Friday, October 31, 2014

Genesis 34

This is a difficult chapter to read. I have a problem with men who think they can just force themselves upon a woman. Of course if it were a role reversal, I would still have a problem with it. To disrespect someone in such a way is beyond me. However what Jacob's sons did is not acceptable either. It is for God to take revenge for those who need it, not us. But i can understand their reasoning. Had someone hurt my sister in such a way, it would be hard for me to just stand by. 

Lord, please heal those who have been hurt by the hand of othes. Help mend them, as they may feel broken, and help calm the storm that arises in their loved ones. Help them to see you are the ultimate judge. Amen. 

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Genesis 32 & 33

Good morning. I had the ultrasound yesterday and baby is well. The little thing was just moving all over! 

In these two chapters, Jacob is frightened by the idea that his brother is angry and will harm him. God already told him to go home and God will protect him. But Jacob's fear, especially when he hears Esau is coming with 400 men, takes over. He tries to divide up the camp in case one is overtaken, the other shall continue. He tries to send droves of animals ahead to appease Esau. And when Esau did show up, Esau ran to Jacob and embraced him! Forgiveness is powerful. As powerful as guilt. 

This is same way Jesus wants to have us. He wants to find those who have turned away and run to them and embrace them. He wants to forgive them for their transgressions and have them back in the family. It is our guilt that prevents us from being found. We try to hide when we have done something wrong, or try to buy back people's affection. Jesus doesn't want that, and neither did Esau. He was just so happy his brother had returned. 

Lord, I ask forgiveness daily yet I am weary to give it to others in fear of being hurt again. But I know that you forgive unconditionally, even though you know i may fall again. Please help me to not be fearful in seeking forgiveness and in giving forgiveness where it is needed. Amen

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Genesis 31

Good morning y'all. I hope everyone is having a blessed week. I am super excited because today is my first OB visit for this pregnancy. I' m hoping I get to see baby via Ultrasound today. Also I need to get a prescription for Zofran because my remedies are not helping this "morning" sickness much. Is everyone gearing up for Trick or Treat? My daughter has been practicing saying "trick or treat" all week, and we have been counting down using a paper chain. I'm hoping to finish our costumes today, so I can post a picture soon.

S: Genesis 31:49-50 ...May thenLord keep watch beaten you and me when we are out of each other's sight. If you mistreat my daughters, or take other wives besides my daughters, remember that even though no one else is about, God will be witness between you and me. 

O: Laban doesn't have to witness if Jacob fails to keep his promise, because God will see it. 

A: growing up, I feared displeasing my parents. It really would make me sick to my stomach if I did something that I knew my parents would not be proud of. I wasn't taught that even more importantly, I may have done something displeasing to God. I am trying to teach my daughter that even though mommy and daddy can't watch her all the time, that God is always there and sees her. I' m hoping to help keep her more accountable for herself not through worrying about displeasing me, but moreover trying to always please God. That is the more important goal anyway. 

P: lord, please help me continue to guide my children toward you. I want to raise respectful, God-fearing daughters and sons that know you are the ultimate goal. Amen. 

Monday, October 27, 2014

Genesis 30

In chapter 29, God heard Leah's pains and gave her children. In chapter 30, Rachel got jealous, and instead of praying to God for children of her own, she insisted Jacob sleep with her slave and give he children through the slave. Sarah did this to Abraham because she couldn't wait on God's timing, and then became envious of here slave to the point of beating her. 

Rachel couldn't wait for God's timining, but felt vindicated when her slave had a son for her. This battle continued on between the sisters, as Leah allowed Jacob to Impregnate her slave, and then Leach had two more sons of her own. If you do the math, this was approximately 10 years worth of a fight between the sisters. Finally, God heard Rachel's prayer and gave her a son, Joseph. 

Sometimes we want something so badly, we do whatever it takes to get it, without thinking of the consequences. Instead, we need to take the time to pray about it to God, and if He sees it as a necessity in our life, it will happen. But on his terms and in his timeline. We need to learn as a society to not be greedy, but it is hard being that people grow up from kids with then "Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie" attitude thinking they are owed everything. 

