I'm on Thanksgiving break right now, and loving it! This morning I got to sit on the couch, drink coffee, and think about what God has been trying to teach me over the past few months. It was fabulous! Normally my mornings are spent rushing around getting ready for school.
So a lot of things have been going through my mind lately. One specific thing is joy. I am a naturally pessimistic person, who worries about everything. So, needless to say choosing joy does not come easy for me. I'm working on it though. The main thing I have been reminded of is that having/being joyful is a choice. Choose joy.
In every circumstance.... CHOOSE JOY! Easier said then done. Like I said, I'm working on it.
Another thing I have been thinking about is money and what it means to give sacrificially.
I would like to give extra money here and there and pat myself on the back, but is that really giving sacrificially? No. I've been pondering Matthew 6:19-21 "Treasures in Heaven" and the following versus 25-34 about worrying. They all deal with money and material possessions.
.........................................................................................................................................................................
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.
........................................................................................................................................................................
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.
..........................................................................................................................................................................
Do I really live and give like I believe what Jesus had to say in these versus? The answer is no.
Wow! If you can't trust Jesus, who can you trust!
Finally just a reminder to all who read this...
Matthew 9
35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Missions has been on my heart a lot lately. Check this team out if you haven't. I went to school with a lot of them. They are getting ready to launch a church in Japan. I love that. God is so cool!
No comments:
Post a Comment