2 corithians 12:9

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. NKJV
This truth is hard for me to understand. How can I be weak? I have to be strong, I will get trampled on, people will take advantage of me, says the lies of the enemy. Grace is a beautiful thing, it can only take place when a person has failed or is weak. Gods grace toward me a beautiful mystery and the only way to understand that mystery more and more is to receive it more and more. I'm already a weak person, this verse is just asking me to accept that truth, and to run to God who is my safe retreat and who has an abundance of grace waiting for me to job into. The bible talks about how I need to run boldly to the throne of grace. I’m weak, I’m not man that I’m supposed to be and I cant become I want to be without God and his grace. I can change, I can be the man I'm suppose to be but only through God and only God can change me and the only thing I can do is come to him and fall on my face and say “God I’m weak” and then he will make me strong in him and not me. My body is finite and wicked and it takes a holy savior to make me righteous and holy. I need Jesus, I need his spirit to come inside me and change me from the inside out.

Application:
Today I will write weak on my hand to show that God is my strength and is grace is sufficient.

Isaiah 48

This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.  If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.
NIV

This was said to the Israelites by the
prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was called by God who was sent to Israel that they would turn back to God and remember the creator who made them a great nation. In the beginning its says “your redeemer, the holy one of Israel.” Its personal, God said “Your” and “The HOLY ONE of Israel.” Israel again back slid and the lord is saying that I’m your and I’m the God of Israel. Later in the verse it talks about how God knows best and how he teaches you what’s best. And how he will direct which way that Israel should go. The lord will be involved with them day to day he won’t just leave them and stop teaching and directing them he loves them and want a personnel relationship with Israel. Israel only had to do one thing, the only thing that they had to do was “Paid attention to my commandments” they only had to listen to God. What God told Moses through the law they would have to obey. If they did God promises 2 things; “peace like a river” and “Well being like the waves of the sea”. God heart seems to be blessing upon blessing all they have to do is follow God. It would be really easy for me to condemn the Israelites but, if I did that then I would be a hypocrite. I do the same thing, I chose to Go after dump thing and decide that I know what is best and that “I don’t need God” and I may not say it in words but, I do so it in actions. I think if I was to live by and follow Gods word then I would get the same peace and well-being that the Israelites got. And to remind myself, it doesn’t say easier it says peace. God gives us peace but, doesn’t all the time make the situation any easier. But, he does promise peace and well being which is more that I deserve. And he is personal, He wants to be my God, and He wants to be my God everyday not just on certain days.

Application:
Starting today I will read through Isaiah and ask the lord to show me Him as I read.

mark 12:30

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  This is the first commandment. NKJV

What is the purpose to this life? It’s a question that ask and wrestle with a lot, I don’t like not having meaning and I know there is meaning to this life. And I think its something that a lot of people don’t understand. The world might say to get as much pleasure and success before we die, and the Christian might say to do the work which God has for you. In the book “We would see Jesus” by Roy and Revel Hession it says on pg 9-10 “the biblical wander to the question, “what is the purpose of life” is to know, and to love, and yo walk with God; that is, to see God.” So, what if it’s just as simple as just seeing God and to know him.  For me I got so Caught up in doing work for God when I forget that God is more interested in me then the work I do for him. The work blesses me, the work God gives me is not my purpose but a blessing that comes with fulfilling my purpose in Christ. In page 9 of this we would see Jesus it says “My goal is God himself, not joy, nor peace, nor even blessing, but himself, my God.” Its all about God. Notice Jesus in this passage didn’t say to “love the works of God” or “love the blessing of God.” No it says “Love the lord your God”. How do we see God? Jesus said if you have seen Him then you have seen the father. We God through his son Jesus, we turn to Jesus and we see the Father. Its all about God.