We need to practice patience. I've heard it's a virtue ;)

Lord, help my soul and mind to be patient. Help me see that if it isn't meant to be, I am better off without whatever I think I want. You are the one who can fulfill our needs. Amen.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Genesis 29

Jacob had tricked his father into getting Esau's blessing. Then Jacob is threatened and leaves. He travels to a land where he has relatives of his mother, and sees Rachel and falls in love with her. After making a deal with Laban, to feel him 7 years to be able to wed Rachel,, Jacob consummated marriage with Leah instead of Rachel. He feels tricked by Laban. But this is very similar to what Jacob did to his own father. Jacob is allowed to marry Rachel and works with Laban longer.

Laban was only doing what a father should. Back in those days, the first born had more rights than their siblings. As Esau was supposed to have birthright and a blessing, Leah should have been married first. Maybe the way Laban went about this wasn't right, but he was following the customs of his land. I am curious about the multiple wives that men have in those testament. And the babies born with their slaves. My husband always said "One wife telling me what to do is enough." He  is only picking, but it's good to know he feels that way. I digress...

Im having a hard time finding something in particular to think deeper on in this chapter. In the second half, God hears Leah's pain and gives her 4 sons. But she still lacks the affection from Jacob. Hopefully she knew that it is the love of God alone that can totally fulfill our needs. Otherwise, that sounds pretty terrible. 

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Genesis 28

Genesis 28:15 Know that I am with you; I will protect you wherever you go, and bring you back to this land. I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.

To me this is a  powerful verse. I know there are several other times in the bible that "I am with you" is found. God continually is calling to us to let us know he is there. Here, God is telling Jacob to have faith and know He is there as he prepares on his journey. He wants Jacob to trust in Him as did Issac and Abraham. 

Are there times in our lives where we can hear God calling us, telling us he is there? Sometimes it's harder to hear than others. Let's imagine we are outside on a nice day, let's say sunny and 65, looking at a beautiful field. The we feel a nice breeze come across the field. Do you ever think that's God saying "I am here with you"? It may be easier to imagine him there when we are having easy days. But it's the days that are hard that we need to know he is there. And he is. Remembered the poem about the footsteps? Where the man, looking back on his life, says he sees two sets of footprints for a while but he sees only one set during the bad days. And God (it may have been Jesus) tells him that's because He was carrying the man during the bad days. God is always with us. Listen for him.

Lord, I pray that I always a, willing to open my ears and my heart to hear you say you are there. That I know I am never really alone. Amen. 

Friday, October 24, 2014

Genesis 27

Deception; to deceive; to mislead by a false appearance or statement. Jacob did just that by appearing as if he was his brother Esau and telling his father such. He mislead his father to receive a blessing meant for Esau. This is not Jacob's deception alone: his mother Rebekah was the instigator. Jacob must flee because of his deception, so that his brother does not kill him. So Jacob and his mother are now separate from each other because of their lies. 

How easy it is to deceive. We learn to do it as children with "little white lies." We  do these things to gain something or to make ourselves look good. We don't think anyone will find out. And maybe no one will. But the bigger problem at hand is one person knows. Besides you. God knows. He knew the moment you let the words slip out. He was the one pulling on our heart to stop. He is our conscious that makes us toss and turn at night after we have deceived someone. He is there. 

In Mark 4:22 it is written: "For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light." I have always taken that verse to mean that any deception we try to hide will be made known. Someone will figure it out, or we will be truthful, but even if that doesn't happen, it will be made light on our judgement day. God knows of every deception we have done. It is the dark one whispering in our ears to continue on with the lies. We must stand firm and tell him to move back. We must not falsely aquire things that epwere not meant for us. We must stand with God against the devil, against deception, against all evil. This is a daily struggle. It is so easy to let one little white lie slip out. But befor you know it, that lie can snowball out of control. 

Lord, please help me to stand firm against deception. I do not want to gain things that aren't meant for me. I only want them if you meant them for me. I pray I can stand firm against the devil's whispers. Amen. 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Genesis 25

Genesis 25:8 there he breathed his last, dying at a ripe old age, grown old after a full life; and he was taken to his kinsmen. 

What a beautiful statement about Abraham's passing. After 175 years and a full life, as written, he breathed his last. If only that could be the thought for everyone who passes, but it's not always the care. Some people at taken way too early. No one understands God's reasoning for why some people's life are cut short while others live longer. No one really likes to talk about death. Except maybe the really old or the really sick, because they have come to terms with their time. 

