"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved."
Today was a youth service and in it the pastor was talking about the need to preach the gospel not just do "activities" that make everyone so busy. I mean when did church become a place just to become more and more busy. I know some people working here that are too busy to even have conversations with friends let alone probably how much time they actually get to reflect on the Word of God for themselves.
This verse though it is talking about having a heart's desire and prayer for them to be saved. In this I long for my students to be saved. I don't think I pray for that enough sometimes and when I am in class with them I do not always long for their salvation. Sometimes I get caught up in the discipline or in the teaching and I forget to see them as lost, as people living deep in sin.
I need to really see them as Jesus does. This verse reminds me what my heart's desire should be everytime I walk into that classroom...to give the gospel message....for them to be saved!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
2 Corinthians 11:14
"And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14
When I think about deception, it makes me really scared and intrigued. That is a weird combination. I have to wonder what things I have deceived myself into believing that they are true, when in fact they were just myself deceiving my own mind and heart. For instance a couple of years ago I thought that I was in being pursued by someone only to find out that it was in fact not true at all. So...had I deceived myself into believing the feelings were from God? Were they in fact from God? What is it that makes one thing from God and one thing not from Him?
When I think about present situations in my life it kind of scares me to think that Satan can disguise himself. If he can disguise himself then people all around me are also in a place of disguise. I think it is also true that on a day to day basis we all in some form disguise what we are truly thinking. When looking at it deeply I can see that my thoughts are not always God's thoughts, this means that there are things that I do and think throughout the day that I would be embarrassed for people to know about. This means that I give in to sin.
Now I believe that there are people walking around like they have no sin at all. I am one of those people sometimes. I like to look at myself as this Spiritual person, who takes the Bible for what it says and follows it. Looking down on those around me that feel like God made the Bible to be cultural or to be made to "fit this age." Although I do not believe that this is true, it is not for me to look down on those that do. It is a hard balance, but to be able to see when someone is trying to deceive me that is what I am going for here.
I want to shout it to my students to not listen to commercials or people that are trying to get them to think and believe only One way. I want to shout at them to seek the truth, and then God will reveal it. If they are truly seeking HIm and wanting to know Him, then they will find Him. Actually He will find them.
He is a God of truth, not lies and deception. So as I ponder what it means to be deceived maybe this will cause me to think more about what I read and what people say. For every person that claims to be speaking of God, may not exactly be doing it.
When I think about deception, it makes me really scared and intrigued. That is a weird combination. I have to wonder what things I have deceived myself into believing that they are true, when in fact they were just myself deceiving my own mind and heart. For instance a couple of years ago I thought that I was in being pursued by someone only to find out that it was in fact not true at all. So...had I deceived myself into believing the feelings were from God? Were they in fact from God? What is it that makes one thing from God and one thing not from Him?
When I think about present situations in my life it kind of scares me to think that Satan can disguise himself. If he can disguise himself then people all around me are also in a place of disguise. I think it is also true that on a day to day basis we all in some form disguise what we are truly thinking. When looking at it deeply I can see that my thoughts are not always God's thoughts, this means that there are things that I do and think throughout the day that I would be embarrassed for people to know about. This means that I give in to sin.
Now I believe that there are people walking around like they have no sin at all. I am one of those people sometimes. I like to look at myself as this Spiritual person, who takes the Bible for what it says and follows it. Looking down on those around me that feel like God made the Bible to be cultural or to be made to "fit this age." Although I do not believe that this is true, it is not for me to look down on those that do. It is a hard balance, but to be able to see when someone is trying to deceive me that is what I am going for here.
I want to shout it to my students to not listen to commercials or people that are trying to get them to think and believe only One way. I want to shout at them to seek the truth, and then God will reveal it. If they are truly seeking HIm and wanting to know Him, then they will find Him. Actually He will find them.
He is a God of truth, not lies and deception. So as I ponder what it means to be deceived maybe this will cause me to think more about what I read and what people say. For every person that claims to be speaking of God, may not exactly be doing it.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
His Name
As I reflect on my day to day, I am reminded that I do not think upon God all that often. Yes, in the morning when I first get to school He is in my thoughts, but throughout the day in those times when life seems so crazy...well He is not there. I need to make it a point to think upon Him more.
Today I looked at Philippians 2:9-11. It seems to me that Jesus being the name above all names, means that He should be my thoughts. He should be the one that I am running to in my head. Instead of replaying what happened last weekend or thinking about upcoming adventures. I should be completely focusing on Him. For one day every knee will bow. What will I be doing then? I want to be bowing, but I must really concentrate on that in the day to day, second to second.
Isaiah 43:1 talks about Him calling us by His name. We are His. I am His and yet there are so many times that I let that simplicity pass me by. If I truly were His wouldn't I be longing to spend days with Him instead of checking my latest message on facebook, or experiencing checking my email for the thousandth time during the day. I need to spend those extra minutes in His Word. Opening my mind and just truly resting in Him.
Today I know that there may be distractions actually not may but will be. I want to make an efffort to think about Him, to make my being so in tune with God that I do not go today without truly living my life for Him. How amazing would that be?
Today I looked at Philippians 2:9-11. It seems to me that Jesus being the name above all names, means that He should be my thoughts. He should be the one that I am running to in my head. Instead of replaying what happened last weekend or thinking about upcoming adventures. I should be completely focusing on Him. For one day every knee will bow. What will I be doing then? I want to be bowing, but I must really concentrate on that in the day to day, second to second.
Isaiah 43:1 talks about Him calling us by His name. We are His. I am His and yet there are so many times that I let that simplicity pass me by. If I truly were His wouldn't I be longing to spend days with Him instead of checking my latest message on facebook, or experiencing checking my email for the thousandth time during the day. I need to spend those extra minutes in His Word. Opening my mind and just truly resting in Him.
Today I know that there may be distractions actually not may but will be. I want to make an efffort to think about Him, to make my being so in tune with God that I do not go today without truly living my life for Him. How amazing would that be?
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Psalm 21:6
As I look at this verse here is what thoughts come to mind. First of all who is the him being referred to here? I think the King. But the King of Israel. So whoever it is they make him glad just by being present.
This makes me wonder if my presence makes God glad. I think a lot of times he probably wonders, "Oh that tawnya, why did I form her?" She doesn't get it again. I mean how many times has he had to teach me patience? How many times has he had to take away friendships so that I will realize to lean on Him alone. Again and again I must learn to just trust Him. So as I look at this verse to me it just makes me want to please Him(being God) that much more. I want Him to be glad that He created me and happy that He can call me His daughter.
This makes me wonder if my presence makes God glad. I think a lot of times he probably wonders, "Oh that tawnya, why did I form her?" She doesn't get it again. I mean how many times has he had to teach me patience? How many times has he had to take away friendships so that I will realize to lean on Him alone. Again and again I must learn to just trust Him. So as I look at this verse to me it just makes me want to please Him(being God) that much more. I want Him to be glad that He created me and happy that He can call me His daughter.
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