Okay there was really a lot in here. There are times when you are under attack and you know it. you call out for help, your friends pray for you. But then there are times when you are under attack and do not realize it until it is too late. Sometimes you are so busy, you skip reading your Bible or cut your prayer time short. You are doing good stuff, volunteering at church, helping people so God won't really mind. This is were I have been. I woke up today and realized that I got so caught up in the busy that I cut out God. Great blog. Peace, Stephanie
15:16-17 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.
This makes me feel so lucky! Maybe thats not the right word, but it's how I feel. All of us have many people in our lives that haven't opened up to the idea of being chosen, but we have. How fortunate to have been blessed with that gift. And if thats not enough, and sometimes we get too comfortable with it being enough, it says we are also appointed to GO and BEAR FRUIT. Not just regular fruit, but FRUIT THAT WILL LAST. And I know I sometimes don't appreciate how lucky we are for this gift either. I'm not appointed to my struggles, my past, or me at all for that matter. I'm appointed to GO; thats a green light, not a yellow and certainly not a red! And on top of that the work He has ahead won't be all for nothing, although it may seem to be at times, but it's for His glory and I think we all agree He doesn't do anything half way. If He has something in the works aimed at bringing glory to His name, than we can rest assure that He certainly will not fail! We serve a perfect God, and I deffinetly need to do a better job of remembering that!!!
And His command: Love each other; I think it's safe to say that what the Lord is doing in and with Rockway is full of people chosen and appointed to be all about love and bringing glory to God. And I feel lucky for feeling chosen to be a part of this as well!
I switched to the NLT for my reading this week and I love how it phrases 15:8. "When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father." I don't think of God being happy very often. But after reading this, I think He is quite happy when He looks down on me and sees me shining a big spotlight on him, glorifying him. I hope to experience the smile of God for my entire life- and when I see Him face to face I will see the smile I have so longed to see. I want my entire life to bring great glory to God.
19 - If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
The world hates me - does it? This verse says the world hates me because I belong to Christ. When I ask the question does the world hate me, I have to stop and think about that. They can only hate me because of Christ IF they know that I live for Him. I do, I know I do, but do they? Do I live in such a manner that reveals Christ to the world?
20-22- Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.
This verse jumped out at me!!! Why do I think I should have it so easy serving Christ?? If the world does not respect and love Him, what more can I expect? I am so about me that I think I should get blessing after blessing and not suffer one bit; everything in life should be easy. Oh my.
22 - If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
You have to do something with Christ. His presence in this world is convicting. Ever do something and wish you hadn't? Well, Christ is here and there is no denying it or hoping He will go away!
Thank you Jesus for coming and making yourself know to me! Help me to live so that the world will hate be becuase I represent you!
4 comments:
Okay there was really a lot in here. There are times when you are under attack and you know it. you call out for help, your friends pray for you. But then there are times when you are under attack and do not realize it until it is too late. Sometimes you are so busy, you skip reading your Bible or cut your prayer time short. You are doing good stuff, volunteering at church, helping people so God won't really mind. This is were I have been. I woke up today and realized that I got so caught up in the busy that I cut out God. Great blog.
Peace,
Stephanie
15:16-17 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.
This makes me feel so lucky! Maybe thats not the right word, but it's how I feel. All of us have many people in our lives that haven't opened up to the idea of being chosen, but we have. How fortunate to have been blessed with that gift. And if thats not enough, and sometimes we get too comfortable with it being enough, it says we are also appointed to GO and BEAR FRUIT. Not just regular fruit, but FRUIT THAT WILL LAST. And I know I sometimes don't appreciate how lucky we are for this gift either. I'm not appointed to my struggles, my past, or me at all for that matter. I'm appointed to GO; thats a green light, not a yellow and certainly not a red! And on top of that the work He has ahead won't be all for nothing, although it may seem to be at times, but it's for His glory and I think we all agree He doesn't do anything half way. If He has something in the works aimed at bringing glory to His name, than we can rest assure that He certainly will not fail! We serve a perfect God, and I deffinetly need to do a better job of remembering that!!!
And His command: Love each other; I think it's safe to say that what the Lord is doing in and with Rockway is full of people chosen and appointed to be all about love and bringing glory to God. And I feel lucky for feeling chosen to be a part of this as well!
chosen and appointed to love,
Jeremy
I switched to the NLT for my reading this week and I love how it phrases 15:8. "When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father." I don't think of God being happy very often. But after reading this, I think He is quite happy when He looks down on me and sees me shining a big spotlight on him, glorifying him. I hope to experience the smile of God for my entire life- and when I see Him face to face I will see the smile I have so longed to see. I want my entire life to bring great glory to God.
19 - If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
The world hates me - does it? This verse says the world hates me because I belong to Christ. When I ask the question does the world hate me, I have to stop and think about that. They can only hate me because of Christ IF they know that I live for Him. I do, I know I do, but do they? Do I live in such a manner that reveals Christ to the world?
20-22- Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.
This verse jumped out at me!!! Why do I think I should have it so easy serving Christ?? If the world does not respect and love Him, what more can I expect? I am so about me that I think I should get blessing after blessing and not suffer one bit; everything in life should be easy. Oh my.
22 - If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
You have to do something with Christ. His presence in this world is convicting. Ever do something and wish you hadn't? Well, Christ is here and there is no denying it or hoping He will go away!
Thank you Jesus for coming and making yourself know to me! Help me to live so that the world will hate be becuase I represent you!
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