Bit of a tip I want to share to you Bible-study folk:

Recognise God DOES NOT play Russian Roulette.

Recognise, and remember that He doesn't roll the dice and let your fate be in the hands of the odds.

He's not "Two-Face" and The Scripture isn't the "Hunger Games".

His Word is above His Name and His position as Creator, and He cannot and WILL NOT go back on it. He is consistent as His Word. That means: A promise is a promise. And if He dares to go back on it, guess Who He will have to apologise to: the guy who went to Hell and back and now has the scars to prove it.

Yes, this perspective may sacrifice the Christian doctrine/interpretation of the rapture - where people randomly disappear and leave the world to ruin and burn like in "Left Behind" films.

Believe me it was bittersweet to find that out that type of narrative is not true nor lines up with Scripture. Honestly, this caused me not to believe in such an event anymore. But now I believe is something more better and heart to heart.

Knowing that God doesn't work like how that movie series (or any doctrine) portrays does help you see His true persona more clearly. It will help understand His true nature more and break down any fears you have against Him.

This change of perspective will help you see that those who dwell in the Truth will surpass where the prophets left off in the latter days. Even to the point the same spirits that dwelled within said prophets will show up again in the latter days before the "second coming"; that's the real Ascension I believe Yochanan (brother John) was probably getting at.

(I empathise with John, because I too know the struggle of receiving so much that not even words nor a paint brush can contain what we witnessed or received.)

And for such a revelation to be revealed, shows that God doesn't play by the odds. He doesn't randomly pick a day or hour and leaves us anxiously guessing like a panicking housewife. But rather, He leaves us to decide when to allow The Word to define and guide each of our lives or not. And if we allow the Word to guide us individually it will eventually affect communities and nations as a by product of our undivided attention and focus on our identity in the Word - in Christ.

Therefore I encourage you...

Keep in mind: Look at the narrative from HaShem's perspective. Empathise Him. See Whom sees in each of us and understand why He won't play such a game of odds against us. Ever.

u like stickers? add some on the covers and in the pages! glitter? sure why not! love the colour blue? use that for ur main highlighter colour!

altho we dont wanna get carried away and only focus on the fancy stuff, it can be helpful to get interested in the bible if u see its more decorated to ur taste ^^

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Verses to Help You Be Wise With Your Words

I think I speak for most people when I say that when we are feeling irritated or short on patience, we can be harsh with our words. Often times, the people we love most are on the receiving end of the harshness. Sometimes, the words come out when we feel hurt because “you hurt me so I am going to hurt you.” As my pastor always says, hurting people hurt people.

As we get older and wiser, we learn how to keep our emotions more in check, which (hopefully) leads to controlling the words that come out of our mouths. I am not always good at this. Sometimes harshness slips through the cracks of my control and it often gets taken out on the people closest to me. This sucks the fun and joy right out of life and is not biblical. We are supposed to have self-control and be kind, which includes watching the words that come out of our mouths. If only it were as simple as it sounds. Only Jesus can help us with this, as James 3:8 would say “no human being can tame the tongue.” We have to give our words to God and guard our tongue. Here are some verses I pray when I am feeling particularly irritable or out of patience.

Colossians 4:6 – Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Ephesians 4:29 –  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Romans 14:19 – Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Praying these verses really helps me become slower to respond or say harsh words impulsively. Building others up instead of tearing them down or being critical is what we should be striving for. When you are in a moment of annoyance, instead of venting your frustrations using damaging words, keep in mind what impact your words could have. You can edify and encourage someone with your approach instead of embarrassing or hurting them.

I am nowhere near perfect at this. I am not guaranteeing you that if you pray these verses a few times a week or even daily that you will never say a harsh word impulsively again. But, I can tell you that it helps. Would you rather be known as someone who reacts to conflict or annoyance with severity, or with grace and kindness? I know which I would rather be.

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Promises for the New Year

The new year is a blank slate. You have the chance to make different choices, new friends, life changes, and much more. This next year is full of new things. 2018 is an open book! To help you navigate the new year, here are some promises that the Bible gives us that have stood the test of time.

Galations 6:9- “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we wll reap a harvest if we do not give up.” This verse reminds me to keep perservering despite people doubting and knocking me down. Don’t get tired of doing good, even when you don’t see the benefits. Even when you don’t see them, they are there. Keep the faith.

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” When you are going through life’s storms, remember that you are not alone.

Jeremiah 29:11 – “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” God has a plan for your life, and it is to give you a bright future. Thank goodness our futures aren’t in our own hands. All of the pressure is off of our shoulders. Our lives are being shaped by the creater of the universe.

James 1:2-4 – “Count it joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” The trials of life are God testing and strengthening you. The tests mold you into the person you are and without struggles, we wouldn’t know the things we know. Trials bring wisdom, and so does patience.

Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” When you feel like you are lacking the strength to go on, call on Jesus. He will give you the strength you need.

Philippians 4:6-7 –“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Don’t let your worries get the best of you. Put your trust in God, leave your hopes and dreams in His hands. Give it to God in prayer. He knows everything, and He will give your heart peace.

Let’s make 2018 count!

