Living Hope for the End of Days. This week's theme was Signs That the End of Days is Near. Most of the entries had to do with "seeing" signs on the news each day that "proved" the end of days is near. I do believe that one can always say that the times are growing nearer--each day passed is another day closer--but I don't know that one can watch the news or read the paper and be able to predict that the days are near. I don't think airplane travel or television are signs in themselves that the time is near. I don't read verses in the Bible and go, HEY THEY *MUST* BE TALKING ABOUT TELEVISION HERE. WOW, ANOTHER PROPHECY COME TRUE.
I did find one or two things worth sharing:
- Whenever you give significant, regular, sacrificial time to God, you are making a choice to live in hope.
- Whenever you share Christ with loved ones, friends, neighbors, and others whom God brings into your path, you are giving them an opportunity to live in hope as well.
Diamonds in the Dust
January 4th: "Father, I present to You today the disappointing things in my life that hold sad or tragic meaning. Turn my darkness into light. Exchange the sadness for hope. Let me see the things as symbols of Your loving and sovereign touch. I will praise You, for You are the God who turns weeping into joy."
January 6th: "Magnifying and exalting God are functions of our vision and humility, not of His revelation or His promotion. He already is who He is."
January 8th: "You are a partner with Jesus Christ in spiritual warfare. Because Christ lives to intercede, you live to intercede as well."
January 12th: "Jesus has no tenderness toward anything that is ultimately going to ruin a man in service to Him. If God brings to your mind a verse which hurts you, you may be sure that there is something He wants to hurt." ~ Andrew Murray
January 13th: "There are some people who need no help at all when it comes to being miserable. For them, it comes naturally. But in case you're looking for a few suggestions on how to be more miserable, take this advice:
Worry every single day about something. It won't add a cubit to your stature, but it will give you plenty to think about. Count your troubles. Do it at the breakfast table, preferably so that you can make everyone else miserable too. Pity yourself. Do this especially if no one else is pitying you.
Don't be compassionate. Don't dare get involved in the lives of people who spill their troubles all over you. If you do, you may end up neglecting your own troubles, and that would be a waste. Don't let Bible reading and prayer get in the way of what's really relevant. After all, focusing your sights on things unseen is too eternal; rather, be relevant and get caught up in the here and now. Finally, devise skillful ways to serve both God and the world. Show everyone that Christians can be in the world and of the world."
January 14th: "He causes us to hunger so that we might learn to feed on the Bread of Heaven, to live on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." and "To hunger is to be human, but to hunger for God is to feed on Him. Hunger and thirst after His righteousness and feed on Him in your heart. Taste and see that the Lord is good; it is He who will fill you to satisfaction."
January 17th: "This body is a pain...I hate it!" The Enemy has a deep hatred of my flesh and blood and all I was doing was agreeing with him. He gets a charge when I bad-mouth my body. And he would like to get you to do the same....Your heart, mind, hands and feet are stamped with the imprint of the Creator. Little wonder that the Devil wants you to be ashamed of your body.
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible
No comments:
Post a Comment