Weekly Verse and Song for Tonight Weeks 393-402
August 4, 2021
Week 393
Malachi 3:8-10
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
God Does Not Change
When I was growing up I remember mom would take us to Church, and mom would give us all each a quarter to put into the offering plate. I took from this as a kid to mean we are to give as an offering to the Church. As life moved on and I grew older I encountered and still encounter many pastors speaking of the verse in tonight's verse, which comes from Malachi 3:8-10:
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
My mom always made sure we put something in the offering plate as best we could, as I mentioned when I grew older I started to see pastors everywhere site the above verse and state God wants you to tithe, and if you do God will pour out a BIGGER blessing. This statement reverberates that when we give to God will give us more back. However, nothing regarding this can be true:
1. God in the Malachi verses was speaking directly to the Israelites. It is true that the Bible was written for us not necessarily to us, when we read this verse we must remember this. Should we tithe yes, but should we be expecting a blessing...
2. ...No. God was speaking to the Israelites, our attitude is not to give to get but to give because God has already given us His greatest blessing Jesus Christ. With that said any blessing, we get as a result of our tithes and offerings is extra that God provides but is not something we should be expecting.
The last point I wanted to make is we should tithe to support missions, churches, organizations, etc. That is one we can tithe but we can also tithe in our offering of service by giving of ourselves in the name of Jesus. Helping others, helping at Church, using our talents, etc. Whatever the case may be we are called to give, but not to give to get but to give because we love Christ and are His followers.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with The One Who has Given His Life for us.
Shout to the North
Week 393
Malachi 3:8-10
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
God Does Not Change
When I was growing up I remember mom would take us to Church, and mom would give us all each a quarter to put into the offering plate. I took from this as a kid to mean we are to give as an offering to the Church. As life moved on and I grew older I encountered and still encounter many pastors speaking of the verse in tonight's verse, which comes from Malachi 3:8-10:
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
My mom always made sure we put something in the offering plate as best we could, as I mentioned when I grew older I started to see pastors everywhere site the above verse and state God wants you to tithe, and if you do God will pour out a BIGGER blessing. This statement reverberates that when we give to God will give us more back. However, nothing regarding this can be true:
1. God in the Malachi verses was speaking directly to the Israelites. It is true that the Bible was written for us not necessarily to us, when we read this verse we must remember this. Should we tithe yes, but should we be expecting a blessing...
2. ...No. God was speaking to the Israelites, our attitude is not to give to get but to give because God has already given us His greatest blessing Jesus Christ. With that said any blessing, we get as a result of our tithes and offerings is extra that God provides but is not something we should be expecting.
The last point I wanted to make is we should tithe to support missions, churches, organizations, etc. That is one we can tithe but we can also tithe in our offering of service by giving of ourselves in the name of Jesus. Helping others, helping at Church, using our talents, etc. Whatever the case may be we are called to give, but not to give to get but to give because we love Christ and are His followers.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with The One Who has Given His Life for us.
Shout to the North
August 11, 2021
Week 394
Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Rely on The Holy Spirit's Guidance
This past weekend I started to get really bothered by the number of wasps that were coming into the overhang of the house. It was really bothersome because I know from past experiences that wasps can create nests that can eventually become very large and may damage the property. In tonight's verse we come to Deuteronomy 31:6 this is a verse that I carry with me through life and remember Deuteronomy 31:6:
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Now I am not waiting to tell all of you to take on of a wasp problem on your own, however, what I am writing about is this mindset of trying. Growing up with mom we did not have a lot and so I remember when various things would happen like the furnace not working, or the VCR broke, I would try to fix it myself just using basic steps. I learned this because I would see mom trying to "troubleshoot" things that were not working using basic steps.
Sometimes we are called to do things ourselves and sometimes we are called to invoke others. Whatever the case is whenever you encounter something practice letting the Holy Spirit guide you to making a decision. God promises to never leave us or forsake us, with that this includes in our guidance in decision making. In my experiences, this must be practiced not when you are in the middle of something crucial, but your everyday walk. Practicing relying on the Holy Spirit's guidance early on will aid you in "hearing clearly" at times and moments when decisions need to be made that are crucial.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One We Rely On.
