Talk with God

   Praying and talking with God is something most of us don't do on a daily basis.  When in reality it is one of the more important parts of having a relationship with God.  I mean think about it, think about you best friend.  Did you become close with them just my knowing their there, and talking once in awhile? OR did you spend time with them, get to know them, talk with them?

   My guess is you probably answered yes to the second one.  God is the same way, He wants to be our best friend.  He is a jealous God, He wants to be with us.  He created us, for us to be with Him.

   Now getting into the routine of praying and talking with God on a daily basis can be hard.  Not knowing what to say, feeling like you're talking to yourself, knowing God already knows your heart and mind.  But here's the thing, it's not about us.  God made us, for us to have a relationship with Him.

   If you're struggling a good place to look is the Bible. David wrote songs and prayers to God in the book of Psalm.  If that doesn't help you just be honest with God tell Him how you're feeling, what you're going though.  Not knowing what to say is okay, tell Him that.

Psalm 61:1 (NIV) Hear my cry, O God;listen to my prayer.

Psalm 66:19 (NIV) but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. 

Colossians 4:2 (NIV) Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Psalm 66:20 (NIV) Praise be to God,who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! 

   Here are a few verses for a reminder that God is always listening to you, no matter what you say.  He might not always do what you ask Him to.  But He is always listening.

   Till next time
    LiveTheTruth :)

         

Forgiveness

 

   Have you ever asked for someone to forgive you, but then you don't forgive someone else? Well that's what happens in this Bible story.

    Matthew 18: 21-35 (NIV)
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

    What the first servant did was not right.  If you ask for forgiveness to one person, shouldn't you forgive someone who is asking for the same thing you just asked for?

   Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

   God says to forgive others just as Christ God forgave you. God forgave us ALL by sending HIS SON to die on the cross FOR ALL OF US!!! Our sins are forgiven because of Jesus, and we get to go to heaven because of it.
   So the next time you ask for forgiveness make sure you also forgive others.

   Till next time
    LiveTheTruth :)

New Year, New Heart

 

   This week was hard for me to think of something to write about.  I had been so busy the last two weeks with the holidays that I really didn't have anything planned for this weeks blog post.  So when I sat down to write it, I drew a blank.  But that got me thinking,  it's 2017!

   It's a new year and with that, a time to look back on your past year to make changes for the year to come.  I'm sure 2016 was a crazy year for everyone.  A lot of things happened: people got married, had kids, died, got sick, moved.

   A lot of crazy things happened some good, other not so good.  The key is how we reacted to them.  Do we shut everyone out, and blame ourselves because something bad happened? Or do we let friends and family in that are going though the heartache too?

   Do we share our days, the good and bad, with God? Or do we go about our lives thinking He already knows it because He's God?  Do we spend time with God in prayer and in the Bible? Or do we just talk to Him when we have time?

   These are all things we get to chose on a daily basis.  So, did everyone spend 2016 alone? Or did you let people in? More importantly, are you going to spend 2017 alone? Or are you going to let people in this year?

   Till next time
    LiveTheTruth :)