Do You Know All You Need To Know?

How do you read through the Bible? Do you use a plan to do it in a year? 3 months? 6 months?  Any way you choose to do it is the right way if it works for you.  I choose to read at my own pace.  Sometimes a few verses, a couple of chapters, a whole book…  Today as I was reading, (I’ve reached 1st Corinthians.) the Word spoke loudly to me on what I need to know.  Check out 1 Corinthians 8:1-3.

1-corinthians-81-3

I saw myself in this verse and knew I needed to make a change.  I do not want to be a know-it-all, or even come across that way.  So how do I fix this issue?  First and foremost,  Only God is omnipotent, all knowing.  Verse 3 tells us clearly that we really don’t know anything until we recognize that God knows everything.

What does that mean?  It’s all wrapped up in our puffed-up, ‘there’s nothing new under the sun’, academically arrogant minds.  When questions of what we believe come up we think we have the inside scoop because we’ve experienced it, read about it…  Friends, that’s just not so!

Paul is referring to a reoccurring question that keeps popping up among the Christians of His time.  Should we, can we, eat meat that was offered to idols.  In our own time it could be should I accept a party invitation where I know they’re serving alcohol? Should I be part of a conversation that blasphemes God? Should I fit in or stand out?

We know how we would respond to those questions.  Yet are we being insensitive to the needs of other believers?  If I choose to go to a popular, local restaurant that serves really good Mexican food and alcohol am I causing another Believer to question their own beliefs? To stumble?  We can cause confusion in the mind of another believer by the things we think, do, and say.

So the real question is does it really matter?  The final verses in Chapter 8 give the perfect answer. (I’ve put it in my own words for you.)

Jesus gave up His own life for everyone, believers and non-believers.  Our choices make a difference.  Would you want to hurt your friend, perhaps cause him to go to hell because you confused the real issue?  Keep this in mind, Christ hurts when we hurt others by our words, actions, deeds… Nothing is worth causing any of our brothers and sisters to stumble.  Nothing!

And so, there it is.  Do you know all you need to know?

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Praying the Jesus Way

 

In Matthew 6 Jesus gives us a model for our prayers and a few pointers on the how to do it.  In verses 5-8 He wants His followers to pray in a way that draws them close to God the Father without making a show of it like the hypocrites.  Then He gives the ideal place for it to happen, a place that is secluded.  By shutting the door He shows that there should be no outside influence.  He also said don’t be constantly repeating your words and going on and on.  You see God already knows what we’re praying for so keep it short and focused.

The perfect model is then given in verses 9-13:

the-lords-prayer

Each of the 6 points of this prayer lead us to total focus on the One who hears and answers.

  1. Focus on God and praise Him–Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  
  2. Focus on God’s plan and purpose–Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
  3. Focus on what you need–Give us this day our daily bread
  4. Focus on forgiveness for yourself and for others–Forgive us our debts (trespasses/sins) and we forgive our debtors (those who trespass/sin against us).
  5. Focus on God’s guidance in daily challenges
  6. Focus on giving God total control–For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory

Verses 14-15 are extremely important!  We must forgive others if we expect to be forgiven by God.  It’s pretty clear isn’t it?

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Common

 

common

Such an interesting word.  So many applications.

Common ground — when we are in agreement on an issue

Common sense–the ability to use what you know is right

Common law–personal actions over time leading to common ‘ownership’

Common cold–a health condition

Common chord–musical term

Common property–those items that are shared by 2 or more parties

Common denominator–mathematical term

Common noun–that which is not a proper noun

Common core–academic standards defining what a student should know

In common–a sense of mutual agreement

I am joining Kate Motaung and an incredibly talented group of writers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt. Five minutes. No editing. Just writing!

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

JOURNEY

 

When I saw today’s Five Minute Friday word, JOURNEY, this poem came to mind.

the-road-not-taken

Throughout this journey I have often chosen to take ‘the one less traveled by’ and it has certainly made a difference.

The decisions we make as we journey through life are like a tree as it grows its branches.  If you can imagine with me the start of the tree, just a little sapling, no branches yet. Then as the years go by growth allows branches to grow on branches from the original sapling.  As this tree of life, if you will, grows year after year, there is new life from the old.  Sometimes winter takes it’s toll and a few branches fall off.  Spring and summer storms may remove a few branches here and there.  The tree continues to withstand the buffeting of wind, maybe a few lightening strikes, perhaps a few children climb and play in it…  The journey continues…

My journey has been much like the tree.  Each new branch has been a fork in the road, a life change or decision has presented itself.  I’ve often chosen ‘the one less traveled’ and yes, it has made all the difference.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

10 Ways To Build Strong Friendships

10-ways-to-build-strong-friendships

When I was in my younger years I often wondered if I would have Best Friends later on in life. Guess what? I do. I have incredible friends in a range of friendships from bare acquaintances to BFF’s.

Have you ever met someone and immediately said to them you’re going to be my best friend.  Of course not!  Being a friend is a deliberate process.  It’s about spending time together. Getting to know one another. Sharing ups and downs and in-betweens.  Supporting them, praying for them, sharing with them, accepting them… That’s what grows strong friendships.

It’s nice to have friends that share interests and hobbies.  However, if we surround ourselves with exact copies of ourselves it gets really boring.  One of my BFF’s shares few commonalities with me, except a desire to grow closer to our Jesus.

In building strong, lasting friendships there are a few things that really don’t matter.  Age is one of them.  Yes, people of our own age share similar likes and experiences but those of other age groups have much to teach us.  Friendships cross many boundaries. Things like status, education, marriage, distance, can be overcome when two people say let’s be friends.

There’s a beautiful contemporary Christian song that points to the fact that God gives us our friends.  God Gave Me You by Dave Barnes really says it all.  Check out these lyrics:

God gave me you for the ups and downs

God gave me you for the days of doubt

For when I think I’ve lost my way

There are no words here left to say, it’s true

God gave me you.

What does God say about friendship? Check these verses out:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. Proverbs 27:5-6

There’s a Kroger commercial that ends with a woman saying, “My momma always said if you want to have a friend be one.” Nothing more needs to be said, does it?

Blessings to you and yours!
Marie