Today the reading in Matthew really jumped out at me:
"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."
It sounds so simple, sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and follow Christ. Actually though, I think it is far easier to do this as a missionary than as a normal member of society.
My wife and I have been talking about how much money we spend on useless things. How often do we overspend on a dinner, or buy clothes we really don't need (if you aren't 100% sure you like the shirt, chances are you won't wear it when you buy it).
How much could we give away to the poor and needy, if we just lived below our income. Personally, I really don't need 4 guitars, I just covet them. I don't need a 55-in plasma, but it sure would look cool on my wall.
There isn't anything wrong with having things, as long as we use them. But when we spend money just for the sake of spending it, only to see that join the pile of junk in the storage building we bought because our garage was already full...then we have crossed the line.
Verse 5 & 6... "You have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Verse 9... "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure."
I have MAJOR issues with anxiety.
Psalm 16 reminds us that the Lord is bigger than all of our anxiety. He has plans. We are secure in Him. He has a delightful inheritance waiting for us. And verse 9 talks about our body being secure. Today Jesus is reminding me that I can rest in Him. I can rest because I have security in Him.
I'm just so thankful that I can trust Him... that He has bigger plans for me than I could ever dream up for myself and that I have security in Him. He is wonderful.
I found great peace in Psalm 16. I have been struggling a lot the past few days with feeling overwhelmed about the future. I have a LOT going on in the next 8 months (school, graduation, boards, finding a job in another state, finding an apartment and furniture in another state, moving to Illinois). I tend to be the type of person that has to have EVERYTHING planned out and I have TO DO lists everywhere. I have an image of what life is supposed to be like, and when life takes it's normal way and it doesn't work out the way I had specifically planned, I freak out. I need to learn to do what verse 5 says and trust in this. "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure".
I need to learn to trust that God is in full control of what happens anyways, so why am I worried about it?! Easier said than done.
I am catching up with you guys! I am loving this study and having been trying to write down everyday what stands out to me, sometimes not much but other times I wonder how I have missed the deeper meaning in these passages!
I LOVE reading all your comments and thoughts, thank you for sharing! -Ashley-
This is one of my favorite sentences in the whole Bible. It is one of those "pretty much sums it up" kind of verses for me.
He has given me life, breath, and eyes to see the beauty that is around me all day every day. He has given me ears to hear music, arms to wrap around my kids, and hope that is bigger than anything this world can throw at me.
He IS my good thing. Him and only Him! Hallelujah!
5 comments:
Today the reading in Matthew really jumped out at me:
"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."
It sounds so simple, sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and follow Christ. Actually though, I think it is far easier to do this as a missionary than as a normal member of society.
My wife and I have been talking about how much money we spend on useless things. How often do we overspend on a dinner, or buy clothes we really don't need (if you aren't 100% sure you like the shirt, chances are you won't wear it when you buy it).
How much could we give away to the poor and needy, if we just lived below our income. Personally, I really don't need 4 guitars, I just covet them. I don't need a 55-in plasma, but it sure would look cool on my wall.
There isn't anything wrong with having things, as long as we use them. But when we spend money just for the sake of spending it, only to see that join the pile of junk in the storage building we bought because our garage was already full...then we have crossed the line.
Psalm 16 is great.
Verse 5 & 6... "You have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance."
Verse 9... "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure."
I have MAJOR issues with anxiety.
Psalm 16 reminds us that the Lord is bigger than all of our anxiety. He has plans. We are secure in Him. He has a delightful inheritance waiting for us. And verse 9 talks about our body being secure. Today Jesus is reminding me that I can rest in Him. I can rest because I have security in Him.
I'm just so thankful that I can trust Him... that He has bigger plans for me than I could ever dream up for myself and that I have security in Him. He is wonderful.
I found great peace in Psalm 16. I have been struggling a lot the past few days with feeling overwhelmed about the future. I have a LOT going on in the next 8 months (school, graduation, boards, finding a job in another state, finding an apartment and furniture in another state, moving to Illinois). I tend to be the type of person that has to have EVERYTHING planned out and I have TO DO lists everywhere. I have an image of what life is supposed to be like, and when life takes it's normal way and it doesn't work out the way I had specifically planned, I freak out. I need to learn to do what verse 5 says and trust in this. "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure".
I need to learn to trust that God is in full control of what happens anyways, so why am I worried about it?! Easier said than done.
I am catching up with you guys! I am loving this study and having been trying to write down everyday what stands out to me, sometimes not much but other times I wonder how I have missed the deeper meaning in these passages!
I LOVE reading all your comments and thoughts, thank you for sharing!
-Ashley-
"apart from you I have no good thing."
This is one of my favorite sentences in the whole Bible. It is one of those "pretty much sums it up" kind of verses for me.
He has given me life, breath, and eyes to see the beauty that is around me all day every day. He has given me ears to hear music, arms to wrap around my kids, and hope that is bigger than anything this world can throw at me.
He IS my good thing. Him and only Him! Hallelujah!
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