Concordances

Romans 12:6a

"Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly..."

Most anyone can appreciate the usefulness of a concordance. They help you find a verse you were trying to remember, or give you a starting place for a topical study. If you want to know what the Bible says about fear, for instance, you could look up the word fear and see every time it's mentioned in the Bible. Now not all of those references are going to be useful, but as I said, it gives you a starting place. It also helps when you’re looking for a verse you thought said one thing, but when you look it up, meant something slightly different.

I use an online concordance (biblestudytools.com) constantly. I love the online access, too, because it’s right here on my computer while I’m working on my blog. It has a built-in feature to look up the meaning of the original greek and hebrew words, and see where else those words are used in the Bible. This can really shed light on something you're studying, and can even change or give a deeper meaning to a passage!

I am incredibly thankful God gifted certain people with the passion to index and organize so we have things like concordances at our fingertips. The better we understand His Word, the better we can know and nurture our relationship with Christ!

What was your last discovery in your relationship with Him? What would you like to learn about next?

Weekly Impressions - Fear

Matthew 10:28

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

God is in the process of teaching me how to deal with expectations. He's shown me not to prioritize others’ expectations of me too highly. I still struggle with this, but I can better and more quickly recognize when it is happening. Right now, He is bringing home the importance of my own expectations.

For instance, I have a week off from work and have badly needed a vacation. I have certain expectations of what a vacation is. Some of those have been frustrated simply because this is Christmastime and family has been allotted much of my time according to their own structure, which is not what I expect from a vacation.

God is teaching me to recognize when I am disappointed as opposed to being selfish, and how expectations should and should not play a role in my planning and living. It is okay to be disappointed you didn’t get to do something as long as you are still trusting God to orchestrate your life. My hope is in God, not in getting what I want. My frustration is my indication of the fact I want to control the situation. (I’m not saying it’s always sinful to be frustrated, but it does cause me to question my motives. More often than not, it’s because of a sin issue.) So why do I want to control the situation? Fear.

Fear I won't be able to do this or that because I didn't get this or that; fear of letting others down; fear of rejection... I am afraid of a great many things. I need to take that fear and place it on God in two ways: 1) to realize God is in control and will work all things to make me more like Christ (which is for my good), and 2) to be afraid of God, not what I originally feared. God is so much more powerful than anything I could be afraid of, and He loves me with a perfect love. Once I recognize this, I can replace my fear with praise of God.

I love Isaiah 51, particularly verses 12b-13a: “Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies and of the son of man who is made like grass, that you have forgotten the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth...”

I almost always pair it in my mind with Matthew 10:28: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

I am so thankful and glad to be able to place my fear on God, because, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." (1 John 4:18) God's love bestows grace and discipline (for our good) rather than punishment. Where I lack of control, He excels!

What have you been fearing lately, and how can you shift your fear to God?

Photos

Philippians 1:6

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Whether your photos are stored digitally or in photo albums, it’s fun to browse through them and walk down memory lane. It can be nice to remember where we were in a photo and see how far we have come personally (which can also help offset the wish we still looked that young!). It’s also just fun to reminisce. I am thankful we can take photos - and for the ready accessibility of cameras.

Am I the only one who needs to be reminded that “He who began a good work in [me] will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”? (Philippians 1:6) I sometimes need to look back to see I truly have progressed for the better. I can get so wrapped up in this legalistic worry I need to do something, I forget God is the one ultimately in control of my progression. Therefore, I have no need to worry; I have only to follow Him. When I think I need to do something, it's usually because I'm trying to lead. It isn't about doing, it's about being obedient. There's a fine line between those, and I've come to recognize it in myself as the difference between pride and humility. Life is so much sweeter when I'm humble!

May God grant you the ability to see how far He has brought you today. What helps you remember how far He's brought you?

Snuggles

Psalm 91:4b,c

"...and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a 

shield and bulwark."

One of my love languages is touch, so snuggles and cuddles mean a lot to me. A snuggle communicates safety, protection, and love to me. I love snuggling with my little man (my son), who doesn’t do it very often, because he’s always on the go. As a result, I enjoy putting him to bed, when I get to hold him (read snuggle) - and he’s still! - for about fifteen minutes while he drinks his bottle.

