proverbs 4

the importance of wisdom reinforced over and over again.

what wisdom will do for you:

-protects and watches over you

-exalts and honors you

-give you grace

-give you a crown of splendor

what a life of wisdom looks like:

-straight path

-your steps will not be hampered

-you will not stumble

-"like the gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter til the full light of day" (what amazing imagery- love this)

what to do with it when you receive wisdom:

-guard it well

-do not let it go

-keep it deep within your heart

isaiah 48

man... reading isaiah can seem repetitive but the good thing is... it really reinforces the story of the Israelites. God knows how to deal with STUBBORN hearts (ahem hehe). the passage was even called "stubborn israel" or something. the Israelites: prime example of God's redemption for a very stubborn/wayward/sinful group of people. they sinned against God and had the worst attitudes... but yet, God shows them so much grace and saves them again and again.

WHY would he show grace? (from v.11)

-bc they are His chosen ones and He loves them as his own children

-for His name sake, He will not be defamed, He will not yield his glory to another

that's so encouraging! as God's chosen ones, HE WILL NEVER let you go - not only for your sake but HIS name sake. that's a serious promise. :)

proverbs 2

must seek wisdom like a hidden treasure- if you ask for it, you will receive it! and he promises to "guard the course of the just and protect the way of his faithful ones." need lots of wisdom during this time as i start out the new year and plan for things ahead with grad school, etc.

isaiah 46

God reminding Israelites that there are no other gods before him. none can compare to him. He is supreme and "His purpose will stand" and His plans will always work out no matter what. unlike the wicked, who chooses to control their own futures.. their plans will always fail and lead to destruction. there is so much safety and security when we choose to follow His will... His plan will never fail or fall through so we can trust He'll lead us on stable ground. He reminds his people that He created us and gave us our existence! so OF COURSE he will sustain us til the very end. Nothing will get in the way of His will. very reassuring. :)

the story ch 3 contd

the story of joseph and the technicolor dreamcoat (hehe) continues on... the rest of what happened is probably familiar to you too so i'll skip the summary today.
joseph forgives his brothers and says that he must have been sold/sent to egypt to prepare for a reason... so that he can become a high official and prepare for the future (giving his family food and a comfortable place to live during the famine). so nice of him to say that. i'm embarrassed b/c i have so much trouble forgiving my family for anything. and also joseph gives all credit to God- one more thing i have a hard time doing...

spent time writing a prayer for the new year and meditated on God's promises in the Word. i wanna cling to His promises this year, so it was really good going back and claiming His promises... even some of the most basic truths. i feel like i experienced the Gospel all over again... thinking about just who God is in my life. The last thing i wrote in my prayer is to have COURAGE this year - i decided that's my new theme for 2012.

i'm so glad i can start the new year claiming God's Truth in my life. wow, God is so good. seriously. He amazes me. :)

here are the verses i meditated on:

psalm 23

John 10:25-30

Psalm 136

Jeremiah 29:11

Ephesians 2:10

2 Corinth 12:9-10

Joshua 1:9

Matthew 28:20

John 15:15

John 16:33

Romans 5:18

Romans 6:18, 23

Galatians 5:1, 9

Romans 8: 28, 31-39

John 10:10

2 Corinth 5:17

John 4:13

Isaiah 55

John 6:35

Mathew 6:19

Romans 12:2

Matthew 7:9-11

Psalm 37:4

2 Timothy 4:7

Mathew 22:37-40

1 Thess 5:23-24

the story - chapter 3 pt 1

jacob had lots of sons. the youngest was named joseph. the rest of the brothers didn't like joseph b/c he was their father's favorite. the brothers schemed to get rid of joseph. they wanted to kill him but ultimately decided to sell him to the ishmaelites that were passing by. then the ishmaelites sold joseph to the egyptians.

joseph started working for a wealthy egyptian man named potiphar. he managed to do everything well, so potiphar trusted him and everything that potiphar did/owned became successful. this was because God blessed joseph, and he was with joseph in everything joseph did, so naturally potiphar's household was successful.

potiphar's wife tried to tempt joseph but joseph resisted. because of this, potiphar's wife became angry and framed joseph. potiphar became angry with joseph and sent him to prison.

but even in prison God was with joseph. so joseph quickly became a trusted man and was put in charge of managing prisoners.

this story is familiar to me b/c of a funny reason... haha in high school i was in a musical. and that musical was joseph and the technicolor dreamcoat.

the story - chapter 2

chapter 2 - God builds a nation

God spoke to abram to move to canaan, so he did. it is pointed out that abram's decision to uproot his whole family and take all his belongings to an unknown area was an act of faith, b/c he didn't know where God was taking him to. but he still obeyed and went.

abram and sarai didn't have children. but God promised that they'll have as many children as the stars in the sky. hagar first conceived abram's child, ishmael.

God made a covenant with abraham to give him the whole land of canaan and to make him the father of many nations. God also promises to be the Lord of all of the descendants of abraham.

sarah had a child, despite the fact that both abraham and sarah were really old. the son was called isaac.

God tested abraham to see if he'd obey God's call to give isaac as a sacrifice. abraham obeyed and was about to set isaac on the altar when God stopped him. God could tell that abraham was truly a God-fearing man.

isaac married rebekah and had two sons, jacob and esau. rebekah and jacob schemed so that jacob would receive isaac's blessing instead. jacob ran away and met rachel. jacob married leah first and then married rachel.

many years later jacob and all of his family and possessions returned to where his brother esau was living. jacob was scared that esau might try to kill them all. jacob randomly wrestled with a man who turned out to be God. esau welcomed jacob & co. with open arms. jacob was renamed to israel.

rachel died. isaac died. jacob had 12 sons total.

it seems so simple - all the good men in this chapter obeyed God by faith and surrendered to God in all circumstances - and in return, God gave them lots of children and wealth and wonderful places to live at. was it just that the relationship between God and humans were just so simple as that back then? or am i missing something...

psalm 149

we, as his saints, will be glorified when we do God's will. but not the worldly kind of glory, but glory that reflects Him. need to desire the right kind of glory and know the privilege of being glorified with Christ.

isaiah 43

God's very special love for Israel, even amidst their extreme unfaithfulness, God still says "I am Your God, Your Savior, and I save you because you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you." Not even Israelites' great sin would separate them from God's love. Because of the Israelites' own sin, they're suffering and experiencing the grave consequences (in exile in babylon). BUT God, in His mercy, chooses to rescue them and save them from their suffering (that they inflicted on themselves) and REDEEMS and RESTORES their broken lives.

"Forget the former things; see, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." (v.18)