Daily Devotional: 1/20/2019 - SCRIPTURE SERIES PT. II (MR)

"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is yours." Lamentations 3:25-27

This is a continuation of a series that I started back out towards the end of July, The Scripture Series. I was inspired after going on an encouragement date with a sister from Long Island and one with from our region. Usually at the end of these dates like the next day, later or whenever they have the chance the sisters will write a card. And because I am me and I feel if someone gets me something I have to get them something in return, so I decided to combine the love for art and Scripture into one. But then I was like "BRAIN BLAST" why not make one for all the sisters in our campus for an encouragement for the upcoming semester and year. That was how The Scripture Series was created. We are now on Part Two with one more part to come so we can encourage and give sisters hope all across the world for days to come.

• Women have it hard no matter where they go or what they do. They lack equality in every aspect. They are constantly objectified and are constantly being taken advantage of. It is our job as men and as human beings to treat all these women with respect, love and the dignity they deserve.
• I am going to try and keep these relatively short, but if God leads long we go long. Going to throw some fun facts and some scripture and call it a day.
• The last series was all to sisters in the church (plus one very special woman outside the church). This series is dedicated to the people I call family, whether they be actual blood or women that help keep me sane at school.

Here are a couple fun facts for you, the first being that there are approximately 13,000 identifiable varieties of roses throughout the world. The other fun fact being, white comes from the Indo-European root kweit meaning to shine.

• Each color of the rose symbolizes a certain value, white symbolizes purity.

pa·tience

/ˈpāSHəns/

noun

1. The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset

• Patience is a virtue.

Patience is one of the best qualities anyone can have, when one shows patience you are able to see the bigger picture more easily. When you see the bigger picture you are able to see things from other people's point of view. You get to see where they are coming from. When you put yourself in other people's shoes you are able to forgive.

• Forgiving and patience go hand in hand. Matthew 6:14-15 says, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins". If we cannot forgive someone for doing something big in our eyes, how can we expect the same from God.

Patience is something shown all the time and God continually shows it all the time. The prime example being the death of Jesus. This is shown through love, Jesus died in order for our sins to be forgiven. Sins that we continue to make everyday.

Jesus loved everyone no matter what, no matter who they were, what they did, or who they believed in. If he gave up on people after the first impression then no one would be good enough to be his follower (even though in a sense we are not).

• Some of the best examples to give for people who did not have good first impressions or messed all the time during Jesus's ministry are Paul and Peter. They were two of the greatest apostles. Paul went from being one of the greatest persecutors of Christians to be one of the biggest evangelist; he even went on to write most of the New Testament. Peter messed up time and time again, he cut off the ear of a Roman solider (Matthew 26:51) and denied knowing Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75); just to name a couple. But yet Peter was the one that Jesus said he was going to use as the rock to build his Church upon (Matthew 16:18).

We have to be patient with God, this comes with trust. God has a plan for us and he wants us to prosper. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, "'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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'" We have to seek him and not just simply seek him, but we have to seek him with all our heart.

• We have to put the Kingdom first above all things. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things with be given to you as well." When we put his Kingdom first all things than will fall according to plan.
• There is a path laid out for us, it is not going to be easy; however, we have the ultimate Light and the ultimate Guidance. Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." We have to let the Word of God be the light to our path, it has all the answers to the test; it is the best study guide we can ask for.

Nothing is according to our time, all things are according to God's time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." We may ask for something, he will always answer. He will either say: yes, no, or not yet. He knows us better than we know our self. He knows what we do and do not need, when we need it; he knows if we can or cannot handle something.

• We may ask for something, but not get it until years down the road because God knows best and knows what is best time for it (2 Peter 3:8).

There are over 13,000 varieties of roses in the world, but one God. A perfect God that can do all things and can handle all things. He wants the best for us, we just have to trust the process. Fill your heart with God and his Word. Allow his Light shine so bright in your that people cannot deny it. Be the bright white in the darkness of the world.

• He is the ultimate gift giver, how much more will he give something to someone that loves him.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:7-12)

Lord, thank you for all that you. You have a plan for us, give us the strength and wisdom to follow that plan. Help us see you and come to you when we need help, your hand is forever giving. Your path is straight and that is no other like it. Help us see that path more and more clearly everyday. Grant us the patience of you so we can deal with the world and all that it throws at us. Let your Light overflow through us. I pray all this in your son's glorious awesome name, Amen.

#LetsBeAMovement