Good Words on Joy, Plans, Help, & Hope
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"Give us today the food we need" ~Matthew 6:11
This line of the Lord’s Prayer draws from an Old Testament metaphor of present-mindedness. When Israel was wandering in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land, God fed the people with manna. The catch to this daily nourishment was that they were not allowed to gather more than they needed for the day. If they did, the manna rotted and stank. Over and over again in the Bible we are reminded to live presently—to neither borrow worry from nor cast our joy into the future.
But in my mind, the future seems like the place of promise. [When] I have unfulfilled desires, the only place for me to put them is in the future. But the problem with the future is that it keeps moving away from me.
Joy is like manna. There is no place but today to experience it. Casting it into the future causes it to rot. Perhaps worse than that, in a crazy paradox, the joy of today is left unexperienced as well. But if I engage the present and let go of the future, I could embrace today’s joy and leave that much less to lie around and rot. ~Ellen at goTandem
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. ~2 Thessalonians 3:16
Are you making any plans without God?
James 4:13-15: Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that."
God wants to be part of your plans! ~goTandem
Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this? ~Esther 4:14
Do you feel like you are part of Gods plan? How?
Freedom isn't simply about being free. It's like someone admiring the socket in their living room without actually plugging something into it and using the power that it provides. It's not there for itself. It's there to be used to make other things happen.
The Bible says that Jesus frees us so we can use it to get our focus off ourselves and do good. Paul writes to Titus about how God's grace brings salvation, and how this frees Christians to be distinct in doing good: Titus 2:11-15
Are you using your freedom to do good in this world? ~goTandem
God wants to do much more than defend me to my insulters [and enemies]. I think he wants to uproot the worry and insecurity that plague me and plant peace. ~Andrea at goTandem
Insecurity is the opposite of love.
"A brother is born to help in a time of need" she said. "Proverbs 17:17. You hear that? We were born for it; it is what we were made for, to see each other through. You have to accept that, because it keeps you humble."
I wanted to say that I'm just trying to be considerate by not leaning on people, but she's right. Accepting help is a necessary humbling, a good bond-strengthening, and an instruction in our utter individuality and our utter sameness. ~Silas at goTandem
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. ~Romans 15:13
How is trust a key to joy and peace?
What areas in your life do you have a hard time trusting God with?
God is an amazing baker of Humble Pies. If you would like to try one, just say, "I would never ..." and that pie will be there in a jiffy. ~Jerry Parker
God can take "Plan B" and make it better than "Plan A" ever would have been. ~Joyce Meyer Ministries
God's plan is to reach the world through you. If that weren't the case, He would have taken you to heaven as soon as you were saved.
Something cool to think about: A candle loses nothing by giving its flame to another candle! We have to share ourselves to make a difference. Sharing our light makes a difference in our lives and in the ones with whom we share.
"Give us today the food we need" ~Matthew 6:11
This line of the Lord’s Prayer draws from an Old Testament metaphor of present-mindedness. When Israel was wandering in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land, God fed the people with manna. The catch to this daily nourishment was that they were not allowed to gather more than they needed for the day. If they did, the manna rotted and stank. Over and over again in the Bible we are reminded to live presently—to neither borrow worry from nor cast our joy into the future.
But in my mind, the future seems like the place of promise. [When] I have unfulfilled desires, the only place for me to put them is in the future. But the problem with the future is that it keeps moving away from me.
Joy is like manna. There is no place but today to experience it. Casting it into the future causes it to rot. Perhaps worse than that, in a crazy paradox, the joy of today is left unexperienced as well. But if I engage the present and let go of the future, I could embrace today’s joy and leave that much less to lie around and rot. ~Ellen at goTandem
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. ~2 Thessalonians 3:16
Are you making any plans without God?
James 4:13-15: Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that."
God wants to be part of your plans! ~goTandem
Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this? ~Esther 4:14
Do you feel like you are part of Gods plan? How?
Freedom isn't simply about being free. It's like someone admiring the socket in their living room without actually plugging something into it and using the power that it provides. It's not there for itself. It's there to be used to make other things happen.
The Bible says that Jesus frees us so we can use it to get our focus off ourselves and do good. Paul writes to Titus about how God's grace brings salvation, and how this frees Christians to be distinct in doing good: Titus 2:11-15
Are you using your freedom to do good in this world? ~goTandem
God wants to do much more than defend me to my insulters [and enemies]. I think he wants to uproot the worry and insecurity that plague me and plant peace. ~Andrea at goTandem
Insecurity is the opposite of love.
"A brother is born to help in a time of need" she said. "Proverbs 17:17. You hear that? We were born for it; it is what we were made for, to see each other through. You have to accept that, because it keeps you humble."
I wanted to say that I'm just trying to be considerate by not leaning on people, but she's right. Accepting help is a necessary humbling, a good bond-strengthening, and an instruction in our utter individuality and our utter sameness. ~Silas at goTandem
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. ~Romans 15:13
How is trust a key to joy and peace?
What areas in your life do you have a hard time trusting God with?
God is an amazing baker of Humble Pies. If you would like to try one, just say, "I would never ..." and that pie will be there in a jiffy. ~Jerry Parker
God can take "Plan B" and make it better than "Plan A" ever would have been. ~Joyce Meyer Ministries
God's plan is to reach the world through you. If that weren't the case, He would have taken you to heaven as soon as you were saved.
Something cool to think about: A candle loses nothing by giving its flame to another candle! We have to share ourselves to make a difference. Sharing our light makes a difference in our lives and in the ones with whom we share.
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