Archive for August, 2009

God’s Yellow Pages

August 26, 2009 at 7:14 PM · Filed under Thoughts on the Word ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Note: My mom has compiled this wonderful list of Scriptures for everyday situations! This is entirely life-changing and exceedingly helpful! I fell in love when she gave it to me.

Where to look when:
 

  Afraid -Psalm 23:4; 27:1; 34:4; John 16:33; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:5,6

Anxious -Psalm 46; Matthew 6: 19-34; Philippians 4:6,8; 1 Peter 5:6,7

Backsliding -Psalm 51; 1 John 1: 4-9;

Bereaved -Matthew 5:4; 2 Corinthians 1: 3,4

Bitter-Critical -1 Corinthians 13

Conscious of Sin-Proverbs 28: 13

Defeated-Romans 8: 31-39

Depressed -Psalm 34

Disaster Threatens -Psalm 91; Psalm 118: 5,6; Luke 8: 22-25;

Discouraged -Psalm 23; Psalm 42; Psalm 55:22; Matthew 5:11, 12; John 17: 13-20; 2 Corinthians 4:8-18;  Philippians 4:4-7

Doubt-Matthew 8:26; Hebrews 11

Facing Crisis-Psalm 121; Matthew 6:25-34; Hebrews 11

Faith Fails-Psalm 42:5; Hebrews 11

Friends Fail -Psalm 41:9-13; Luke 17:3,4; Romans 12:14, 17,19,21; 2 Timothy 4:16-18

Leaving Home -Psalm 121; Matthew 10:16-20

Lonely-Psalm 23; Hebrews 13:5,6; Psalm 68:5

Needing God’s Protection-Psalm 27:1-3; Psalm 91; Philippians 4:19; Psalm 34:7

Needing Guidance-Psalm 32:8; Proverbs 3:5,6

Needing Peace -John 14:1-4; John 16:33; Romans 5:1-5; Philippians 4:6,7; Romans 15:13; Romans 16:20

Needing Rules for Life-Romans 12; Proverbs

Overcome -Psalm 6; Romans 8:31-39; 1 John 1:4-9

Prayerful -Psalm 4; Psalm 42; Luke 11:1-13; John 17; 1 John 5:14,15

Protected-Psalm 18:1-3; Psalm 34:7

Sick-In Pain -Psalm 38; Matthew 26:39; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 12:9,10; James 5:14, 15; 1 Peter 4:12,13,19

Sorrowful -Psalm 51; Matthew5:4; John 14; 2 Corinthians1:3,4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tempted-Psalm 1; Psalm 139:23,24; Matthew 26:41; 1 Corinthians 10:12-14; Philippians4:8; James 4:7; 2 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:17

Thankful-Psalm 1oo; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 13:15

Traveling-Psalm 121

Trouble -John 14:1-4; Hebrews 7:25

Weary-Psalm 90; Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6: 9,10

Worried -Matthew 6:19-34; 1 Peter 5:6,7

 Christian virtues & character

Abundant life -John 10:10                                                      
 
 Citizenship -Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1
 Cleanliness-2 Corinthians 7:1
 
Consecration -Romans 12:1,2
 
Contentment -Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6
 
Courage-Psalm 27:14
 
Diligence -Romans 12:11
  
Duty -Luke 20:21-25
 
Endurance-Luke 21:9-19; 2 Timothy 2:3
 
Faith -Matthew 8:5-13; Mark 11:22-24
 
Faithfulness-Matthew 25:23
 
Forgiveness -Mark 11:25,26; Ephesians 4:31,32
 
Teachings about life’s problems
 
Freedom -John 8:31-36
 
Fruitfulness -John 15:1-8 
 
Happiness-Matthew 5:3-12
 
Holiness -1 Peter 1:13-16
 
Honesty-2 Corinthians 8:21
 
Honor-Ephesians 6:1-3; 1 Peter 2:17
Hope- 1 Peter 1:13

Humility -Luke 18:9-14; Philippians 2:3-11

Joy-Luke 10:20; John 15:11

Kindness-Colossians 3:12,13

Labor-John 9:4

Love-Luke 10:27; 1 Corinthians 13

Obedience-John 14:15-24; Acts 5:29

Overcoming-John 16:33; Revelation 2:7,11,17,26; Revelation 3:5, 12, 21

Patience-Hebrews 10:36

Peacefulness-John 14:27; Romans 12:18

Perseverance-Mark 13:5-13

Prayer-Luke 11:1-13; Ephesians 6:18

Pure thinking-Philippians 4:8

Purity-Matthew 5:27-32; 2 Timothy 2:22

Reading the Bible-John 5:39; Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:97

Resolution-Ephesians 6:10-18

Righteousness-Matthew 5:6; Matthew 6:33

Sincerity-Philippians 1:9,10

Steadfastness-1 Corinthians 15:58

Stewardship-1 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7

Temperance-1 Thessalonians 5:6-8; Titus 1:8; 2:2

Trust-Psalm 37:3-5; Proverbs 3:5,6

Truth-John 14:6; John 17:17; Ephesians 4:14,15

Victory-1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 5:4

Watchfulness- Mark 13:34-37

Worship-John 4:23,24; Psalm 98:4Psalm 47:1

Zeal-Romans 12:11

Teachings About Life’s Problems

Adultery-Matthew 5:27-32
 
Adversity-Matthew 10:16-39
 
Anger -Matthew 5:22-24; Ephesians 4:26
 
Anxiety-Matthew 6:19-34
 
Conceit-Luke 18:9-14
 
Covetousness-Mark 7:21-23
 
Crime -Matthew 15:17-20
 
Death-John 11:25,26
 
Depravity-John 3:19-21
 
Divorce-Mark 10:2-12
 
Doubt-Matthew 14:28-31
 
Drunkenness -Luke 21:34-36
 
Excuses-Luke 14:15-24
 
Extravagance-1 Timothy 6:7-12
 
Fault finding- Matthew 7:1-5
 
Fear God-Luke 12:5
 
Flesh-Romans 13:14
Greed-Luke 12:15-31
 
 Hatred / Enemies-Matthew 5:43-48

Hypocrisy-Matthew 7:3-5; 23:27,28

Judging-Matthew 7:1, 15

Lip service- Matthew 7:21-23

Lust-Mark 4:19; James 1:15

Salvation-Acts 2:37-39

Self-exaltation-Luke 14:11

Self-righteousness-Luke 18:11-14

Sin- John 8:34-36

Submission-1 Peter 2:13-17

Swearing-Colossians 3:8; James 5:12

Tribulation-John 16:33

 Arts/Entertainment-Proverbs 14:34 

Broken Families-Psalm 146:8-9
 
Business People-Deuteronomy 8:18
 
Children-Mark 10:14
 
Church Unity-John 17:21
 
Co-workers-Matthew 5:16
 
Depressed-2 Corinthians 7:6
 Educators-Luke 6:40
 
Elderly People-Genesis 24:1
 Ethnic Communities-Psalm 22:27; 67:3-4
 
Families-Genesis 28:14
 
 Fathers-Ephesians 6:4 
Gangs -Psalm 34:4-8
 
Government Leaders-I Timothy 2:1-2
 
Health Care Workers-Psalm 41:1-2
 
Homeless-Psalm 107:41
 
Law Enforcement-Psalm 106:3
Marriages-Hebrews 13:4
 
 Men-Jeremiah 9:23-24

Military-Matthew 8:5-13

Ministries- II Thessalonians 3:1-2

Mothers/ Women-Proverbs 31

Neighbors-Galatians 5:14

News Media Proverbs-4:24-26

Other People-Psalm 67:3-4

Pastors-1 Peter 5:2; Ezekiel 33:6

Physically Disabled-Isaiah 63:9

Prisoners & Families-Psalm 69:32-33

Racial Reconciliation-Ephesians 2:14-16

Sick People-Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 14:14; James 5:14-15

Single People-I Corinthians 7:32

Substance Abusers-Psalm 107:13

The Unborn-Psalm 72:12-14; Jeremiah 1:5

Unemployed-Ecclesiastes 3:13

University Students-II Timothy 2:15

Women-Matthew 15:28

Youth-Psalm 144:12, 15

What Must I Do? (Acts 2:38-39)

Believe-Mark 16:16; John 7:38-39; Acts 16:31; I John 5:8-10

Repent-Acts 17:30; Luke 5:32; Luke 13:3-5

Be Baptized-Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:4-5; John 3:5

Receive the Holy Spirit-John 7:33-39; Acts 1:4-8; Isaiah 28:11; Acts 2:4, 10:45-46; 19:6

