52 weeks, 52 verses

Starting on the 1^st of January, Taleisha and I are going to be embarking on a quest. Perhaps not the storybook quest you are thinking of… but hopefully just as fun and testing.

We are going to, if the Lord wills it, unleash our swords, swords of Gods Word.
For every week of 2012, we are going to be memorizing one verse of scripture and revisit the verses we have already learned. Now, I don’t know about you, but I think it is more than easy to memorize a verse… a week. Memorizing the bible is something I have always known that I must do, and should get around to doing it, but I never have. There have been heaps of times were I have tried to commit to memorization, but it doesn’t come easy for me, so I am really excited about this. Just imagine, by Christmas next year, I’ll have 52 verses up my sleeve to wield. How cool is that?

So I am blowing the battle horn calling all your girls off to come and join Taleisha and I in this.
Come and join the battle.
You don’t know you can’t do it unless you try.


52 weeks, 52 verses

Starting 1^st of January 2012
memorizing one verse of scripture per week of 2012
= 52 verses stored in your memory.


~ Meggie and Taleisha



http://www.livingfaithministriesintl.org/lfian.html

A recap on Prayer...

Over the last 7 weeks we have covered different aspects of prayer and discussed why they are important. So here’s a quick recap of what we shared with our readers and followers.

Week One – ‘Short Prayer, Heartfelt’.

The Lord’s Prayer is simple and straight forward, a perfect model of prayer. This is how Jesus prayed. It is how we should pray also. God doesn’t want to hear a prayer with lots of big words that scholars enjoy (and only scholars understand!). He wants your prayer. How you speak from what’s in your heart. How you would speak to any friend. We don’t have to use it word for word every single time we pray. It is a guideline, something to go off. (The Lord’s Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13.)

Week 2 - ‘Yelling out at the top of your lungs’.

Yelling out at the top of your lungs is about being open with God. Letting Him know how you really truly feel inside. When times are tough, we can call out to God, with open hearts and tears down our faces. It’s a heartfelt prayer. Letting Him know the deepest desires of your heart. You want this person healed of their disease, you don’t want to move away, you want your friend out of a troublesome situation. Cry out to God. He wants us too.

Week 3 – ‘The Power of Persistent Prayer”’.

Persistence means never giving up. Going on and on while a glimmer of hope dares to show itself. When your heart truly desires something, pray persistently. Believe that your prayers will be answered. If you want something, would you really only ask once?  If it was something that you really wanted to happen, I’m sure you would ask more than once, and bring it before God in prayer.  But at the same time, we have to listen for God’s answer, even if it’s not what we wanted to hear.

Week 4 - ‘Never Say Die’.

When you haven’t heard Gods answer yet, and you have hope that He will yet answer your prayer, keep praying. If you keep praying God says He will come through for you. Luke 11:5-10 says, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” But be honest with yourself and God. When God says, “No”, to your pleading, respect and fear Him by putting it to rest. There is a time to for persistent praying and a time for laying it to rest.

Week 5 – ‘Praying For One Another’.

Intercession means to pray on behalf of someone else. This post was pointing out the importance of lifting other up in prayer. The bible instructs us to pray for others. Even specific people like others, our Kings and Leaders worldwide, for the lost to be saved, the world to be touched, missionaries, workers to be sent, our churches and their leaders, Christians, the sick, family, friends, work and school associates.

Week 6 – ‘Uhhhh...sorry’.

Praying for forgiveness. When we feel our guilt, we need to confess it to Him without holding anything back and moaning with tears that you will be forgiven. Know that when you confess and ask for forgiveness that you ARE forgiven, for He has already paid the penalty. He cannot re-do histroy, for those that are saved all our past, present and future sins were killed at the foot of the cross before you were even born. You are forgiven.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He moved our transgressions from us. – Psalm 103: 12

Week 7 – ‘Why is giving thanks important?’

Praying is not just about me, my problems, other peoples problems and the like. You dont just discuss the stuff your going through with your friends, you move on. Thank God for what He has done. Stop telling God how big the storm is and tell the storm how big your God is. Start noticing the little things that bless you throughout your day that you can thank God for. The sun, a persistently scented flower waving to catch your attention, a hug from a friend, a surprise email or phone call, a word of encouragment, a smile from a little baby.

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

- 1 Chronicles 16:34

It not only will lift your spirits, it will help you feel Gods presence and me more in tune with Him.

These are just snippets of what the articles were about. If you would like to learn or see more, feel free to read the article.

Why is giving thanks important?

So this weeks question is... 'Why is it important to give thanks?'.

How many times have we asked for new things like: the cute pair of shoes you saw on Saturday, getting your hair done, sleeping over your friends house or having them stay at your place, that really cute puppy you saw in the shop window, going to a birthday party, going to see the lastest movie etc. The list is endless. As humans we almost always want something. Cases vary, but when you get an item, are you genuinely grateful for it? Or does your mind skip to the next thing on your list that you want?

