Isaiah 3:16-18
Grabbing a guy's attention with your looks definately feels good at the time, but God punished these women for it. Why? Flirting may seem innocent, but there are a lot of problems with it.
First of all, the flattery and interest that comes from it is superficial. A guy attracted to you because you bat your eyelashes, giggle, and wear hott clothing isn't interested in knowing who you are. Raise you hand if you consider yourself to be a complicated person with a lot of heart or a lot to offer. How about if you just want someone to love you for who you are? Actually get to know YOU? If that applies to you then you don't want the kind of guy that you are going to attract with your body. Because that guy isn't going to find you special.
And flattery is like candy. It tastes good at first so we crave more, and the more we get the more we "need" until we get a sick churning in our gut that turns us off from candy. In terms of relationships, that when loneliness, emptiness, that feeling of being decieved, lied to, used. . . all sets in. And we get bitter and are convinced all men are pigs. . . sound familiar? If you just chase after someone to tell you how hott you are, thats all you are going to get. It doesn't fill our needs. That doesn't build relationships. And if thats the first stone to your foundation, its all going to come crumbling down.
Second of all, when you flirt, you are using your body to attract. You bring your Christian brothers down by trying to get them to focus on the wrong thing. Every teen struggle's with lust. But you will be held responsible by God if you cause them to long after your body by putting it out on display. And i don't just mean clothing. Your gestures and comments can be just as suggestive as a mini skirt.
If you want a guy to see the precious person that you are, that you are priceless in God's eyes, you need to attract his spiritual eyes. A guy should be attracted to you because you treat yourself with respect, you radiate your love for Jesus, and you keep your body and your actions pure. This is the kind of guy that will also value his own purity, and will treat you as the precious gem to God that you are. He will not bring shame to you.
You don't need to change how you look. God made you perfect. He has someone in mind for you. If you put yourself out there fishing for guys, you are just going to turn off the right guy, because he wont be attracted to all that.
1.30.2011
1.25.2011
Job's finale
Job 38-42
"Are you God, Job? No, I didn't think so." Don't forget who God IS! He is huge. He spoke everything into motion. He told the sea where to stop and the stars when to shine. Do you really think he needs to consult us on how to manage life? If he can create universes in just moments, He can handle our lives. After God reminded Job of His greatness, Job fell silent.
We should be humbled before God. It was only AFTER Job was humbled that God not only restored his life, but he also doubled what he had had before! God also then humbled Job's friends and let them off the hook only aftet Job had forgiven them.
Its not enough to just ask God for forgiveness when we do something against somebody else. We also need to seek their forgiveness as well. But keep in mind, God sets the model for forgiveness. If our great God can forgive anything, so should we.
"Are you God, Job? No, I didn't think so." Don't forget who God IS! He is huge. He spoke everything into motion. He told the sea where to stop and the stars when to shine. Do you really think he needs to consult us on how to manage life? If he can create universes in just moments, He can handle our lives. After God reminded Job of His greatness, Job fell silent.
We should be humbled before God. It was only AFTER Job was humbled that God not only restored his life, but he also doubled what he had had before! God also then humbled Job's friends and let them off the hook only aftet Job had forgiven them.
Its not enough to just ask God for forgiveness when we do something against somebody else. We also need to seek their forgiveness as well. But keep in mind, God sets the model for forgiveness. If our great God can forgive anything, so should we.
1.23.2011
Job 35-36
Job 36
Finally someone is making sense in this arguement between Job and his friends. Elihu has finally stepped and started laying down facts of God with a level head. (see Job 32-36 to read all of Elihu's speech).
One of Job's biggest issues isn't whether or not he has sinned to deserve this. Instead, he keeps blaming God for his situation. 35 How easy is it for us to wag our finger at God when bad things happen to us.
"People are arrogantly indifferent to God—
until, of course, they're in trouble,
and then God is indifferent to them."
Its our nature to complain. When things suck we are fast to mention them. How about the good things? How often do we praise the wonderful things God has put in our life. Are we forgetting what comes from who?? God the creator puts great things in the world. Look around you and see his fingerprints all over nature! Breath in the sweet air that he has created. Look up at the sky he has over your head!
Were does evil come from?? It doesn't come from God because God is not the evil one! Satan, who has been given temporary rule over this earth is the one who flings crap at you. And that is exactly who is tormenting Job. Only who does he blame? Who do we blame? Don't give credit to satan by talking about negative things. And more importantly, do not blame God for it, because it is not his doing!
Job 36:26-33 Do you ever think you can hide from God? Just because we can't see him doesn't me he can't see us. How can you hide from someone who can lift clouds and move them around?
