Saturday, June 30, 2012
Week Twenty-seven
A week of celebrating freedom in many ways! It'll be fun to see if we can spot it in the readings this week:)
Monday, June 25, 2012
Week Twenty-six
So I'm back tracking to yesterday! Even though it's Monday, I'll read Sunday -- Sorry Chris if I messed this up:)
God working in us seems to be a theme that pops us! It's in 1:6 "God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it's finally finished on the day" (apparently it's a life-long work -- we're continually in process" It's a few verses down in 11 "filled with the fruit . . . produced in your life by Jesus Christ (I love thinking of our works simply as fruit that springs from those roots going down deep into relationship with Him) The connection is the roots in the ground -- the fruit is only a bi-product) and finally we see it again in 2:13 "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him (this gives me GREAT hope! Because a lot of times I'm lacking the desire to be good!! and along with desire, He gives power -- what more could the H.S. give us to be victorious?"
I appreciate Paul's firm grasp on the bigger picture. Didn't matter if he was a prisoner -- no complaining there. In fact in 1:14, he sees it as an advantage causing others to gain confidence and boldly speak!!
Again, Paul wasn't worried about "groups" or "churches" in 1:18. He left motives to God and rejoiced that God's word was being preached by any and all. We should be as generous!
1:27-30 reminded me of the movie Miracle. "Who do you play for?" "We are in this struggle together -- fighting together for the faith together for the faith, which is the Good News!!"
God working in us seems to be a theme that pops us! It's in 1:6 "God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it's finally finished on the day" (apparently it's a life-long work -- we're continually in process" It's a few verses down in 11 "filled with the fruit . . . produced in your life by Jesus Christ (I love thinking of our works simply as fruit that springs from those roots going down deep into relationship with Him) The connection is the roots in the ground -- the fruit is only a bi-product) and finally we see it again in 2:13 "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him (this gives me GREAT hope! Because a lot of times I'm lacking the desire to be good!! and along with desire, He gives power -- what more could the H.S. give us to be victorious?"
I appreciate Paul's firm grasp on the bigger picture. Didn't matter if he was a prisoner -- no complaining there. In fact in 1:14, he sees it as an advantage causing others to gain confidence and boldly speak!!
Again, Paul wasn't worried about "groups" or "churches" in 1:18. He left motives to God and rejoiced that God's word was being preached by any and all. We should be as generous!
1:27-30 reminded me of the movie Miracle. "Who do you play for?" "We are in this struggle together -- fighting together for the faith together for the faith, which is the Good News!!"
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Week 24
Man alive! What kind of a blessing Christ gives us!! vs 3 He blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms!!
God loved us, chose us, decided in advance to adopt us, purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son! Are you feeling LOVED yet??
I like how Paul prays that God will give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you can grow in your knowledge of God. We are foolish if we think that WE have all the answers! HE has the answers, and it's HIS Spirit that gives the wisdom and insight. It is a feeling of JOY when I feel that wisdom and insight happening inside of me!! But again -- it's HIM that gives it, nothing in me.
2:15 & 16 talk about how the Jews, the Gentiles are all brought together through the gift of His Son. No one has an advantage over anyone else. God's gift is available to all -- isn't that wonderful? Reminds me of His gift of the Sabbath. You can't buy it, you can't hoard it, you can't claim it's in your country -- it's a gift of time; available to all.
And you can't help but love 3:16-18. Reminding us that God has glorious, unlimited resources! Also reminding us that Christ will make His home in our hearts (awesome) and how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. I don't think about that enough -- it's a truth to rest in; serenity!
God loved us, chose us, decided in advance to adopt us, purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son! Are you feeling LOVED yet??
I like how Paul prays that God will give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you can grow in your knowledge of God. We are foolish if we think that WE have all the answers! HE has the answers, and it's HIS Spirit that gives the wisdom and insight. It is a feeling of JOY when I feel that wisdom and insight happening inside of me!! But again -- it's HIM that gives it, nothing in me.
2:15 & 16 talk about how the Jews, the Gentiles are all brought together through the gift of His Son. No one has an advantage over anyone else. God's gift is available to all -- isn't that wonderful? Reminds me of His gift of the Sabbath. You can't buy it, you can't hoard it, you can't claim it's in your country -- it's a gift of time; available to all.
And you can't help but love 3:16-18. Reminding us that God has glorious, unlimited resources! Also reminding us that Christ will make His home in our hearts (awesome) and how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. I don't think about that enough -- it's a truth to rest in; serenity!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)