Greatness of God...day 5!

Hey all! So sorry I didn't get to post my greatness of God verse yesterday. I got really busy, and then by the time I realized it, it was time to get to bed. This happened the past two days! Anyways, I am posting today, and the verse for today really got to me.

Ephesians 5:18-21 - "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." 

Okay. So at first, I saw verse 18 and said to myself "So I am supposed to be filled with the Spirit. I know that." But then I kept reading, and Paul tells us HOW to do that! He tells us how to be filled with the Spirit: 1.) We are to speak truth to ourselves via scripture or God-honoring music. This is a good one because when I am feeling down and not all that great spiritually, if I start singing a song, it always lifts my spirit. Then Paul tells us the second thing: 2.) We are to always be giving thanks to the Lord in EVERYTHING. Wow. Now this one is a little more difficult. I am supposed to thank God for everything that comes into my life? Yep! I sure am! Then Paul tells us the third thing: 3.) We are to submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Wow. This is not a walk in the park either. I am not the most submissive person ever, so this is a hard one for me to grasp. This doesn't just mean that I am supposed to do anything and everything that anyone tells me to do, although I am to prefer others in love. I am simply to prefer others in love. I am to think selflessly and to give of myself and my time to help others. That is my way of being "submissive." Anyway, this was a challenge to me, and I hope it is to you all as well! Have a great day! Love you all!


~ Stephanie ~  
    *Phil. 3:13-14*

Greatness of God...day 4!

Well, here we are...day 4! I am still very much loving this challenge :) Okay. Here we go.

Ephesians 5:15-17 - "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

These verses were a challenge to me because at first when I read verse 15, I was thinking "Okay. I am not supposed to conduct myself in a foolish manner. I don't do that too much. I guess I am okay with this one." Then I kept reading, and it said "as wise, REDEEMING THE TIME, because the days are evil. Wow. That was a complete slap in the face. How am I spending my time, and what am I spending it on? If I have an hour or even just a half hour of free time, what do I send that time doing? I should be using my time wisely, because it is not really even my time at all. It is God's time that He has given me to use to glorify Him. A lot of times, when I have a few minutes here or there to do whatever, I will go straight to my computer and check my email or facebook. Why do I do that? What is important to me? If God's Word is important to me, then I will spend as much time as I can in it. I won't go first straight to my computer. I will first go straight to my Bible to allow God to teach me something new that I need for the rest of that day. That is my challenge to you today: what are you spending your time on? Really think about it and take a look. I was rebuked and challenged by it. You probably will be too. Love you all!
 

~ Stephanie ~ 
    *Phil. 3:13-14*

Greatness of God...day 3!

Hey guys! So it is day three of my "Greatness of God" challenge. I really am loving this challenge because it helps me to focus on the greatness of my God, and on His Word. on the hardest days when I feel like nothing will go right, I can always fall back on God's Word. Well, here we go with day three!

Psalm 16:8,11 - "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Thou[God] wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."

So I absolutely LOVE these verses! They are always such an encouragement to me. Today I wanted to give you guys a verse that would be an encouragement to you rather than simple a challenge because sometimes we need that encouragement when we are having a hard day instead of someone just harping down on us and telling us what to do. Now granted it is a good thing sometimes for us to be told what to do, but it is sometimes more discouraging to us rather than a help. Anyway, this verse is an encouragement to me every time I read it. When I put God first, I don't have to worry about being tossed about by trials or by circumstances, because I am anchored in the Lord, and He never changes. When I am in that place of dependence on Him rather than on myself or other people, then I can have true joy! He has that joy and is right there waiting for me to simply surrender to Him and place my dependence on Him. What am I waiting for? I want to just run to Him right away and just rest in His arms. But my stubborn pride holds me back. I don't want God to control me life, who would? I mean, really? You want me to let some God whom I have never met control my life and tell me what to do? Well, yes. That is my"reasonable service" as stated in Romans 12:1. So I guess my challenge to those of you who are reading this would be to simply surrender yourself to the love and power of the Lord, and let Him control your life. You won't have that true joy and peace until you do! Love you all!


~ Stephanie ~ 
    *Phil. 3:13-14*

Greatness of God...day 2!

Ok guys. Here is today's verse. This verse really challenged me today as our Adult Sunday School classes have been studying through the book of Job. We just finished the book today, and are moving on, but it has been a fantastic study!

Job 42:2, 6 - "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Wow. These verses were a smack in the face this morning. When I see the greatness of my God, what is my response? Or do I ever see God's greatness? If not, that is a problem because His Word is packed full of truths about Him! My response to the greatness of God should be humility and repentance if there is sin in my life that I know about. I know for a fact that I do not always respond this way to a revelation of God's character, but I want to. I am going to strive to fill my mind with truth about my GREAT God so that I will be humble and so that I can keep my focus on Him. Hope this was an encouragement to you all!


~ Stephanie ~
    *Phil. 3:13-14*

New Posting Idea

Okay. I have been posting kind of often lately, but I am going to be doing something different for the next few weeks before school starts. Every day(beginning today), I am going to post a verse that has stuck out to me that day and what that verse means to me. The purpose in doing this is to point those of you who are reading my blog to my GREAT and AMAZING God and His Word. I hope this will be an encouragement to all of you! I love you and I am praying for you! If there is ever anything you would like me to pray for specifically, feel free to let me know, and I will definitely join with you in prayer.

Today's verse is actually two verses.

Ephesians 5:1-2 - "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

This verse means a lot to me because as I have been studying through Ephesians lately, there have been a lot of things that have hit me really hard. Some of them things I need to change, and some of them things I need to continue. They have been a challenge to me nonetheless. In Ephesians chapter 4 verse...I believe 21...Paul gives the Ephesian believers the first half of a conditional statement: (in my own words) "if you have been taught the right things from Christ," Then Paul goes on in the rest of chapter 4 to list the things that these believers have been taught. But he doesn't give the second half of the conditional statement. Then we get to chapter 5. Paul begins chapter five with the two verses I posted above. This, I believe, is the second half of the conditional statement. So, basically, Paul is telling them: (again, paraphrasing in my own words) "if you have been taught the right things from Christ, then follow Him by doing them!" Then I got to thinking about that word "if." Paul does not use this word "if" in the way we would use it in modern days. The meaning of this word "if" is "since." So, again paraphrasing, "SINCE you HAVE learned the right things from Christ, follow Him by doing them and loving others!" There is no room for excuses, and there is no way out of this. We cannot use the excuse that we have not been taught. That is not legitimate. I used to use that excuse in school "I didn't know I had to do that for homework, teacher." In this context, there is no "if" you have heard it. Paul says that you HAVE heard it and been taught. The issue now is are you going to obey it? That is my challenge to you today. Obey the truth you have been given in God's Word, and when God reveals something to you, don't excuse yourself from doing it by saying you didn't know: You HAVE been taught, and you DO know! Have a great day in the Lord's house worshiping Him tomorrow!

~ Stephanie ~

   *Phil. 3:13-14*