My thoughts on life, love, and the Lord

Acts 9:20-43

I liked reading this passage, it was filled with lots of powerful stories!

I also liked that my study bible includes maps of Saul’s journey. It helps me to visualize it and make the story come alive in my mind more.

Paul has a bold personality and is always stirring up something. I love seeing how putting these inherent qualities towards a godly goal can make such a different impact than putting them towards an evil one. It reminds me of the hope I see in young people who tend to act out at school. I see them as leaders who people like to follow and I sometimes try to encourage them to use these qualities for good.

In verse 43 it talks about how Peter stayed in Joppa with a tanner named Simon. I didn’t think this detail was important until I read the commentary. Tanning, or leather working, involved contact with the hides of dead animals, which the Jewish law considered to be unclean. Peter was going against a big prejudice by staying with Simon, and I think his boldness is admirable.

Remembering Melissa’s Kindness

My friend and fellow uptick participant, Melissa, passed away this past winter of cancer. The other uptick women and I are reflecting on Melissa’s fruits of the spirits and giving her parents a compilation of all the ways she embodied these fruits. I had a submission on kindness and wanted to share.

Kindness:

One of my first memories of Melissa was riding the “party bus” down to Atlanta, Georgia to attend the Catalyst Conference. This was the first time all the uptick men and women were to meet. I most likely thought for days about what I wanted to wear and if I was going to make a good impression on all these important leaders in the church. I remember Melissa and Krystal car pooled together and both showed up in yoga pants. Immediately, I knew that I did not have to be concerned with impressing the other participants and I could be free to be myself. I also instantly wished I had worn my yoga pants as well for such a long ride!

Along the ride I was a little reserved- I think it was a mix of needing to warm up to so many new people and the car sickness setting in. I was sitting in the back of the bus, trying my best to seem friendly, but really my thoughts were consumed with how to not lose my lunch. That was when Melissa found her way to the back of the bus (I believe she was all over the bus that afternoon, socializing with everyone). She began asking me about my family, what I liked to do, and what my siblings were like. It then struck me, I had been so rude, being preoccupied with myself and not taking the chance to get to know these other wonderful people. Melissa’s immediate kindness impacted me, I realized then that I should be taking time to get to know these other wonderful people during the few short days I’d be spending with them. And for the year to come, Melissa’s kindness never stopped. She was always interested in what I was doing, and in the inner workings of my life. She had the ability to make me feel special, valued, and that my life was important to her. Reflecting on this memory helps me to remember that Melissa’s gift in this area has not stopped; the memory still continues to make me smile and encourages me to aspire to try to do the same for others.

Psalm 15

Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
who may live on your holy hill?

He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbors no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman.
who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
who lends his money without usury
and does not accent a bride against the innocent

He does does these things will never be shaken.

-Psalm 15
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I had noted in my Bible that this is a good spiritual check for our deeds, and I still agree. Did you know thatsanctuaryandholy hillare interchangeable words for describing the point of Israelite worship, what was considered the dwelling place of God? In other words, am I acting in a way that I deserve to be in God’s presence? The ten commandments, for example, are usually easy to follow (don’t steal, don’t kill, etc. I got that.), but speaking truthfully from my heart, not slurring others, or keeping my oath-even when it hurts; those seem a bit tougher.

The phrase “keeps his oath-even when it hurts” reminds me of people in the military. Maybe it’s because I’ve been watching a lot of “Numbers” (a crime solving show) lately, but I was reminded that people die protecting top secret information. Also, usury means interest on a loan. I liked that God was against charging interest to the loans taken out by the needy. Sometimes, I wish our country was like that too. Especially with student loans.

My Bible also makes a note that many of the psalms start out in honest thoughts to the Lord about being impatient that He has not answered, or being scared of those against them, and that this is okay. But it’s also neat to notice that by the end of each psalm, the author usually ends in a positive light, as they were reminded of God’s faithfulness and protection as they wrote to Him. I had never thought about this, or really noticed this before. It helps me to remember that by expressing my feelings to God, even when I am upset, it can help me to also remember that He is the one in charge and be encouraged that He is almighty, all powerful, and thankfully, in control of my life.

