Matthew

Matthew is my new favorite book of the Bible. I'm not really sure why but lately, everything has been able to be answered or points to Matthew, specifically chapter 6, and even more specific, verses 25-34. I'm including chapter 6 in this entry. I invite you to read and take in the Word. Hopefully, it will speak to you too.

Matthew 6
Giving to the Needy
1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting
16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Day 2~He Enjoys You

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. ~Zephaniah 3:17

God enjoys the time we spend with him. Each and every moment. It doesn't have to be with other people, in a crowded worship setting. Some of my best moments with Him have been in the quiet of my car, driving alone and listening to a worship CD or praying to Him while sitting on my bed before I go to sleep. "He is the Lord of the universe, and yet He will quiet our restless hearts and minds with His tender love...We can rest in His affirmation and love, no matter what circumstances surround us."

God enjoys you. Are you returning the favor?

Lord, help me remember that You are always with me and that You delight in me. Remind me that I am Your chidl and that You enjoy our relationship.

Day 1~What Season Are You In?

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. ~Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

Today, I read that God is control of the seasons. There are four seasons to relationships:
Autumn:Life is slowing down.
Winter:Potential relationships seem impossible.
Spring:Hopes are lifting and new possiblilites are rising up.
Summer:Everything is in full bloom.

Personally, I think I'm stuck in Autumn with a touch of Winter. Life is slow. Nobody is coming towards me right now and the thought of having a successful relationship seems almost impossible. God is ready to meet me here, though. Hey, God, can we meet over by that pile of leaves? I'm ready to hand you over my life.

Lord, I'm not always sure what season I'm in. And things do seem to be changing...a lot. Just about the time I think relationships are going in one direction, they shift. Today I give You the many seasons of my life. Walk me through them...hand in hand.

Daily Encouragement for Single Women

I bought a book today called Daily Encouragement for Single Women at The Family Christian Bookstore. I've decided I HAVE to stop trying to control my love life. So far, it's gotten me nowhere. From now on, God is in control.


The back of the book is what made me pick it up and buy it:
{"I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine...I paid a huge price for you:...That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you!" ~Isaiah 43:1,4 MSG}
You're single...unattached...unfettered...free. Whether your singleness inspires you or terrifies you, God has a special place in His heart for you. He'll be your protector, provider, comforter, and spiritual husband if you'll let Him.
This daily devotional is the perfect way to jump-start your relationship with God. These readings will meet you right where you are today and will refresh your spirit and remind you that you aren't alone on the journey.


Here's to a new adventure!

One Way

VERSE 1

I lay my life down at Your feet
You're the only one I need
I turn to You and You are always there
In troubled times it's You I seek
I put You first that's all I need
I humble all I am, all to You

CHORUS
One way, Jesus
You're the only one that I could live for
One way, Jesus
You're the only one that I could live for

VERSE 2
You are always, always there
Every how and every where
Your grace abounds so deeply within me
You will never ever change
Yesterday today the same
Forever till forever meets no end

CHORUS(x2)
One way, Jesus
You're the only one that I could live for
One way, Jesus
You're the only one that I could live for

BRIDGE(x4)
You are the Way, the Truth and the Life
We live by faith and not by sight for You,
We're living all for You

CHORUS(x2)
One way, Jesus
You're the only one that I could live for
One way, Jesus
You're the only one that I could live for


My favorite for the day!

You Are My All In All

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising up again I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Matthew 6:24-34

24"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.


34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

Blessed

Every once in a while, I feel like I'm so completely blessed, I don't deserve what I have. I realized that today when I was sitting in my car holding almost $500 in cash in my hand...and a check for $48. God has provided me with a lot this summer. (Now, let's see if I can keep the cash instead of running out and spending it on another pair of shoes :) )
I've been blessed by some fantastic people in my life today, and only two are over the age of 4.
Life is good but not all the time. God is good all the time, though. Whether He's blessing you with money, love, a family, or something as sweet as making a little girl smile at her preschool graduation or rocking a sick baby to sleep, GOD IS GOOD.

Luke 18:27

But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Things are impossible with man. Plain and simple. I am not God. Never could be, never would want to be. (Although, Jim Carrey made it look kind of cool parting his soup in Bruce Almighty, right?)
I thought that movie was pretty good...poked fun at some things, made me think of others. My favorite scene was when he was answering the e-mail prayers. The lady who lost weight eating Krispy Kreme made me laugh (as well as him turning water to wine at the party).
That isn't the main point of my post today, though. My main point is all things are possible with God. ALL THINGS. I can't really wrap my mind around that statement right now, though. I think it's because I'm angry. This is a totally justified anger, too. My Grandad has been battling cancer since I was a sophomore in high school (so almost 5 years). People love him to death. He's a fabulous man. I don't think I've ever met people more loving and giving than both sets of my grandparents. So why would God allow him to have cancer? And for 5 years! The first time he beat it, we all celebrated. It wasn't just him beating it, it was all of us. We did it! Then, it came back. And went away. And came back. Went. Came. Went. Came. As did several extended stays in the hospital, tons of chemo, an experimental treatment that didn't go as planned, and countless hours for my Grandma to sit and wait. Time for her to think.
My Grandma and Grandad don't settle for anything less than perfect. It has worked out for them really well over the years-they have three incredible children, the oldest of which is my dad, several fantastic grandchildren, an amazing business, and tons of friends that care about them like no other. Would they have such an amazing life if it wasn't because of God's grace? No way. So when Grandad got sick, they didn't settle for anything less than the best for his doctors. These doctors have impressive resumes and years of experience. If anything was possible, these are the people to go to, right? In a way, yes. God isn't human so He led them to the people who were the best. However, it's God's hand that's guiding the doctor's. It's God who is wrapping Grandad in His arms every night.
These doctors might say things are impossible-nothing is impossible with the Lord.
This afternoon, as Alexander lays sleeping upstairs in his crib, this is my prayer:
Lord God, nothing is impossible with you. You know the plans for my family. Lord, please shed some light it. Wrap Grandma and Grandad in Your arms today. Let them know everything is going to work out for Your plan. You are God alone and only You know what's going to happen. Thank you for everything you've provided and will provide. Amen.


