Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And...the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. -- Acts 2:46-47 (NIV) Are you "breaking bread" with your church family? Are you available to those who need to spend time with you
1 If only my head were a pool of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered. 2 Oh, that I could go away and forget my people and... Ammonites, Moabites, the people who live in the desert in remote places, and yes, even the people of Judah. [b]And like all these pagan nations, the people of Israel also have uncircumcised hearts[/b].
For the choir director; with stringed instruments, upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David. 1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath. 2 Be gracious to me, O LORD...the voice of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my supplication, The LORD receives my prayer. 10 All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed
So life in the kingdom is not just a matter of not doing what is wrong. The apprentices of Jesus are primarily occupied with the positive good that can be done during their days "under the sun" and the...speak of "learning from him how to lead my life as he would lead my life if he were I." —Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy This sort of life is so much richer than "What Would Jesus Do?
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. -- Acts 8:30-31 (NIV) Encouraging one another in the study of God's Word is key to spiritual growth. Whom can you "sit with" and discuss these verses?
...the Bible to be the Word of God." Immediately there came a query: "But don't you find things in the Bible that you can't understand?" The minister answered humbly: "Yes, there are places in the Scripture too hard for me to understand." The athiest retorted with an air of triumph, thinking he had his companion cornered: "Well, what do you do then?" Quietly the minister went on eating his luncheon...
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy— T o the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen! -Jude 1:24-25 A verse the Lord has placed in my heart-
I had a conversation with one of my classmates on Tuesday about profanity. It was brought up by the fact he was a member of the church and had trouble swearing. I remember a few conversations I had on...proper in our language and "easy to be entreated." It feels great to see a difference in one man's life. It feels like freedom. I hope there are others that will do the same for me in my weakness'
I think a lot while I read scripture, and have decided to start taking notes on esword. I would like to think that any given commentary starts out that way, as an earnest desire to reflect on God - and as it develops - it becomes very systematic. So, I figure recording my thoughts will have a twofold effect: it will bring me closer to the Lord, and it will be preserved for posterity. At that point...