Application:

Today I will write “to know God” on my hand to remind myself of purpose in this life.

mark 4:10

When he was alone, the twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables (NIV)

After Jesus teaches the crowd the parable of sower, there were few who when up to Jesus and asked him what it meant. And I think that is a huge part of being a student is asking question, part of being a student to means that you are admitting that you don’t know something or not enough and you want to know more. So, knowing that you don’t know, something that is key is just to ask a question. The twelve disciples who walked with Jesus day in and day out didn’t know what the parable of the sower meant, and it wasn’t just the twelve who asked there were people around them who asked too. In return Jesus said this “the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you...”  because they asked they get to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, later on Jesus did tell the people who asked, the meaning of the parable, and they left all the wiser and knowing more about Jesus which is the entire point. What point is there to Christianity if we don’t know Jesus? If we don’t know Christ? There is none whatsoever, and I know that I am lacking in knowledge and God is infinite in wisdom and infinite in knowledge and desire a relationship with me, so why not get the most out of it and strive to know God?

Application:

But I know that I struggle with asking questions and its diffidently something I can grow in and want to grow in.

That’s is why I will write down any question I have that way I can ask someone and grow in my faith and Know God more.

luke 2:46

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, asking them questions. KJV

Here I see Jesus doing two main things, listening and asking, you see Jesus in the temple for three days straight amount the teachers, Jesus first sat and listened to them teach. I think that is extremely important if we want to be good students is to sit and listen. It’s hard to do the second part correctly if we don’t humble ourselves and listen to the teachers. Jesus was fully God and Fully man, everything that they were teaching Jesus being fully God probably gave them that knowledge. But Jesus humbled himself and sat under them how much more should we humble ourselves? I know for me that I don’t know as much as I like to think I do. It’s hard to have the heart of learning if you think you are smarter than the person teaching. But the second thing he did was ask question. He sat and listened to the teachings then after he asked questions. I know for me there is a lot of things in the bible that I don’t understand and quite frankly get me confused, so for me I know that I must ask questions that way God may untie the knots of confusion. But, I think this verse really show the heart of a student, someone who is willing to sit at the feat of a teacher and listen to what they have today and then afterwards not afraid to ask questions that way he may grow in his understanding.

Application:

I know for me I need to grow and ask God for this heart, so today I will listen to a study before I got to bed and listen to it and write down any question I might I have that way afterwards I can Go up to someone and ask my question that way I can Grow in my understanding.

James 1:19

So then, my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. NKJV

I think these verse is really taking about how to handle a situation correctly, you are first to be quick to listen. This is the area I think is hard especially when you are angry. I know for me that I must remember this verse doesn’t say “be quick to listen if you are not angry” no but it says to listen first, and if you are listening the next part should come naturally. “Quick to listen, slow to speak,” for me this hard, because I will listen, but I will get angry and in result I wont listen. It’s easy for me to listen just so I can have built up a case for my anger that way I may justify it. But, I have worldly and sinful anger. In these verses he talks about the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. In my experience and how I have reacted my anger is always selfish and does not think about any but myself. I want to be more like God and I desire to be righteous like him and that only comes if I forsake my anger and follow these verses. The goal is to be Christ like and not Man-like, so its to take on righteous anger which is given by God and is moved by God and not man.

Application:

I don’t know what that looks like but, I know that I have to pray about it daily, so to remember that I will write righteous anger on my hand to remind myself to pray for righteous anger and become more like him daily.

exodus 2:23-25

During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. Exodus 2:23-25

To give context on what is happening, joseph has died as well as the pharaoh who put joseph in second in command and a new pharaoh has been put in power. Israel was growing and started to thrive, this new pharaoh got scared and made them slaves and commanded if a woman was to have a boy then, that boy must be killed. Israel had no place to go and where completely helpless to do anything. The got in such a place that the only thing can do is cry out to God, and God didn’t forget about his people. Verse 25 It says that “God saw the people of Israel–and He knew” God knew, he knew the pain, the struggle, the hardship of the Israelites. Later in the book Moses will come unto the scene and God will use him to deliver his people from the Egyptians. I know for me I’m not under some dictatorship or some terrible place, in fact it’s the complete opposite, I’m in a Godly environment with Godly men and women who love the lord. But, just to know that God knows where I am no matter how hard times get or how good times get, God always knows and he see’s it and not only that, but he cares. For me that is extremely comforting knowing that God is with me and he hears my cry. So, for me it’s a promise that I can hold on too and never forget.

Application:

To not for get this, I will memorize this passage and thank God for hearing me cry and knowing where I am.