Pray for Friends and Enemies

I realize I have not written lately. My week is horrible. The last two days and the first are the worst sleep wise. I work Friday from 3 to 12 at night. Wake up Saturday at 5 to go to class at 7:30 (my school is about an hour away) and get out of class at 1:30 or 2 to have just enough time to come home, eat, and get ready for work 4 to 12 at night... then I wake up for church on Sunday at 8 or 9, and have the best time at then work 3 to 12.. Lol it's such a pain going to school full time and working full time. :) But I'll get where I wanna be and where I feel God is calling me soon!


I have been reading Psalms like crazy and finding verses about God's glory for church tomorrow night. I have been searching for almost a week and have found quite a few. I relate it this way. I received the word Glorious. This is an adjective for something given glory, which is a form and a synonym of praise and adoration. So I am searching for verses of praise and lifting up God's name in thanksgiving and adoration.


So far I have seven verses for this and three possible verses to use. :)


Today I am reading Psalm 41 which is the last psalm of Book One. I have three different versions I am looking at right now. These are of course the three I have noticed to be the most viewed versions. Also, the most differing. I personally read the New Living Translation, and am also using (today) the New International Version and the King James Version.


Here it is for those of you who do not have a Bible:


(New Living Translation)


1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!
      The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
2 The Lord protects them
      and keeps them alive.
   He gives them prosperity in the land
      and rescues them from their enemies.
3 The Lord nurses them when they are sick
      and restores them to health.
4 “O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me.
      Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5 But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
      “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask.
6 They visit me as if they were my friends,
      but all the while they gather gossip,
      and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
7 All who hate me whisper about me,
      imagining the worst.
8 “He has some fatal disease,” they say.
      “He will never get out of that bed!”
9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
      the one who shared my food, has turned against me.
10 Lord, have mercy on me.
      Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
11 I know you are pleased with me,
      for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
12 You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
      you have brought me into your presence forever.
13  Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
      who lives from everlasting to everlasting.
   Amen and amen!

This psalm is without a doubt beautiful. This is something not many take refuge in. God is there, a friend when you are in need, a healer, someone you can confide in even when your friends all turn their backs on you. V. 1-4 tells us exactly what I am saying. God blesses you beyond measure and blesses you   if you are kind to the poor (both poor in money and poor in spirit, even poor in health). He blesses us in spiritual prosperity, guaranteed. (Sorry, I am a sales representative, using words like "guarantee" come natural now.) He has our backs and takes good care of us.

V. 4-6 kind of make me want to be angry, but this is the way of the world now, the way of Satan. People offer help but it is with empty sympathy. They say to your face, "it will all get better soon" and then go to their other friends and tell them "they have no chance". What's worse, they do it so blatantly that the person they are talking about hears just as soon what is being said about them. Read v. 7-9. This simply reiterates what I am saying. This passage makes me remember more than ever to pray for me friends and enemies. Even my frienemies (combo).

Not only to pray for them and their actions, but also pray that God might show them through me what is right so I can definitely triumph over the evil that may seep into their lives. If they see me for what I am through Christ, what else is there? That is all I want anyone to see, Christ in me, living in me, through me, and me living for Him.

"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen!"

We should always keep God's praise and glory in our mind and on our lips. I am giving a goal to whoever is reading this. Today, just today, tell someone of your relationship with Christ. Whether it be a short sentence of maybe five words, do it. Even an "I'm so excited about church tomorrow (or whatever day you have church)", even simply reading your Bible in public (as I do a LOT). Someone may see you and ask what you are reading. This is the perfect time to share your faith. Pray before your day begins, before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, before sleeping. Pray before you take that long drive for safety, for beautiful weather, for a safe trip back as well. It is so exhilarating to talk to God almost 24/7. Do it.

God bless you! Prayer request? Email me at livin4christ0129@yahoo.com!

Lanie

Listening to 90.9 KSWP on my radio and have heard "I'm Not Who I Was" by Brandon Heath and "Born Again" by Newsboys. :)

well..

