I just took a bath. For those of you who do not know, that is Heaven on earth. I also had Ihop cheesecake pancakes. They will serve those in Heaven. I love baths. They are where I have my best prayer time. Quiet. Relaxing. I can really go through my thoughts and talk to Jesus. I ask that all my followers join me as I am in prayer over the next 2 (or maybe more) months for Haley Rae Garnett. For those of you who do not know her, she is an 18 year old girl who graduated from Danville last year. I have had the blessing of getting to watch her grow up. She is outspoken, beautiful, spoiled rotten, athletic, loves children, and loves Jesus.(all you people with cute, Jesus-loving boys over 18, send your resumes to me while she is gone and I will pass them on).She started college. She hated it(not surprising if you know her.) Well, God did some maneuvering and somebody asked her if she would like to come work with some kids in Guatemala for a while. She quit school, sent off for her passport, and left this morning, less than a week after the passport came in. Most of us would not pause our lives to move to a country we have never been to and go love on some kids we have never met. She said, "Let's do this, Jesus." I believe she is well on her way to finding her calling in life. I cannot wait to see what God teaches her and how He is going to use her. Pray that the language barrier be removed. That she be able to share Jesus's love with many. That God reveals Himself to her in ways she never thought possible. Also, pray for her family. Opening your hands to God and saying "I will do whatever," is a lot easier when it involves you personally, not so much when he moves your kids across an ocean. Pray for peace for them. Thank God for Skype :)
Once again, thank you for reading. I got stopped in Sunday school this week and someone told me they were reading the blogs. I am always amazed that people read them.
Now...here are the Chapters from Matthew that I am sure ya'll are dying to read :)
Matthew 21:
Verses 1-11: I love to see OT prophecy directly fulfilled like in this story. It is one of the things that proves to me that Jesus is the Son of God. I also love when Jesus tells a little bit of prophecy himself. He told them where the donkey was and how the conversation should go.
Verses 12-13: What does God see when He looks at our churches today?
Verse 23-27: He outsmarts the priests again! SO funny!
Verse 33-41: One of the best analogies of how the prophets before Jesus were treated, and how God will deal with the unsaved.
Matthew 22:
Verse 22: They had been trying to trap Him, but they ended up "marveled" by Him.
Verses23-33: This scripture causes me mixed emotions. First, I get sad thinking I won't be "married" to Dustin in Heaven. But then I also know once I get there I won't care. It is just a hard concept to wrap my head and heart around.
Verses 37-40: These are two of the most quoted scriptures but I know very few people who fulfill them fully. I ask God to help me learn what it is to truly love Him with my heart, soul, and mind. I don't think I will ever totally accomplish it on earth, but I will die trying. Loving people is so easy with some and so hard with others. I must love like Jesus.
Verse 46: This whole chapter was full of questions from the Pharisees and Sadducees trying to trick Jesus. He outsmarted them on every question. THEN, Jesus asked them a question and they were stumped. Verse 46 makes me laugh. They gave up.
Matthew 23:
Verse 3-4: Make sure I am practicing what I preach. And make sure I am showing Christianity is not a burden, but it makes the load lighter.
Verse 26: This verse smacks me every time. I get so caught up in being "active" in church and such. They are important but I must make sure my heart is in the right place.
Matthew 24:
Verse 1-28: So much prophecy here. Honestly, I am not a fan of end time prophecy. I know who wins, and that is all that matters to me. If I allow myself to think about it too much it can freak me out, so I just stay away from it.
Verse 36: Love this verse. People yelling about the Mayan calendar, Y2K, etc. Most of the time they do not even know what they are yelling about. Dustin and I went to Mayan ruins last week. We learned a lot. Their calendar did not predict they end of the world. It just meant that the cycle started over.
Matthew 25:
Verses 14-30: This passage always makes me look at myself and ask, "Am I using my talents?" I think so, now more than ever. Being a mommy is what I was created to do. BUT I have other talents that I must not neglect and try to use as much as possible. I need to be looking for ways to bless others and bless God with them. I want to hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
Verses 31-46: Do I give food? Do I give drink? Do I give clothes? Do I visit? Do I go to them? In other words Do I make the effort??
Once again, thank you for reading. I got stopped in Sunday school this week and someone told me they were reading the blogs. I am always amazed that people read them.
Now...here are the Chapters from Matthew that I am sure ya'll are dying to read :)
Matthew 21:
Verses 1-11: I love to see OT prophecy directly fulfilled like in this story. It is one of the things that proves to me that Jesus is the Son of God. I also love when Jesus tells a little bit of prophecy himself. He told them where the donkey was and how the conversation should go.
Verses 12-13: What does God see when He looks at our churches today?
Verse 23-27: He outsmarts the priests again! SO funny!
Verse 33-41: One of the best analogies of how the prophets before Jesus were treated, and how God will deal with the unsaved.
Matthew 22:
Verse 22: They had been trying to trap Him, but they ended up "marveled" by Him.
Verses23-33: This scripture causes me mixed emotions. First, I get sad thinking I won't be "married" to Dustin in Heaven. But then I also know once I get there I won't care. It is just a hard concept to wrap my head and heart around.
Verses 37-40: These are two of the most quoted scriptures but I know very few people who fulfill them fully. I ask God to help me learn what it is to truly love Him with my heart, soul, and mind. I don't think I will ever totally accomplish it on earth, but I will die trying. Loving people is so easy with some and so hard with others. I must love like Jesus.
Verse 46: This whole chapter was full of questions from the Pharisees and Sadducees trying to trick Jesus. He outsmarted them on every question. THEN, Jesus asked them a question and they were stumped. Verse 46 makes me laugh. They gave up.
Matthew 23:
Verse 3-4: Make sure I am practicing what I preach. And make sure I am showing Christianity is not a burden, but it makes the load lighter.
Verse 26: This verse smacks me every time. I get so caught up in being "active" in church and such. They are important but I must make sure my heart is in the right place.
Matthew 24:
Verse 1-28: So much prophecy here. Honestly, I am not a fan of end time prophecy. I know who wins, and that is all that matters to me. If I allow myself to think about it too much it can freak me out, so I just stay away from it.
Verse 36: Love this verse. People yelling about the Mayan calendar, Y2K, etc. Most of the time they do not even know what they are yelling about. Dustin and I went to Mayan ruins last week. We learned a lot. Their calendar did not predict they end of the world. It just meant that the cycle started over.
Matthew 25:
Verses 14-30: This passage always makes me look at myself and ask, "Am I using my talents?" I think so, now more than ever. Being a mommy is what I was created to do. BUT I have other talents that I must not neglect and try to use as much as possible. I need to be looking for ways to bless others and bless God with them. I want to hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
Verses 31-46: Do I give food? Do I give drink? Do I give clothes? Do I visit? Do I go to them? In other words Do I make the effort??
Love this last part where you said: "Do I make the effort??" This scripture makes it very clear that passivity toward the hungry, down trod,and lost is not an option - "When you fail to do it for the least of these, you have failed to do it for me." Proverbs 17:5 says that this "will not go unpunished." Effort is the perfect word here. Learning to be intentional is no easy task. Wonderful blog buddy!
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