Finally someone is making sense in this arguement between Job and his friends. Elihu has finally stepped and started laying down facts of God with a level head. (see Job 32-36 to read all of Elihu's speech).
One of Job's biggest issues isn't whether or not he has sinned to deserve this. Instead, he keeps blaming God for his situation. 35 How easy is it for us to wag our finger at God when bad things happen to us.
"People are arrogantly indifferent to God—
until, of course, they're in trouble,
and then God is indifferent to them."
Its our nature to complain. When things suck we are fast to mention them. How about the good things? How often do we praise the wonderful things God has put in our life. Are we forgetting what comes from who?? God the creator puts great things in the world. Look around you and see his fingerprints all over nature! Breath in the sweet air that he has created. Look up at the sky he has over your head!
Were does evil come from?? It doesn't come from God because God is not the evil one! Satan, who has been given temporary rule over this earth is the one who flings crap at you. And that is exactly who is tormenting Job. Only who does he blame? Who do we blame? Don't give credit to satan by talking about negative things. And more importantly, do not blame God for it, because it is not his doing!
Job 36:26-33 Do you ever think you can hide from God? Just because we can't see him doesn't me he can't see us. How can you hide from someone who can lift clouds and move them around?
1.22.2011
Job 15 and 16
Read it here. . .
In case you've been snoozing through the last like ten chapters of Job, here's a recap: Job loses everything, his life sucks more than you can imagine, and oh yea, he is covered in painful boils and he really just wants to die. So a bunch of his buddies popped over to bring him some soup and some tissues. Although the timeline in the book of Job is kind of shifty we can assume its been maybe like a week perhaps that they've been over, and basically they keep accusing Job of being a sinner and telling him not to talk to God the way he does.
Don't you just want to tell Job's "friends" to shut up? The poor guy could use some encouragement and they just keep kicking him while he's down. Obviously they don't understand the situation. I mean come on, we can clearly see the bigger picture. Job is a GOOD guy. God knows that. Job just needs a huuggg right now. I mean, a nice gentle one of course because he's in pain. . .but still.
The thing is, sometimes people don't need a lecture, they need compassion. We don't know the bigger picture of people's lives, just like Job's friends didn't fullly understand what was up in his life. Only God does. Sometimes its too easy for us to judge, or try to tell people what they are doing wrong. But sometimes its better to just be silent. Be a listening ear, be a quiet companion. Launching into a speech sometimes hurts more than it helps. Ecclesiastes 5:3
You know that person who complains all the time? Maybe you are tired of hearing it and don't even care anymore? But maybe what they really need is someone to give them a HUG and let them vent. Then they can move on and be HAPPY. If the body of Christ can't do that, who will? The world is full of hurting people with crappy circumstances. We all just need someone to care. To listen. Instead of judging, and excluding.
In case you've been snoozing through the last like ten chapters of Job, here's a recap: Job loses everything, his life sucks more than you can imagine, and oh yea, he is covered in painful boils and he really just wants to die. So a bunch of his buddies popped over to bring him some soup and some tissues. Although the timeline in the book of Job is kind of shifty we can assume its been maybe like a week perhaps that they've been over, and basically they keep accusing Job of being a sinner and telling him not to talk to God the way he does.
Don't you just want to tell Job's "friends" to shut up? The poor guy could use some encouragement and they just keep kicking him while he's down. Obviously they don't understand the situation. I mean come on, we can clearly see the bigger picture. Job is a GOOD guy. God knows that. Job just needs a huuggg right now. I mean, a nice gentle one of course because he's in pain. . .but still.
The thing is, sometimes people don't need a lecture, they need compassion. We don't know the bigger picture of people's lives, just like Job's friends didn't fullly understand what was up in his life. Only God does. Sometimes its too easy for us to judge, or try to tell people what they are doing wrong. But sometimes its better to just be silent. Be a listening ear, be a quiet companion. Launching into a speech sometimes hurts more than it helps. Ecclesiastes 5:3
You know that person who complains all the time? Maybe you are tired of hearing it and don't even care anymore? But maybe what they really need is someone to give them a HUG and let them vent. Then they can move on and be HAPPY. If the body of Christ can't do that, who will? The world is full of hurting people with crappy circumstances. We all just need someone to care. To listen. Instead of judging, and excluding.
1.21.2011
Lemons
Today I was squeezing up some fresh home made lemonade, and I was using a strainer because lemons tend to have seeds all the way through instead of just in the center. My dad came in the kitchen and I commented that lemons have "too many" seeds.