Viva La Vida - The Petersens (LIVE)
Week 394
Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Rely on The Holy Spirit's Guidance
This past weekend I started to get really bothered by the number of wasps that were coming into the overhang of the house. It was really bothersome because I know from past experiences that wasps can create nests that can eventually become very large and may damage the property. In tonight's verse we come to Deuteronomy 31:6 this is a verse that I carry with me through life and remember Deuteronomy 31:6:
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Now I am not waiting to tell all of you to take on of a wasp problem on your own, however, what I am writing about is this mindset of trying. Growing up with mom we did not have a lot and so I remember when various things would happen like the furnace not working, or the VCR broke, I would try to fix it myself just using basic steps. I learned this because I would see mom trying to "troubleshoot" things that were not working using basic steps.
Sometimes we are called to do things ourselves and sometimes we are called to invoke others. Whatever the case is whenever you encounter something practice letting the Holy Spirit guide you to making a decision. God promises to never leave us or forsake us, with that this includes in our guidance in decision making. In my experiences, this must be practiced not when you are in the middle of something crucial, but your everyday walk. Practicing relying on the Holy Spirit's guidance early on will aid you in "hearing clearly" at times and moments when decisions need to be made that are crucial.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One We Rely On.
Viva La Vida - The Petersens (LIVE)
August 18, 2021
Week 395
Matthew 7:15-20
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
False Teachers
When I was 7 years old I recall my mom taking all of us to a new Church, I enjoyed the church a lot, there were always those Sundays when I didn't want to go but after we went I was glad we did. At times there were these things called "revivals" that mom was asked to come to and mom would bring us to these places. At these "revival" meetings I recall there were a lot of enthusiastic prayers, shouting, etc, all lead by a pastor.
In tonight's verse we come to Matthew 7:l5-20, hear the words of the Lord:
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
As a young kid, I didn't know what to make of these things that I saw at the "revival" meetings. However, as I grew older and more importantly closer to the Lord I realized that not everyone who stands on a pulpit and "claims" the name of Christ is truly a Christian and truly preaching from the Bible.
When I go to Church I have my Bible open reading, listening, and even doing a little research at times what I hear from the Pastor. It is up to us as Christians to be like the Berean Jews (Acts 17:10-15) and test everything by the word of God. Today the world is rampant with teachers who claim to know the Lord, and there is a lot of illiteracy when it comes to scripture. The Bible commands us to test and hold fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). If we do so we will know who is a false teacher and who is not.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with our Good Teacher
The Scientist - The Petersens (LIVE)
Week 395
Matthew 7:15-20
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
False Teachers
When I was 7 years old I recall my mom taking all of us to a new Church, I enjoyed the church a lot, there were always those Sundays when I didn't want to go but after we went I was glad we did. At times there were these things called "revivals" that mom was asked to come to and mom would bring us to these places. At these "revival" meetings I recall there were a lot of enthusiastic prayers, shouting, etc, all lead by a pastor.
In tonight's verse we come to Matthew 7:l5-20, hear the words of the Lord:
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
As a young kid, I didn't know what to make of these things that I saw at the "revival" meetings. However, as I grew older and more importantly closer to the Lord I realized that not everyone who stands on a pulpit and "claims" the name of Christ is truly a Christian and truly preaching from the Bible.
When I go to Church I have my Bible open reading, listening, and even doing a little research at times what I hear from the Pastor. It is up to us as Christians to be like the Berean Jews (Acts 17:10-15) and test everything by the word of God. Today the world is rampant with teachers who claim to know the Lord, and there is a lot of illiteracy when it comes to scripture. The Bible commands us to test and hold fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). If we do so we will know who is a false teacher and who is not.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with our Good Teacher
The Scientist - The Petersens (LIVE)
August 25, 2021
Week 396
Matthew 21:12
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
Righteous Indignation
It was last Thursday I got up early and got a lot of things done before heading back home. On the way home it looked as if it was about to rain, as I was just a few seconds from home I witnessed a puppy running in front of the car. This bothered me immediately and I looked around to see if anyone was around that would be the owner. A woman came out of her house and I shouted is that your dog? She said no. I parked the car and attempted to follow and grab the puppy so that I could prevent it from running around. The woman came out and offered to help, just then the puppy started to run off and a car came barreling down the street. The car stopped though.
In tonight's verse we come to the pages of Matthew 21:12, here we see Jesus displaying what is known as righteous indignation:
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
Jesus was righteously angry because the people were turning the temple into a place of business. The verse continues "It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers." (Matthew 21:13).
When mom was here mom got a puppy, and though I was against it, mom taught me to care for the puppy. Mom did this in not so many words, but in a manner that made me want to care for the puppy. Since then when I see any indication of animal abuse it bothers me greatly. One definition of righteous indignation is: typically a reactive emotion of anger over perceived mistreatment, insult, or malice of another.
I realized after some looking around that the dog came from a particular house. I realized this because the door was wide open, with no screen door at all. I walked up to the house, knocked on the door, and rang the doorbell. No one was home! I kept following the puppy that was lost so that I could protect her, I witnessed her run across various lanes of traffic, and then a whole lot of other people started to get involved. Finally, after an hour we managed to grab the dog, one of the people helping me was bleeding because the dog had bitten him. As I was carrying her, the owner comes, she doesn't seem to be panicking, or worried. I sternly and loudly scolded the owner.
As I walked away my first thought was my response to the owner Christ-like. Even thinking about it now I realize that my anger towards her was out of perceived mistreatment of the owner's puppy and the lack of remorse. As Christians we may encounter situations where we find ourselves angry, our response in those moments must be Christ-like no matter the situation. It's not easy, but if we put into practice the fruits of the Spirit (Galatian 5:22-23) we will be exercising our response in every situation.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with our Model
Fields of Gold - The Petersens (LIVE)
Week 396
Matthew 21:12
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
Righteous Indignation
It was last Thursday I got up early and got a lot of things done before heading back home. On the way home it looked as if it was about to rain, as I was just a few seconds from home I witnessed a puppy running in front of the car. This bothered me immediately and I looked around to see if anyone was around that would be the owner. A woman came out of her house and I shouted is that your dog? She said no. I parked the car and attempted to follow and grab the puppy so that I could prevent it from running around. The woman came out and offered to help, just then the puppy started to run off and a car came barreling down the street. The car stopped though.
In tonight's verse we come to the pages of Matthew 21:12, here we see Jesus displaying what is known as righteous indignation:
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
Jesus was righteously angry because the people were turning the temple into a place of business. The verse continues "It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers." (Matthew 21:13).
When mom was here mom got a puppy, and though I was against it, mom taught me to care for the puppy. Mom did this in not so many words, but in a manner that made me want to care for the puppy. Since then when I see any indication of animal abuse it bothers me greatly. One definition of righteous indignation is: typically a reactive emotion of anger over perceived mistreatment, insult, or malice of another.
I realized after some looking around that the dog came from a particular house. I realized this because the door was wide open, with no screen door at all. I walked up to the house, knocked on the door, and rang the doorbell. No one was home! I kept following the puppy that was lost so that I could protect her, I witnessed her run across various lanes of traffic, and then a whole lot of other people started to get involved. Finally, after an hour we managed to grab the dog, one of the people helping me was bleeding because the dog had bitten him. As I was carrying her, the owner comes, she doesn't seem to be panicking, or worried. I sternly and loudly scolded the owner.
