Decisions: Bad Company or Good Character?

We all have decisions in life. When you first hear it, the question of haivng bad company or good character seems easy. Good character over bad company, of course! But really, who are we choosing to be with? Are the people we see frequently good influences? Are the people you're with influencing you? These are questions we all have to ask ourselves.

 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

~ 1 Corinthians 15:33-34

These verses lead to another question: are you a good influence to the people you are with? Do you think about how you are God's representitive every time you do anything? The thought that people are judging God off of me scares me a little bit; I can't be even near everything that God is. That's why I have to ask for God's help to reflect Jesus.

Gaurd Your Heart

      Today, I think God spoke to me in Sunday School. The lesson was on Martha (the busy one) and Mary (the one who listened). Martha was so caught up in serving Jesus that she missed the lesson, and Mary sat down at Jesus' feet and listened. The point of the story was that we need to listen to God, instead of feeling like we have to be some kind of spiritual super-women.

      I was having the Martha mentality (gotta get things done,right now, perfectly, for Jesus!) I needed the Mary mindset (Jesus, I'm open to your plans, and I'm listening.) I realized that instead of working on doing everything, I need to work on being what God wants me to be. This verse sums it up:

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."
~Proverbs 4:23


Above all else (getting school and chores done, being ready for things on time, being prepared for everything, and even serving Jesus) I need to guard and strengthen my heart, because it is what guides my decisions in life.

God's Facebook

Lately I've been thinking about how I want my relationship with God to be deeper. I certainly know alot about God, and I know what God has in store for me. But our conversations tend to be slightly lop-sided.

Me: God, please help me to live like Jesus did. Help me to know what your plan is for me, and follow it.

God: *silence*

Me: And thanks for everything you do for me. You're an awesome God, you know.

God: *silence*

Me: Well, I have to go now. Amen.

    
    And that's how most of our conversations go. It would make it easier if God had a facebook, I think. But the poor guy would have such a huge amount of updates, he wouldn't have time to put anything on his status! I think the key isn't to just "listen" for God (in other words, sit for 5 seconds without saying anything). I think that God speaks through the silence, but he also speaks through other people and the Bible. There really is a reason we need to be good listeners. So I've resolved to be a better listener, and let God to the talking.

The Winter is Past

It might be cold outside, but it is spring! I thought this Bible verse was fitting:

See! The winter is past;
   the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
   the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
   is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit;
   the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
   my beautiful one, come with me.”

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

Here's a picture of the sidewalk yesterday. It was really windy and rainy, which wasn't fun. But afterwards, it left something beautiful behind! It's like a Spring version of snow.

 

Isaiah 40:8 says: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Even though the tree these flowers are going to be gone in the winter, God's truth will always be there throughout it all. And in each season, God shows us different beauty -- I just think that's so neat.

John 3:16

I've decided to make a blog. I don't have any special reasons, I just wanted to post Bible verses, and what they meant to me. Here's the first one:

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish; but have eternal life.

What does that verse mean to me? It means God loved me SO much that He gave up his only child, his Son, so that if I believed in Him, I could be saved from death and live forever. Now that's good news, people.