Sexual Violence

Lord I pray for all of the victims of sexual violence. You have brought me to this chapter in the bible. Glory be to God. I pray for the men and women and children who are caught up in this violent act. I pray for the children who fear those in their own homes. For the women who have to walk the streets when it is dark and not safe. For anyone who is in a bad situation. 2 Samuel 13 2 Samuel 13 Amnon and Tamar  1 In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.  2 Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.  3 Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4 He asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?”    Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”  5 “Go to bed and pretend to be ill,” Jonadab said. “When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’”  6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand.”  7 David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. 9 Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat.    “Send everyone out of here,” Amnon said. So everyone left him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. 11 But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.”  12 “No, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. 13 What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.  15 Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”  16 “No!” she said to him. “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.”    But he refused to listen to her. 17 He called his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.” 18 So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate[a] robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.  20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman.  21 When King David heard all this, he was furious. 22 And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. Absalom Kills Amnon  23 Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there. 24 Absalom went to the king and said, “Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his attendants please join me?”  25 “No, my son,” the king replied. “All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go but gave him his blessing.  26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us.”    The king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him, so he sent with him Amnon and the rest of the king’s sons.  28 Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” 29 So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.  30 While they were on their way, the report came to David: “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left.” 31 The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his attendants stood by with their clothes torn.  32 But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s express intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33 My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”  34 Meanwhile, Absalom had fled.    Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, “I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill.”[b]  35 Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons have come; it has happened just as your servant said.”  36 As he finished speaking, the king’s sons came in, wailing loudly. The king, too, and all his attendants wept very bitterly.  37 Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned many days for his son.  38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he stayed there three years. 39 And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled concerning Amnon’s death. Footnotes: 2 Samuel 13:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verse 19. 2 Samuel 13:34 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have this sentence.

Truth

Luke 8:16-18 A Lamp on a Stand     16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them." Guide me Lord to the truth today. I thank you God for your blessings and for allowing me to be here another day. I pray that I am able to listen and hear your word speak to my heart and my mind. Let me not hide my talents, whatever they may be. Let my words be true and uplifting. My desire is to reach someone's heart. I pray that I am able to accomplish something today. I don't just seek material gain, I seek a closer relationship with you. Wisdom to know God's will and his word in my life. Thank you God for your blessings. Be blessed today and be a blessing to someone. I love you.

Walking in Love

Lord it is not easy to walk in love all of the time. Sometimes we are our own worse enemies. We can make things a lot harder and more difficult than they need to be. As a Christian, we want to believe that we can love our enemies and we are able to practice self control and restraint in all situations. But enemies and obstacles are real and how we deal with them is real too. Working God's purpose require us to get rid of the fears and frustrations that cloud our minds. The worries that keep us up at night and seem to wake us up in the morning. I ask God to search me and help me to know what opposes his purpose. Remove it from me, empower me to change and move on. Whatever the concerns that are weighing on my mind, I turn them over to God. Micah 5:9 your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.

False Accusations

Acts 24:12-16 I ask God to give me patience and love for the people around me. Allow me to show love and to be loved. Allow me to speak the truth and to hear the truth with an open and clean heart. let no weapon formed against me or my loved ones prosper. I seek daily to be just and upright in God's eye I pray for healing for my brothers and sisters. Especially for those with a growth or tumor on the neck and head. Specifically on the left side of their body. Lord heal them, allow them to go to the doctor in time. Let the growth be benign. Let no harm come to them. Let your healing powers wash over them. Let them respond early and quickly to any signs of distress. Protect them Lord, heal them Lord. May God bless you today and be a blessing to someone today. I love you.

Trust

Dear Lord, this must really be amazing because I have not had these many obstacles to posting in my journal in a long long time. Now that I am trying to be consistent it's like everything wants to go wrong with the computer. But the devil is a liar. God has placed many spiritual gifts among his people and I had wisdom enough to use my I Pad. I wish I would have thought of it sooner, but I thought of it. Glory be to God. We all have spiritual gifts whether big or small. What can I do to contribute? Where do I fit in? How do you see me being a part of the church, Lord? 1Corinthians12 Lord I speak in Love. I want to please you and my desire is to do your will. Lead me, guide me, show me the way. Be blessed and be a blessing. I love you.

What is Really Important?

What is really important to me? What makes me feel important? Is it Money?  Success? Recognition? The value that Jesus says we must possess is the ability to make ourselves "small". Not our will but God's will. The values of the Kingdom of God will always conflict with the values of the world's approach to wealth and leadership.

Matthew 19:5-10
and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[a]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
 ⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
 ⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
 ¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” ¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.



