Chapter 2 is such an encouragement. I don't know about you but it makes me think about those who have treated me poorly, friends who have turned their back on me, people who have chosen the world instead of God. It is made clear the difference with walking with God vs walking with the world. Yes the world has a lot in it... some good, some bad but my goodness the greatness of the Lord beats everything good in the world, it is like a precious jewel and you cannot afford to not have it!
The chapter is BURSTING with encouragement (which is what we all want after reading yesterday's chapter) ha!
"For he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones" (verse 8)
Have you ever been in a situation, whether it was with someone or about something, perhaps an event that was not easy to go through. You find yourself so beaten down, utterly torn apart by their words or actions? Or maybe in this 'event' did you feel like the storm you were facing was too much to take- so much that the only thing you could do was to
'DO-LIVE-BREATHE-SLEEP' then repeat every day? What happened to that JOY the Lord can and will give you? We need to learn how to do that second word better.. really LIVE!
I have been there folks, so many times, we all have. Perhaps there is something like this happening right now as you are reading this, if so, please stop reading... RIGHT NOW...
-PAUSE
-RE-READ CH 2 (right now)if you dont have a bible nearby, google it)
-READ- ABSORB EVERY WORD
-PRAY
then continue to read this blog.
Do you feel differently than you did when you first started to read this?
I have major issues with focusing and sometimes I find myself 'quickly skimming' through scriptures and deep inside I am too lazy (at times) to really connect with God through his word. Are we truly understanding what God is saying to us in this chapter?
"For the upright will live in the land and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land and the unfaithful will be torn from it" (verse 21 & 22)
Two major things I am taking away from this chapter.
First thing is how incredible and protective our heavenly father is, how good he is to lead us on his path... when hard times come, he will remain, when death tries to steal our joy, when people aren't what we hoped, when family life just feels... stuck and uncomfortable, take heart friends, God has got us firmly by the hand and is willing to squeeze-hug us as tight as he needs to for us to realize he is enough and to understand that we do not need to 'feel okay' to be okay!
There is an old hymn that goes:
"God is still on the throne, and he will remember his own; Tho' trials may press us and burdens distress us, he never will leave us alone." What comfort is that?!
The second and last thing I am taking away from chapter 2 is that God is the one who will 'deal' with our enemies, betrayers, etc... not us. It is not our battle to fight!
Bethany Joy
The chapter is BURSTING with encouragement (which is what we all want after reading yesterday's chapter) ha!
"For he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones" (verse 8)
Have you ever been in a situation, whether it was with someone or about something, perhaps an event that was not easy to go through. You find yourself so beaten down, utterly torn apart by their words or actions? Or maybe in this 'event' did you feel like the storm you were facing was too much to take- so much that the only thing you could do was to
'DO-LIVE-BREATHE-SLEEP' then repeat every day? What happened to that JOY the Lord can and will give you? We need to learn how to do that second word better.. really LIVE!
I have been there folks, so many times, we all have. Perhaps there is something like this happening right now as you are reading this, if so, please stop reading... RIGHT NOW...
-PAUSE
-RE-READ CH 2 (right now)if you dont have a bible nearby, google it)
-READ- ABSORB EVERY WORD
-PRAY
then continue to read this blog.
Do you feel differently than you did when you first started to read this?
I have major issues with focusing and sometimes I find myself 'quickly skimming' through scriptures and deep inside I am too lazy (at times) to really connect with God through his word. Are we truly understanding what God is saying to us in this chapter?
"For the upright will live in the land and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land and the unfaithful will be torn from it" (verse 21 & 22)
Two major things I am taking away from this chapter.
First thing is how incredible and protective our heavenly father is, how good he is to lead us on his path... when hard times come, he will remain, when death tries to steal our joy, when people aren't what we hoped, when family life just feels... stuck and uncomfortable, take heart friends, God has got us firmly by the hand and is willing to squeeze-hug us as tight as he needs to for us to realize he is enough and to understand that we do not need to 'feel okay' to be okay!
There is an old hymn that goes:
"God is still on the throne, and he will remember his own; Tho' trials may press us and burdens distress us, he never will leave us alone." What comfort is that?!
The second and last thing I am taking away from chapter 2 is that God is the one who will 'deal' with our enemies, betrayers, etc... not us. It is not our battle to fight!
Bethany Joy