I'm not sure why this sentence stood out to me this morning. Halloween is right around the corner, as is All Hallow's Day/ All Saint's Day, which is the day we remember the dead. In my job, we see death every day, and only the ones caused by someone else. It can be really hard work, but I know I am working for the greater good, to help the families. It is very hard not to say, "How could He let this happen?" But I know in my heart that God has a plan for everyone. God does not just 'let things happen.' He does everything with a purpose that we are not to understand. Death is one of those things. 

Abraham's life was great because he lived it with God. We shouldn't worry about death. We should live each day here on earth for God. Our ultimate goal is to be in heaven with God, and Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc. If we live our life fully like Abraham did, with God at our side, it won't matter when God comes to call, because we will be ready. 

Have you ever sat down and talked with the elderly or the very sick? How about a patient at St. Jude's? I did. And that child's faith at 8 years old was great than mine was at 22. She knew God had a plan for her. She knew that through her struggles, the doctors could possibly find a cure. And if it wasn't through her, they would at least know how to better treat the next child. She was amazing. Even thought she was 8, every day she lived her life, as best should could, to the fullest. She prayed several times a day and thanked God all the time. Even when she was in pain. How amazing! 

We may not get to live for 175 years like Abraham. But we can make the most of each and every day while we are here on earth, preparing for heaven. 

Lord, I ask that you help me to live every day to its fullest, like Abraham, so that when it is my time to meet you, people can know I did so. Amen.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Genesis 24

What a beautiful chapter! Abraham's servant prayed, and God answers his prayer in verse 15 with Rebekah, who was Abraham's kinsman as he asked. And how obedient was Rebekah to leave her family and return with the servant to marry someone she had never met. Her family wanted to keep her a few more days, but she never hesitated when the servant was ready to go because of her faith in God. 

How often do we hesitate when we feel God pulling at our heart? I can honestly say way too often. There have been a few times lately that I know God wanted me to do something, and I hesitated because I was late for work, or I had to pick up the kids, or some other excuse I could think of. We should stop more often and acknowledge those pulls on our heart and follow them. Only God knows how those small steps could change our life (and maybe someone else's), possiblly for the better.

Lord, help me to slow down and follow your commands. Help me to not think of an excuse when I walk by that person you want me to stop and talk to. Help me to gore my faith and trust that you will take care of me. Amen

Monday, October 20, 2014

Genesis 23

In Genesis 23:4 we see Abraham trying to purchase a piece of land in the Hittite area. The Hittites kept trying to give the land to Abraham, but he wanted to purchase it. Probably go give his descendants their first piece of land in the country God promised they would one day inherit. Abraham could now say his descendants inherited the land from him and not from the Hittites as a sorrowful gift. 

Abraham did this so the Hittites couldn't ever come back and say "We gave you this land, now do this for us." Sometimes with gifts their a strings attached. We must be carful who we accept gifts from and their reasoning behind it. This happens alot in our world today, as many people have the mindset "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours," or if I do you a favor, you will do one for me. We need to be aware of this deceitful nature because if we are doing things for personal gain and not for God, the devil is winning. 

This is not to say if someone offers us a gift, we shouldn't take it. We should just be mindful of who and what it is, and if it looks like it's too good to be true, it probably is. We could then either pay for the gift or not accept it. 

Lord, lease keep me mindful of th gifts you want me to receive come from your grace and not personal gain. Amen.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Genesis 22

Good morning! My us and and I not to an 80's themed Halloween party last night. It was petty fun. Most of the guests had dressed as movie or TV icons of the 80's (Michael Meyers, Teen Wolf, Goblin King of Lanryinth, Jessica Rabbit, Punky Brewster, Rick Flair, and more). I'm not the biggest fan of Halloween costumes. To me it's a free ride for the creepy people to put masks on and come out to scare you and no one would know if it's a real trick or not. That's just me. I watch too much television. Anyway, back to the study.

In Genesis 22:2, God tests Abraham's loyalty. He asks Abraham to offer up his only son as a Holocaust. And Abraham willingly was going to comply, and would have if the angel had not stopped him. How amazing was his love for God! To give up his only son. Could we give up our children as easily? 

