You are amazing. You are worthy of everything we have, everything we are, everything we will become. Lord, you love creating! You made this whole universe for your pleasure. You made this soul to give you glory. You made this as an outpouring of your love. That is overwhelming. Your power is... Moly hackerel! I can't find words big enough.
Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder, at the mention of your name. Jesus, your name is power, breath, and living water! Such a marvelous mystery! Lord, if I'm awestruck at the mention of your name, it's a wonder that my head hasn't exploded at the thought of everything you did. You created this wonderful universe and us to have a relationship with you. We totally messed it up, and we lived far from you for centuries if not millennium. And then you sent your son. You endured agony for us. For me. So we could live with you. So we could spent eternity in your presence. Your love is overwhelming. I think that's the only thing I can think right now. Lord, you are my personal sun. I don't need anyone else. Sometimes I'm persuaded otherwise, but it's true! You are all I need now.
T h a n k Y o u ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Love,
Here's my notes.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2
It's sad that not everyone will take the seed and produce a crop, but at the same time, it's nice to know that we don't have to be discouraged if people don't receive our seed. They are not good soil (or perhaps they haven't been hoed yet :-P)
It would have been fun to hear Jesus speak. He tells stories. But it would be annoying if I couldn't figure them out and he didn't explain them.
What would make you go and sell EVERYTHING you have with abandon? What would be of such great worth that you would sell everything but the clothes on your back just so you could buy it? God's kingdom is worth way more than whatever you're thinking about, and you can't buy it. It is given to you! How crazy is that? That means we're in huge debt. We need to sell all we have to God, for his use since he gave us his kingdom and everything that comes with it.
I don't remember 13:52. It's a cool verse. The teacher of the law is like a person with a giant house that likes to bring out his treasures—and his house is sooo big that he brings out old things as well as new treasures! I like that verse.
It's hard to believe that the person you've grown up with is the Son of God. I get that. It's still sad that Jesus couldn't really do anything there.
Jesus' compassion is amazing. His cousin had just died in a tragic way, and he withdrew to (obviously) be alone. But when landed and saw the crowd, he didn't say that he had a perfectly good excuse to be alone and grieve for a while, but instead he took compassion on them, healing their bodies and feeding their minds...... And eventually feeding their bodies too.
Jesus finally did have some time alone, then he had a crazy experience with the disciples by walking on water. Peter's so.... Peter. Personally, I bet I'd have been one of the other eleven who didn't say anything, so I can't really talk.
I love 15:12. Uhhh Jesus? Don't you know you're kinda offending some of the most religious people here... Maybe you should tone it down a bit?
I also love the story of the Canaanite woman. She didn't give up, and managed to make Jesus grant her request, even when he seemed so cold, because it wasn't time to reach the Gentiles.
Ok, I love that God repeats the feeding of the 4 (or 5) thousand. For one thing, it serves to show he's powerful. For another, it gives me the chance to realize a few things.
(ADD moment: The sun's up and on my arm and it's really warm and now I have spring fever and I want winter to be over and it's making me happy because it also symbolizes God's look and love. I love it :-)
One thing I noticed with the story is that the disciples probably didn't have the 7 loaves and few fish. If that was the case, people could probably get by till they got to a town. That was probably all that was left from everybody. Even if it wasn't, whoever did have the food would have had to step out in faith to share. I'd be like, I'm keeping my loaf. It's not a full meal, but it's better than nothing. But people gave up what they had, and they blessed others as a result.
Ok, I just had a revelation. Wow, ok. The Pharisees and Sadducees? They aren't the same people talking to Jesus! Jesus kept moving around, and yet I think that the Pharisees just follow him to bother him. But there were Pharisees in every town. They were part of the elite, not just the same people. Ok. Wow. Now I feel blonde (no offense, blondes).
I love that Jesus reminds them of things he has done. He doesn't boast, but he just reminds the disciples that they have a Provider with them.
Oh, Peter. You were just awesome about identifying Jesus as the Christ, but then you turn around and Jesus calls you Satan because you still think the Christ is going to conquer the Romans and reign, instead of fulfilling a higher plan.
And then of course, vv. 24-28 are just awesome.
Proverbs 4. So I'm reading... Oh hey, wisdom is another thing that is worth all you have. So if you get God's kingdom AND his wisdom, you are doubly in debt.... then my mind wanders and I think, if God had told me that he would give me whatever I ask for, what would I say? Right now, I'd probably ask to be able to hear his voice in my head whenever I needed him. Like, for what to say and all. Then I realized oh... that's wisdom. And the bible. And his spirit. Cool! I didn't have to sacrifice 1000 animals. Yes....
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” I think of this morning. I woke up to the sun streaming through the trees, but before I woke up, there was darkness, then a gleam, then a beam, and then a general brightening of the sky, then the sun. So often we think that life is like when I just woke up: darkness to light in a moment of opening your eyes. But it's a process that takes way longer.
Chase after wisdom, avoid the evil, embrace God's words in your heart, then guard it. And whatever comes out of your mouth is what stems from the heart, so if the heart is without corruption, then your words will be without corruption.
FOCUS on God. Don't be swayed by the temptations of the devil.
Revelation 4. Now I have the Revelation Song stuck in my head. Fabulous! Lord, you are Awesome. You inspire awe. You are holy and pure. You live forever. You were the first, you will be the last. You created this for your pleasure. What a marvelous mystery!