We always return good for evil

Matthew 5:38-48

38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'^[a] 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor^[b] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies^[c] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

We always return good for evil. This shows the world that the gospel has truly taken root in our lives.
These verses show us that retaliation is not the christian way to respond and these verses are not justification to be a door mat. There is a third way to respond to an enemy. We respond in active love.
Remember the Beatitudes. We are blessed when we are persecuted. Now others can be blessed when we are persecuted.
When someone insults us our first thought should be "How can I respond in love?" Yet this is often NOT the case in my life.
Jesus says," Go serve the oppressors and serve them better than they expect."

Luke 6:27-28

27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Do good, bless, and pray for those who persecute you. This is how you love someone.
Kindness is what changes a persons heart.
Conflict is a part of life, enemies are a part of life. God calls us to face it by responding with good for evil and love for hatred.

I'm still thinking about being a godly women. I was thinking of the great examples we have of our faith.
Ruth had her famous speech about making Naomi's God her God. If I too would subject myself to the same obedience that she did.
Deborah was willing to go above and beyond the normal role of being a woman and serve God. That I would be able point others to God and His will as she did.
Esther circumstances placed her in a position where she had the chance to save God's people and influence the nations. That I would realize and act upon when such a time comes to me as well.
Rahab cared for God's people when it may have cost her life. May I to selflessly further the cause of Christ.
Mary worshiped her Lord despite others did not approve. I hope I to glorify my Lord with out hesitation or reservation.

Hello, I have lately been thinking about Biblical womanhood. What does it mean to be a woman? How can a woman be considered Godly? There is the standard of Proverbs 31 woman, but I don't sew or buy fields. And I don't have a household to cloth. I have recently been looking at some other verses that address women.

1 Peter 3:1-5

1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands,

These women are not known for how beautiful they were on the outside, but the actions that they did, they attitudes that they displayed, and they love of God that shown through them. This is my answer. I can be a biblical woman by putting these verses principles into practice.

Father, I pray that you would make me a biblical woman. That my life would be a testimony of Your goodness in every part. May I not be lacking in You love and grace in any part of my life.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”- Psalm 139:23-24

I know that this is really corny, but it works.

I hope that every one had a good Valentine's day. I was thinking about the orgin of Valentine's day. There are a lot of different stories about how Valentine's day got started but my favorite is this one.

St Valentine was a priest who lived during the time of the Emperor Claudius. Claudius was fighting a war and he ordered that no marriages be performed bacause he thought that married man would not fight as well with a wife and chrildren at home. Valentine fought for the sactity of marrige and married several people. He was arrested and later exacuted for this.

I like the idea that Valentine's Day is a day we celabrate marriage as something that God ordained.

Dear Friend
Thank you for loving me
Something I take for ganted
You have blessed my life
I know this is something I've never said
But I thank God that you were sent

Dear Mom
Thank you for loving me
I can make it so hard
You have shaped my life
You have lit in me this spark
I thank God for who you are

Lord, I have needed love
And You have sent it
At different times, in many form, in different ways
You give love so freely
May I too give Your love away

Dear God
Thank You for loving me
Though I never can deserve it
Ashamed of who I am inside
But You say You don't observe it
Instead You see inside me the love You emit

Lord, I have needed love
And You have sent it
At different times, in many form, in different ways
You give love so freely
May I too give Your love away

I have had a lot I have needed to repent and ask forgivness for latly. These two psalms remind me that I don't have to bear and carry my sin. God takes it and bears it for me.

Psalm 32
1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!


Psalm 51
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ^[a] ;
you teach ^[b] me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifices of God are ^[c] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

It is Sactity of Life week and this video really speaks.

I wrote this poem after doing a study on Romans. This passage really spoke to because how often do we forget to glorify and worship God in our day to day lives.

Father, You created me
Just the way I am
Though I'm not always happy with it
You created with a plan
You have told me to worship
Though I'm depraved
And don't give You glory as I should
Creator, take this creature
And make me good

21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

I was recently in a conversation with one of my coworkers about Israel's wildlife. I said that there were Lions and bears in Israel and he said that there weren't. I said I would research it. Well I did and my findings are as follows:

• Israel's animal life has been very disturbed by the war
• The government has/can do little to protect the wildlife
• There used to be bears and lions, but are not currently
• Israel no longer would be able to support wildlife of that kind because of insufficient food supply.
  

