God-breathed

                   I have the amazing opportunity to be reading diligently
through the Old Testament for school. Each day I see Gods guidance, as I learn
from story after story and my faith for him grows. I have had many
conversations with people these past days about different subjects and I find
myself clinging to how important reading Gods words is, as I use these stories
to help me with daily life and discussions. I believe we must understand what
we are teaching, what we believe and what the bible is telling the people of
its time and telling us today.

 “All scripture is
God- breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good
work.” 1 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is given by God- WOW!! That is an amazing fact
in itself. Here is a quote from Philip
Yancey,
“The more we comprehend the Old Testament, the more we comprehend Jesus”
Paul quoted from the New testament, 141 different Old Testament chapters and
over 200 single verses, 33 different psalms, 20 different chapters in Isaiah
32% of New Testament is quotations of
Old Testament.

So how important is it we know scripture? I leave that to
you to meditate on.

So as I have been reading I wanted to encourage everyone,
God does not call a perfect person to serve for him, a person who has it all
together. He calls the broken, the weak, ones he knows will lie and mistreat
him. I was angry reading through some of the first books of the Old Testament
because everyone was lying, killing and unfaithful- did they not know who God
was? But as I came across Joseph, I was filled with a joy, that made me want to
get up and scream (at that point I was in the Library so that would not have
been good) he got it! His brother sold him but he continued to stay faithful to
God. Genesis 45 shows a beautiful story
of reconciliation, love and forgiveness, Joseph declaring to his brothers, “Do
not be angry with yourself for selling me because it was to saves lives that
God sent me.” And he weeps for his brothers. How beautiful, picture this story
in your head. Now picture Jesus, weeping for us, his plan is to reconcile us
with God, to bring shalom.  We are not
perfect and I am not sure anyone can ever be perfect, but God looks at our
heart, are we trying to honor him, be holy for him, make ourselves better so
it a sweet aroma to the Lord? Where does our faith stand?

A question can up in a young adults group I attended;
how can we be faithful in a culture that is against God?
What is taking you away from Jesus?

I leave you with those to meditate on
and say Shalom to all.

Charlotte Clark