Well... another year of school come and gone. What have i
learned and what's God been teaching me in my life? Recently i've been reading
over Hebrews 12 as often as I can. This is something i never would have
done in the past; in the past i would have read the chapter and moved on to
something new. But this time i feel like God was telling me to keep
reading it and see if there's anything new i can learn. Man am i glad i
did, I've learned more from this chapter this past week to two weeks, than i
would have had i moved on and just read more scripture. This chapter
pretty much summed up everything that's been going on this year and what my
goal and prayer has been this past year. Granted, i feel like i've grown
the most spiritually this past month than i have in most of my life. So
why has this chapter meant so much to me? This past month my goal his
been to set my focus on God and put everything else aside including-
schoolwork, relationships, money, and whatever else you want to add into that
list to personalize it. That's been one of the greatest prayers i have
prayed and seen God actually answer and show himself through that prayer.
It's when i was at my weakest and most fragile point that God said, it's
time, you're ready to listen. I feel like i've spent my time in the
corner spiritually, and finally i gave up my pride and said i was sorry for
ignoring God. Focusing solely on God has been such an encouragement, and
it's helped me in my prayer life, devotions, and church life.
I never was one that was great at paying attention or taking notes in church, but these past few weeks i've payed attention so much easier and learned more than i would have thought. I also havn't struggled with taking notes either. It may sound like i'm talking for some infomercial, but seriously i've found what helps me right now and maybe it will help you. For me, i learn best when i write my thoughts and words down, this also helps me remember more. So what i've started to do is really focus on what i've heard in sunday school, and what the songs we sing actually mean. Then right before the message or during the beginning of the message i just write down a prayer to God and just praising Him and thanking Him fro what he's done and who is. I feel like this is one of the best ways to help focus on what is coming in the message. It's sets the tone to be opened up to what God has to teach you. This may not work for everyone, but i know it's helped me, so hopefully it will help you.
So back to the main point of this blog... God's gonna use who he wants, whether you're a God hater or a God lover. What Hebrews 12 is talking about is that we don't have to grow weary or lose heart in our Christian walk. God already sent his Son to go to the cross and take that sin that wears us down. We don't have to bare the burden, because God already has carried the burden away. It goes on to talk about how God disciplines those He loves, it's not out of hate or a despising of his children. It may seem like God's punishing you, but it's because he loves you. I think the greatest example we have is parents punishing their kids, where what it should be is out of love to teach a lesson and help the child learn and grow. Last thing i want to comment on is a part of Hebrews 12 i read in -The Voice- version......
This is a little commentary from -The Voice- on Hebrews 12-
"The Bible is a
brutally honest book. It contains stories of liars, murderers, and adulterers;
and these are the good guys. If we read the Bible looking only for positive
role models, we’ll be quickly disappointed. But if we are honest with ourselves
and confess our own faults, we will find in Scripture, particularly in the
First Testament, that we have much in common with many broken saints of the
past. But we must not stay broken. We must follow their path to transformation
through repentance and faith."
If you think about it,
it's true. Look at Paul, who persecuted and murdered believers for a lot of his
life. God used someone like that, to do amazing works for Him. Look at David,
whom God called a man after his own heart. David was a murderer and an
adulterer- didn't God use Him too. So if you think just because you've done
some bad stuff in your life, that God won't use you, think again. God uses the
people that have fallen the farthest to show his grace and faithfulness, and to
show that no one has fallen too far away from Him. We've got such great hope,
thanks to God's work on the cross.
Well that was my last post of this school year and time in florida for this year at least.