God gave us his only son to save us from sin. God's love for us is amazing and unconditional. Just as Abraham's love for God was. It is said in the Bible that would should not hold earthy possessions above God, that we should be willing to let the go at a moment's notice. The ability to sacrifice a child is a truly unconditional love that I don't know if I am at yet.

Lord, I want to love you like Abraham. I want to be able to give up everything for you. I am glad you haven't asked me to give up my children because I fear I am not ready to do that. Help me to overcome this fear, knowing if I were to lose a child, I would see them again in heaven with you. Amen. 

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Genesis 21

Genesis 21:18 Arise, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand; for I will make of him a great nation.

How amazing is God? He keeps his promises to the blessed (Abraham) and to the slave (Ishmael). As they we cast pit into the wilderness, God hears Ishmael's cries, comes down and shows Hagar a well. God promised Hagar that Ishmael would have many descendents when she left Sarai's abuse. Here he finds them in need and again promises a great nation. 

It would have been so easy for someone to overlook Hagar and Ishmael. A son of a slave, conceived out of wedlock, no father around. But God protects his children, no matter how they came to be. God keeps his promises. 

Dear Lord, we are so blessed that you keep your promises. You are a great God. Thank you for every day you allow us to be here on earth in preparation of our life in Heaven. Please continue to hold my heart steadfast against the devil so that I may see your promises. Amen. 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Genesis 19

Genesis 19:14 So a Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had contracted marriage with his daughters. "Get up and leave this place," he told them; "the Lord is about to destroy the city." But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

The young men didn't believe that God was coming to detroy the town. I presume the stayed behind and died with the rest of the people there. How would we react today if we were told the Lord was coming to destroy our town and we had to leave? Would we believe? I think it, unfortunately, would be hard to believe at first because of all the past lies about the world ending. Kind of like the fable "The Boy who Cried Wolf." What would it take for us to believe? 

I know the second coming of Jesus could happen at anytime. When it does I pray I have the strength to accept Him as he says he is. This is a very tricky thought. We don't know when it will happen, what he will look like, and what all fakes will be before him. I do, however, trust that God will make it well known when the time is right, and Christians will know and believe, so we don't burn like those in Sodom, or turn into a pillar of salt, like Lot's wife. 

Dear Lord, I pray that you humble me to know you better. I want to be brave like Lot and turn away when you tell me too. Amen. 

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Genesis 18

Genesis 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself and said, "Now that I am so either and my husband is so old, am I still to have sexual pleasure?" 

In Genesis 17:17, Abraham laughs at the thought of having a child so old. Here, Sarah laughed. God told Abraham to name the child Issac, which means laugh in Hebrew. It is funny how God works. But I chapter 18 we see how Sarah doesn't believe God when he says she will have a baby. She and Abraham have yet to see how powerful God is. 

Lord, I pray that I continue to believe without needing a visual proof just how powerful you are. Open our hearts so we are not doubters and see your majestic role in our lives. Amen.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Genesis 17

Genesis 17:17 Abraham prostrated himself and laughs as he said to himself, "Can a child be born to w man who is a hundred years old? Or can Sarah give birth at ninety?"

Here again Abraham doubts God. Maybe by the time his generation is alive, people were having babies before ninety, but his ancestors were hundreds before and/or still having children. This is the second time Abraham directly questioned God. He also indirectly questioned him by laying with his maid. 

God continues to keep his covenant with Abraham although he questions God's timing. God must have favor on Abraham to allow the covenant to continue. Just as God still continues to love us even when we turn our back to him. He still wants us to come back, no matter what we have done. We are his children. 

Dear Lord, though we question your timing with our lives and things that go on in our lives, please continue to keep your Covenant with us. Thank you for not turning your back on us when we don't believe. Please keep calling us back to you. Amen.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Genesis 16

Genesis 16:5 So Sarai said to Abram: "You are responsible for this outage  against me. I myself fav my maid to your embrace, but ever since she become aware of her pregnancy, she has been looking on me with disdain. May the Lord decide between you and me." 

Sarai made the decision for her husband to have a child, because she could not be patient and wait for the Lord. The Lord had promised numerous children, but Sarai may have felt embarrassed because she could not produce Abram an heir. But once the maid became pregnant, Sarai was jealous. She abused and mistreated the maid so much, the maid ran away.