In the same way, when we ask God to help us with a maths test, or to protect a certain person in a certain situation, or to heal someone of an illness or whatever it is, do we really, truly acknowledge and be thankful that He answered our prayer? Or does it go straight over our heads?

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

- 1 Chronicles 16:34

Now, I want you to be completely, 100 percent honest with yourself. Think of something that you have asked from either God or your parents this week. Did you get what you asked for? If you did, did you say thank you for it?
Unfortunately, when we ask for something and we receive it we do say thanks, but we don't always wholeheartedly mean it. God can see our hearts so there is really no point in trying to pretend.

What about when you ask for something and the answer is "No", or you don't get it? Are you thankful then?  It's hard to be thankful when we don't get what we want, that's part of our human nature. But how do we know that by not getting our own way, we have been saved from a bad situation. Imagine if you went to that party and it got out of control, there was drinking and fighting and people got hurt.  Wasn't it better that your parents said no and you weren't mixed up in that kind of scene. And when God seems to say "No" to something that we have asked for, it is most likely because that is NOT what is best for us! So shouldn't we be thankful in that. God wants what is best for us - always!

Again I am going to ask you to do something. Right here, right now. Think of 3 things that you are grateful for that you usually take for granted everyday. You could be thankful for your home - that you have one. For your relationships - thank God for your friends and family, again that you have them. What ever it is, take the next few moments just to say a quick prayer, letting God know what you're thankful for today. And maybe later on you might want to thank your parents for something, or your sister or brother.

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!"- 1 Chronicles 16:8

Even when things are looking really tough for us, we always, always, always have something to be thankful for. Families, friends, His protection, His provision, His love, our homes, our health, food, education, but above all, we can be thankful that Jesus died on the cross for US, for me and for YOU!
This week I am particularly grateful for forgiveness. Without Jesus' death and resurrection we would have nothing, we would be condemned to death. But because Jesus died in our place, we don't have to be burdened down by our sins, because He is the burden bearer. And by God's grace we can be forgiven, and one day enter the gates of heaven.


Helpful Hint:
If you're finding it hard to find something to be grateful for, switch on some Christian music. The lyrics my identify what it is you are thankful for, or maybe you will just ppreciate the music ad be thankful for that.

Personally for me, these last few weeks I have tried praying more often. But not praying for selfish things but being thankful. Instead of looking at the downside of things, look at the positive. It really does help and gives you a happy sensation. I found that by lifting up the things that I am thankful for, I keep finding more and more things to be thankful for. Maybe you could give it a try. Try to see the good out ouf a 'bad' situation.

God bless,

~ Taleisha & Meggie

Uhhhh....sorry.

 

Ever felt that nerve-racking pressure around your heart that won’t go away and keeps whispering, ‘you’ve done something wrong’ without letting up?

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, - Romans 3:23

We are not pure like God, and our human nature is, to mess up. Not just once, but again… and again; and when we finally think we have it down pat, and then we mess up again. That’s when we turn to prayer, and ask God to forgive us.

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, 

But the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. – Proverbs 28:13

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – Romans 1:9

When we are aware of sin in our lives we need to confess it to God. Don’t try to ‘conceal’ or hide it from Him, but tell Him all about it.

Confession – The acknowledgement of a crime, fault or something to ones disadvantage; open declaration of guilt, failure, debt, accusation, etc. ( from American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster).

Come before Him moaning over your sin. Don’t just be sorry in words, but be distraught! Don’t be: “God I did this, please forgive me, thanks for that!” Be honest and truthful.
If we feel guilt from a sin, we would tell God of it (confess) and then we would ask for His forgiveness. In Romans 1:9 (above) it says that He will be loyal and forgive us- then He says something amazing.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – Romans 1:9

The sin we're struggling with- He will help us to overcome that sin, meaning almighty help not to snap back at your sister the next time exams don’t go to well. He will purify us from ALL unrighteousness, ALL sin. When we become Christians and we confess with tears to God our failings, He not only forgives us, but teaches us how to do right, and slowly, we overcome (to an extent, we're still human) the unrighteousness in us. That’s sanctification. (Big word I know- go look it up if you want to).

Heart Check
Are you truly sorry about your sin? If you don’t feel like you are, why not tell God? He has the answer for every question. Ask Him about it, ask Him to show you the sin that is in your heart. Ask Him to show you what you really look like deep down inside. Don’t worry about it, were all on a journey… we all need to learn these things!

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He moved our transgressions from us. – Psalm 103: 12

Just a quick thought… because we are under the new covenant and we no longer have to sacrifice animals to be forgiven (because Jesus did the one for all sacrifice for our sin) for those that are Christian's, Jesus made one sacrifice for every believer, so you are forgiven of your past sins, present and future sins! So, when you ask for forgiveness, know that you are forgiven, and God looks upon you and doesn’t see your faults. Jesus already made the sacrifice, you are forgiven.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law (the old covenant) but under grace (the new covenant)? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey- whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? – Romans 6:15-16

If God forgives you, should you not also forgive others?

~ Taleisha and Meggie