Jelly's Bible Diary - "365 Days of HSC and God"

[♥] Matthew 7:13-29

anjellyjoy — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 126 - The Two Outcomes

13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it, 14But small is the gate and narrow is the road that lead to life, and only a few find it. -Matthew 7:13-14

Today’s sermon really had me thinking and looking at which group of people I belonged to (belonging, luulz) - those that enter through the narrow gate and those that enter through the wide one.

Reflections

The easy path is also the path that leads to destruction. We have to take care not to fall into the trap of doing what is easy, but doing what will lead us to God.

Angelica

[♥] Romans 8:28-39

anjellyjoy — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 125

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

Can’t think to a segue haha, I guess not all that much happened today, so straight into reflections! ^^

Reflections

God is with us, who can be against us? Why are we sometimes afraid of the minor things in life when God is walking right beside us?
How should I live with the comfort of knowing that God is always with me? During exams, when I’m studying, eating, showering… everything?

Angelica

[♥] Romans 8:18-27

anjellyjoy — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 124

18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. -Romans 8:18

This verse was slightly scary, even though it wasn’t the last time I looked at it haha. My attention this time was drawn to the first part of the passage and to consider my sufferings e.g. can’t prove my identity at RTA ): and really just how ‘severe’ they really are.

Reflections

Do I ever compare my sufferings to the future glory to be revealed? Is my mind always too focused on how much I am suffering, rather than thinking about what it really is worth compared to the bigger picture?

Angelica

[♥] Romans 8:1-17

anjellyjoy — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 123

8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. -Romans 8:8

I think this verse really struck me today because it made me realise that we often try to please God, but while we are in sin’s grip and continue to sin, we cannot possibly do that.

Reflections

How can I make sure that sin loses its grip on me?
Do I consider that I am angering God every time I sin against him?

Angelica

[♥] Romans 7:7-25

anjellyjoy — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 122

17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. -Romans 7:17-18

This verse really encapsulates how I feel a lot of the time. The urge to sin is often so strong that I can’t resist it and then regret it an instant afterwards. Some things I really struggle with are patience and complaining.

Reflections

Although we have good intentions, how can we make sure that the sin within us doesn’t take control of our lives?

Prayers

Pray that God will help us to really mind our actions so that we do not reflect the sin that is in us.
Thank God for forgiving us, every time we get it wrong.

Angelica

[♥] Romans 7:1-6

anjellyjoy — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 121

4So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. -Romans 7:4

Note to self: write down this verse to explain why we no longer follow old customs and traditions and sacrifice cows. :P

Reflections

In all seriousness, we are now saved and no longer have to live bound by old laws. How often do I really consider this and thank Jesus in my life for opening the door to God?

Angelica

[♥] Romans 6:15-23

anjellyjoy — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 120

16Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? -Romans 6:16

A very hectic but simply amazing Chinese New Year by prefects today! Almost felt like we were slaving away haha, so I suppose this verse came in handy. (;

Reflections

We can not be slaves to both sin and righteousness at the same time. Therefore to be free from the grip of sin, we have to slaves to righteousness. Do I live my life for righteousness?

Angelica

[♥] 1 John 4:7

anjellyjoy — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 119

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. -1 John 4:7

Today, I just really want to thank God for being there with me and giving me the courage to do something in love for others. Cutting 30cm wasn’t really all that scary, but I guess making the decision and not turning back last minute really was a new experience.

Reflections:

God is love and we, like Him should love.

Prayers:

Thank God for strength and courage and for verses like these that remind me daily that we are to love, just as He did.
Pray that the person to receive the hair will really benefit from it. (:

Angelica

[♥] Hebrews 10:19-15

anjellyjoy — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 118 - ALLC 22nd Anniversary

22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. -Hebrews 10:22

An amazing day at Church today, celebrating 22 years. God is really infinitely amazing in keeping Churches not only alive, but growing year after year.

Reflection:

How can we as a Church keep each other strong in our faith? Does it mean devoting more time after service for fellowship for me? Does it mean being more bold and talking to others?
How can we as a Church also reach out to the community? In 2013 how can we, rather than just sticking to ourselves, really spread the gospel?

Prayers:

Really thank God for an amazingly loving and encouraging Church community and just for their seriously unending support in tough spiritual times, for bringing us through yet another year!

Angelica

[♥] Romans 6:1-14

anjellyjoy — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 117

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2

Today was a really busy day. Starting 2013 my tutoring schedule has changed so that my Saturdays are not completely full and Sundays completely free (yay). But this means really busy Saturdays and today, I really felt like I was under the control of some powerful force. This passage though, has taught me that rather, I am under the control of grace, yay! (:

Reflections:

Do I ever take grace for granted and continue to sin consciously? Do I really exert effort to avoid committing sins against God?
Do I obey my mortal body more often than I obey God? How can I make sure that I obey Him more in my life?

Angelica

[♥] Romans 5:12-21

anjellyjoy — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 116

17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. -Romans 5:17

Wow, and I thought I knew most of what had to be known about Romans. Yet another verse to completely challenge me to look at something in a new way.

Reflections

Sin entered the world through one man and gripped us. But God, who is much more power sent one man and saved us. How amazing!

