Common word: Trust

A lot of things I've been reading or coming across lately has one common word: TRUST

Um...you think God is trying to tell me something, perhaps! :)

I have a verse of the day that always pops up in my email, and today I opened my email and I read this:

Jeremiah 17:7-8
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.";


I smile!

Another neat thing...I've been reading a book I received when I was probably 6. I don't know, I just remember be small, and my best friend at the time had given it to me. I remember my mom reading stories to my brother and I out of it when I had first gotten it. I have kept this book all my life, this book of Bible stories. I don't know, as a kid, if I ever read all of them. My guess is NOT. My husband laughs at me and gives me grief about how I keep things and hold onto things. If you look at our bookshelves right now, you will see that half of the books on there are from my childhood. Why? Well, one reason is I didn't want them boxed up, getting musty and moldy in our current housing situation. But you know, since I have had them out and on the bookshelves, I've probably picked up about 4-6 of them and read them! Who says you have to be a kid to read these?
And that brings me back to this book. I have 2 children's Bible Story books that I have on my bookshelf and they have been starring at me for a few months now. There have been a few conversations that I've been in, that I hear someone talk about a story in the Bible, and I have NO CLUE what they are talking about. And I think to myself, WHY do I not know this and how stupid that I don't know this, as I have been in a relationship with Jesus Christ since I was 12 years old....thats around 15 years ago!! It has made me said. And so I think to myself, HOW do I figure these stories out. Then I work at a church, and there are little kids that know more about the Bible, than I do! That is AWESOME, but I just feel like a complete idiot. Yes, I do.
But you see, I never grew up with going to Sunday School or going to Awana. And that is where the majority of these kids get their stories, their foundation. I feel I never really had that foundation. The only foundation I have, is just my faith and trust and relationship I have with Jesus Christ. Sure, that is VERY important...but you still need to KNOW God.
So that brings me back to picking up this Children's book. I figure, I'll be a kid again, I'll learn like a kid learns, because that seems to really work!! Other things I've tired, just hasn't connect with me. I"ve tried "adult" books and even picking up the Bible itself and trying to read through it. But I get lost.
So I figured, lets get that kid foundation! :)

And last night, I read about the "First Crime" (Genesis 4) and when Cain kills Abel. I knew this story, but what hit me last night was this. Cain and Abel had sinful hearts, just like Adam & Eve (their parents). One day, Cain brought a gift to the Lord. It was some of his fruits. It was only a gift of fruit; there was no real thanks in his heart. Abel brought a little lamb from his flock. He offered the lamb to God with true thankfulness and trust in God's promise. He knew that he was sinful, and did not deserve the blessings of God.
**God can see ever man's heart. He is not interested in your gifts unless you bring them with a thankful and a trusting heart. God accepted Abel's gift, but He did not accept Cain's. When Cain saw that Abel's gift was accepted, but his was not, his face grew black with anger. God says if you bring an offering in the right spirit, your offering with be accepted too. Do not allow these angry thoughts to fill your mind. Sin is like a wild animal. It is always waiting to jump on you and choke you! You might know what happens, and that is that Cain killed Abel because of his jealousy of his brother Abel.
O my goodness...so SO so much has come out of this for me. First of all. That I need to have a thankful heart to God in the blessings He has given me and that when I give back, it is NOT to come because we "have to" or we "should" or we feel guilted to because of this. It's out of true thankfulness! And God knows when we have that and when we do not. So check your heart, check my heart, before you offer up to God. If your heart isn't in it, then why are you doing it? So many times we are just in a routine of writing out a check as part of our monthly expenses. It's NOT an expense...It should be the FIRST thing you give to God, not the last. And after that is when comes the trust and faith.
Second of all...jealous. Holy Moly can this eat you alive! Right?! Did you not read what I wrote...Cain did not listen to God's warning. He was jealous of his brother. Am I aware of my jealous I have in life? Yes, but what am I doing about it? I know I am aware of it and I am listening to God about the warning from this...so what do I do about it?! I take what God is telling me and I do it! Simple right? Sure. But what hit me was the fact that sin (jealousy) is like a wild animal. It is always waiting to jump on you and choke you! These issues I have, are choking me alive! And how will I respond? I ask God to take the sinful heart of mine and work in my heart and let me breath. He will. Ask long as I ask God to help me with this.
Thirdly...Trust! Do I trust God? I sure do. But do I always live it out that way. No, none of us do. We are all sinful. But then I read Jeremiah 17:7-8 this morning and I just smiled. God is once again showing me TRUST. I hear God saying, "Trust me Kelly. Trust me that I will help you get through some of this struggles you are facing. Trust me that I will provide for you. Trust me that I will allow things to happen in my time. Trust me. Trust me. Trust me. I am here for you Kelly, just come to me."
yeah...that is exactly how I hear it. I just hear God and I feel his comfort in this. It's an overwhelming feeling and I feel so incredible blessed by this. I am blessed that this children's Bible stories I am reading over is blessing me. I thank God that He has this book in my life, over all these years. I know I remember some of it from when I was little, but I am thankful that now today, after 15 years, I am still seeing these kids stories more impactful than anything else. I don't think it matters where it comes from, as long as God is speaking to you and teaching you. And that is just what is happening! Thank you God for bringing this back into my life. I pray Lord Jesus, that these word I read, that they would dwell in my heart. Thank you that this is a way that you are speaking to me! Thank you! I pray that I can change my heart towards things and that you can work in my life and help me. I need you to help me get through them. Thank you Lord Jesus!