Ephasians 2 & 3: 1 -7

I'm looking out the window this morning to frost and a beautiful sunrise, much different then the cloudy grey skies yesterday and 2 to 3 inches of snow on the ground. It makes me reflect on life it's sort of like the weather. One day can be full of sunshine and you can feel so close to God and then next it's grey and doomy and God can feel so far away in reading this morning the verse that stuck out to me was Ephesians 3: 7 "By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading his Good News." This is Paul stating this but really any one who believes has been given this privilege, this WONDERFUL privilege.

It made me think do we Christians regard spreading His Good News as a "wonderful" privilege. For sure there are some, I know our senior pastor is one that I would put into that category along with a good portion of Eagle Brook staff but does everyone, every day view it as a wonderful privilege or more of something that they should do because they know it's the right thing. Much different when you put it in that context, isn't it? But imagine if every one who believed in God, lived life to follow Him took it as a wonderful privilege, I think that this sinful world would be quite different.

But would their lives be easier, say wonderful. I don't know. In some ways it definitely would be as they would have God in the center of their lives every day, the forefront of every thought this would definitely be a better life. But as a privilege, a wonderful privilege that means that they would be faced with people who did not agree, would think that they were foolish and oppose them and their beliefs. That could definitely be hard BUT all with God being in the center of their lives. Obviously, looking at it as a wonderful privilege is the way that we all should live our lives, so why don't we? Are we more afraid of what someone will think or what Jesus will think? Why can't we push away Satan and help in spreading His word to all we know? I think that each person has different answers to these questions but I hope through prayer and trying to lead my life in Christ that I can get there.

Dear Lord,

Help me take this privilege and view it as wonderful. That I have You as my Father, that you sent your Son to this Earth for me to take away my sins and that no matter what you love me Lord with all my flaws. Let me grab ahold of your Good News and share it with those that you have placed in my life for that reason. Help me to become the daughter that you want me to, to lead my life in you, through you and with you. Lord I ask that you remove in me the fear of sharing your Good News with others and replace it with the attitude of it being a wonderful privilege. Help me Lord in this and in your name I ask all of these things.

Amen!

Ephasians 2:1 -10

This was a great chapter to read this week as we are preparing for Easter. The verse that stuck out to me today was verse 9 "Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

WOW....pretty powerful and so true. There are so many mentions in the bible that salvation and going to heaven is not about the "number" of good things we do on Earth but more that we live our lives according to God's word. Obviously by doing that, we are going to have a number of good things that we do on to others. I think what caught my eye is that sometimes I do boast about the "good" things that I have done. I don't know why I want the recognition for these things but sometimes I do. Maybe it's more that the I want the appreciation more than the recognition. Either way I want to get better in not needing to tell others the good things that I have done but instead take that energy and put it into the good things that I am doing. Maybe then they wouldn't be good but would be great :)

Dear Lord,

Your everlasting love and mercy is something that I am not worthy of but I am so happy that it is there and that we do have it. I pray today for the strength to do great things in your name and that by doing so I am able to reach others for Christ, not so that I can boast about it and not so that I think that I have a free ticket into heaven, but so that others can feel this love and mercy as well. I am a sinner and without your son I would have nothing but because of Jesus I can be assured of a tomorrow that is better than this sinful world that we live in. Lord thank you for the strength to do these things in your name.

Amen

Ephesians 1:15 - 23

Hi baby,

I just got done reading and the verse that stood out to me tonight was "This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms."

I know that I have said to you before that Christ rising from the dead is something that I can 100% fully believe in, no doubts, no curiosity. I just believe in it. The resurrection is so real for me and I can't truly tell you why. It's not because as a kid the catholic church brain washed it into me :) I just 100% whole heartedly believe. I always have. But it made me think....why are there some other things that do raise my curiosity? Why is it sometimes that I feel so alone when truly God is right there beside me? Why do I get so mad that God put me in the situation of being hurt by someone that I fully trusted? So many why's and so little time to analyze to try and find the answers. But the question that made this verse pop out to me is why can't I take that same belief and put it into all the "why's"? I believe with no doubt that Jesus came to this Earth, died on a cross for our sins, was buried and rose again. That God had the power to do something so INCREDIBLE like that. I read that verse and thought YEAH, I believe that. So why can't I take that strength of belief and rule out any curiosity, push away the loneliness and feel God's warmth around me, to see that there is a reason for why we are in the situation that we are in and to take James 1:2-4 to know that God is giving me this to help me grow and come closer to Him.

I don't know why but I can pray that I can take that power of belief and put it into action in our marriage and in life.

Dear God,

Thank you for this opportunity of "trouble". I pray that you can give me the strength to grow from it, to learn from it and to become closer to you and Bjorn. Thank you for Bjorn Lord. I sometimes don't thank you enough for him. Help me to be the wife that he needs me to be in order for him to grow closer to you and me. Lord help me to take the belief that I have, that strength and power and to throw it in the way of anything that makes me doubt you, doubt Bjorn or doubt myself. Lord you are an amazing God and I feel so blessed to know what type of heavenly Father that we believe in, whole heartedly.

Amen!

Love you poops and am missing you tonight. Travel home safe so that we can be together.

Jen ;)

Day 1 - Ephesians Chapter 1

Dear Bjorn,

I'm starting this blog to I guess provide myself with some accountability that I will read the bible everyday and to reflect on a verse that moves me. I want to share this with you, again somewhat for accountability but also as a way for me to share my feelings with you.

Today I read Ephesians Chapter 1:1 - 14

The verse that stood out to me the most tonight was "God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." It struck me. How often do we, or I, look at others with fault in our eyes. I know that I think to think that I don't do it but I do. I know what has happened between us and I know that I cast fault your way. It's not fair even though the hurt is still there. Why can't I be more like Christ and look at you with no fault as God does. I choose to love you, marry you through good times and bad. The good is always easier isn't it but does it make one grow, no. It's the bad times that make us grow. They are not fun but I do truly believe that they are there for a reason. I apologize for looking at you with fault and not always a tender love. That is what Christ wants from us to look at each with love, not judging and definitely not with fault. Please know that my intentions are there even if they are not displayed on a daily basis. I can only pray that with time God will heal us both from this pain.

Dear God,

Please give me the strength that I need to look at all with no fault. For that is the way that you look at me, a sinner. One who you know what my sins are yet you do not judge me or cast fault my way. You forgive me and love me as your child. Lord, teach me through your guidance and love to resemble that same love towards my husband and others. That I may look at others as children of Christ and not cast fault.

In your precious name!

Amen