Prayers

Thank God for the first week of school in 2013 and for new timetables and frees, that they have all aligned nicely. (:

Angelica

[♥] Romans 5:1-11

anjellyjoy — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 115

3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. -Romans 5:3-4

A great reminder that as the term starts and life gets busier (especially with HSC and all the homework already stacking up ;__;), our sufferings and challenges in life are there to build Godly character.

Reflections

Do I rejoice every time I suffer or do I complain? How can I make sure that I rejoice more in times of suffering?

Angelica

[♥] Romans 4

anjellyjoy — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 114

8Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him. -Romans 4:8

The longest passage that I’ve read for a while now haha and so much on Abraham - the favourite Sunday school man, way to start the term woohoo! (; But the verse above, in the entire passage stood out the most for me.

Reflections:

Do I often think about just what a blessing it is that none of the sins that I have ever committed and will ever commit… none of them will ever be counted against me?

Prayers:

Thank God for not counting my sins and for his grace.
Thank God for the start of another term at school!

Angelica

[♥] Romans 3:21-31

anjellyjoy — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 113

23For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. -Romans 3:23-24

And today reflecting that this sin extends not only to friends, but everyone I know, including the lovely prefect body that I spent all of yesterday with. And everyone at school, basically everyone I see. This verse really got me thinking of what this all means for me in light of the fact school is only a day away.

Reflections

For those who do not recognise that they have fallen short of God’s grace, how can I let them know about the Gospel?
What can I do this year at school to be a good witness to God?

Prayers

That Term 1 2013 will be a fruitful year, despite the HSC in bringing glory to God’s name and more people to His kingdom! (:

Angelica

[♥] Romans 3:9-20

anjellyjoy — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 112

10… “There is no-one righteous, not even one; 11there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God. 12All have turned away… -Romans 3:10-12

Had a lot of fun yesterday with friends and this verse has made me realised that so many of my friends, who get things right a lot more often than I do… not even they are perfect or righteous in God’s eyes. We have all turned away from Him.

Reflections:

We are all sinners, and nobody is excluded from God’s ‘hit list’ at the end of the day. Knowing this, how can I encourage my friends and myself to always be reminded of our sins and repent for them?

Prayers:

Praise God for a de-stressing night out and for really encouraging friends and brothers and sisters in Christ! (:

Angelica

[♥] Mark 10:45

anjellyjoy — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 111 - The Substitute

45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. -Mark 10:45

Haha, so one of the great things about keeping Church service outlines in my Bible and being too lazy to file them every week is that the following week I randomly pick up one and get the sudden urge to reflect on it? Maybe last week when I heard the sermon, I was acknowledging what was being preached but this week, I have truly come to be in awe of the significance of the verse.

Reflections

The crowd could not give an answer to “What crime has he committed?” because Jesus was innocent. While we were all sinners, He died for us.
We are like terrorists who have rebelled against Him, yet He died for us.

Angelica

[♥] Romans 3:1-8

anjellyjoy — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 110

8Why not say - as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say - “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved. -Romans 3:8

This passage was really interesting to read because I had never really considered sin to be looked at in this way. Really good food for thought. (:

Reflections

Sin brings God’s perfection glory but it doesn’t make it excusable.
We are saved by Christ and should work to be more and more in his image, rather than make excuses such as these to ‘allow ourselves’ to sin.

Angelica

[♥] Romans 2:17-29

anjellyjoy — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 109

28A man is not a Jew if he is only one out-wardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God. -Romans 2:28-29

This passage really reminded me of the quote, “Going to church does not make a person a Christian any more than being in a garage makes someone a car.”

Reflections

How can I be sure that my faith in God is inward and not outwards?

Angelica

[♥] Romans 2:1-16

anjellyjoy — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +1100

Day 108

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. -Romans 2:1

One thing I’ve been struggling with lately I think is self-righteousness. Lately I get spells of random moments creeping up in my sub-conscience that tell me what I’m doing or how I’m living puts me above someone else, I guess kind of like how people who donate to charities sometimes expects other people to donate as well and I’ve been reflecting on how I can change this attitude to realise that deeds are the consequence of faith and should be God-glorifying, rather than self-glorifying. This passage has been really relevant for this. (:

Reflections

A need to remind myself that everything I do is for God and because of HIs will, not because of my own strength, heart or abilities.

Prayers

Praise God for giving me gifts which I can use but pray that they will only be for His glory.

Angelica

[♥] Romans 1:18-32

anjellyjoy — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:59:00 +1100

Day 107

29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, green and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. -Romans 1:29-31

Sometimes, when I read these verses, I’m really tempted to take on the mentality that “I’m better than this, this is talking about other people and surely doesn’t apply to me.” But today I realised that if I just replace all the ‘they’s with ‘I’s, it really isn’t too far off at all. The extent and depth of our sins are unfathomable and it’s sometimes really frightening.

Reflections:

What should I do in response to how guilty I am? Do I repent and acknowledge all my sins or do I place myself above others even though we are all sinful?

Angelica

P.S. Finally typing up a month’s worth of Bible reading. Hopefully not spamming anyone. ^^;