Matthew 19:16-26

The Rich and the Kingdom of God

 ¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”    ¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
 ¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.
   Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”
 ²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
 ²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
 ²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
 ²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
 ²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

God's teachings on divorce and remarriage keep me hopeful and committed. I want God's values to be my values. God has given us free will and I chose to be a servant of God. I will do what ever I have to do to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I love the Lord and I am willing to wait. I will wait on the Lord forever. What seems difficult and time consuming is necessary. My attitude is that when the time is right for me, God will allow it to happen. I stay dedicated and committed to God.\'s will in my life. I am not anxious or impatient. I am at peace. Make me small and make my desires small so that I may serve you Lord.

Have a Blessed Day and be A Blessing to Someone. I love you.  
 

Character

 Already done and not yet quite here. Already and not yet. I have been changed. But I'm not where I need to be yet. I'm not where I was, but I'm not where I am going. I need to be real. Be truthful and just be as honest as I can be in the situation. They know I need help. I need the resources in order to project the image that they are looking for. They said they would do it so lets see what that will look like tomorrow. I will do my part, let them do theirs. don't hold me accountable when you have set me up to fail. I walk in this situation confident and complete. I will be ready.
Lord today at the store I think I saw what I thought I saw and it does upset me. For all the wrong and right reasons. The stereotypes that make that situation common and the reasons for it in the first place. Lord what are we going to do?  Why did you let me see it? Now what?

Lord let his travels be safe, let nothing delay him and let his evening be calm and peaceful. My prayers go out for him this week. Let every meeting, phone call, e-mail, letter, note or conversation be positive, supportive and uplifting. No negativity at all. There will be nothing but what he ask you for Lord. Here our prayers today and everyday. Hear the prayers of your people and know that we love you and praise your name. Be blessed tonight and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Ephesians 4:17-32

Instructions for Christian Living

 ¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.  ²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
 ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”^[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
 ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Everlasting

Isaiah 40:28-31
8 Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

Lord, Lord, Lord. I know you are the Almighty. When I was stuck in traffic for 3 and 1/2 hours I called on you. I sang songs I talked to myself and I ate. Lord I made it home by 8 something after leaving school at 4:30. That was just crazy but I said I will put it in your hands. No serious accidents occurred. It took forever but I made it. I made through all the snow and ice. I was upset but I continued to remind myself there was nothing I could do, turn it over to God. Turn it over to God. So I did, the best I knew how. Its difficult when you are in the situation to stay patient and calm. But I remember that this too shall pass and it did.I get home and the virus on my computer is still there so I have to spend time trying to run the scans and pray that it will fix it, and it did. Thank you Lord for your blessings. I find myself thanking you for all the good stuff and the bad stuff. I press on. I stay in love and committed. I keep moving forward. Be blessed today and be a blessing to someone. I love you. 

Overcoming Obstacles

Zechariah 4:6
...Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.

I ask the Lord to level any mountains before me. I confess my sins to My Lord and pray that I am able to overcome all obstacles that are blocking my path. I ask God for guidance and direction. Show me the way Lord, put the words in my mouth, guide my path, order my steps, keep me faithful and true. I walk forward today knowing that I do not walk alone. I am encouraged. I will have a successful and joyful day. Each day gets a little better. My thoughts are with you today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.

Motivation

Mark 10:46-52

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

 ⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  ⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
 ⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
   So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
   ⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
   The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
   ⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.


God give me vision so that I will not procrastinate and miss out. Don't pass me by Lord. Stay with me, stay near me. Keep me in your radar. Let me know that it is you God and I will stay forever. I will shout from the mountain tops. That blessing is mine. I want my blessing and no one is going to talk me out of it. I'm here Lord. My latter is greater than my past. I will not give up. I will focus on your goal. Glory be to God.
Have a blessed day today and I Love You.

Prayer

I pray that I and others who have a need can admit that need to you today Lord. I pray that I  can embrace help and know that I am an asset in any situation that I am in. I look for the good in the situation and will continue to seek assistance in all the areas that I just seem to know nothing about or am just failing at any attempt to be successful. I don't seem to  listen as well as I should. I don't know all the answers. I should have checked the information before hand. I seem to have a problem with that. Let me not worry about what I can't fix and work on the things that I can fix. Moving forward. Embracing the new day, walking in God's Light today. I will not let my joy be taken and I will not feel self conscious or inadequate. I am working on the things I need to change for this year. Things that I have control over. I will make a difference on those things. Reduce is my theme. Reduce my weight. Reduce the number of items, materials that I have around the house and in my classroom. Declutter. Reduce the stressful situations in my life. Reclaim my authority over my life. Turn it over to God and work God's Plan for me. What is in store for us this year? More of the same from last year? I think not. Be Blessed today and be a blessing to someone. I love you whether you believe it or not. I'm moving forward in my life. I refuse to sit still and let life pass me by. There is a plan for me and I will press forward towards the completion of that plan.
Romans 1:18-32

Congratulations, Again

I'm so proud of you for your service and commitment to doing what is right.

You deserve that and more. You have paid a dear price for all of your service and you are never forgotten. I will never leave you alone. You do so much for the community and we all know you don't have to do it. You could have walked away many times but you sacrificed your freedom in order to make a better life for those that need someone like you the most. You make a difference in the lives of everyone you are around and you are good with the kids. People who have not had champions that could and would fight for and with them are blessed to have you. Thank you. 

I don't know what it is that I want. I know I don't like wrestling with 90 students, below level, trying to teach them something that some want to learn and some don't. I don't like working with limited resources, putting in long hours and they still don't get it, won't do their homework, unprepared students, and the expectation that they will succeed on the same level as those with unlimited resources. I don't like having to deal with children who constantly battle with each other verbally and physically and don't mind pushing the limit with me being disrespectful constantly. I don't like having to train children that should have been trained at home to respect teachers and others. I like teaching and learning, its just the rest of the stuff that goes along with it. I thank God for hearing my prayers and sending me help. I have parents in the classroom and that has made it better in regards to classroom behavior.Now that the behavior is under control I can actually teach. I like children. I care about their future. I want them to succeed and do better. I care about them. I wouldn't still be there if I didn't care about them. I'm not heartless. I'm just trying to fit in where I thought I wanted to be. But it looks like where I thought I wanted to be was not making me happy. Now that I have help I am not as stressed as before. Now maybe I can correct papers more and get lesson plans done on time. Get focused on my purpose and role and not feel like I'm drowning in stuff. I think about changing jobs but what if I don't like that one. So I stick with it and continue to tweak my problems. I know its hard, I know it doesn't just happen over night. I remember being a little girl and wanting to be a teacher. I chose to go a different path because they don't pay enough. Finally I decided, after twenty years of being in other closely related careers to actually go for the teaching elementary students. I thought about high school and maybe I will transition to that arena one day. I like the fact that middle schoolers  are still trainable and influenced by positive things. Its still education. Well, I wanted to get some things off my mind, let you know I missed you, I was thinking of you and I love you.

Bless the Lord

Thank you God for your favor. I know that this to shall pass. I speak healing over my body. I may have a stuffy nose and congestion but I am healed. Healed by his stripes. I know God's favor is on me. God does love me and I am walking in his favor. I will not look at the natural but the spiritual. Nothing is too hard for God. Thank you God for your grace and your mercy. I am not defeated I am a winner. I am able to overcome all obstacles. Thank You God. I love you.

The Aftermath

When we have to cleanup after tradegy strikes, we try to make sens of what just happened. Our senses are in shock and we are disoriented to our surroundings. While they are the same, the is not any familiarity in th situation. We feel lost and confused. Everybody has their version of what happened and why. We all wondered if this could have been avoided. Could we have done something,could we have read the signs better, how did we miss the clues. But in the mist of all the pain and trauma God is there. Nahum 3:18-19 O king of Assyria, your shepards slumber, your nobles lie down to rest. Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them. Nothing ca n heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you Claps their hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty? But I know that God will never leave me nor will he forsake me. God is with me, Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Righteous Lord Almighty is my protector through the good and the bad. Today I will exercise, correct papers and try to throw away some junk. I will praise the Lord and thank him for everything. Be blessed tasty ad be a blessing to someone. I love you.

Faith

Romans 1:11-12
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-that is that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith.

Traditions

Mark 7:6-8
⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
   “‘These people honor me with their lips,
   but their hearts are far from me.
⁷ They worship me in vain;
   their teachings are merely human rules.’^[a]
   8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

Have we substituted tradition for true obedience? Lord Allow me to see the practices and things that I do today as obligations that I am bound to or true devotional spiritual expectations.
Keep me safe today Lord and let the words that come out of my mouth be acceptable and meaningful.

Be blessed today and be a blessing to someone. I have joy in my heart. I love you. 

Psalm 36:10-12

Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. See how the evildoers lie fallen-thrown down not able to rise!

