This week’s readings really spoke to me about the importance of a good friendship.  David and Jonathon had such a strong friendship and I think the reason it was so strong was because at the center of their friendship was God.   My bible said they have the deepest and closest relationships in the bible because they (1) based friendship on commitment to God, not just each other; (2) let nothing come between them – not even career or family problems; (3) drew closer together when their friendship was tested; and (4) were able to remain friends to the end.  I think all of these are great qualities to have in a friend.  There were several verses that described this relationship:
1 Samuel 18:3 And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.

1 Samuel 20:8 Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend – for we made a solemn pact before the Lord – or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”

1 Samuel 20:42 At last Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.”  Then David left, and Jonathan returned to town.

1 Samuel 23:16 Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.
This also makes me think about Saul and how he spent so much time trying to kill David because David was more popular than Saul.  1 Samuel 18:7 “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”  Why wouldn’t Saul stop and realize that David was being faithful to God and that is why God was with him and protecting him.  I know that I want my life to be more like David’s than Saul’s.  God really is faithful to those who are faithful to him. I love in 1Samuel 19 where God protects David and everyone starts prophesying including Saul.  I know that God has protected me and I am very thankful for that.
1 Samuel 18:14 David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the Lord was with him.
With God anything is possible. 

1 Samuel 22:18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty five priest in all, still wearing their priestly garments.

This reminds me that even when we have God on our side it is easy to still mess up.  David told a small lie to protect him but in return innocent people died.  There is no reason we should lie.

This week a friend had called me and we were talking about the Lord.  He said that his friend asked him if God has ever let him down.  He said that no matter what God has never let him down.  Then he asked me the same question.  I thought about this and felt like God has let me down when he took my mother from me at such a young age.  I was really upset that I still felt this way.  I have been really dealing with my mom’s death a lot lately and I thought I was at a better place than this.  Then I went to church on Saturday.  My pastor was talking about David and everything David had gone through.  Then he reminded us of the footprint poem where he was going through a rough time in life and he was asking God where he was through all of it.  God said there was only one set of footprints because I was carrying you through it.  I can remember this being in my house.  This made me realize that He never left me. Although I had thought that I was all alone He was carrying me through every step of the way.  I think now when I come upon a tough situation I will remember David.  No matter what was going on in David’s life he would find strength in the Lord.  1 Samuel 30:6  But David found strength in the Lord his God.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. 

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was only one.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,
When I was suffering from anguish,
Sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints,
So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord, if I followed you,
You would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
There has only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints,
My child, is when I carried you.”

David had so much patients also.  He waited for the Lord to make him king of Israel and spent the whole time running and hiding from Saul.  Even when Saul died he mourned Saul’s life and didn’t just celebrate that he was finally going to become king.  I have so much in my life that is going on right now that I want results from.  I find myself almost sabotaging situations because I want the result faster.  I need to remember to wait upon the Lord and serve Him as I am waiting.  That is why I picked this song this week.

Scriptures for Sisters and Nieces

Sorry for the late post but my internet is down.  God is so good.  Every day that I read the bible and spend more time in the word I can feel my spirit being lifted.  We have been going through a great marriage series at the church I attend.  God really has a great plan for our lives and I hope the day I get married I will be able to live out a Christian marriage.

While reading through Ruth I thought a lot about my relationship with my boyfriend’s mom.  It used to be so great but recently we have gone through a rough season of life with each other.  So the scripture that really spoke to me was this one:

Ruth 1:16-18  But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back.  Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live.  Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.  May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with herm she said nothing more.

Ruth was so faithful to not only her husband but also his family.  I believe that family is so important and it is hard sometimes when you find someone you love but you have two totally different families.  I was raised so differently than my boyfriend’s family and sometimes I think that their way is wrong.  It’s not wrong just different and if I am going to marry him I would like to be able to get along with them.   I hope and pray that I will be able to find a way to get past our differences and be able to love them like they are my family.  Ruth is a great example of how a daughter-in-law should love her extended family.  I also love how in the end God blessed her son for her being so faithful to her mother-in-law.

1 Samuel 2:2 No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

I love to know that God is my Rock.  When my life feels upside down I know that God is there for me and he is the Rock I need to hold my life together.

1Samuel 2:25 If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?

This verse really convicts my heart.  I am lost at what to say about it.  I know that I want God’s will for my life and if I am sinning I will not be able to have God’s will.

 1 Samuel 12:10 Then they cried to the Lord again and confessed, “We have sinned by turning away from the Lord and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.”

I wrote on the side of my bible to remind me every day, why do we try to bargain with God?  Sometimes we need to be still and wait on God. There is never a time that we need to bargain with Him.