As I walked away my first thought was my response to the owner Christ-like. Even thinking about it now I realize that my anger towards her was out of perceived mistreatment of the owner's puppy and the lack of remorse. As Christians we may encounter situations where we find ourselves angry, our response in those moments must be Christ-like no matter the situation. It's not easy, but if we put into practice the fruits of the Spirit (Galatian 5:22-23) we will be exercising our response in every situation.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with our Model
Fields of Gold - The Petersens (LIVE)
September 1, 2021
Week 397
2 Timothy 4:3-4
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Using God As A Prop
As I try to live each day honoring God, I draw closer to Him and as I do so I find myself "testing" (intentionally and unintentionally) others to see if they are truly followers of Christ. I mentioned a few weeks ago that when we were growing up mom would take us to Church and at times mom would be invited to "Revival Meetings". It was during these meetings that I would witness certain things that I cannot say I understood. As I grew up and learned more about God, I realized that we are commanded to objective testing (Acts 17:11). With this objective testing I found an "epidemic" that is occurring today. This epidemic I call "using God as a prop". What I have seen is that many people calling themselves Christians when in fact they are only using God as cover so that, they will gain recognition, fame, donations, false sense of self identity, etc. However careful testing shines a light on these types of people. The Bible shows this happening, so in tonight's verse we come to 2 Timothy 4:3-4:
"3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
Recently "a friend" of mine was running a campaign to gain donations from others for her Christian charity. I followed her on social media for years, and would even reach out to her in private messages, that were read but subsequently ignored by her. Well when she was running this charity campaign to raise fund I reached out to her on her FB page to find out more, as I was genuinely interested. Suddenly she reached out to me in private messages talking about her Christian charity fund raising. I was shocked that she would do this as I was being ignored by her for years. In my heart this did not sit well. To make a long story short, I had noticed that since I did not contribute her response back to me became literally one word. I then asked her (again making a long story short) if the only reason she reached out to me privately despite ignoring my friendly messages for years was because she wanted donations. Her response was yes.
As Christians we cannot live in a way where we put up cover to play Christian, and when we don't get what we want from others we revert back to being worldly. Many people today use God only as a prop, as a cover to get what they want but their hearts are so far away from Him. If we are a true Christian it will be lived out in every part of our life and not just when we want to gain something.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with our Founder.
U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Official Music Video)
Week 397
2 Timothy 4:3-4
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Using God As A Prop
As I try to live each day honoring God, I draw closer to Him and as I do so I find myself "testing" (intentionally and unintentionally) others to see if they are truly followers of Christ. I mentioned a few weeks ago that when we were growing up mom would take us to Church and at times mom would be invited to "Revival Meetings". It was during these meetings that I would witness certain things that I cannot say I understood. As I grew up and learned more about God, I realized that we are commanded to objective testing (Acts 17:11). With this objective testing I found an "epidemic" that is occurring today. This epidemic I call "using God as a prop". What I have seen is that many people calling themselves Christians when in fact they are only using God as cover so that, they will gain recognition, fame, donations, false sense of self identity, etc. However careful testing shines a light on these types of people. The Bible shows this happening, so in tonight's verse we come to 2 Timothy 4:3-4:
"3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
Recently "a friend" of mine was running a campaign to gain donations from others for her Christian charity. I followed her on social media for years, and would even reach out to her in private messages, that were read but subsequently ignored by her. Well when she was running this charity campaign to raise fund I reached out to her on her FB page to find out more, as I was genuinely interested. Suddenly she reached out to me in private messages talking about her Christian charity fund raising. I was shocked that she would do this as I was being ignored by her for years. In my heart this did not sit well. To make a long story short, I had noticed that since I did not contribute her response back to me became literally one word. I then asked her (again making a long story short) if the only reason she reached out to me privately despite ignoring my friendly messages for years was because she wanted donations. Her response was yes.
As Christians we cannot live in a way where we put up cover to play Christian, and when we don't get what we want from others we revert back to being worldly. Many people today use God only as a prop, as a cover to get what they want but their hearts are so far away from Him. If we are a true Christian it will be lived out in every part of our life and not just when we want to gain something.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with our Founder.
U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Official Music Video)
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September 8, 2021
Week 398
John 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Asking of God in Jesus Name
I remember questions being asked in the past with regards to why do we pray. One of the reasons I always give is to allow God to direct your steps. In tonight's verse we come to John 15:7, here Jesus is stating that when we pray we can ask for whatever we wish, and it will be done, however careful attention must be paid to the first part of the verse:
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
When I was growing up I remember mom would always want us to do two things, that is to pray and to read our Bibles. This is to say that by reading scriptures and prayer we come close to Christ, and by doing so when we pray we do not pray out of selfish gain, but according to God's will.
As Christians, we must remember that if we remain in Christ, His words will then remain in us and when we pray we pray according to His will. This is an important part when we pray, we must first remember we must first follow Christ.
Love you mom, and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One we follow.
