2 Timothy 6:11-12

"But you belong to God, so you must run away from all this. Instead, chase after justice, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Fight the noble fight of the faith, get a firm grasp on the life of the coming age, the life you were called to when you made the noble public profession before many witnesses."

Mostly, I just really like the word "chase" in this translation! Very inspiring. :)

Zechariah 4:6

"He said to me, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord of hosts.'"

Zerubbabel was the topic of a sermon in our church back in January and we used this verse before the sermon as a memory verse (by playing bible verse hangman, a great game in church!). And it has stayed with me to a greater or lesser degree ever since. In so many situations, especially when God is asking us to do something new, it seems impossible to us. And yet we strive away trying to manage it in our own strength. Instead, we should turn to the Spirit for our help and strength.

1 Timothy 4:14

"Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders."

This really challenged me a few weeks ago when I was feeling like giving up on various things. Yes, the verse is very specific to Timothy's situation and all about him but it serves as a good reminder that God gave us gifts for a reason. Yes, some of them might only be for a season but that is up to God, not up to me.

Galatians 5:4

"You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace."

I've been reading a book about grace recently and it has been phenomenal. I'd never realised before how much I didn't really get grace. I haven't managed to change my fundamental ways of thinking yet, they are so deep routed, but I'm really excited about the possibility that I might finally understand Christian joy as more than a vague, slightly comical concept.

Change of tack

I'm changing how I'm making use of this again. I'll not make an explanation again as frankly, none of the previous versions have lasted so why would this one!?
So, just read along and see if I actually keep updating this time!