He kindly reminded me that God makes everything perfect. And that God probably thinks the number of seeds in each lemon is perfect.
God makes everything perfect. He knows the number of seeds in each lemon, petals on each flower, stripes on each zebra. God doesn't miscalculate. Everything, and everyone, he makes with reason and purpose.
And it was a very refreshing glass of lemonade :)
He kindly reminded me that God makes everything perfect. And that God probably thinks the number of seeds in each lemon is perfect.
God makes everything perfect. He knows the number of seeds in each lemon, petals on each flower, stripes on each zebra. God doesn't miscalculate. Everything, and everyone, he makes with reason and purpose.
And it was a very refreshing glass of lemonade :)
1.20.2011
Job 14
Job 14 Link
Job so quickly forgot how wonderful his life had been now that he is going through hardship. He quickly adapted the mindset of "life sucks and then you die". Job had been one of the richest, blessed men around!
Hardships do not erase the good times in our lives. But sometimes it is so easy to forget. We can't forget out mountain top experiences every time we hit a valley. It is the memory of the good things in life, the times when God pulled us through, or blessed us, that can help us to see forward. Bad times don't last forever. It is important to remember the good times to remain motivated and strong, to keep trying, and trust that God will once again pull us through.
Life is a series of ups and downs. Don't focus on the downs. Journalling when things are going really well, when you really feel on fire for God, and when he does big things in your life, can help when you are down and out. Then you can read back and strengthen your faith that he will provide instead of assuming the same "life sucks and then you die" mentality.
Job so quickly forgot how wonderful his life had been now that he is going through hardship. He quickly adapted the mindset of "life sucks and then you die". Job had been one of the richest, blessed men around!
Hardships do not erase the good times in our lives. But sometimes it is so easy to forget. We can't forget out mountain top experiences every time we hit a valley. It is the memory of the good things in life, the times when God pulled us through, or blessed us, that can help us to see forward. Bad times don't last forever. It is important to remember the good times to remain motivated and strong, to keep trying, and trust that God will once again pull us through.
Life is a series of ups and downs. Don't focus on the downs. Journalling when things are going really well, when you really feel on fire for God, and when he does big things in your life, can help when you are down and out. Then you can read back and strengthen your faith that he will provide instead of assuming the same "life sucks and then you die" mentality.
1.18.2011
Job 9-11
Read it here: Job 9-11
Job is frustrated. He has lost everything. His body is covered with worms and he's in pain. Even his wife and his friends are doubting him. He is at the end of his rope and openly questions God. His friends must think he is a blasphemous fool, and again insist that Job must of sinned in some way to deserve this. However, even though Job is questioning God and having doubts, even though he has no concern for his own life at this point, he never loses his faith in God. He never doubts God's power. He never ceases to serve God.
It's normal to become frustrated and to have questions and doubts. God wants you to ask questions, to seek understanding about who he is and what he is doing. The important thing is understand that God will answer your questions on His timing and not ours. Dont lose sight of who God is. Don't lose faith or seek to insult God.
Job was always faithful to God, and his condition got pretty awful. Imagine what it would have been like if he wasn't on God's side.
Job's story has a happy ending. There is a happy ending for those who are in God's favor. In God's timing your faithfulness to him will pay off.
Job is frustrated. He has lost everything. His body is covered with worms and he's in pain. Even his wife and his friends are doubting him. He is at the end of his rope and openly questions God. His friends must think he is a blasphemous fool, and again insist that Job must of sinned in some way to deserve this. However, even though Job is questioning God and having doubts, even though he has no concern for his own life at this point, he never loses his faith in God. He never doubts God's power. He never ceases to serve God.
It's normal to become frustrated and to have questions and doubts. God wants you to ask questions, to seek understanding about who he is and what he is doing. The important thing is understand that God will answer your questions on His timing and not ours. Dont lose sight of who God is. Don't lose faith or seek to insult God.
Job was always faithful to God, and his condition got pretty awful. Imagine what it would have been like if he wasn't on God's side.
Job's story has a happy ending. There is a happy ending for those who are in God's favor. In God's timing your faithfulness to him will pay off.
Why the Devotional Garden
Well. . .I'm a girl, so when I think of spending quality time with my Father I think of being in the warm sun surrounded by his beautiful nature. I think of a garden. But I also think of Jesus when he spent quality time with his Father or to preach. He spent it in nature. Either out in the desert, or in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). He would preach on the mountains, or from a boat.
Every time I do a devotional, it's a little blossom to my faith. The more time I spend with God the fuller my garden.
Every time I do a devotional, it's a little blossom to my faith. The more time I spend with God the fuller my garden.
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