Live Holy-I Peter 1:16; I Peter 2:9; II Corinthians 6:17; I Thessalonians 5:22; Romans 12:1-2; I Corinthians 3:16-17; I Timothy 2:9-10; I Peter 3:3-5; I Corinthians 11:5-6 & 13-15; Deuteronomy 22:5; Exodus 33:5-6; Ezekiel 23:40-42

Obey the Word-James 2:10; I John 1:4; James 1:22; I Samuel 15:22; John 14:23; I Samuel 12:15; Ephesians 5:6

Giving

- Attitude-II Corinthians 9:6-7; Acts 20:35; II Corinthians 8:12; Exodus 25:2

- Tithing-Genesis 28:22; Numbers 18:21; Genesis 14:20; Hebrews 7:2, 4; Leviticus 27:30-32; Luke 11:42; Luke 18:12; Matthew 23:23

- Necessity of Tithing-Malachi 3:8-9; I Corinthians 6:7-10;

- Offerings-Deuteronomy 16:17; Ezra 2:69; Acts 11:29

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The Name of the Lord

August 25, 2009 at 10:22 PM · Filed under Jesus Christ ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Just peeping around the corner is hot apple cider, smoking chimneys, red and gold leaves (or just plain brown, depending on where you live), pumpkin bread, and school rooms that still smell like Elmer’s glue and chalk, despite the fact that the schools are now armed with pristine whiteboards and double-sided tape.

My books are organized neatly into a drawer, my checklist has been exed out, and, already, my head is reeling! Ugh. The “new” year…

Yet there is just something about the fall that beautifully wraps around life like a warm, slightly faded quilt. Autumn brings to mind good memories like when I would go down to New Orleans with my cousins and grandparents, all the times people I’ve loved have prayed with me, and all those old songs such as “Bless that Wonderful Name,” “No Other Name,” and “Oh! How I Love Jesus!”

Those songs are so dear to me, because they have stood the test of time. They have been sung in churches all over the world, in different languages, and by people in difficult situations, over a span of many, many years. Sometimes, though, we forget the old songs, the old doctrines. Sometimes, something that can be said with a simple exclamation point, a flicker of an eyebrow, is conveyed as “OMG.”

The first time I saw “OMG” flicker onto my cell phone screen, I thought, “What’s Ahmgh? How is that pronounced?” Someone told me it was short for, “Oh. My. God.” My mom’s reaction is stamped into my heart: “What? We use God’s name in vain so much that we have to abbreviate it?”

I had not thought about that. But, after searching through the Scriptures, I feel amazed at how flippant we can be with God’s Name. I felt sad and utterly ashamed, and I’ll tell you why.

In Exodus 24:17, Moses wrote, “And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.”

We notice something fascinating and baffling about this Scripture. It does not say that the sight of God was like fire. It says that the “sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire!” The Jews were not even seeing God fully! They only saw His glory.

Ten chapters later, we read, “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him (Moses) there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.” (Exodus 34:5)

“And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.” (Exodus 34:8)

Bowing “his head toward the earth” is not the little half-bow that gentlemen give to ladies. Bowing “his head toward the earth” is getting down in the dirt, abasing oneself before God Almighty. His very glory is like “devouring fire.”

It is no wonder that one of the Ten Commandments is: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

Growing up, I never fully understood that Scripture until now. Vanity, properly defined, is “worthlessness.” God didn’t say, “Don’t take my name.” He said that we should not take his name in vain, in worthlessness.

If I see a celebrity on the street, what good or what worth is it to say, “Oh My God?” Now, on the other hand, if I am driving through stormy, thunderous weather, it could be of great worth to call on the Name of Jesus!

In fact, Jesus said, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13)

Paul said in Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

So why do we ask for things in the Name of Jesus? Why should we do all things in the Name of Jesus? “That the Father may be glorified.” (John 14:13)

We need to remember that God is all-powerful, but we also need to remember that He is all-loving. He wants to give us what we ask for. He wants to bless us. But we must remember to hold Him in high respect. I wouldn’t use my own name worthlessly, so I shouldn’t worthlessly use His. We need to remember His blessings. We need to remember His love. We need to remember His sacrifice. Most of all, we need to remember the holiness of His Name!

Has Jesus answered one of your prayers? Has He ever blessed you or comforted you? I would love to hear some of your comments!

“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Amen.” (Romans 16:20)

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