Today's reminder...
PSALM 37:4
"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Monday, October 28, 2013
Welcome to Monday! :)
How can we beat the Monday blues? Hope this picture of a super happy Seal can at least put a smile on your face today! It just looks so happy! And cute! Right?
Today's reminder...
PSALM 37:4
"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Today's reminder...
PSALM 37:4
"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Monday, October 21, 2013
Communication with God
Part of a normal conversation/communication is listening-and-talking.
And the same should be in our daily communication with God... but how?
At church this weekend, the pastor talked about how often when we pray to God,
we do most of the talking... but when we read the bible... we do the listening.
And so in communicating with God- we can both listen to messages He has for us,
and talk to Him- through prayer, and reading the bible.
------
- How do we know that God listens through prayer?
Psalm 116 in the Bible says...
"I love the LORD because he hears and answers my prayers.
He bends down and listens. Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live."
- How do we know that God speaks to us through Words in the bible?
John 1:1 in the Bible says....
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God."
And God's words in the bible are forever...
"Sky and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away."
- Matthew 24: 35
------
I hope this inspires all of us who long for a greater relationship with God,
to take our communication and time with Him to the next level...
through prayer, and time to read the bible.
And the same should be in our daily communication with God... but how?
At church this weekend, the pastor talked about how often when we pray to God,
we do most of the talking... but when we read the bible... we do the listening.
And so in communicating with God- we can both listen to messages He has for us,
and talk to Him- through prayer, and reading the bible.
------
- How do we know that God listens through prayer?
Psalm 116 in the Bible says...
"I love the LORD because he hears and answers my prayers.
He bends down and listens. Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live."
- How do we know that God speaks to us through Words in the bible?
John 1:1 in the Bible says....
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God."
And God's words in the bible are forever...
"Sky and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away."
- Matthew 24: 35
------
I hope this inspires all of us who long for a greater relationship with God,
to take our communication and time with Him to the next level...
through prayer, and time to read the bible.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Maria's Top 5 Fave Foods
This week I decided to do a blog on my top 5 favorite restaurant dishes... coz they're so yummy!
And if you haven't ever tried these, why not?
Variety is the spice of life!
1. Yam and Avocado Sushi (Food from Japan)
2. Pad Thai (Food from Thailand)
3. East Indian Butter Chicken (Food from India)
4. Pancit Palabok (Food from the Philippines)
5. Salmon and Butter Fish Sashimi (yah raw fish- Food from Japan again!)
And if you haven't ever tried these, why not?
Variety is the spice of life!
1. Yam and Avocado Sushi (Food from Japan)
2. Pad Thai (Food from Thailand)
3. East Indian Butter Chicken (Food from India)
4. Pancit Palabok (Food from the Philippines)
5. Salmon and Butter Fish Sashimi (yah raw fish- Food from Japan again!)
Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Love is a Choice - A challenge to all Christians
This is a continuation to last week's blog.
To God, love is an everlasting gift that he gives the world- even if they don't know who he is, or doesn't recognize Him in their lives. He is always there for them, and loves them. If they only knew.
Maybe you and I as Christians, can show God's love through our actions.
1 John 4:8 - "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
To humans, as we are given free will, sometimes love can be disguised "a feeling", and we sometimes choose whether to love other people based on how they make us feel about ourselves.
But if everyone had everlasting, unconditional love for each other- there would be no bullying, no fights, no broken families, no racism or injustice. But that's in a perfect world (perhaps heaven one day?). We don't live in one right now unfortunately.
So, how is a Christian called to love in this imperfect world?
" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
The Challenge is to make The Choice to display love to others... no matter who they are, where they are from, or how they treat you.
This is not to say that you should tolerate it if another person is showing complete disrespect to you, but that's when we take a deep breath, and pray to God that we would see the world as he loves it, and not how we see it in our human rational ways... and choose to love that person anyways, and treat them the way Jesus would. (rather than respond in a cold way as a normal person would).
Here's an interesting tactic...
Try saying this out loud, the next time someone challenges you to love them...
(Maybe its an impatient family member, a selfish or irresponsible friend, or even someone who belittles you in front of others)
"Because I Love God, I choose to _______" (whatever the most loving reaction should be).
For example, if someone hurts/belittles/disrespects you, rather than fighting back at them,
you can say...
"Because I love God, I choose to Forgive."
Its amazing how just making that Choice to Love - as Proof of your love for God, can impact your actions and thoughts about the person that hurt you.
And at the end of the day, when you leave this world - you can tell your creator you did your best to love everyone around you- how cool it would be to have lived a life of love for Gods glory!
Finally, would like to end this blog with a few bible verses to remember:
"I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" - Matthew 5:43-48
"Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”3Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself."
To God, love is an everlasting gift that he gives the world- even if they don't know who he is, or doesn't recognize Him in their lives. He is always there for them, and loves them. If they only knew.
Maybe you and I as Christians, can show God's love through our actions.
1 John 4:8 - "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
To humans, as we are given free will, sometimes love can be disguised "a feeling", and we sometimes choose whether to love other people based on how they make us feel about ourselves.
But if everyone had everlasting, unconditional love for each other- there would be no bullying, no fights, no broken families, no racism or injustice. But that's in a perfect world (perhaps heaven one day?). We don't live in one right now unfortunately.
So, how is a Christian called to love in this imperfect world?
" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
The Challenge is to make The Choice to display love to others... no matter who they are, where they are from, or how they treat you.
This is not to say that you should tolerate it if another person is showing complete disrespect to you, but that's when we take a deep breath, and pray to God that we would see the world as he loves it, and not how we see it in our human rational ways... and choose to love that person anyways, and treat them the way Jesus would. (rather than respond in a cold way as a normal person would).
Here's an interesting tactic...
Try saying this out loud, the next time someone challenges you to love them...
(Maybe its an impatient family member, a selfish or irresponsible friend, or even someone who belittles you in front of others)
"Because I Love God, I choose to _______" (whatever the most loving reaction should be).
For example, if someone hurts/belittles/disrespects you, rather than fighting back at them,
you can say...
"Because I love God, I choose to Forgive."
Its amazing how just making that Choice to Love - as Proof of your love for God, can impact your actions and thoughts about the person that hurt you.
And at the end of the day, when you leave this world - you can tell your creator you did your best to love everyone around you- how cool it would be to have lived a life of love for Gods glory!
Finally, would like to end this blog with a few bible verses to remember:
"I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" - Matthew 5:43-48
"Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”3Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself."
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