A week!

So its been a week between posting and i blame PMS its horrible!!!

Anyhoo i am enjoying early morning boot camp and this morning was no exception :)

So i am feeling awake and excited about 2 Thessalonians!!

Chapter 2 talks about the coming day of the Lord and reassures the thessalonians that it hasnt happened yet! Because there is a man of lawlessness still at work. and we really do see it in the world dont we? Plenty of lawlessness and sin, waiting for Jesus to be revealed and show it up for what it is and finally overthrow all sin and opposition to him. Why do people follow the way of lawlessness? they are sucked in by the false works of satan and vs 10 'they perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.' and so they believe the lies. its a mirror to our world isnt it??

BUT

there is good news for those in Christ Jesus:
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

that is my prayer for today!!

2 Thessalonians

I was struggling with the sameness of Psalms and the lack of Jesus so i have moved to 2 Thessalonians.

I was very encouraged this morning as i read chapter 1.

I love that their growing faith issues in growing love for others, especially those within the church. I also love the concept of living a life worthy. A life of response to the goodness of God!


3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[b]

thursday....

and i should be thankful....

here are 3 things i am thankful for today

1. my new flatmate merilyn moved in last night
2. panadol has helped relieve my very nasty headache
3. my lovely mummy who sends me presents when i am feeling flat.

Here are some psalms!

Psalm 117
A very short psalm calling all people to praise him.
"Praise the Lord all you nations
extol him all you peoples
For great is his love towards us
and the faithfulness of the lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord."

Psalm 118
Reminds me a bit of Psalm 136, a call to give thanks to God for his love and faithfulness.
"Give thanks to the lord for he is good, his love endures forever"
"the lord is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation."

coming next the LONGEST Psalm 119!

Some more Psalms....

Well hello! and welcome to Tuesday!

My detox headache is gone and i went to my thai cooking class last night...it was a shaky start - not very welcoming but in the end it was ok and i made some fun food. I think next i will look for a surfing course or a running group or something or maybe pottery??

Psalm 114
Is a short Psalm that speaks of Gods glory and power, all creation knows that God is King!

Psalm 115
Compares the glory and love of God with the powerlessness of the idols and false gods.
"not to us O LORD not to us but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness."

Psalm 116
I did an exegetical at college on this Psalm for an old testament 3 class. i cant really remember much! It is a psalm that remembers Gods rescue and goodness.

'Be at rest once more my soul for the LORD has been good to you.'

Psalm 112 and so on

So i have a massive!!! headache i think from detoxing...ie trying to eat healthy after 10 days of eating crap...

We also had a quite stressful playgroup this morning and my hurting head isnt helping!!

So here is a centering Psalm
Ps 112
' Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious compassionate and righteous man' ( or even better 'Even in the darkness light dawns for the lord is gracious compassionate and righteous! - textual variant with better theology :) )

Why do many of the psalms sound a bit like a prosperity gospel - follow god and he will give you every good thing....i think in the old testament gods grace to his people was much more national and physical - if the followed him he would give them the land and bless it, but if not exile....but we know that now Jesus is the heart of obedience to GOd and what he asks is a life transformed and what he offers is better than good crops, its a life filled with the holy spirit and a firm future.

Ps 113
Is a psalm of thanksgiving to God who gives all he is the powerful one! so praise him

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the lord is to be praised.

Psalm 110

So ive been a little bit tired and emotional the last week, i also managed to put on 3 kilos in a week eating crap. its great to have a skill isnt it?

Anyhoo Psalm 110 is a very oft quoted psalm in the NT, its a kingship Psalm.
I've always been a bit confused by it....
'the lord says to my lord
sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.'

Heres psalm 111 while we are at it:
Its a lovely lovely psalm which praises God for who he is and what he has done!it concludes with:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.