Back Home Again - The Petersens (LIVE)
Week 398
John 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Asking of God in Jesus Name
I remember questions being asked in the past with regards to why do we pray. One of the reasons I always give is to allow God to direct your steps. In tonight's verse we come to John 15:7, here Jesus is stating that when we pray we can ask for whatever we wish, and it will be done, however careful attention must be paid to the first part of the verse:
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
When I was growing up I remember mom would always want us to do two things, that is to pray and to read our Bibles. This is to say that by reading scriptures and prayer we come close to Christ, and by doing so when we pray we do not pray out of selfish gain, but according to God's will.
As Christians, we must remember that if we remain in Christ, His words will then remain in us and when we pray we pray according to His will. This is an important part when we pray, we must first remember we must first follow Christ.
Love you mom, and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One we follow.
Back Home Again - The Petersens (LIVE)
September 15, 2021
Week 399
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Opportunities
Just recently at work a client I was working with cancelled a project I was just about to start with them and this was a slight shock to me. The main reason it was a slight shock to me was because they were unresponsive to my emails for weeks, then when they responded they seemed hesitant but agreed that I should prepare some documents for them. Then at the very last minute (35 minutes to be exact) before the project started it was cancelled by the client.
In tonight's verse we come to Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
When I was younger I will always remember mom telling us to pray and read our Bibles. There were also many times I would see mom in, mom's "prayer closet" praying as well as many times in Church during times of prayer, when the pastor would ask if anyone has any prayer requests, mom would always stand up and ask the pastor "pray for my children." Thinking back to those days it is without a doubt that mom was in addition to others things praying for us. As time goes on this guidance from mom has led me as an adult to learn to put my trust in Christ not in the worldly things.
After the client cancelled the project I was left without work to do, I put out feelers out to other places to see if any opportunities would arise. An opportunity arose with a client to do some work that is more challenging and more interesting to me than the previous project I would of done.
The Lord orchestrates our paths and guides us in the direction He wants us to go. As Christians, Proverbs 3:5-6 should be a verse on our hearts especially when facing challenging times. God assumes responsibilities for us, we must therefore see everything coming from Him, whether it is "good" or "bad", trust that He knows what He is doing, lean on Him, and know our direction will be clear in time, if we listen.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One who guides us.
U2 - Beautiful Day (Official Music Video)
Week 399
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Opportunities
Just recently at work a client I was working with cancelled a project I was just about to start with them and this was a slight shock to me. The main reason it was a slight shock to me was because they were unresponsive to my emails for weeks, then when they responded they seemed hesitant but agreed that I should prepare some documents for them. Then at the very last minute (35 minutes to be exact) before the project started it was cancelled by the client.
In tonight's verse we come to Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
When I was younger I will always remember mom telling us to pray and read our Bibles. There were also many times I would see mom in, mom's "prayer closet" praying as well as many times in Church during times of prayer, when the pastor would ask if anyone has any prayer requests, mom would always stand up and ask the pastor "pray for my children." Thinking back to those days it is without a doubt that mom was in addition to others things praying for us. As time goes on this guidance from mom has led me as an adult to learn to put my trust in Christ not in the worldly things.
After the client cancelled the project I was left without work to do, I put out feelers out to other places to see if any opportunities would arise. An opportunity arose with a client to do some work that is more challenging and more interesting to me than the previous project I would of done.
The Lord orchestrates our paths and guides us in the direction He wants us to go. As Christians, Proverbs 3:5-6 should be a verse on our hearts especially when facing challenging times. God assumes responsibilities for us, we must therefore see everything coming from Him, whether it is "good" or "bad", trust that He knows what He is doing, lean on Him, and know our direction will be clear in time, if we listen.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One who guides us.
U2 - Beautiful Day (Official Music Video)
September 22, 2021
Week 400
Proverbs 4:14-15
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
Just Walk Away
Last week I was in going to the store (admit I was in a hurry), to pick up an order, when I turned into the parking lot I encountered a driver that was driving aggressively. He gave me a dirty, look and I looked at him as if to say "slow down". I stopped and I saw him in the rearview mirror and that he stopped as well. He then proceeded to hurl insults, which I could not hear him very well as the windows were rolled up.
In tonight's verse, we come to Proverbs 4:14-15: "Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way."
When I was growing up my mom encountered a lot of disrespectful people, and on one occasion my mom had to address a person, that was being disrespectful. Mom called that person and calmly talk to this person and explained the situation, in an emotional sense my mom walked away and would not engage in "battle" with this person. In my situation, I had to simply walk away (drive away) in a physical sense there was no talking to this particular person in this situation so I did.
As a Christian when you find yourself in situations such as I experienced or that my mom did, keep a cool head, remember we are to honor God not just inwardly but outwardly and as prompted by the Holy Spirit walk away (physically and emotionally). Just walk away, and this walking away can be both a physical or emotional act.
The Bible gives us answers to questions we have. We must study God's word and seek God's word for answers.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One who fights for us.
Great Are You Lord - All Sons & Daughters (Official Live Concert)
Week 400
Proverbs 4:14-15
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
Just Walk Away
Last week I was in going to the store (admit I was in a hurry), to pick up an order, when I turned into the parking lot I encountered a driver that was driving aggressively. He gave me a dirty, look and I looked at him as if to say "slow down". I stopped and I saw him in the rearview mirror and that he stopped as well. He then proceeded to hurl insults, which I could not hear him very well as the windows were rolled up.
In tonight's verse, we come to Proverbs 4:14-15: "Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way."
When I was growing up my mom encountered a lot of disrespectful people, and on one occasion my mom had to address a person, that was being disrespectful. Mom called that person and calmly talk to this person and explained the situation, in an emotional sense my mom walked away and would not engage in "battle" with this person. In my situation, I had to simply walk away (drive away) in a physical sense there was no talking to this particular person in this situation so I did.
As a Christian when you find yourself in situations such as I experienced or that my mom did, keep a cool head, remember we are to honor God not just inwardly but outwardly and as prompted by the Holy Spirit walk away (physically and emotionally). Just walk away, and this walking away can be both a physical or emotional act.
The Bible gives us answers to questions we have. We must study God's word and seek God's word for answers.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One who fights for us.
Great Are You Lord - All Sons & Daughters (Official Live Concert)
September 29, 2021
Week 401
Daniel 6:19-22
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
Keep Your Focus on God
Being a Christian in the world we live in sometimes can be very challenging. We may see the same news that everyone sees, we may work in places that are hostile, we may be around people who are worldly, etc. the list goes on. However, what sets us as Christians apart is where we place our focus. In tonight's verse we come to the book of Daniel 6:19-22:
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
Growing up with mom, mom always taught us to pray and read our Bibles effectively mom was teaching us who to depend on God and to keep our focus on Him.
In the passage above we see that Daniel while in the lion's den kept his focus on God, despite everything going on around him. We know this because in verse 22 Daniel noticed that the lions' mouths were shut, and he attributed this to God.
As Christians we are all subject to the world we live in, as such we will face very challenging situations. When we do the most important we can do is keep our focus on Christ not on the problem as we see everything coming from Him. Though it is not easy, when we do face these situations they will not seem as challenging, because our focus is on Him.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One who we keep our focus on.
May Baby - The Petersens Original (LIVE)
Week 401
Daniel 6:19-22
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
Keep Your Focus on God
Being a Christian in the world we live in sometimes can be very challenging. We may see the same news that everyone sees, we may work in places that are hostile, we may be around people who are worldly, etc. the list goes on. However, what sets us as Christians apart is where we place our focus. In tonight's verse we come to the book of Daniel 6:19-22:
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
Growing up with mom, mom always taught us to pray and read our Bibles effectively mom was teaching us who to depend on God and to keep our focus on Him.
In the passage above we see that Daniel while in the lion's den kept his focus on God, despite everything going on around him. We know this because in verse 22 Daniel noticed that the lions' mouths were shut, and he attributed this to God.
As Christians we are all subject to the world we live in, as such we will face very challenging situations. When we do the most important we can do is keep our focus on Christ not on the problem as we see everything coming from Him. Though it is not easy, when we do face these situations they will not seem as challenging, because our focus is on Him.
Love you mom and I love you, Lord.
Home with the One who we keep our focus on.
May Baby - The Petersens Original (LIVE)