These are very sad finds, but it definitely made me think.

So I've been tagged. Hereare some questions that the JollyBlogger asked me to answer.

0) What's your name and website URL? (optional, of course)

1) What's the most fun work you've ever done, and why? (two sentences max)

I like playing nurse and cooking for other people. It's not a hobby. It's a passion.

2) A. Name one thing you did in the past that you no longer do but wish you did? (one sentence max)

I used to play soccer and I still love the game.

B. Name one thing you've always wanted to do but keep putting it off? (one sentence max)

dating

3) A. What two things would you most like to learn or be better at, and why? (two sentences max)

I would like to learn how to deal with hard situations without getting all upset. I would like to learn to be someone that people can talk to when they need help. I don't do iether of these things very well.

B. If you could take a class/workshop/apprentice from anyone in the world living or dead, who would it be and what would you hope to learn? (two more sentences, max)

I think it would be my Grandma Beulah. She is an amazing christian woman and I would love to have an apprebticship with her.

4) A. What three words might your best friends or family use to describe you?

I really asked my family and just typed what they said. Elaine was the only one who answered though.

beautiful

vocal

pacifist

B. Now list two more words you wish described you...

loveing

serving

5) What are your top three passions? (can be current or past, work, hobbies, or causes-- three sentences max)

nursing

cooking

music

6) (sue me) Write--and answer--one more question that YOU would ask someone (with answer in three sentences max)

If you could speak a forgien language what would it be and where would you go to speak it?

[Bonus: What is one question you wish people would ask themselves?]

How I can serve God?

I'm suppose to tagg some people so here you are.

Aly

Annalee

Leslie

Beccah

Jordan

As we are coming into the new year I thought I would leave you all with some quotes from what others have taught me this year.

"Pursuing God's will takes great sacrifice; however, God will give you a future greater than you ever imagined."

"You'll know if marriage and this individual is right if your ministry together is more effective than your ministry as individuals."

"Reality, in fact, is always something you couldn't have guessed. That's one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It's a religion you couldn't have guessed."

"God seems more faithful when the bad things are happening and He's holding your hand than when life is good and your not looking to the Savior for help."

"I need the Psalms."

I really needed this. I often...ok always have this same adittude. I pray that God would work in my heart and create true worship.

Worship Frustration

I love listening to this lady. I may not always agree with everything she says, but she is very funny and I agree with a lot of it.

I awoke this morning
I awoke this morning to find
I could no longer be who I had been
Change had come
Change come but why
The person I was could never return again
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger but it hurts
Yet a broken heart can mend, must mend
I awoke this morning
I awoke this morning to find...

Thank you Mrs. Lynette for sending this to me. This is so cool. How can this not be created? How can this have just evolved?
Check this out

These are the lyrics to a song by Lisa Gungor. I heard them this weekend and I was touched by the message.

Paradox of Faith

She prayed for Your healing
She prayed that Youd be revealing who shes gonna be
She prayed for Your peace
She prayed that Youd heal the pieces of her family
She quoted the word
Said, whatever we ask in Your name we shall receive
And You opened the door
And You gave her what she asked for

He got on his knees
And said Father, would You please hear me tonight
She doesnt have long
Her lifes almost gone
Would You please heal my wife
He quoted the word
Said, whatever we ask in Your name we shall receive
But his wife passed away
And hes left everyday with the questions why

Why do some prayers seem to be unanswered
In return they cause our hope to falter
May hope be found
Not in what I pray for
My hope is in Your name
I will trust Your name

David was pleading
He was believing for God to save his son
But his faith wasnt shaken
When it didnt happen
And he chose to worship God
So much faith and so bold of Mary its told
When she reached to touch Your robe
It was counted as faith
As she went away to worship

Why do we formulate our faith
Provide our answers
For your unexplainable ways
May faith be found
Not in what I pray for
My faith is in Your name
And I will trust Your name

Lord I choose right now to trust You
Not for what You do
But for who You are
And though I dont have all the answers
I know that I will trust Your name
I will trust Your name
My hope is in Your name

Here is a portion of scripture that I think is very appropriate for 9/11.

Psalm 27

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh, ^[a]
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

Romans 8
19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that^[i] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

I too am am eagerly waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. I watch in awe and amazment as I see the works of the sons and daughters of God in this present age. May we are we rejoice in our glorious freedom that God has given us.