Did You Know To-Do Lists Are Scriptural?!

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Did You Know To-Do Lists Are Scriptural?!

Did You Know To-Do Lists Are Scriptural?!

I think time management is something that a lot of people, if not most, struggle with in life.  Even those people who are excellent managers of their time still have certain areas where they may be more lax or need some improvement.  Something that helps me tremendously is making to-do lists.  I am very much a list person.  To-do lists keep me on track, hold me accountable, and help me not to forget things.  They are also extremely therapeutic for me…more on that in a bit!

In my study of the Bible, I’ve discovered something.  God is pretty good at time management.  I know, earth-shattering news right? 😉  Really though, I’ve learned that good time management skills are important to God.  He is also a God of order and structure (for the most part…sometimes the way He goes about things doesn’t seem very structured in the beginning!).  God is a planner (see Psalm 33:11, Proverbs 19:21, Jeremiah 29:11, Galatians 4:4, and Ephesians 1:11 for just a few examples).  I also felt a bit of kinship with God because HE likes lists TOO!  There are lists all throughout the Bible.  He even gave people to-do lists. 

God likes to-do lists…He’s my kinda guy! #timemanagement

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Examples of to-do lists in the Bible:

To give you just a couple of examples… When God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle, He gave him very specific to-do lists of how to do it and what to use (Exodus 26).  In Matthew 10, when Jesus sent out the 12 disciples, he sent them off with specific to-do lists of who to talk to, what to do, what to take, where to stay, and even what to do if and when they were rejected (Matthew 10:5-14).

So I guess you could say that making to-do lists is scriptural! 🙂  OK…so maybe it’s NOT a sin to avoid to-do lists, but planning ahead and making lists definitely has its benefits.

A few reasons for making to-do lists…

To-do lists hold us accountable—We are much more likely to accomplish tasks that are written down.

To-do lists are simply lists of daily goals.  We discussed previously that we are much more likely to achieve goals that are written down.  

Planning ahead and making to-do lists can save us time.

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Scriptures About Surrendering to God

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Scriptures About Surrendering to God

As a Christian, I think one of the most challenging but most important things we can do is learn the act of surrendering to God, to His will, and to His ways. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, many people like to conveniently leave out the “Lord” part. We want the saving—we just don’t want to be told what to do or how to live by a master. We want to be our own “lord”. As true followers of Christ, we must learn the act of submitting and surrendering to his lordship. We can’t simultaneously follow Jesus and follow our own agenda.

Below are some scriptures with examples of ways of surrendering to God by doing things like abiding, submitting, humbling & denying ourselves, being still and waiting on God’s direction, obeying God’s will & word, recognizing the He’s God and we’re not, and using Jesus’ example of surrender. In this post, there are some example prayers of surrendering to God.

Scriptures About Surrendering to God

Surrendering by abiding

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:1-7 (ESV)

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 (ESV)

“And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 (NLT)

Surrendering by submitting

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (ESV)

“Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” Romans 6:13 (NLT)

Surrendering by humbling & denying yourself

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 (NIV)

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” 1 Peter 5:6 (NLT)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV)

“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34 (ESV)

“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 (ESV)

“So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33 (AMPC)

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

Surrendering by being still (don’t act on your own—wait on God’s direction)

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Prayer For Those Who Make Bad Choices

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Do you have children or people that you care for that are making bad choices? Try this Prayer For Those Who Make Bad Choices...

Prayer For Those Who Make Bad Choices

I was recently talking with a friend about the bad choices our kids make sometimes.  We talked about how it breaks our hearts as parents to have to not only see them make bad choices but then to have to watch them experience the consequences.  Then we discussed how similar God must feel when He has to do this with us when we make bad choices.  I remembered journaling about this very thing several years back.  I went back through my journals, and here is what I had written:

It’s hard to watch our kids make bad choices. God feels the same way.