You are not a god
Created by human hands
You are not a god
Dependant on any mortal man
You are not a god
In need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
Your are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You’re the only God
Whose power none can contend
You’re the only God
Whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God
Who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God
And that’s just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
Your are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

Unchangeable
Unshakable
Unstoppable
That’s what You are

My Help Comes From The Lord

Verse 1:
When sorrows come and hope seems gone
You're the rock I rest upon
When waters rise and I can't breathe
You're the love that rescues me


Bridge:
Out of the darkness I lift up my eyes
Unto the hills I feel my faith rise


Chorus:
Maker of heaven, giver of life
You are my strength my song in the night My refuge my shelter Now and forevermore My help comes from the Lord


Verse 2:
When I'm broken scarred by sin
Death gives way to life again
When I suffer when I doubt
In you I'm free in you I'm found

Bridge
Chorus

2nd Chorus:
Maker of heaven, giver of life
You are my strength
You're my refuge
Now and forevermore...

Performed by The Museum. They're awesome :)

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Believe

John 20:19-31

Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Jesus Appears to Thomas
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may[a] believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Every once in a while, God smacks me in the face with something great. A song on the radio, the perfect sunset, a random Bible verse. Yesterday, I went to worship with Mom. Sarah was preaching about Thomas.(I love, love, love to hear Sarah talk. I think we're really similar). Sometimes, I think we're all like Thomas. Thomas didn't believe the other 11 that Jesus was there with them. He had to see it to believe it. Sarah told the story of her finding it hard to believe two of her friends were married because she wasn't able to be at the wedding. I think it's hard to believe someone has a new hairstyle, new car, new anything unless I see it. Even then, after I've seen something, it's hard for me to remember and to believe it. A couple years ago, a friend of mine overdosed on drugs and passed away. He was always sitting at the end of my driveway, over peeking in my window, trying to get me to come over. It took me a good couple weeks to believe he was gone. Even at the funeral, I just sat there wondering what I was going to do without him. Seeing him lying on the alter wasn't real. It was like an out of body experience. Did Bobby come back and prove to me he was dead? No. He isn't Jesus. Did Jesus have to come back to Thomas to prove to him he was risen? Nope. But that's the kind of God we have.
God smacks us in the face all the time...are you paying attention to see His grace?

Inside Out

As my first "offical" post, I thought I'd start with something that always reminds me that God loves me-worship music. The song of the night is Inside Out by Hillsong. I love, love, love this song. Not only does it have the good flow of a worship song, it also has an amazing message.
The first time I ever heard this song, my friend Brian, was singing it. It brought tears to my eyes. I had been struggling some and wasn't really sure where to go or what to do. It was the Sunday before I went away to college (8 hours from home) and I knew I was going to be making a lot of decisions that were going to reflect me and how people saw me. While I was in high school, I was the "perfect" child...I did no wrong. I mean, I WORKED IN A CHURCH! How can you do anything awful if your paycheck comes from a Methodist Church? But the truth was, I wasn't sure why I was doing everything I was doing. Why was I going to church? What purpose did it serve me? But most importantly, HOW was I going to serve God while away from my church family? This song kind of was a slap in the face for me...and I still remember sitting in the Baptist church on Main Street in Warrenton and having tear run down my face.

Here are the lyrics to this amazing song:
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
Should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise
Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart, in my soul
I give you control
Consume me from the inside out
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out

**Thank you, Brian, for serving God that day and opening my eyes!**

Friends, it doesn't matter what we've done. God is Everlasting. God wants control of our heart and our soul. Is this hard? I'll be the first to shake my head yes. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to put my poker face on with God and "play fish" with him. I say play fish because I always think of Go Fish..."Do you have a 2? Give it to me and I'll give you a 3. God, can you do this for me? If you can, I'll do this for you. PS God doesn't work like that. Most importantly, God is ALWAYS there for us, no matter what. I'll share on my lessons in that department over time. :)

For now, if the lyrics aren't enough, here's a link to the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbGgA2lIDjc

Em And Her Faith

Hello, Brothers and Sisters of Christ,
This is my blog only for my journey in my faith. Here, you'll find scripture, quotes, pictures, stories, and thoughts to ponder. If you have any prayer requests, you can either e-mail them to me or leave them in a comment. I would love to pray for you.
Your Sister in Christ,
Emily