's inside (although, He knows me inside and out, so you wouldn't think this is an issue.). It's quite the mess between my pride, jealousy, trust issues, and who knows what else I've stocked up on in there!

Father God -
I know that I don't trust you fully with all that I am right now. But I want to try. Help me to learn all I can about You during Lent and throughout my life. I pray I tear down the walls and open the locked doors in my heart soon. I ask you to teach me and discipline me according to your will. I love You. God, help me to love you more in all I do.
Amen.

Day 3 - Blessed Discipline

Today's Scriptures:
~ John 1:29-34
~ Job 5-10
~ Proverbs 2

*Blessed is the man whom God corrects, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. - Job 5:17 (NIV)

One doesn't usually hear the word blessed and discipline in the same phrase. Especially when it is that one is blessed if God disciplines you! I don't think anyone likes discipline. I know that I certainly don't right now. But, I think it is DEFINITELY part of following Christ. We are called to put down our own ways and follow Christ, so if we aren't denying something that we should then yeah....God isn't cool with that. And yes, I just said that! :)

I believe a lot of us stray away from discipline because we perceive it as being painful. We think of the discipline of an athlete: "No pain; no gain." Or we think about when we were younger and mom or dad disciplined us by spanking. However, this discipline is different in that it doesn't generally imply physical pain (although, I suppose it could). It is more along the lines of your conscience kicking in and bugging you to death until you stop whatever you aren't supposed to be doing or start whatever you are supposed to be doing. It could be that person that catches you in the act. Or that invisible red flag that blocks your way of doing something you'd prefer against God's will. When I was young in my faith, and sometimes now-a-days, I would rebuke myself for things that I did wrong by doing physical exercises past the point where it would cause my body to exert itself...so lots of sit-ups, push-ups, an extra mile, etc. I would increase the number or count I would do if I did it again. It wasn't so that I would hurt myself for the sake of it. But so that way I would remember not to do it again. Part of discipline is being able to continue to do the good things, and continue not doing the bad things. So, I suppose it is my way of penance after asking for forgiveness from God. Now, my way of discipline is different than God's, but it reminds me of my commitment to change my ways. So, no worries. I doubt God will discipline you by making you run a mile or do 100 sit-ups, but He will discipline you if you want to walk in His Son's footsteps.

You may think I am crazy, but I don't want to do things that are contrary to God's will and way. So thus, I want to embrace discipline as being blessed by God, rather than just some painful "no-good" thing. Because I know, that through discipline, I will become more pure and holy like Jesus Christ and grow in my relationship with God.