One short day in the emerald city
I have taken to writing in my Bible; previously I didn't like writing in it - I only highlighted it with the thin tip of my yellow highlighter and that was sufficient, haha. But I realised a couple days ago that HEY if I can write like nobody's business on my Richard text, why can't I annotate and write on the book that has so much more importance and actually has real promises that stand eternally? So I started writing in it. :)
Today Pastor Prince shared about meditating - last night I was asking Jesus to show me clearly again how to start focusing on His word and listening to Him through sermons because I need reminders every single day of how much He loves me and how He has a perfect plan for me and I need reminders of all His promises every single day because they are new every morning. Anyway, so I was asking God to remind me clearly how to do so and WHOOSH Pastor preached on meditating which was really what I needed to hear!! I love how God knows what exactly we want and need and uses people to show us :) Anyway, previously pastor had been saying that meditating is on the Bible and His word and His promises, and while that is of course the most important especially when you need to draw from Jesus, he showed us that singing is also a form of meditation - which really makes me feel so much better because singing is something I do all the time even though no one really wants to hear me, haha. In Hebrew (language the Old Testament was written in) 'meditate' is hagar, which has three meanings - utter/ mutter, speaking to oneself, and singing :) So when we need to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-22), we do the singin', and He does the fillin' ~
Another thing:
The devil always makes you focus on that one small area of you/ your life that you aren't good in or that's bad - and he does that to take your eyes off just how much you have, how blessed you are, and how loved by Jesus you are. In Eden, God blessed Adam and Eve with the entire world of plants and trees and fruit for them to enjoy - but the devil pointed them to that one single tree they couldn't have and made them focus on it instead. That's what he still does now, so what you gotta do is focus instead of how much you really and truly have, and how much He loves you and how blessed you are, instead of the area you're lacking in. And when you look in the Bible that tells you that you have the opposite of where you lack in the natural, and focus on His promise for more and better things to come, they will come. Stop doubting by looking to the natural; start reaffirming what you have in Christ - what Jesus promises you that you have.
I think through my entire life as a Christian up to last year I have never really regarded the Bible as something really significant - I've never really read it, even an entire chapter through. But this year I've read the Bible more than the rest of my life combined, haha. That's definitely a good thing, and I've come to realise more and more how the Bible is an integral, not disposable, part of Christianity. The Bible isn't just a book; it is the living Word that is the basis of this faith.
I am excited to learn more.
Today Pastor Prince shared about meditating - last night I was asking Jesus to show me clearly again how to start focusing on His word and listening to Him through sermons because I need reminders every single day of how much He loves me and how He has a perfect plan for me and I need reminders of all His promises every single day because they are new every morning. Anyway, so I was asking God to remind me clearly how to do so and WHOOSH Pastor preached on meditating which was really what I needed to hear!! I love how God knows what exactly we want and need and uses people to show us :) Anyway, previously pastor had been saying that meditating is on the Bible and His word and His promises, and while that is of course the most important especially when you need to draw from Jesus, he showed us that singing is also a form of meditation - which really makes me feel so much better because singing is something I do all the time even though no one really wants to hear me, haha. In Hebrew (language the Old Testament was written in) 'meditate' is hagar, which has three meanings - utter/ mutter, speaking to oneself, and singing :) So when we need to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-22), we do the singin', and He does the fillin' ~
Another thing:
The devil always makes you focus on that one small area of you/ your life that you aren't good in or that's bad - and he does that to take your eyes off just how much you have, how blessed you are, and how loved by Jesus you are. In Eden, God blessed Adam and Eve with the entire world of plants and trees and fruit for them to enjoy - but the devil pointed them to that one single tree they couldn't have and made them focus on it instead. That's what he still does now, so what you gotta do is focus instead of how much you really and truly have, and how much He loves you and how blessed you are, instead of the area you're lacking in. And when you look in the Bible that tells you that you have the opposite of where you lack in the natural, and focus on His promise for more and better things to come, they will come. Stop doubting by looking to the natural; start reaffirming what you have in Christ - what Jesus promises you that you have.
I think through my entire life as a Christian up to last year I have never really regarded the Bible as something really significant - I've never really read it, even an entire chapter through. But this year I've read the Bible more than the rest of my life combined, haha. That's definitely a good thing, and I've come to realise more and more how the Bible is an integral, not disposable, part of Christianity. The Bible isn't just a book; it is the living Word that is the basis of this faith.
I am excited to learn more.