My beginning of the journey was easier than I thought. Then..duh duh duh! It ended abruptly with some temptation and dinner..

I guess I am taking that as a sign that I am going to be starting over tomorrow. Please pray with and for me guys. I need direction, time (who doesn't), peace, and compassion. I have all of these to a degree, I really need perseverance more than anything. I have been reading my Bible like it's on fire for the past month. I started in Acts and kept reading in sequence from there. Now I am in Colossians. I am also going to continue with my Extreme Devotion. Please keep my family in your prayers. I am praying for salvations and commitments. I am praying for peace, I am praying for guidance (not just for me), I am praying for the persecuted church. I am praying for a LOT of things..I love you guys! Thank you reading. If you have any prayer requests, email me at livin4christ0129@yahoo.com or comment below.

God bless!

Lanie

Short Prayer

There isn't really much to say right now.. God bless everyone and keep them safe and give them a great night of sleep and a great day in the morning. I love you all!! AMEN.

Lanie

Day 25/365 Bible in a Year

Today I read Psalms 9-11. I love Psalms.. they relax me. I really have no clue why. God please bless this reading and these writings for others to see. Thank you. Amen.

Psalm 9
Don't you know that God ALWAYS hears our cries? Our cries of discouragement, our cries from torment, our cried for help? Praise Him and His Holy name! God judges fairly. He protects us from the wicked in this world. He helps us deal with it when we must. God is a Wonder... He will reign forever. Here's a verse that sticks out to me,
Psalm 9:9-10
"The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust You, for You, Oh Lord, do not abandon those who search for you."
He will always be there for us.
He always has.
He will judge the nations one day and we will ALL be judged for our lives.

Psalm 10
This is why the wicked succeed... they have completely ABANDONED God. Satan gives them what they want and when they want it...and usually how much of it they want. God sees that and He hears the cries of the helpless who are hurt by the wicked and He will jusge the wicked when His day comes. (And it is coming sooner than we all think)

Psalm 11
My study Bible actually uses these words to describe this chapter, "Because we can trust Him, we can face our problems." Beautiful right? This one I want you all to read for yourself. It is amazing. Trust in the Lord with everything you have. Even when facing danger of persecution. You know it's coming guys.. Some of it is already here. A lot of it in other countries. Here in America we take religious freedom for granted. People here can just SAY that they are Christian..but in certain other countries it can be the very phrase that get's you killed in a heart beat... Even when persecution is on the threshold of your doorstep... stand fast. Be ready and stand fast. You believe what you believe. Noone cant ake that away from you.

Guys, I really hope these words helped you today. You should really be reading along yourself, just in case I get something wrong or am accidently reading the wrong passage. It's great to be independent in your faith as well as join up in groups. Prayer requests? Comment below or emial me at livin4christ0129@yahoo.com!

Lanie

Day 21/365 Bible in a Year

Well that day that I read the Sermon on the Mount I wasn't sure what day it would actually be on, but apparently it's today haha! So soon!

Chapter 5

One day Jesus saw the crowds gathering, He sat on the mountain side and started teaching His disciples. His words mean so much and people these days don't even care. He tells us how blessed we are, even when we are being persecuted (church fires here) we are blessed. The Kingdom of Heaven is ours!! We are the salt of the earth, the light. We CANNOT lose our taste, we CANNOT cover ourselves up. People are supposed to know who we are (Christians) by watching us, even if we don't say ANYTHING! We should help heal the earth like salt heals wounds, flavor this world like salt does food, preserve this world and the goodness in it like salt does foods.. This next verse is very important!

Matthew 5:17-18

"Don't misunderstand why I have come I did not cme to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved."

