As long as I've been doing this, how is it that I almost forgot to write tonight's post? I'm sitting here trying to think of something to write, but I'm drawing a blank.
...
Okay, now I know what I can write about, tonight. Last week, I wrote that I wanted to change my schedule at work so that I could attend a Bible study. This past week, I found out from my manager that they couldn't approve my specific request to work earlier on Thursdays. I was very disappointed, but I knew when I asked that it was a long shot. My manager told me to consider moving permanently to either first shift or third shift.
I didn't want to move to third shift at all. Firstly, it still wouldn't allow me to allow me to attend a Bible study as I would have to get to work by 9:00 pm. Doing that would preclude attending a Bible study at all, so moving to third shift would be pointless. Secondly, I have no desire at all to work overnight. I would make more money, but I don't like my job enough to want to do that.
Admittedly, I wasn't sure I wanted to move to first shift. Doing that means starting work at 5:30 am. I was resistant to the idea at first, but the more I thought (and prayed) about it, the more I warmed to the idea. After all, at my last job, I had to be up at about 5:00 am to get the bus to Glendale by 7:00. When I was working there full-time, we started at 5:00. I can do it again, but I wasn't sure I wanted to, at first.
We've been praying as a family about this, as visiting the Doulos West L.A. Bible study showed how much I missed being a part of one, and i think I needed to see what I'd be willing to do to be a part of one again. May the Lord answer my continued prayer that this would be so, and that i would graciously (and thankfully) accept whatever His desire may be.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Praying together
A few weeks ago, I was able to attend a weekly Bible study, something I haven't been able to do for more than a year. I had already come to realize that it was something I needed to do if I could, but it wasn't until afterward that I realized how much I missed being part of one.
I realized that I needed to do something about it.
This last week, I went to work to see if I could adjust my schedule so that I could attend a study on Thursday nights. Normally, I work for 1:30-10;00 pm Monday to Friday. If my request is accepted, I'll be working 9:00 am to 5:30 pm on Thursday nights. I'm waiting for a response for my manager; hopefully, I'll get a response this week. Admittedly, when I submitted my request for the schedule change, I wasn't sure how to ask for it. As far as they know, it's just that I need to have my Thursday evenings open.
Recently, Mom, Dad, and I restarted our nightly prayer time together, and we've been keeping this in our prayers. James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (NIV). God has been hearing our prayers and answered some; others, we are still waiting for the answer, whatever God decides it may be.
It used to be that Mom, Dad, and I would pray together nightly. When I started working at UPrinting, I began keeping late hours, such that Mom and Dad are usually asleep by the time I get home. Now that we're back to doing it on a regular basis, they're either awake when I get home (usually Dad) or they'll have me wake them up so we can pray together. It seems like it's been good for all of us.
I realized that I needed to do something about it.
This last week, I went to work to see if I could adjust my schedule so that I could attend a study on Thursday nights. Normally, I work for 1:30-10;00 pm Monday to Friday. If my request is accepted, I'll be working 9:00 am to 5:30 pm on Thursday nights. I'm waiting for a response for my manager; hopefully, I'll get a response this week. Admittedly, when I submitted my request for the schedule change, I wasn't sure how to ask for it. As far as they know, it's just that I need to have my Thursday evenings open.
Recently, Mom, Dad, and I restarted our nightly prayer time together, and we've been keeping this in our prayers. James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (NIV). God has been hearing our prayers and answered some; others, we are still waiting for the answer, whatever God decides it may be.
It used to be that Mom, Dad, and I would pray together nightly. When I started working at UPrinting, I began keeping late hours, such that Mom and Dad are usually asleep by the time I get home. Now that we're back to doing it on a regular basis, they're either awake when I get home (usually Dad) or they'll have me wake them up so we can pray together. It seems like it's been good for all of us.
Monday, July 13, 2015
No post this week
I didn't have time to write a post yesterday, and I don't much time today to write anything beyond this.
Yesterday proved to be extremely busy, leaving little time to write anything. When I finally did have time, I didn't have the energy to do it. Also, I didn't really have any subject I wanted to write about. Wanting to avoid the mistakes I made on my previous blog, I don't want to write anything uninteresting.
At least, any more uninteresting than this. Come back next Sunday. Hopefully, I'll have something interesting to write about, and that you'll be interested in reading.
Yesterday proved to be extremely busy, leaving little time to write anything. When I finally did have time, I didn't have the energy to do it. Also, I didn't really have any subject I wanted to write about. Wanting to avoid the mistakes I made on my previous blog, I don't want to write anything uninteresting.
At least, any more uninteresting than this. Come back next Sunday. Hopefully, I'll have something interesting to write about, and that you'll be interested in reading.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Back at it (in more ways than one)
Lots of things going on, so let's get right into it.
After being sick the week before last, I went back to work last Monday. The very next day, I lost my iPod Touch at work. I was hoping to get it back, but with some of the things with which I've been struggling lately, I find myself thinking that my losing it was a good thing. When I wasn't at work or church, my earplugs were in pretty much from when I got up until I went to bed. It became a means to tune out the world, but it wasn't leading to cultivate a better relationship with God. It could even be argued that it was causing just the opposite.
Also, it was contributing to some temptations that are best served not having the opportunity to be so easily satisfied. Honestly, it seems like I'm better off, if a little inconvenienced, by not having one.
...
Today, I heard two very good messages at church this morning. During the first service this morning, we heard a message from Psalm 37, namely the necessity and value of having an intimate relationship with God.
I haven't talked about it much, but for a long while recently, I've been struggling with my walk with God. Lately, it seems like my thoughts have been bitter and angry, and I felt so much frustration with myself and with God about why I was so miserable. I was struggling to trust God when I found myself wondering if I even had any genuine faith in Him. I found myself wondering why I once had such love and zeal for God and then was struggling with such bitterness and frustration.
However, the lesson made me realize what had been happening. Somewhere along the way, I had stopped cultivating so close a relationship with God as I had before. I went off on my own way, trying to please God on my own, but not being motivated by a love for God but a love for self. I have followed my own desires yet was still yearning for God, and just feeling so lost.
Having an intimate relationship with God allows the believer to trust God to be a source of strength and safety, and that intimate closeness we can have with Him allows us to have confidence in Him and the forgiveness He gives to all who believe. Conversely, not cultivating a close relationship with God only breeds loneliness and frustration. Boy, did that ring familiar.
When the message was over, I just had to stop and beg forgiveness from God, confessing that I had pursued selfish desires over seeking a close relationship with Him.
The second message was in the main service, where we heard a very good message from Philippians 3. In the passage, the apostle Paul tells us that he has forsaken every sort of earthly merit, for the righteousness of Christ, which is granted by grace through faith. The righteousness of God unites us to Him in death to sin and life to God. Faith is the means by which we can (by God's power and will) confidently reach out to Him and trust in His power and grace to forgive sins.
Not only this, but we are also united to Him in His sufferings. Those who have the righteousness of God will inevitably suffer for it at the hands of the unrighteous. Jesus suffered, and those of us who believe will suffer as well.
...
I had something else I wanted to write about, but it's somehow managed to completely slip my mind. Maybe next time, if I can remember it.
After being sick the week before last, I went back to work last Monday. The very next day, I lost my iPod Touch at work. I was hoping to get it back, but with some of the things with which I've been struggling lately, I find myself thinking that my losing it was a good thing. When I wasn't at work or church, my earplugs were in pretty much from when I got up until I went to bed. It became a means to tune out the world, but it wasn't leading to cultivate a better relationship with God. It could even be argued that it was causing just the opposite.
Also, it was contributing to some temptations that are best served not having the opportunity to be so easily satisfied. Honestly, it seems like I'm better off, if a little inconvenienced, by not having one.
...
Today, I heard two very good messages at church this morning. During the first service this morning, we heard a message from Psalm 37, namely the necessity and value of having an intimate relationship with God.
I haven't talked about it much, but for a long while recently, I've been struggling with my walk with God. Lately, it seems like my thoughts have been bitter and angry, and I felt so much frustration with myself and with God about why I was so miserable. I was struggling to trust God when I found myself wondering if I even had any genuine faith in Him. I found myself wondering why I once had such love and zeal for God and then was struggling with such bitterness and frustration.
However, the lesson made me realize what had been happening. Somewhere along the way, I had stopped cultivating so close a relationship with God as I had before. I went off on my own way, trying to please God on my own, but not being motivated by a love for God but a love for self. I have followed my own desires yet was still yearning for God, and just feeling so lost.
Having an intimate relationship with God allows the believer to trust God to be a source of strength and safety, and that intimate closeness we can have with Him allows us to have confidence in Him and the forgiveness He gives to all who believe. Conversely, not cultivating a close relationship with God only breeds loneliness and frustration. Boy, did that ring familiar.
When the message was over, I just had to stop and beg forgiveness from God, confessing that I had pursued selfish desires over seeking a close relationship with Him.
The second message was in the main service, where we heard a very good message from Philippians 3. In the passage, the apostle Paul tells us that he has forsaken every sort of earthly merit, for the righteousness of Christ, which is granted by grace through faith. The righteousness of God unites us to Him in death to sin and life to God. Faith is the means by which we can (by God's power and will) confidently reach out to Him and trust in His power and grace to forgive sins.
Not only this, but we are also united to Him in His sufferings. Those who have the righteousness of God will inevitably suffer for it at the hands of the unrighteous. Jesus suffered, and those of us who believe will suffer as well.
...
I had something else I wanted to write about, but it's somehow managed to completely slip my mind. Maybe next time, if I can remember it.
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