This is my scripture for this year. (Yes, it is two, but when I read them, they seemed to go together.)Psalm 40:4,16 Blessed is the person who places his confidence in the Lord and does not rely on arrogant people or those who follow lies. Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad because of you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, "The Lord is great!"
What this said to me: I will be blessed if I put my confidence in the Lord. Tithing is coming out of my pay first this year. If I don't consciously do it, it gets pushed down and sometimes not done. This year I want to show that I trust God to meet my needs by paying my tithes first, before the bills and everything else, like the firstfruits in the Old Testament. Ezekiel 44:30 "The priests should have the best of all the first ripened fruits. The best of every gift from all your contributions must go to the priests. The best of your dough must go to the priests. This will cause a blessing to rest on your home." When I read this scripture what went through my mind was, the best of every gift from all your contributions-what's the best of that? The first. God getting the first is better than Him getting whatever might be left over.
Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad because of you. Not only will I be blessed doing these things, but I will rejoice and be glad. Who doesn't need more of this? Being rejoiceful and glad is having a light heart, not weighted down with worrying. I have given it all to God and he will take care of me. And according to Ezekiel's scripture above, not just me, but my home. That is a promise.
Let those who love your salvation continually say, "The Lord is great!"-Continually I will say the Lord is great if I am doing these things. When my eyes and heart are on God, I may not understand why things happen, but I know God is in control and has a plan for me. I just have to trust and believe in His goodness, mercy, and grace.
My firstfruits of talent will be given to God continuing this year also. I started playing bass last year with God and youtube and lots of prayer. Each time I learned a bit more about playing, I would youtube more videos to find out something else and then practice. I could feel Jesus sitting on the couch encouraging me, cheering me. I don't want to lose that feeling. He felt so close. When I play with the praise and worship team at church, it is worship for me. I am playing for God. He has given me this talent and I want to use it for Him. This year I want to learn the harmonica. I think it will be a bit more complicated to learn how to play, but there will be many conversations between me and God while I learn. One thing the pastor has said that has stuck with is: Don't let your worship just be words; mean them-believe them. As I worship, I want God to know I mean the words; I believe them.
Check out my scripture for last year here:
http://personalbiblestudies.blogspot.com/2014/05/ephesians-429-30-and-philippians-46-7.html
My pastor preached a message on this last year and I have it on cd. This year, he preached on my message again. Great confirmation! He said: 2 Chronicles 20:20 "Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established. Trust the Lord your God, and believe. Believe his prophets, and you will succeed." If I place my confidence in the Lord, if I only rely on Him, if I seek Him, and love his salvation, I will succeed. Another promise from God!
My motto for 2015: Hold on, don't quit, don't let go. What is your scripture for 2015?
