Memory Verse Challenge: Week 29

Admittedly this week's verse isn't the easiest verse to memorize.  The choppiness of it can be a little challenging.  However, that shouldn't stop us.  There's a powerful life lesson packed into these few words.  If memorizing them helps remind us what our thoughts should rest on, then memorize away!

The things we set our minds on determine our attitude.  Our attitude then affects the strength and power of our faith.  This in turn affects our level of peace and joy.  In fact, the following verse (9) says that if we put this into practice, the God of peace will be with us. 

I, for one, know the truth.  It's very hard to be hopeful, peaceful, trusting, etc. when I'm focused on all the things around me that are going wrong.  There's plenty around me that's going right.  When I focus on those - my outlook changes immensely.  Calmness fills my soul and joy creeps in. 

How we want to live our lives (half empty or being filled up) will help us decide what to focus our thoughts on.

See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.

Sunday Blogvotional: Building Faith

Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there and it will move.’ Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20

It’s relatively easy to have faith for that which we feel is possible but difficult to have strong faith for the seemingly impossible. It’s easy to ask and believe that there will a be good spot to park at the local supermarket when you are in a hurry. But how many of us pray in strong faith for a healing when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer ? If the bank account is empty and the rent is due, can we believe God will provide a way for us to pay it?

I have observed in my own life that it’s pretty easy to have faith for the small things but to believe deep in my heart that God will supply my needs is another matter altogether. My natural eyes are often blind to the power of God.

We’re told that our God is the God of the impossible. He created the universe out of nothing so why couldn’t he supply all of our needs? Many scriptures confirm how important it is to have faith, not just a little faith but great faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, Without faith it impossible to please God. I want my faith to grow and I want to please God.

Encouragement for the week: Begin to ask God to increase your faith. Build on the faith you have and spread out in every direction. Read all the scriptures that deal with faith. You’ll be amazed at how your faith will grow.

Contributed this week by my Mumsy.  Thanks Mom!

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 28

Good Tuesday to you.  This week's verse is short, sweet and powerful.

It's human nature to make plans and try to live our lives accordingly.  Funny thing is - that in my experience - most of the plans I've made in my life have failed to turn out like I intended.  And, yes, many times I fought God along the way because I "knew" what I wanted.

I've discovered - or more accurately - am still discovering that if I commit first to the Lord then He will establish my plans for me.  Plans that will ultimately change and shape my life for the better.  I'm not here on this earth to live this life for me.  I'm here to live this life for God. 

It goes against human nature to think you could have a happier life serving God than serving yourself.  Maybe that's the difference between having a happy life and a truly meaningful and joyful life.

See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.

Sunday Blogvotional: Being Open To The Possibility

Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus so they watched him closely…Mark 3:2

If you spend any time in the gospels, you will notice right away that Jesus wasn't the most popular man in town.  The Pharisees, the religious leaders of their time, were livid with his arrival.  So what was their real problem with Jesus?  Did they truly not believe what the scriptures said about the coming Messiah?  Were they so caught up in waiting for His arrival that they couldn't see him right in front of them.  Maybe there were they embarrassed by not having been given a special invitation to his birth?  This man - born in a manger couldn't possibly be as important as them, let alone be the Son of God.  Or maybe their animosity stemmed mostly from feeling threatened.  Until Jesus came along people followed them. 

What about us today?  Do we look so hard for God to work in our lives that we can't see what he's already doing? Do we think we're so important that we should always be "in the know"?  Do we ever feel threatened by someone coming in and upsetting our plans and challenging what we know?  Do we close ourselves off to the workings of God just because they don't fit our image or our plan?

Encouragement for the week: When we get caught in this trap it might be helpful to step back - do more listening and observing rather than moving and shaking.  Sometimes it's better for us if we get our own ideas of who God is and how He works out of the way so we can truly let Him show us.

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 27

This week's verse can be a little tough to take.  For one thing - it's extremely hard (at least for me) to be joyful "always".  Life has a way of getting me worked up.  The second and third parts of the verse (praying and giving thanks) are two key ways of keeping my emotions in check.

When my prayer life with God is going well my spirit is much calmer.  For me, connecting with God is like plugging into a "calm machine".  And focusing on thanking God IN (not necessarily FOR) all circumstances puts life in perspective.  Our hardships seem bearable when seen in the light of God's control and supervision.

Praying continually and giving thanks are God's will for us.  When we do His will His peace rests in us and joy fills our soul. 

See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.