One of our commandments Moses brought down is do not look upon your neighbor with envy. If Sarai had waited, she would have received everything God promised her. Her impatience got the better of her. This happens a lot in life. How many times do we do or buy something with impulse, and then when the better version comes out, we look at others with envy. If we had waited a little while, we could have had that. This can be the most trivial things or it can be something that ends up hurting us very deep. That is why we should turn to God before making irrational decisions. We should Pray about things and try to think them through. We are such a fast paced people, this is something we would need to work on daily.

Lord, I ask that you help slow down my thoughts on decisions I make, let me pray with them to you. I don't want to be envious as that is a sin. Help me to see that I don't need the next big thing, because you have better plans for me. Amen


Genesis 15

Genesis 15:3 "Look, you have given me no offspring, so a servant of my household will be my heir."

God had just told Abram He would make his reward great. Abram didn't understand how being that he had no children. God had already promised Abram when he departed from Lot that his descendants would be more than the grains of sand on the earth (Genesis 13:16). Once God made a covenant with Abram, he trusted God's promise.

We can't just go around sacrificing animals today hoping to make a covenant with God, or hoping he hears our prayers. But I believe that by going to church weekly, we are making our personal commitment to God to honor him, and through that commitment his is giving us his covenant. In my church, we are Catholic if you remember, we receive the Eucharist each Sunday. To me, that is a sign of the covenant between God, Jesus, and myself. I see Jesus on the cross as I go up to receive his body, and I see the covenant that God made with us: through his Son, we will be saved. If I am ever feeling in a rut, and need a "reminder" that God is listening, I just go to church and pray and be with Him. It can be a powerful reminder, 

I know all religions ar different, and all church buildings at different. You don't have to have a big cross with Jesus on it to remind you. This something else in your church that brings you close to God, and shows his covenant. What is that for you? I'd love to hear your answers.

Dear Lord, thank you for making a covenant with me, and allowing us to be saved and live on this earth. Thank you for allowing us to return generation after generation. May we keep pleasing you so that we can continue to prosper. Amen

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Genesis 14

Good morning! I feel blessed the last few mornings to be able to awaken and be with God without being sick. My "morning" sickness has not subsided. It's just not as bad first thing in the momrning. And that makes for a good day. Praise God.

Genesis 14:23 that I would not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap from anything that is yours, so that you cannot say, 'I made Abram rich.'

O: Abram does not let anyone but God enrich him. He knows his victory is through God alone.

A: how can I be that humble? All the gifts we are born with are given to us by God. But do we take th time to think about that and praise him fort them? For instance, I received several scholarships for college because of th good grades I made in highschool. Of course I was only 17 and not on a great walk with God. If it were now, I would want to praise God for the blessing of my knowledge and my ability to get into college. 

But I don't know that I could have turned down the scholarships. To me, I was being rewarded because of knowledge that God gave me. In this chapter Abram would have been rewarded by a greedy King. So I don't think that is the same. What do you think??

P: Lord, let me always praise you first for my blessings. And let me praise you for my shortcomings as well. You alone know my path. Amen.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Genesis 13

I know this may sound silly, as I already knew the story in the Bible, but while reading this chapter, I kept envisioning the Veggie Tale version of it. I just saw it the other day on TV. Also, when doing the book of Esther, we have th Veggie Tale version. It is less adult than the Bible, I think it is cut and my daughter loves them. So my visual of Abram and Lot are two cartoon vegetables...

Genesis 13:14 After Lot had left, the Lord said to Abram: "Look about you, and from where you are, gaze to the  northh and south, east and west; all the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants too might be counted."  

O: God promised Abram his descendants would cover the earth. 

A: If you remember from Chapter 11, it said Sarai, Abrams's wife was barren. And hree God is promising to give Abram so many descendants, they cannot be counted. How amazing! I know that being able to carry a child is such a great honor. And I also know some women do not get to carry a child in their womb, but they still have a great opportunity to carry one in their hearts and raise a child through adoption. Being a mother doesn't mean giving birth, it means loving a child and raising the child. I digress... God fills is promises. Gods promises are not always what we had in mind. But we need to be open to his will and his way to enjoy our life.

P: Dear Lord, please let me always be open to your way, so that i might accept your promises and gifts unconditionally and whole heartedly. You alone know the path you have chosen for me. I hank you for that. I ask that you open each and every person's mind so they may also understand your way. Amen. 