Matthew 6:1-15

This morning my reading references the Lords prayer as the way we should pray. Reading over that passage reminded me that I had a dream about the Lords Prayer last night. In it my mom, step dad, and I were reciting the Lords prayer, which is strange because we typically don’t pray aloud ever on that side of the family. My mom only knew the beginning of it, and I felt my step dad was trying to show off because he continued reciting, almost as if he was trying to prove his faith to me. But as the prayer neared the end, my step dad also forgot the words, and I was left to complete it. My brother was also there, but never tried to recite it.

That’s all, just found this dream and this reading interesting they happened together like this.

Be blessed today!

Psalm 12

12:1-2 “Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.”

12:7 “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.”

“When we feel as though sincerity and truth have nearly gone out of existence, we have one hope- the Word of God. God’s word is as pure and flawless as refined silver.”

How true this can seem sometimes!

Acts 7:39-60

First, let me say that Stephen was an awesome servant of the Lord. Whenever I find a person in the Bible whom I admire, I always tuck that name in the back of my head for a future child’s name. I like to imagine telling my children the Biblical stories and meanings behind their name and imagine how that would encourage them to live into the story of their name. Keeping this in mind, I like that my Bible said “before people can give their lives for the gospel, however, they must live their lives for the gospel.” I thought that was an interesting way to look at things. You see, Stephen was the first person of many in the Bible to be killed for serving the Lord. I felt his character was truly shown when, even as the council was stoning Stephen because he was supporting Jesus’ claims which angered them as they had already condemned Jesus to death for blasphemy, Stephen prayed for the Lord to not hold the sin of the council members against them. Could you muster up enough love to pray for your enemies even while they are in the process of killing you? I’m not sure if I could. When Stephen dies the Bible says he “fell asleep”. I found myself wondering if “falling asleep” means that God took his pain away or that he suffered through the pain and then died. I can’t help but wonder that since we live in a fallen world of sin, Stephen had to experience the pain. But then again, I checked a concordance and found that the original word is “koimao” meaning to cause to sleep, put to sleep, or a metaphor for being still, falling asleep, or dieing. In the Bible it is used as “to be dead” only one time in in Matthew 27:52 “The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life”. The concordance points to the fact that it is used in Acts 7:60 as “fall asleep”. Then to add one more layer of confusion, I checked bible.cc and found that “fall asleep” is a term used for many people who died as a martyr while serving the Lord and tends to contrast of the peace of assurance of salvation and eternity with Christ to the chaotic situation these people typically died in. So did I find my answer? Not really, I think this is one of those situation we won’t ever be fully sure of. But, I learned a lot in the exploration process, and I’m satisfied with that.

I find it interesting, also, that the Bible makes a point to mention that Saul was present at the scene. Saul who will one day become Paul and lead a great movement for God, but who is currently persecuting Christians. I like the idea that even those who strongly oppose you now may later turn to Christ because of their previous interactions with you. Don’t get discouraged when people aren’t responsive to the gospel right away.

Matthew 5:21-32

Matthew 5:21 - When Jesus says “But I tell you…” he is not changing the laws, but rather adding a fuller explanation of the law that is already in place.

Matthew 5:22 - The Bible says that someone who calls a friend “Raca” (a term used for contempt) they will face the Sanhedrian, but someone who calls a friend a “fool” will be in danger of the fire of hell. Does this mean that “raca” is supposed to be a term that’s worse than “fool”?

Matthew 5:23 - “We are hypocrites if we claim to love God but hate others.”

Matthew 5:27 - How does gouging out your sinful eye equate to todays terms? Does it mean to set up boundaries and such? My Bible says Jesus was speaking figuratively in this passage, so I’m guessing yes.

Matthew 5:32 - The word “unfaithfulness” means a sexually immoral lifestyle, not a one time forgiven act, according to my study Bible.