Memorize the Word | Deuteronomy 1:17

After the calendar incident happened, it was far more easier for me to memorize Proverbs 3:5-6. I’ve stepped into reading Deuteronomy a few weeks ago and Deuteronomy 1:17 really caught my attention. I’ve made it my next verse to memorize and have been trying since I read it.  

"Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it." Deuteronomy 1:17. 

Let’s break this verse down. So don’t show partiality in judging, this can be so hard. We live in a world that is full of dominant figures and subordinates. In my woman’s course we’ve been talking about how men have always been at the top, taking control of what they can. Many times, I feel that we as people don’t hear out everyone’s opinions. There is the majority and minority and it’s just human nature to listen to what the majority says. It’s human nature to want to fit in. This flows straight into the next part.

Don’t be afraid of anyone or their judgment. With our human nature, it is so hard to do this. I remember in grade school this is what everyone was all caught up on: What people thought of you. I still even struggle with it now. This is one main reason I’ve chosen this verse. I need to overcome the struggle of caring so much of what people think of me and stop not doing things because I don’t think others would think it’s “normal”. This might be odd, but even sometimes when I’m at a Christian event. Sometimes I feel odd about taking out my notebook and taking notes on a sermon because I look around and everyone I see aren’t doing that. This is something that I have been growing out of, but it’s still tough sometimes to just be my whole self everywhere I am.

This brings us to the last part. Bringing any case too hard for you to God. This is the part we can’t forget. Bring your struggles to God. God wants to hear about you and He wants to help you when you are in need. What’s greater is that God wants you to bring it to Him; He wants you to put your trust in Him, knowing that He will help you through your problems. God is so great.

This is why this verse was so appealing to me. It shows the daily struggles, some days may be more of a struggle than others but this verse can be applied daily. At the end, it reminds us to trust in God once again. Trust in His judgment, not mere human judgment. Human days pass, but God is eternity.

Sermons | Our God Hears, Remembers, Looks, and Is Concerned

On Monday night, I joined the large group for one of the Christian organizations on my college campus. Even though I was half an hour late due to downloading Bootcamp onto my MacBook, God gave me a message through the speaker that I needed to hear.

We dug into the story of Moses in Exodus. The speaker, Amy, throughout her message talked about the difference between descriptive and prescriptive. Descriptive describes what is being done and prescriptive is simply telling them what to do. The story of Moses is a descriptive one, he is a flawed character just like most of all of us.

Again, I missed parts of the passage, the big overall message of the night for me was that sometimes we feel like God isn't there at all. It makes us ask where He is because we don't see Him acting in our life some times. Amy mentioned to her family how we were going through Exodus this semester, her grandma said, "God has been with His people for a very long time." This gave me a huge relief, and just an overwhelming sense of comfort.

When the Israelites were suffering and crying out for help in Egypt, "God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them." Exodus 2:24-25.

I love that. God was concerned about them. God looks at all of us. And He remembers us and gets concerned about each one of use. Even in the areas where we feel like He isn't pulling His weight through, God is concerned about us and looks at us. 

The night before, on Sunday, I had forgotten for a bit. This might some pathetic or petty, but I was just going through relationship problems, not feeling loved by my significant other and just confused about if it was all going in the right direction and if this is what God wants me to do (he's claims to be a non-believer). In my distress, I cried out to God, Why God? Where are you? I need you so much. Why did you put him in my life? I wish you could just tell me your plan for me and what I should do with this relationship. I should have known that God was right there though, concerned about me. Later that night after those distressing thoughts, I got a reassuring call from my boyfriend showing and letting me know that he loves me. It made me feel so much better, giving my heart an uplifting feel and forgiving all the reasons I was mad and frustrated. And I'm guessing now that this is part of His plan, but we can never be precisely sure. When I went to sleep that night I hadn't really thought about God giving me that reassuring call because He was concerned and actually looking at me. But hearing the end of Amy's message on Monday night let me know that it was no coincidence. 


Our God: He does hear you, remember you, look at you, and is concerned about and for you. Next time someone is telling you their troubles, I encourage you to encourage them with one of these truths.

My favorite: God looks at us.

Sermons | Trusting a Father's Love for Us

Everyday is full of learning! Earlier today at church I learned more about something I needed to be reminded of. Trusting God with our daily bread, or in other words, our daily needs. A huge part of this in our society today is our financial needs and wants.

Matthew 6:9-13 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

Jesus taught us to pray like kids who expect provision from their father, knowing that God will provide just like most little kids know that their father will provide all their needs for them. That is the kind of relationship you should have with our heavenly father. To simply pray for daily bread, or in other words for our needs to be met by our Father and then knowing that he will eventually provide.

Financial management is an important aspect in life, and who you take advice from can go a long way. Take advice from people who are followers of Jesus Christ because then, their prospective will not only be on earthly things, but more of security in heaven. Jesus has a simple financial plan for us, “Daily bread for this life. A storehouse of treasures for the next life”. Jesus sees beyond the grave, and so will His followers. Those who aren’t believers, will not look beyond the grave for your financial needs but more likely have you stockpile your money to save on yourself. Don’t find security in how much money you’ve saved in the bank though. (Matthew 19-21)

If we put our treasures in heaven, we no longer have to live in financial fear. You can be reassured of this from Luke 12:32-34 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourself that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

A thing we have to know and remember is that we can’t serve two masters. We either will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. We cannot serve both the one true God and the god of men, which in this case, is money in our society. (Matthew 6:24) If you crave so much of serving the god of men, then you will end up despising the one true God.

I love the verse after it. Matthew 6:25 “ 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 than food, and body more than clothes?” This reminds us again to pray for what we need, and know that God will provide for us. Worrying is different from planning. Once you realize God will provide for your needs, then financials won’t matter as much. You won’t have to WORRY as much because you will simply be taken care of. This goes with all materialistic things, for which you need money to get. We focus so much on things we don’t have but obsess over wanting them. Another good verse for this is:

Matthew 6:33 - 34 “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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How we’re raised is a lot like how we view God’s love for us. Parent’s may fall short though. All kids know is how to trust, until that trust is broken. It all comes down to trust though, trusting that He will take care of us. I think for me this is really true. I still, at age 21, put so much trust in my dad to take care of me. Though there have been some rough patches in my family, we all have been well for the most part. I feel sad for those who don’t experience the love of parents, especially fathers as much. I could see how it compares to the view of God’s love. It would be a lot harder to understand a father’s love if you never felt it before on earth.

As for financially, I could definitely relate. I will admit that I do get so worried about my bank account some times and about the future of my financials. Especially right before a new semester, I was getting very low on money at the end of winter break and was so excited when my loan reimbursement came in. It’s so worrisome to think about all the college loans I will have to start paying at the end of the year. It puts so much pressure on. The whole direct path of needing to get a good job, needing to pay off my loans ASAP, needing to then move out when I save enough. It makes me so scared, and so worried. But really I should let go and let God. Not meaning that I shouldn’t plan anything, but meaning I should simply worry less  because God will keep my path straight. I really do plan to save my money this year though, spending on less wants and just spending on needs. It’s definitely hard though, I’m a magnet for clearances and sales.

I think the best thing to do is: Constantly remind yourself that it’s not all for you, but all for Him. Put your trust in Him that He will give you your daily bread. Know that He wants to give you the mind of Christ, to give you perfect peace.