Lord I find it difficult to acknowledge that I need love. It seems to indicate some how that I am not complete or that I must look to someone else for completion. My need is something that is inexhaustible, yesterday's love is not enough for today. Love must be reinforced and given priority every day. To need love means I need people. Even if I have all of them loving me and I am loving them I still have need for love. God's love is sufficient. There is peace within God's love. I pray that God's love will soften my heart and keep me open to love. I give thanks to God that he is active in helping me chose what is right. I thank God that I am trusting in him and know that his plans for me are good and loving and trusting.

Good News

Father God, Good Morning. Thank You for waking me up today and I thank you for giving me a sound mind so that I can seek you out today. God I seek your approval today, not man. I struggle to believe at times and I know that you have many challenges to keep me focused. When I see ways that the gospel is being perverted and how others will preach their version of a false truth I am disappointed. God gives us revelation to preach the gospel to the ones that you want us to reach, the good news.  To remember the poor and to spread the true gospel. When I am challenged with my role, keep me focused. Lord, I know that you assign us tasks, we have to do these things. Spreading your word, is important. Everyday I have to feed on your word, hear you talk to me, be close to me, interact with me on some level, and show me you love me. Its like a fire inside of me that has to come out. Spreading your word, doing your work, living for you, Lord you are important to me. How I manage to not become dissillusioned and feel that my efforts are in vain is my problem. I pray that we are not forced to hear more false teachings without the knowledge that we did not give in to them. When they teach wrong they have to be set straight. Our faith cannot waiver, our hope must stay strong. They infiltrate our ranks to try to discover how we are able to be so dedicated and free. How is this going to play out in the long run? What will it look like in November? What will it look like in a year? Lord God almighty I pray that we are lulled into a sense of complacency and forgetfulness where we just "want things back the way they were". Our memories often only remember the good times and not the bad. The talk these days is perverted with infiltrators who glean a specific message. Let the truth be told. The Lord sent certain apostoles to certain areas. Let his word be true.


Galatians 2:6-10



 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. ² I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. ³ Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. ⁴ This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. ⁵ We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. Galatians 2:6-10

Galatians 2:6-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. ⁷ On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,^[a] just as Peter had been to the circumcised.^{[b] 8} For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. ⁹ James, Cephas^[c] and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.



Let God's word be true. I am not quick to desert God. Let us not be quick to desert God's apostles. Let this not be in vain. I love you.

consistency, not complacency

Faith in the God of Ressurection and Creation. God loves us and encourages us to hope. Hope for the hopeless. We are never at the very end if we believe in God. Romans 4:7-8 and 17-18 blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. blessed is the man whose sin th Lord will never count against him. ...the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. ...against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.... God wants me to have hope and hope I shall.

Complacency

Good Morning Lord. Its been a hard journey but none the less, I have continued. I have to not be complacent where I am. When obstacles come I have to not just think " oh there we go again, another problem" I cannot be content when things are going ok either.

This "just good enough attitude" starts to set a standard that I don't need to stretch for something. When I feel satisfied with things just as they are, when I think nothing will change, when I am unwilling to step out of my comfort zone, then I have become complacent. It is so easy to just keep things the way that they are.

We can complain but we know what to expect and we can deal with that. I have become complacent about many things in my life. I stretch forward now to try to get free of the clutter and to see how I have melted into a routine that somehow has become my comfort zone.

But its not very comfortable. Its just manageable. I can stand the discomfort. I have put up with the discomfort to the point that it is now my comfort. This year I want to stretch to reach a new comfort zone. It will not be easy, change never is easy.

God keeps reminding me of something as if I had the opportunity and I missed it so now I wander, and wander, my forty years in the desert, until I reach my promised land. Will I be like Moses and see it but never reach it? Will I have the opportunity to step into my blessing? I believe that this is not chance, or luck. Its not just by accident that we are here. We have a destiny and a purpose.

So complacent behavior is unacceptable. Change my routines with my health, my job, my spiritual life, my home life. Focus on establishing, enhancing, growing and producing a God filled relationship. This is not OK, this is not the way it should be. We had a connection and we have to remember that connection and move forward. WE are important. We can do this. Together we can do anything. God is with us and strengthens our spirit.
Zephaniah 1:12-13
¹² At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
and punish those who are complacent,
who are like wine left on its dregs,
who think, ‘The LORD will do nothing,
either good or bad.’
¹³ Their wealth will be plundered,
their houses demolished.
Though they build houses,
they will not live in them;
though they plant vineyards,
they will not drink the wine.”

I will keep moving forward through this world. I will not let myself be complacent with things just being the way that they are. Even though nothing is different, I will believe in change. With consistency in one thing I will make a difference.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
¹⁹ The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.