Some people believe that when Jesus came that the old law was gone. This CLEARY states otherwise. Then Jesus emphasizes how He views anger. Killing alone is bad,but He says that even being ANGRY at someone is murder (in your mind). Cursing someone, calling someone an idiot, all of it is anger and anger is murder in your mind. If you think murder, you commit murder. Just the same with sexual sin, if you think lustful, you are commiting adultery. Also, if a man (or woman) divorces his or her husband without commiing adultery (just like they don't get along anymore) he or she makes the one who suffered the divorce ( not made it ) an adulterer. But if the one who began the divorce had an affair before hand the loyal one is not made an adulterer. And keep promises! Don't say "maybe I'll do it," just say yes or no and get it done. Maybe is of the"evil one". Revenge? What is revenge. NO REVENGE!! If someone slaps you take it and turn your other cheek!! Let them slap it too!! The rest of chapter 5 YOU have to read so I know you're reading your Bible too!

Chapter 6

This is where He teaches us how to give to the needy, how to pray!!! If any of you know me, you know I LOVE to pray. Why wouldn't you love to talk to God? Why woudn't you want to tell Jesus that you love Him? Just look up and imagine He is there, looking at you, watching you, listening to you. He is, but you can't see Him. So just imagine He's there. Say "I love you Daddy. Thank you for wakin' me up this morning. Thank you for breakfast, thank you." Even when you're "alone" (you're never alone) talk to Him like He is your self. Tell Him what's goin' on. Yes, He already knows.. but jjust like a friend who already knows, tell Him. He tells us about fasting, how to do it right, what not to do... Not to keep treasures on earth, build up your treasure in heaven! Also don't worry! Give it all to God. He wants us to be happy and worrying does no such thing. I heard this quote on KSWP earlier, "Why worry about the troubles of tomorrow, when you know Who holds tomorrow?" or something along those lines. Amazing right?

Chapter 7

Here He covers the ask, seek, knock thing. Ask the Father for what you need, He will provide. And trust me with this one guys!! He does! Seek Him and you will find Him in you, moving in you. Knock and the dorr will be openned. When you were little and you told your mom you were thirsty, did she give you dirt? God is your Father, wy would He not give you water? He would!! Do to others like you would like to be done to you. THE GOLDEN RULE!! There is only one way to heaven, and that is through Jesus.

He says, "Noone comes to the Father except through me." John 14:3

Have a relationship with Jesus. Don't just say you're doing things in His name. Don't. What He wants you to do it to actually carry out actions of compassion for Him in His name. Pray to Him, talk to Him, have a strong relationship that CANNOT be shaken!

That's it today. I know a lot of it is the story line, but I also threw a LOT of my opinions in there! How I view things.

Prayer requests? Comment below or email me at livin4christ0129@yahoo.com!!

Lanie

Meditation? Remember up there ^ ^ ^ where I told you to imagine talking directly to God, Directly to Jesus your Savior? Do it, it is so relaxing to talk to this wonderful God! He has his way of calming, give Him your troubles. Don't Only thank Him and ak Him for things! Praise Him! Have a great night!

News!

I'm watching the news tonight and the fires are really getting to me. In this region alone there have been nine church fires recently. All of these are close to us. God is using this to test our faith. I'm glad we aren't relying on the building being the church. The body (the people) are the church. Amen? Please be praying that the arsonist either turn themselves in or are caught. Have a nice night! tomorrow I am reading Isaiah 12-17.

Night!

Day 19/365 Bible in a Year

Hey guys. Today we're talking about Job 5-6. In the previous chapters, if you remembered, Job lost EVERYTHING except for a few good servants and his wife. All his livestock and children were dead.. even his shepherds.. Then Job and his friends mourned for a week (7days and 7 nights). After that time was up, Job decided to make a little speech about how he wanted for God tojust kill him. Satan was testing Job because God KNEW that he would not give up on Him. He knew that Job was loyal and faithful to God. In chapter 4 Job's friends Eliphaz tells him that he doesn't need to wish he was never born! He had helped so many people through difficult times and nw he has a difficult tie and he wants God to take his life? WHAT??
Well we are pickin up in chapter 5.
Eliphaz is still talking here. Although he seem to be accusing Job of doing things that would deserve him his kids' deaths, there are still some great points here. He is sayin that resenting what happened is NOT going to help and being jealous of the people who still have everything isn't either. Bad things are going to happen, not that you, (Job) deserve it or anything. Stuff just happnens! People always have trouble, they are always going to have or cause trouble... That's just the way it is. God has always provided in times of need and trouble. God will provide for you now. Does He not give rain to the earth to grow? My favorite verse of this chapter is Job 5:9.