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Genesis 12

Genesis 12:13 Please say therefore, that you are my sister, so that it may go well with me on your account and my life may be spared for your sake.

O: Here we see Abram not trusting that God would protect him. He convinced his wife to say she was his sister. This way, she would be taken in the palace and treated well, and he would be given flocks and herds. When God saw Pharaoh with Abrams's wife, he sent a plague. I'm a little surprised God didn't get angry with Abram for not trusting that He would see them through the land unharmed.

A: we all tell little white lies for things to work in our favor. But do we all feel the guilt after? The guilt is put there by our conscious which was given to us by God. I always relate my guilt as God pulling on my heart strings asking why I did that. Abram was lucky that Pharaoh didn't have his men go after them when they were sent away. Our white lies can have consequences. We shouldn't have to know the result to know that we shouldn't lie about things in our lives just to get better. We need to trust that God will take care of us in his way.

P: God, I know those white lies put barriers between you and me. I want to break those barriers and know that you're always there for me, and I don't need to lie. The lies eventually catch up to me, and then I am empty. Please help me to see this before I start those lies. Amen.

Here is a picture from my bible of Abram's journey

Genesis 11

Genesis 11:6 Then the Lord said: "If now, while they are one people, Dallas speaking the same language, they have started to do this, nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do..."

O: after everything God had done to rectify the earth of the people, saving Noah and his family, these people had forgotten to trust God.

A: We are a simple creature. In the midst of sadness and despair, we remember God. But in times of greatness and happiness, do we remember? Or are we forgetful like the people in Babel. God could send something at anytime to scatter us. Is that what it would take for us to be grateful for what we have?

P: Lord, I want to always show you my gratitude for my life. In my good times and bad, I want to rejoice in you. I don't want to be forgetful or untrusting like the people of Babel. Let me always praise your name. Amen. 

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Genesis 10

Morning y'all,

I enjoy reading get genealogies in the bible. I have spent much time on my family's genealogical tree. I can trace us back to France in 1595. It is such a neat thing to get to see take a peak at the lives of our ancestors. At least I think so. This chapter talks of Noah's descendants. Here is a picture from my bible that shows the families in chapter 10.

image2.JPG

Monday, October 6, 2014

Apologies


So I have been really out of the loop the last few days. On Wednesday last week, I was in the hospital with a 103.4 degree fever from an infection because I didn't take care of it when I noticed it. That was in the evening after having been dizzy and feeling drugged enough that I could get off of the sofa that day. I didn't make it trough work on Thursday be cause the fever came back. It didn't really leave unt Saturday. And the pain finally went away Saturday as well. Hunter had his first hair cut Saturday. I've attached before and after shots. So cute. Then his birthday was yesterday, and today he got tubes placed in his ears. In all this, I have gotten behind on my postings of my bible study. I will try to start again tomorrow with Genesis 9. Until then, take care

Friday, October 3, 2014

Genesis 5

I don't really have a verse to study from on this chapter. Rather, the whole chapter is remarkable in that it talks about the length of time each man lived. How incredible! 903 years, 912 years, 905 years, etc. I wonder what life was like back in those days? To live to be over 100 years before having a child? I'm sure their lives were hard having to farm and live off the land. How did they look at 200? But none of that really matters. What matters is that for those 900 years, they praised God!

Genesis 4

S: Genesis 4:6b-7 Why are you so resentful and crestfallen? If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master. 

O: in our day to day lives, it is so easy to be resentful when things do not work out in our favor. How quickly we can jump to conclusions of failure, or contemplation against the one we have resentment for. And how quickly the devil can swoop in and take over.

A: as Christians, we need to daily pick up our armor to fight the devil. And one of those ways is to learn to not let "closed doors" make us resentful. God has plans for us that we don't know about. How great they are! But this task is not easy. That's what prayer partners or mentors are for. They can help us to turn the other cheek and accept ways that don't work out the way we want.

P: Dear Lord, please continue to guard me against the devil. He can show up in the smallest ways. Please help me to not be resentful when plans don't go my way. Help me understand it's not about me, but it's about you. Amen

Lack of Friends

Moving is hard. If you never have, it’s not something to take lightly. I haven’t moved nearly as many times as some people, but I have lived...