40 DAYS: Day 28

James 5:19-20

If your friend has begun to wander off away from God, the person who brings him back will cover many sins. 

This verse really speaks to me to be more open and to be more out going to people. I have a tendency to think of thoughts but never able to actually act upon them. Therefore, I want to be able to actually act and show God's love through my actions. This hopefully, can also bring back people that have wandered away from God. Which relates back to the verse. 

40 DAYS: Day 24

James 1:22-25

Paraphrase: 

Don't just ignore what the bible says. Do what it says because God has promised to bless you when you do.

 This was a great reminder of the whole purpose of this 40 DAYS in the word. The sole purpose of this campaign is to allow us to get into the habit of daily devotions and to clearly understand his word better. However, you are only deceiving yourself if you don't do what you learn. Even in school, you need to be able to have some application of your learning into your daily life or into a situation. 

Through this, through our love for God, we should want to continually spread his word. This is only accomplished if we clearly understand and do his word first before we get others to do it to set an example for them. 

40 DAYS: Day 23

James 1:19-20

Paraphrase: 

Everyone needs to be able to quickly listen and slowly speak and get angry because anger is not a part of the life that God desires from you.

This verse reminds me to stay patient and try not to lose my cool. I've realized that when I recognize people trying to take advantage of my help, I get frustrated and disappointed becuase I'm giving up my time for nothing. However, I need to remember that true love and help is providing a service to them without a goal for anything back. I need to remember to stay patient, continue to help everyone as best as I can and let me control my emotions better. 

40 DAYS: Day 22

James 1:2-4 

Paraphrase it: 

Whenever faced with difficulties, consider it as a joyful time because when your faith is tested, it creates perseverance which results in maturity and completion. 

Whenever someone is forced with trials of tribulations, naturally, as humans, we tend to react to this as "why me? I did nothing wrong. I don't deserve this kind of torture." 

This verse is weird because it completely contradicts that but instead tells you to rejoice because it is giving you an opportunity to grow, learn, and mature in your faith and as a person as well. 

God promises us many things and this verse really touched me when I first got out of my retinal detachment this year. I am happy I was able to be still considered joyful but I realized that even though I didn't lack insecurities on the results, I did lack joy. I wasn't happy, and that's the difficult thing we need to learn. 

Prayer:

Dear God, I thank you for today. For this amazing day that you have provided us God. I just wanted to pray that you help me learn to be JOYFUL and not just deal with tribulations but rejoice in you that this obstacle was put in my path and I am able to learn and mature because of it. Thank you for everything you provide us with from the good to the bad times. You are always there omnipresent and never changing. Amen.

40 DAYS: DAY 21

Mark 16:1-20 The resurrection

Reading this passage, the major thing that stuck out for me was near the end when it says the disciples went out to preach his word and God was with them all making sure the people they preached too understood and believed.

This really reminded me that God works within you if you let him and that's the only way that we are able to reach out to friends and family that haven't already believed in him yet. We need to understand that its' not just us but God who plants the seeds and who grows the plants. We just need to be able to understand that growing plants takes time but we need to be patient and continually look after them in order to ensure the eventual growth of these plants or these people in faith.