"He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles."

Amen?

God will bring you peace in your storm. Always know that you Home is always gonna be there. When you take a glance at everything you have, NOTHING will be missing. For Job, his children. He tells Job to listen to what he says and apply it to his life?!

Sound familiar? God wants us to listen to what He is showing us and APPLY it to our lives. How many of you do that? I know recently I've been VERY good at it, but it's not for me to boast. God did it through me. He gives me hope, and I take it. Thank God, right? Thank God.

Chapter 6
Job answers back and wonders why it isn't okay for him to complain. Why isn't it okay for him to complain when God just struck everything from him? (Satan took it all to test him in his strength in God, but he doesn't know this.) Again he wishes that God would take his life. He literally begs Him to. He was in so much agony!
Job is literally helpless right now. He is so vulnerable to anything. If Satan were permitted to kill him right now, he probably would have, but God told Him not to.
He accuses Eliphaz, his friend, of makin accusations against him. He tells him that if he were his friend he wouldn't do that. He would support him in his mourning. He wonders if his "friends" really want to help him in his desperation.

"Look at me! Would I lie to your face? Stop assuming my guilt, for i have done no wrong. Do you think I am lying? Don't I know the difference between right and wrong?"

On this note, would you be the kind of person who assumes that just because something bad happens to someone good that they must not have bene "good enough"? Or do you stop and think, have compassin for that person, pray for that person, HELP that person, and get that person through their troubles? Your choice... please make the right decision.. God helps everyone, and wouldn't you love to be helped by Him? Love your neighbor as yourself, and if you love yourself enough to want help, then give help to others.

Prayer requests? Comcment below or email me at livin4christ0129@yahoo.com

Lanie

Day 16/365 Bible in a Year

Today I read Genesis 8-11 amongst all my inbetween class studying. I also finish Crazy Love by Francis Chan, but that's another story completely. A very awakening book, nonetheless.
Chapter 8
We are still with Moses. Still on that same old ark. Still trusting God to save us before we run out of food. (Putting yourself in the story helps you remember it better.) Well, God remembered them all and the rain stopped pouring. The flood went down and the ark ended up on top of a very tall mountain. They waited 40 days and other mountain tops finally started poppin up like daisies. So Noah sent out a black raven who flew back and forth between the boat and vacant pieces of earth that stuck up until the earth was dried enough to stay out. He also let a white dove outto go find land to stay on, but the dove kept coming back because there was no land dry enough to live on. A week later he let the dove go again and it brought an olive leaf back. Then again a week later he let the dove go and it didn't come back. But they waited 2 more months on this boat..!!! UGH!!! But you know? Noah was patient in waiting this long on the most likely cramped boat. When the land dried up completely, God told them all to get on the boat. And Noah built an altar to the Lord. And God promised not to ever kill all of His creation again.

Chapter 9
I'll attempt to be less wordy here haha!
God told them all to repopulate the earth, and so they did. He told them that if anyone killed another person that they will be killed by human hands in return. He told them they could eat the animals, but not the humans (duh!) Then God also promises that He will never flood the whole earth again. RAINBOW!!!
One day Noah gets really drunk and ends up naked in his tent. Ham finds him and instead of covering him he runs off to tell the other brothers, embarassing Noah even more than before. The other two brothers, Shem and Japheth ran into the tent to cover their father up before anyone else saw him. Then Noah cursed Ham's son Canaan to be slaves to Shem and Japheth because instead of taking care of Noah, Ham just told others about his nudity. Wow!

Chapter 10
I did better that time with the wording..maybe better this time?
There is an account of geneaology from verses 1-31 and verse 32 tells you that you just read all the clans of Noah. :D

Chapter 11
Wow, that was short, but there was only names so.....
This is by far one of my favorite passages (chapter 11) I'm not sure why.. I think it's because God shows that He and He ONLY is in control of His creations accomplishments. I love it.
Once upon a time......no for real.. once upon a time EVERYONE on this entire earth spoke the SAME language?! What!? You bet.
Well...they all decided to build a great tower in Babylonia.. a tower that touched the sky. A tower that would show how amazing and awesome they are. How much THEY could achieve. How much THEY THEMSELVES could do for THEMSELVES and THEMSELVES only.. Not God.
When the God on the universe literally SEES everything you do, think, hear, touch, smell, and feel....why in the world would you want to basically tell Him He means nothing to you????!??!?!!?!?!?!!!!!
You would have to be crazy... well these people were.
God saw what they were doing and scattered their language. They couldn't understand eachother. Without communication they couldn't tell eachother their selfish needs, without the things they "needed" they couldn't build the tower, and without the tower there was no putting themselves up higher than our God.
Then there is the geneaology of Shem all the way to Abram. Abram marries Sarai, Terah dies, and Lot, Abram, and Sarai end up in Ur together.

So basically, I know this scripture isn't in Genesis, but it has a LOT to do with the Tower of Babel.

Psalm 127:1-2

"Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builder is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones."

In another form, and simply put,

"Unless the Lord builds the house those who build it labor in vain." Psalm 127:1

Prayer requests? Comment below or email them to me at livin4christ0129@yahoo.com

Lanie

Day 15/365 Bible in a Year

Today I am reading Romans 5-6. The first part is called "Faith Brings Joy", you know? Those little title type things they label sections with in your Bible? That's what I mean.


Chapter 5
Key verse, and favorite verse from this chapter is 17.

"For the sin of one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

Adam, the first man on earth drove us all down to the sinful pits of...well...SIN! He and his wife betrayed God's trust. They sinned before there was a law to sin against. Yes, people sinned before there were laws, they just didn't know they were sinning. God gave us laws so we could see how bad off we were into sin...but it just became a common thing to do.

God gaves us grace after that. Grace was something not many found for a while. It was the light in the darkness, the good amongst all the bad. But God then sent His son Jesus to die for us. He died for a bunch of sinners like us. Like it says in verse 7, most people wouldn't even die for a righteous man these days..maybe for a really good guy.... but sinners? Jesus did it. Thank you Lord, you saved us all from Hell. We just need to belive in you the way you believe in us.

Chapter 6
This section is actually titled "Sin's Power is Broken". Already sounds amazing right? THe first paragragh of this chapter gives me chills. Go read Romans 6:1-4 and tell me it doesn't give you chills. It actually tells you what a baptism is and what it stands for.

There are a few verses I ABSOLUTELY love in this chapter.

Verse 6
"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. WE ARE NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN."

Verses 10-11
"(10)When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God.(11)So you should also consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus."

Amen?

And finally verse 22-23
"(22)But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. (23)For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

Amen.

Prayer requests? Comment below or email me at livin4christ0129@yahoo.com

Lanie

Today I listened to these songs during my blog time. They are awesome!

Dwell by Casey Corum
Your Presence by Darren Clarke
If You Say Go by Diane Thiel
Holy by Brebton Brown

Prayer/Praise

Life is grand, God is great!
He's the way, that's no debate.
Love, He does. Hurt Him, we do.
And why? No reason. He died for you!
Come on people, praise the Lord.
Sing with me, a beautiful chord.
God's love is shown in the world around us,
faith, love, and hope, and peace surround us.
So thank you Lord for this beautiful life,
this wisp of fog in You wonderous light.
Thanks for answering the prayers that have been, and for being so evident in my life,
Amen.

Original piece, thanks!