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The Most Misused Bible Verses

I love spending time in God’s word. He shows me and teaches me things when I spend time with Him. Sometimes they are things I have been looking for. Sometimes they are things I didn’t know I needed to hear.

All 66 books of the Bible were inspired and authored by the God. The Bible is not a collection of quotes or one-liners, it is literally God speaking. That is why we need to approach it with respect. That is not how I have seen God’s word being used in recent years. I see lots of people using specific Bible verses as quotes for social media captions, tattoos, and other mainstream purposes. That is all well and good as long as you are using the verse in the right context. Except, most times, they are misused, misquoted, or misunderstood. We may turn to a specific verse to quote in certain life situations to justify an event or action. Or, we may hear others misquoting verses. They sound right in the moment, but the whole meaning of the verse is out of context. Here are the 4 most abused and misused verses in the Bible.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. This verse has nothing to do with scoring well in a sporting event, doing well on a test, or landing your dream job. This verse was written when the Apostle Paul was under house arrest awaiting trial. This trial could condemn him to death for preaching about Jesus’ resurrection. Instead of being distraught and dismayed by his situation, Paul uses this opportunity to teach others that he can endure any and everything this life throws at him because he has a strength that can only be found in Christ through the Holy Spirit, even in prison.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. This verse is usually given to people who are having a tough time, on a graduation card, or after reaching a big milestone. Taken out of context, this verse looks to be promising a life of popularity, riches, health, and the American Dream! In reality, this promise was given to a group of people, not just one individual. God promised the Hebrews exiled in Babylon that He had not given up on them and that even though times were tough, they still had a future and a hope. The promise is that He will see His plan through, and you as His child will get to be part of that plan.

“Judge not, that you be not judged.” Matthew 7:1. I can remember in high school that a big bad word was “judging.” “She’s judging me!” “She has no right to judge me.” Those are phrases I heard often and they made this verse a popular one. Don’t judge me or you will be judged! Of course, that is not what this verse actually means. It means that we are living in a culture of tolerance. If you disagree with someone about their beliefs, lifestyle or opinions, we are labeled as intolerant. We may even quote Tupac and say “Only God can judge me!” No. This verse is to tell you that it is okay to tell our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ when we see them falling into traps and doing things they know better than to do. The Bible calls us to help others wage the war against sin. If we are going to correct someone, then we must be held to the same standard. If we judge rudely, then we will be judged the same. This verse is a warning against self-righteousness.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. Let’s face it, we have all seen this verse on bedroom walls, coffee mugs, notebook covers, phone cases, you name it. This is only part of the verse, though. The whole verse says “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” You really have to do the verse justice by quoting the whole thing. What an awesome comfort and reminder to know that we can be still and know that God is in control. As His people, we can know the truth that He will be exalted in the nations across the earth. There is nothing that can stop God from accomplishing His will.

Knowing a verse in it’s intended context helps it mean so much more.

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Life Lessons from Psalm 73:26

When all else fails, God doesn’t. That’s what Psalm 73:26 tells us. “My flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart; He is mine forever”

It is inevitable. People will fail you. They will disappoint you. Your body will get sick and your mind will make you doubt yourself. This life is tough! But that’s why God gave us the Bible, so that we can read it and be encouraged. He reminds us that when all else fails, when we are discouraged and feel helpless, God won’t fail us. He is our strength. He is with us forever. How awesome is that? We will fail a lot in this life. What’s important is that we put our Faith and Trust in God because He will never fail.

Don’t let your failures define you, because the one that made you never makes mistakes. You are the way you are because He made you that way! You are perfect in His sight.

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Life Lessons from Psalm 139:5

In preparation for going back to college, I have been looking up encouraging Bible verses to prepare both my heart and my mind for the big life change. There are a lot of things I am nervous about, from making friends to succeeding in my classes. One verse that has calmed my anxious heart is Psalm 139:5, which says “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.”

To me, this verse says that there is no need to worry about the future. God has gone before you and prepared the way for you. He already knows your future and what it holds, so there is no reason for YOU to worry about it. He has looked into the future and has seen the trials you will have, and he is preparing you for them right now. He places his hand of blessing on your head, which is a comfort to know. He has blessed you greatly and will continue to do so! Not only does God go before you, but He also follows you wherever you go. You are not alone, He is with you! When you feel nervous or anxious, just remember that whatever you are going through is in God’s plan.

God has blessed you in so many ways! Have comfort in knowing that he has gone before you and prepared a way for you!

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Life Lessons From Psalm 23:6

Psalm 23:6 says “Why would I fear the future? For I am being pursued only by your goodness and unfailing love.”

That’s a good question. Why DO we fear the future? Is it because of the uncertainty of it? Is because we cannot control it? I think yes and yes. But this verse asks us why we fear the future, because we are only pursued by God’s goodness and unfailing love. Sometimes in our lives, we may feel like God’s goodness has passed over us, like He may have forgotten to send a little goodness our way. Are you still alive? Are you wearing clothes? Are you living under a roof? Then God is good. And even if none of those things are true, God is still good. You are pursued by God’s unfailing love, which means that no matter what you do in this life, no matter how many mistakes you make or how big your sins, He still loves you.

Now THAT is unfailing love.