Tonight, my husband and I went in to watch him sleep, and he woke up enough that my husband pulled him out of the crib to cuddle a little. He ended up reaching for me, so I got to rock him awhile again. I really enjoy showing him my love and helping him feel safe by snuggling with him!

Though it might be a bit different, I also love to snuggle with my husband for much the same reason. It tells me he loves and protects me, and it’s a way for me to tell him the same (though I think my protection for him runs a little more on the support side!). I am so thankful God created snuggling! Sometimes, God gives me a glimpse of how He snuggles me - often with something I’m thankful for, such as jackets, or rain. Thankfulness helps us see His faithfulness, like it mentions in the psalm above, and "His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark." (Psalm 91:4c)

What shows you God's faithfulness?

Thoughtfulness

Philippians 2:4

"...do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

Receiving presents on Christmas can be fun and exciting! It’s even better when the people who give them are thoughtful about what they give and how they give them. My husband and I have been wanting to get cabinet doors for our home for a few years, now, and the desire has only been heightened by our very mobile one-year-old. We found a place where the price doesn’t change for the amount of doors you do, so we could do a few at a time, and they fabricate just the door, so you can install them yourself. One of our gift-givers went to this place, opened an account for us, and put some money in it toward our cabinet doors. We were so totally stoked!

I, personally, would never have thought to go and open an account for the recipient. It just wouldn’t have crossed my mind. I would have given them the money and called it good (which I’m not dissing). However, I thought it was so thoughtful they personally went down there and also made sure everything could be tracked for our convenience. The fact there’s an open account even provides for the possibility of others contributing to it.

I thank God He created thoughtfulness, so people can better show His love by going above and beyond. It makes a person feel truly cared for. I am also thankful and glad for the thoughtfulness God shows me. May I be more thoughtful toward God, and through Him, toward His people.

Who would be a great candidate in your life to provide something thoughtful, and what would it be?

Jesus

1 Peter 1:3-5

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who through His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your Son. Thank you for humbling Yourself and *wrapping our injured flesh around You, so Jesus could be the perfect sacrificial Lamb for our sins. Thank You that, no matter how much He would rather have not faced suffering on the cross, He did anyway, because of Your will and love. Thank You for the example Jesus set before us of how to follow You. Thank you for the miracles He performed while He was here, and for the miracles You perform today. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to continue the miracles of Jesus Christ to the furtherance of Your will and good pleasure.

Thank You, Lord, for loving me.
In Jesus' Name, amen.


The above verses are so encouraging to me! God "...has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which... will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." There are amazing promises here! We have a living hope because of Christ's resurrection. He is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1)! He has an inheritance for us, His children, waiting for us in heaven, and it cannot be taken away. Also, we are protected for salvation by the power of God Himself. A salvation to be revealed when Christ returns.

In the day-to-day, I forget to view everything through this lens. When I'm struggling with anxiety or anger, when I've lost hope, or when I feel I've had enough, it's usually because I've forgotten about my living hope in Christ. The entire Bible relates back to Christ. "For from Him and to Him and through Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36) It isn't about me, it's about Him. "Every good thing given and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (James 1:17) Everything I have - the air I breathe, the clothes I wear, the food I eat, the ground I walk on, every moment - is a gift from God, not my right. Those are the gifts I have now. When Christ comes, and we receive our inheritance? It will be so much better! When I remember this, I am so humbled and so thankful! Praise the Lord for His gift of Jesus Christ!

What could help remind you that Jesus Christ is our living hope?

*"wrap our injured flesh around you" is a quote from the song “Welcome to Our World” by Chris Rice)

Fingernails

Psalm 139:14

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well."

God gifted me with strong fingernails. I’m not particularly fashion-conscious, and I don’t take measures to care for my nails beyond chewing them off if they get a tear, so they’re often varying lengths. This can actually be helpful, since each length - short, medium, or long - has its uses. I can often forgo having to drop what I’m doing to grab a tool, because I was able to use my nail instead.

Hear me out! A short nail allows you to do more with the point of your finger, like more accurate texting. A medium nail can often be used to scrape things off or even to screw things with a slit. Long nails look nice, but can also allow you to better reach or scrape things in tight spaces.

I am thankful God gave us fingernails, because we can use them for so many different things. He knew what He was doing when He molded us, and built a useful tool straight into our makeup.

What has God given you that may not always look nice, but is helpful and gets the job done?