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August 3, 2010

A Good But Just Parent…

My sister and I were just talking tonight about how I was frustrated with my kids lately.  They seem to be misbehaving a little more than usual.  I think they may be having a bit of cabin fever.  Summer is nearly over and school is going to start soon.  We haven’t been able to do as many of our usual activities as I would like due to the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing.  It’s been miserable to do outside activities like the zoo, Big Splash, the pool, the park, golf, etc.  Anyhow, I’ve been planning and wanting to do some fun stuff with them before the summer gets out, but it never fails that when I have a fun activity planned, they misbehave.  I end up canceling and postponing our fun.  I don’t really want to reward them when they’re behavior is bad, but at the same time it makes me so sad because I really want to do nice things for them and fun things with them.  All of a sudden I had the thought, “I bet God feels like this sometimes.”  It made me laugh because of how true it was.  How many times has God wanted to bless us or do nice things for us, and we’ve just tied his hands?  As much as we love and want to bless our children, our heavenly Father wants to do even more for us. 

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:11 (NLT)

“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.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

He’s a better parent than we are, yet still very just.  Our sin separates us from God.  His hands are tied by OUR wrongdoing. 

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 (NIV)

“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing…” Habakkuk 1:13a (NIV)

We need to rid our lives of sin and be obedient to God’s word.  In return, God can shower us with blessings.  God’s will is to bless those who do right.  God wants more for us than we can ask or even imagine for ourselves.  Our job is to obey and follow his guidance and directions and to make good choices, not bad choices. 

“You bless all those who follow your commands from deep in their hearts.” Psalm 119:2 (CEV)

“Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.” Psalm 106:3 (NIV)

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

We have to make choices, between good and bad/life and death, every day.  Who we are depends on the choices we make.  We are also where we are now because of the choices we have made in the past.  The choices we make will determine the circumstances we end up with in our future.  Our choices will hold responsibility and consequences.  We will be held accountable for the choices we make.  We are not victims.  We are not a product of our environment–We are a product of our choices.  So how can we help people we care about that are making bad choices? 

Who we are depends on the choices we make.

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We are not a product of our environment–We are a product of our choices.

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Funny Friday: Lord whatever you’re baking

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Lord whatever you're baking meme

Funny Friday: Lord whatever you’re baking

This meme seemed appropriate for recent weather. “Lord, whatever you’re baking outside…it’s done.” 😂

“For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed…” James 1:11a (NIV)

Funny Friday: Church of the Confused Chicken

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Church of the confused chicken meme

Funny Friday: Church of the Confused Chicken

My sister sent this meme to me recently. I mean…the Bible does say that God wants to protect his people like a hen gathers chicks beneath her wings. 🤷

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge…” Psalm 91:4 (NIV)

Incremental Obedience … God Leads in Steps NOT Leaps

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Incremental Obedience … God Leads in Steps NOT Leaps

Incremental Obedience…God Leads in Steps NOT Leaps

The phrase “leap of faith” is commonly used in Christian circles.  I’ve probably even used the term myself.  But did you know that this phrase is actually unscriptural?  God leads in steps NOT leaps.  We’re not frogs.  We’re humans.  Humans walk, not jump.  We need to learn how to practice incremental obedience via steps that God gives us.

God leads in steps NOT leaps. We’re not frogs. We’re humans—we walk. #incrementalobedience

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Previously, I  read through the devotional plan “How to Neighbor” by Pastor Craig Groeschel from Life.Church on the YouVersion Bible app.  It’s an excellent 10-day plan.  I highly recommend it.  In part of the plan, Pastor Craig is talking about Esther and her pivotal role in helping God’s people.  He mentioned that Esther had to take steps of incremental obedience…

“As a teen, Esther pushed back darkness and risked everything for her neighbors because Mordecai, her adoptive father, reminded her why she was alive “for such a time as this.” Think about this. Esther, and every other person who’s ever done anything valuable for God, basically just took incremental steps of obedience.”

The frequently quoted scripture, “Perhaps you were made…for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14) can apply to our lives too.  We will have “for such a time as this” moments throughout our lives.  Those moments will require steps, not leaps, of incremental obedience leading up to them.

Esther’s steps of incremental obedience

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