1 Samuel 12:20-25  “Don’t be afraid.” Samuel reassured them.  “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him.  Don’t go back to worshiping  worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you-they are totally useless! The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name.  For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.  As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you.  And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.  But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him.  Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.  But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”

I love this verse because Samuel is telling them that it is ok that you did not do good in the past. God forgives you.  You just need to turn your life around now.  I think as new believers you are afraid that God will not be able to forgive you for your past but he does.  It is so nice to hear Samuel tell us that he does forgive you.  I also like it because he is telling us that now we do have to turn our life around.  It is not only giving your life to the Lord but doing a 180 and living for Him now,

1 Samuel 14:36 …….But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”

Sometimes life is so busy that I forget to ask God first.  I know that it is wisdom to ask Him first and I need to remind myself this every day.

As I read through 1Samuel I find myself having a hard time getting through it.  I find it interesting that Israel went through so many kings. It seems like all of the Israelites had a hard time following Gods will.  There were so many fights and killings.  It reminds me of how the more we get closer to God the enemy comes in and tries to destroy us. 

Scripture for Sisters and Nieces

I was a little behind on my reading this week because I worked 4 days in a row and I haven’t gotten a good routine on waking up at 4am to read the bible and spend time with the Lord before my 12 hour shift. I find it easy on my first shift but when I do 4 in a row it seems to be hard. I ask that you pray for me to be able to get a routine in the morning before work. I do notice that I have a much better day at work when I make time for God before I go in. As I was getting caught up on my reading I was also getting into a fight with my friend. I had noticed that what he was getting mad at me about was also happening to me. I had thought about telling him what had happened because I wanted to make him jealous. I thought it would make me feel better if he was feeling the same way I was feeling. Then I thought I had better pray about it before I say anything. He had called me before I got a chance to pray about it and made me jealous again. I tried to tell him in a way that was not throwing it in his face but unfortunately that didn’t work. Then I prayed and asked God to speak to me in His words. The verse he gave me really made me rethink how I was acting.

Judges 15:7-11 “Because you did this,” Samson vowed, “I won’t rest until I take my revenge on you!” So he attacked the Philistines with great fury and killed many of them. Then he went to live in a cave in the rock of Etam. The Philistines retaliated by setting up camp in Judah and spreading out near the town of Lehi. The men of Judah asked the Philistines, “ why are you attacking us?” The Philistines replied, “We’ve come to capture Samson. We’ve come to pay him back for what he did to us.” So 3,000 men of Judah went down to get Samson at the cave in the rock of Etam. They said to Samson, “Don’t you realize the Philistines rule over us? What are you doing to us?” But Samson replied, “I only did to them what they did to me.”

As I read this I was first mad at God for pointing out what I did wrong. Then I realized that I can only ask God to work on me. Getting revenge is not a good way to get back at people and it only makes your relationship worse. I regret ever telling him what I told him to get back at him. I know that God will work on my friend when the timing is right. I have been learning this week how to be still. It’s a very hard thing to do when we want results now. Sometimes we even sabotage things or relationships because we don’t wait on Gods timing. The song I have been focusing on this week is called Be Still by Kari Jobe.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference...

Scriptures for Sisters and Nieces.

What a great week this has been for me.  God is so great!  I can’t believe how he is working in my life right now and I am so blessed for that. 

Joshua 1:7-8  Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you.  Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.  Then you will be successful in everything you do.  Study this Book of Instructions continually.  Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.  Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 

This is the first time I have started to read the whole bible.  I have been so blessed since I have started reading it.  God is so good in everything He does and when we give our life wholeheartedly to Him and spend time with Him every day our lives change.  What a blessing that is.

Joshua 9:14 So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. 

This is where the servants  in and make a treaty with the Israelites so that they will not take their land.  They lie to the Israelites and tell them that they are from land that is far away.  The Israelites are fooled because the land they own is the land that they are trying to take over.  The Israelites do what we often do and make a decision without consulting the Lord.  I think this is a good reminder for me that it is always wisdom to consult with the Lord before we make any decision.

Joshua 10:25 “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his me. “Be strong and courageous for the Lord is going to do this to all of you enemies.”

What a great reminder of how faithful God is.

Joshua 18:3  Then Joshua asked them, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given to you ?

Procrastinating is not always the answer.  We need to investigate the cause of the delay and ask God to help us in that area.

Joshua 19:47 But the tribe of Dan had trouble taking possessions of their land, so they attacked the town of Laish.

This is a good example of when things get hard we have a tendency to go the other way and take the easy road.  I think at times I need to remember that no matter how difficult things get God is always with us fighting the battles with us.

Joshua 22:5  But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you.  Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.

I love that at the beginning of this book and at the end Joshua is telling us to Love God with all our heart and to obey his word.  It sounds so easy but at times is difficult to do but with God nothing is impossible.