Thousand Foot Krutch

Thousand Foot Krutch
I love this band. I listen to them daily. Even though we are looking at another camera, we all look like we're alert for it being a fan signing and it's 11:30 p.m. on a Friday.

23 May 2012

S.M.A.L.L method example

Scripture.
John 14:2-3 - In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Meditate.
Jesus doesn't lie. "If it were not so, I would not have told you." He wants us. "That where I am, there you may be also." He doesn't leave us alone. Here he lists one of our four basic needs for physical survival. He provides us with our four basic needs for survival: food, water, shelter, and clothing. He is building us a mansion, a palace. How great and big heaven must be - there are over 2 billion Christians in the world today. If each of us gets a house...that's 2 billion mansions. And that isn't counting those people who have already died.


Absorb.
Writing out and saying the scripture out loud helps the brain remember Scripture.
John 14:2-3 - In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Live.
I can encourage other believers that Christ makes a home for us in Heaven. I can be okay in this life, with whatever shelter I have, because I know that someday I will have a mansion. I just have to make it to the afterlife.

Link.

Lord, thank you for reminding me of my mansion in Heaven, where you dwell and where Christ dwells. When I die, I will not be homeless. Even on this Earth, I am never alone; You will always provide for all my needs, physical and psychological. Thank you for Your strong hands that built it. Thank you that you died and rose again so that I would live with you forever. Thank you, Lord. Amen.


It's as simple as that! Prayers on you as you do your own Bible study and Scripture reading.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel

Scripture studying method - S.M.A.L.L.

Just came up with a new Scripture studying methods for those who want to be students of the Bible.

Big things have small beginnings.

Scripture.
Write down the Scripture God lays on your heart.


Meditate.
Spend a few minutes thinking about the Scripture. What sticks out to you from the passage? Does a certain word or phrase remind you of something? What is God saying?
  
Absorb.
Absorption is a fastest way to get healthy. Absorb Scripture. Memorize the verse. If you chose multiple verses, try to memorize the entire passage you selected or just one verse.

Live.
Think of practical ways you can apply the Scripture in your everyday life. This could be as simple as smiling at someone (kindness), or holding the door for someone (service). This could be anything; don't hold back! If God reveals something to you, embrace it!

Link. 
The last and most important part of Scripture studying is prayer. Linking to the Father, Son, and Spirit will do more to help you to complete the letters S, M, A, and L than anything else. Put God in remembrance of His promise. He will make your path straight.

Learning the Scriptures and applying them are not easy. Continuing to do it day after day is even harder. But the more you do it, the easier it is and the more fulfilling your life is. 

Good luck on diving into the Scriptures. My prayers are with you as you learn more about and explore the best relationship - the one that will never fail - you will ever experience. Get ready to meet or re-meet, and then embrace, the God of Heaven, the Comforter, and the Savior of the World.

To help you, my next post will be an example of Scripture studying using the S.M.A.L.L method.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel

05 May 2012

The Hunger Games trilogy

Ok! So it's here. A blog post for The Hunger Games trilogy. This will contain spoilers, so if you post anything about it being unfair to post spoilers, refrain. If you do post it, I will remove your comment. This is your warning. Read on and you will not be surprised!! I TOTALLY EXPECT SOME OUTSIDE HELP, SO POST!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so about the ending of book three. Totally AWESOME that Peeta lived and they eventually made mends. I always supported Peeta and Katniss (since Peeta didn't have any other love interest).

The epilogue was a little bit like, ugh. It sort of felt like there should be three more books, you know? Like their kids were going to do something, which would be totally rad! It didn't seem like an ending, although I'm sure the author MEANT for it to be an ending. lol.

And Peeta? Peeta was the only normal person. I want the author to rewrite the series from Peeta's point of view. That'd be sweet.

I was glad to get to the end of book three. I didn't like being a seventeen-year-old girl when I was a seventeen-year-old girl, and Katniss is like horrible. She's crazier than I remember being (she's also in the middle of a war zone).

The books actually weren't that bad. Either it was my version or the tense changes occasionally changed and then changed back. I can mostly overlook a few errors if the plot is good enough...and the plot was pretty different (kids killing kids to survive? That's pretty twist-of-topic, I think). It's not like Snow was the shining model of awesomeness, either. But Katniss, except for her sacrifice to save her sister, hardly had a firm moral backbone. Really, Peeta shine as the best character in the novels.

Ok, so everyone who usually reads my blog posts knows that I always see a religious aspect in everything. Well, did any other Christian notice that Peeta seemed like a Jesus character? He even died (temporarily) in book two! He never gave up on Katniss, just like, according to the Bible, Christ never gives up on his bridegroom. He'll always return for her, he'll always forgive her, he'll always love her.

And Christ can orchestrate our deaths, too, but He never WANTS to do that. But He can't be brainwashed to do that, it's our actions that cause our punishment.

What do you think?

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel