missed a day. I'm slipping. badddddd
"Paul's hardships"
this list is one to keep in your heart. all these sufferings should be taken with gladness not despair because we are servants of God. so many good and bad things. this is what is promised to us as workers of God. I love how it is summed up: having nothing and yet possessing everything. we have nothing of what the world wants but we have everything in God.
it's wonderful isnt it? that their hearts are wide open and are encouraging others to do so as well. it's interesting because at my youth leadership team meeting the other day, the main point that was brought up was to open ourselves, make ourselves vulnerable to make othe welcome and show them our faith. how can we connect with others and expect them to be open when we ourselves are not?
on the same note, I've been able to open my heart so much more to people because of a certain someone. he has continually encouraged me not to hide my heart and as a result, I've been able to be so much more truthful about so many things. it makes me feel so much more free. that and it's been easier to talk to people because I don't have to think about what they want me to say/be like but rather who I really am.
"do not be yoked with unbelievers"
put in straightforward words. do not be yoked with unbelievers. and Paul gves the reason too, basically ending with the fact that God and idolatry can never be together. one will win out. now you can argue what it means to be yoked. some people will asks whether this means you should not associate with unbelievers at all. if you think about it though, if we never associate with unbelievers, how are we to carry out Jesus' commission to make disciples of all nations? so knowing it can't be that, what else can yoked mean?
well the next point is marriage. you will be living with that person for the rest of your life, in the same house, 24/7. I think you'll be influencing each other quite a bit. I'm not married, but i can say from living with my family that you become like each other. therefore, if you want to stay strong in your faith and grow in it, you need someone who can help you with that, not someone who will bring you down.
my last point is about purifying ourselves for God. out of reverence for God. I love and respect him and know I need to clease myself from sin. I have one sin that weighs heavy on my heart. I know I need it to be cleansed. and because of that, I repent and ask for forgiveness and am forgiven. but then I do it again. that's why I feel so dirty at times and the. God cleans me. I don't want to do it again.
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