3 in 30

[If I ever did anything on time, everyone would be in a state of shock! I do have a really good excuse for not posting this on Friday. I didn't post my #3in30 update because I wrote a post for Compassion Bloggers. I wanted that post to stay on top all weekend, which it did. Not that I have that many readers... I don't. BUT, I wanted all of you to see that post and, hopefully, donate to that wonderful little girl's cause. If you haven't read it, please scroll down and read about Emilda. And now, onto my week three update...]

My goals for this month are fairly simple: (1) join Thirty-One [done]; (2) pray and meditate more [doing, slowly, but doing]; and (3) study one Bible verse each week [also doing].

On praying and meditating… I have been thinking a lot about years gone by and realized that, even as a kid/teenager, one of the things I did most often was to get myself alone in nature and just “be.” I wasn’t in a state of prayer while doing this, but in a way I was in a state of meditation. I needed time alone, and now I see that time alone was being spent with God. Learning this about myself has been pretty eye-opening. And learning that I have friends who do the same thing has also been eye-opening– there is power in being alone in nature.

Hubs and I are getting ready to put the house on the market. We’ve already had a few people interested so we’re hoping it’ll sell quickly. Once it is sold, we’re going to buy here, in our hometown. He and I have talked about and decided that once that happens, we are going to build a prayer garden… in the woods. A place, mostly for me, to go and be alone with nature– alone with God. A place to pray and meditate and simply “be still.” I think it’s going to be wonderful and life changing; and will take goal #2 to a much higher level than I can even imagine.

Just a little something I felt compelled to share with you!

And now back to our regularly schedule program…

3rd Friday of each month: “Encouraging words”
Let us know what quote, Scripture, or encouraging words got you through this week?

I heard a song on K-LOVE the other day that has stuck with me… to say it’s encouraging is an understatement!

Well the past is playing with my head
And failure knocks me down again
I’m reminded of the wrong
That I have said and done
And that devil just wont let me forget

In this life
I know what I’ve been
But here in your arms
I know what I am

I’m forgiven
I’m forgiven
And I don’t have to carry
The weight of who I’ve been
Cause I’m forgiven

My mistakes are running through my mind
And I’ll relive my days, in the middle of the night
When I wrestle with my pain, struggle with my pride
Sometimes I feel alone, and I cry

When I don’t think and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere
When I don’t measure up to much in this life
Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ ’cause

I’m forgiven
I’m forgiven
And I don’t have to carry
The weight of who I’ve been
Cause I’m forgiven

Forgiven by Sanctus Real

I have set goals for the 3 in 30 challenge, one of which is to study a different Bible verse each week… and it  just occurred to me a few minutes ago that I could have been sharing those weekly Bible verses with you.

As is the story of my life, better late than never, right?

My verse for this week was one that actually came to me through my daughter.  Last week, she asked me about this particular verse because she wanted to find it (again) in the Bible.   Several years ago, we began a study in The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren as a family.  Priss remembered this verse from that study, and has listed it as one of her favorites.

The verse I’m speaking of is Matthew 16:25:

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

For this part, I’m using information from e-Sword (there is a link in my sidebar).

First, let’s take a look at the Hebrew and Greek meanings of the words (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries), literally picking it apart: (the bolded words are ones I chose to further define by using dictionary.com; those definitions are in [] brackets)

• For- properly assigning a reason: and, as, because (that), but, even, for indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.  [in fact; in reality; in truth; truly]

• whosoever- the relative (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that; one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who (-m, -se), etc. [whatever person]

• will- to determine (as an active voice option from subjective impulse; choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication to wish, that is, be inclined to (sometimes adverbially gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism to delight in: desire, be disposed (forward), intend, list, love, mean, please, have rather. [v.- to wish or long for; crave; want.  n.-a longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment]

• save- to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): – heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole. [to keep safe from harm or injury; protect or spare; to keep up; maintain; to keep possession of; retain]

• his- self (in some oblique case or reflexive relation): – her (own), (of) him (-self), his (own), of it, thee, their (own), them (-selves), they.

• life- breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely.

• shall lose- to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: – destroy, die, lose, mar, perish. [to suffer spiritual death]

• it- the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the compound of G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons: – her, it (-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, ([self-], the) same, ([him-, my-, thy-]) self, [your-] selves, she, that, their (-s), them ([-selves]), there [-at, -by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with], they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.

• and- a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.: – also, and, but, moreover, now [often unexpressed in English].

• whosoever, will lose, his, life, – [see above]

• for my sake- of uncertain affinity; on account of: – because, for (cause, sake), (where-) fore, by reason of, that.

• shall find- to find (literally or figuratively): – find, get, obtain, perceive, see.

• it- [see above]

Now let’s look at the same verse in other versions:

(ASV)  For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.

(ESV)  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

(NLT) If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

(AMP) For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].

The message I’m getting from this verse is this:  if you are more worried about your life on earth (temporary life)– your status, your career, your home/material things, money, etc– you will not spend eternity in heaven once your time on earth is over.  But, if you put your focus on Christ and God’s will for your life rather than those things, you will spend eternity in the glory of heaven.

Now I’ll pray on it.