Hope

hope: /hoʊp/ [hohp] – noun: to believe, desire, or trust

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Spiritual Treasures

Mt. 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
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Mt. 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
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I really appreciate what Jesus is saying in these few verses. He's teaching us not to hold on to the things of the earth, the memories that might bog us down or create pain, or even bring joy and comfort. He wants us to let go of everything we have on the earth so that He can be all we need. Life on earth is temporary, and life in heaven will be worth so much more! God knows what we need, when we need it and how badly we need it. God provides. And His comfort is the most satisfying.
I can tell you in all honesty that you don't need the things of the earth. The books and the Cd's, the over-large wardrobes - I know that life can go on without them. And although I feel like a huge piece of my life was torn out after the accident, I've come to realize that that hole is just creating more space for Jesus! God is all I need! He provides when you need providing for and as long as your faith in Him is strong and your love for life is deep... you will be without worry, and live a really great life.

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His Plan For Me

  • Get In To the Word and Deep In Prayer
  • Prayer Journal - To see God's amazing power through Prayer
  • Committment Journal - Record my struggles and successes to visually see progress over time
  • Personal Goals - Start doing more of the things that make me happy and save some "me" time (art, writing, reading, etc.)
  • Work - Pleasing to God, to be happy in what I do and offer my abilities whenever I can
  • Tithing and Saving - Respecting my money and using it appropriately
  • Education - Study God's word and begin thinking more about my future
  • Touch Cleansing - Relationships (family, friends, dating, God, etc.)
  • Taste Cleansing - What I eat and put into my body (food, drink, nutrition, health, etc.)
  • Smell Cleansing - Waking up and smelling the roses, appreciating small things
  • Sound Cleansing - What I listen to and hear (music, language, people, messages, truths, etc.)
  • Visual Cleansing - What I watch and see (movies, television, magazines and media, pictures, people, etc)

God's Amazing Power

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand