Slipping of your commitmends!

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It has only been a month since I started reading and I already got really distracted. Instead of getting up and doing my reading I would lay around in bed, or go to bed so late that I told myself I cannot read anymore, lies and excuses!
I am happy I realized that soon, kind of. I just checked my reading plan yesterday and I am three chapters behind in the old and in the New Testament, so I am catching up right now, think I will be doing that tonight and tomorrow.
So this was not my first time slipping of something related to God, but I am more aware of it this time because I can actually see where I am supposed to be and where I really am.

This really showed me, that I need to hold myself more accountable to what I decide to do. I will soon start to learn a new instrument and there I need to have this attitude as well.
I cannot call myself a believer, but forget God if there is a little distraction around. I need to learn how to focus and to adjust my lifestyle to the goals I have set for myself! I have just started to make new goals in my life, but how can I accomplish those if I am not even able to stick to my simple reading plan. Determination and passion are to characteristics I really need to focus and rely on, because they will either be my greatest help or I will forever be looking for them.

I will definitely finish my Bible through 2012!

It still seems like an unattainable goal because my Bible just seems to get thicker and thicker, but then I never thought I would be able to speak French and now I have been studying it for over three years and enjoyed it. Now I am starting to study Spanish and hope for the same results. But I know, if I stay determined and focused I can attain everything in live because there is no challenge in front of me that I am not able to bear, everything I set my mind to, I can achieve.

Keep challenging yourself!

‚Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for the tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but shall be the miracle.’ – Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)

I was searching for inspirational quotes yesterday, not only in the field of faith but for all parts of my life. I found this wonderful quote by Phillips Brooks and as I read it I felt instantly drawn to it.
It relates to my personal state of mind more than anything else I have found so far.

Brooks describes how we usually look for the easy way out. We avoid confrontations to either not hurt anybody or ourselves, or to just avoid any kind of hard work by ourselves. I really like that he is actually saying that we should take on every challenge in front of us, nether less that it might seem impossible in the beginning. If we pray for our own ability to God, that he might lead us to do great things we will get there. Our own powers will increase because our belief will strengthen and our mind will focus. That is the way in which we can overcome fear itself as well.
Lastly he explains that it is not the finished work that is the result, but we are. Our change through the accomplishment is what really matters. Every challenge changes our mindset and character in ways no one can imagine before. Shaping ourselves is part of our life, if we do so we will become the best person that each of us can be.
Furthermore, I think it is always important to have this kind of challenge. It might just be something small to you, but to others it will be a great inspiration. Seeing one succeed always inspires other people to do so as well.
We can do all things through Christ, so if maybe today you think you have to face the impossible, pray to God that he may give you the power to succeed, because we can do everything with him. He might even be the one, who confronted you with this obstacle in your life so that you turn to him once again.
Always turn to God first, pray about whatever it might be, it might just be a 20 second prayer, but it might be that little boost you need to get stronger.

Finishing the Beginning – Genesis

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A few days ago I finished my first book in the Bible. I got a little bit ahead of my reading plan, because I felt like I wanted to read more than just two or three chapters.

So Genesis was exciting to me. The first chapter about the creation of earth was a nice read, but it got harder after for me. A lot of generations and names, and the names of the children or they are given new names. I was confused but I think I understood the generations of Abraham so far.

The story of Joseph was very nice, because in my school we had a play of this story  on a Christmas party and it brought back a lot of good memories. Very important seems to me that Joseph even though his brothers sold him and pretended that he was dead for years, still forgave them and provided for them. It just showed this loving side of him, which is a true inspiration for me. It has always been hard for me to forgive, to forget and to move on. He does it so lightly even though something so terrible has happened to him.

Forgiving mistakes is such a common topic in the Bible and they all seem to have no regrets or do not even consider anything else. I guess that is because of their strong belief. They all know that we must make mistakes because we are not perfect, because we are sinners living in a deceiving world.

So my next challenge for myself is to be a forgiving person, to let go of the things that have past and cannot be changed anyways. We are not designed to be perfect, neither am I, so I need to learn to accept the past and do my best to live a righteousness live on the present and future!

Blessings to you!

You shall not lie!

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Yesterday, I was thinking about lying to my mother. I usually do not lie; I think it is better to tell the truth so that there are no conflicts.

I told my mother I wanted to go to the gym, but I ended up not going, and I have not been there this week yet. I did not find the motivation to actually go and work out. I was and still am procrastinating. I am planning on going tomorrow anyways.

I kept thinking to myself, what if she comes in and asks me, should I really lie to her. I did not want to tell her that I did not go again. It seemed so embarrassing to me. So again I told myself, just tell her you went. How was she supposed to know otherwise? Then I told myself, do not do it, just say you did not go; nothing she can do about it anyways. I already saw the scenarios in my head. Once I told her, once I did not. In the one that I lied to her, I did not feel good at all but she seemed to be happy, a little proud. In the second scenario she was not really mad but not happy either, but I felt relieved.

So I kept preparing for her to come in my room and ask. She actually came in and I was not to nervous, well I knew what I would do, she only had to ask.

She did not ask.

When she left, I kind of felt relieved but then I also felt strange. I so often had imagined what would happen, but it never did.

Afterwards I know what I did wrong. I should not put myself in the situation that I even have to think about lying to my mother. The command ‘You shall not lie’ does not just mean that I just tell the truth, I think it also tries to express that we should not put ourselves in the situation in which we would have to lie. If there is something to lie about, that only predicts that we want to hide something or did something we regret doing now. Nobody is perfect but God himself, so there is no need to feel ashamed of anything towards another human. They might not say so, but somebody else might have done the same and feel the same. I do not want to say that doing wrong is a good thing, but we need to face the reality. Everybody is flawed and the faster we accept this fact, the easier will our lives get because we will stop questioning every little thing.

Therefore my little story has also showed me that one commandment is always connected to another. You shall not lie; you shall treat your parent’s right. Because I did not see the connection in the beginning, I did not realize that I was about to break two commandments at a time.

The Word of God should not be seen as one guideline at a time, but as a whole package to be carefully carried around and taken care of. Only if you watch your doings according to the Word it is possible to live a life worthy the Lord.

Be blessed!

Understanding starts at the Beginning!

A preacher went into his church and he was praying to God. While he was praying, he asked God, “How long is 10 million years to you?”
He replied, “1 second.”

The next day the preacher asked God, “God, how much is 10 million dollars to you?” And God replied, “A penny.”

Then finally the next day the preacher asked God, “God, can I have one of your pennies?”
And God replied, “Just wait a sec.”

 

 

I really like this joke. To me it isn’t really a joke, it is the way I can understand the biblical creation of the earth with everything I have learned about Evolution and the biological development of the earth, up till today. My ‚dad‘ showed it to me, to explain the difference between Gods reality and our reality, to give me a better understanding because he also does not fully believe that the earth was created in seven days.

I am not a creationist; I am trying to find the meaning that applies to me, in every verse of the Bible. I project it on my own life, or the life of family and friends, because I think that is the only way that I can relate right now and more important, understand what I am reading. I will never be able to understand why God created everything the way it is right now, because nobody can even come close to his mind, but I think he wants us to strive for understanding, if he would not why would we even be able to get curious.

 

I want to stress this joke as much as possible, because especially for young people like me, or new Christians, this can help to understand the first chapter of the Bible, and if you cannot understand that first part, then you need to take your time to understand it before you continue reading.

What is the use of reading the Word of God if you do not understand what you are reading? None. Therefore, if there is any difficulty in understanding the meaning of verses, you need to figure it out first before they continue. It does not matter if you need a day to understand or three weeks, focus on the part and as the days go by you experience new situations in life which will definitely help you to understand, because the Word is our guide for life, and the best way to learn is to go out there and apply it.

Practice makes perfect!

 

I pray for you all that your Bible journey will be successful and bring a new light of wisdom and understanding in your life!

Reading the Bible!

My way to God was somehow an accident. I was at the church if my friend in California, with my family I would go to church there too when I was visiting, I was always touched by what the pastor was saying but I was raised anti-christian and anti-church by my parents so I never really considered to actually believe and worship God and Jesus. Well, that changed this summer, I was going to church twice sometimes three times a week, and even helped in day care for the younger children, it was a very nice experience, furthermore I went to my first bible camp which was just amazing, I’ve never felt closer to God than I did at camp.

Anyways, I got saved in June, through a little misunderstanding, but from thatmoment  one I started reading the Bible, not all of them, but a little bit here and there. I’ve read Acts and the Proverbs this summer.

Acts was recommended to me by the pastor who saved me, because there is one story in which one family member gets saved and then his family, convinced by his faith got saved to.

Since Janurary 1st I am reading the Bible everyday, my goal is to finish it within one year. My Bible comes with an one-year-reading plan, which I follow. In the morning I read a part of the new testament and at night I read a part of the old testament. I did not make any new years resolutions, because I stopped believing in those two years ago, that is why reading the Bible is not really a new years resolution anyways but because it is a one year journey it has that feeling to it right now, might be different in a few weeks.

So in this blog, I will share my reading, study, accomplishments, change, experience and feelings about reading the Bibel. I will share my own interpretation as well as understanding. I am not a wise preacher or have attended any Bible classes, even though I wish I could, but I think it is important for everybody to read the Bible, it is the fundation of christianity, to read you need to know the letters, to add and substract you need to know the numbers, to be a faithful christian you need to know the word of God!

I have found a very inspiring video, which I will include in this post. I recommand it to anybody, watch, enjoy and be inspired!

Reading the Bibel!!

Therefore, this year I will dedicate all my extra attention to my Bible study and hopefull find a possibility to attend some Bibleclasses, too.

Blessings to you!