Verses – The Beacon

[john 20:24-29]

‘But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’ [John 20:25]

HE IS RISEN. Happy late Easter, everyone. I’m just gonna discuss a couple verses relating to something that happened shortly after Jesus’s resurrection from the grave. The verse above is essentially the start to the story I’m gonna talk briefly about today: Doubting Thomas. Essentially, Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus appeared (newly risen from the dead, no big deal), so they all came back and told him. This was his response. As much as we kind of scorn Thomas for this response, I can’t help but wonder: would I have that response? Would you? This is just one of those things that just seems too good (or crazy) to be true. I totally understand where Thomas is coming from. However, the next verse goes on to say ‘a week later’. Like, what?! He’s surely heard more about this (and how has He not seen Jesus by this point?!), and He is still not believing?

‘Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” [John 20:26b-27]

I can’t even imagine being Thomas here. Being called or by Jesus. And I’m sure at this point, Thomas believes- since Jesus is right in front of him. But I can’t even fathom touching Jesus where they witnessed Him being pierced with nails. It’s just crazy, but so amazing. And I’m sure Thomas definitely stopped doubting and started believing right then and there. And I love the small detail at the beginning: the doors were locked, but Jesus still just came and appeared. What. That also probably helped Thomas believe…and scared him.

‘Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” [John 20:29]

Obviously, only a select few got to see when Jesus rose from the dead, the rest of us just have to go on faith and belief. And He blesses those of us who do- those who hear these words in the Bible and believe that He did what they say He did. And it’s a beautiful thing. I understand being a doubting Thomas. It is HARD to trust God sometimes, but I urge you to try. Because the rewards and blessings are unfathomable. I’m just thankful for a God who didn’t just leave us–He came back. To show us that He is GREATER THAN DEATH. And that is GREAT. He is great. Happy Easter, everyone.

love,

erinn victoria

[luke 23:44-46]

‘It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.’

[Side note: I know that Good Friday was yesterday, but I didn’t post then, so I’ll cover Good Friday now and Easter (His resurrection) next post!]

There are quite a few recounts of Jesus’s time on earth, but I’m currently studying Luke, so I figured I’d go with Luke. Let’s start with that first sentence:

‘It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining.’

This sentence is quickly stated, and possibly overlooked, but it’s a pretty astounding statement. Can you imagine people who weren’t there witnessing the crucifixion? They were probably quite confused…nonetheless, this would be pretty astounding even if you were witnessing it. It’s 12 in the afternoon, and all of a sudden, the sun just stops shining. This alone should alert the people that something was going down, something dark and, well, scary. While it was God’s plan all along for Jesus to die on the cross, it’s still a dark time, thinking that we put Him on that cross for no real reason/crime.

‘And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.’

Another statement that seems kind of insignificant. This version is Luke doesn’t go into much detail at all, but other recounts of this tell us more about this curtain. This curtain, as explained in Exodus, was to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. The tearing/removal of this curtain showed that Christ had entered heaven for us, so that we can now enter God’s presence as well. (As explained in the foot notes of my NIV & The Message Parallel Study Bible.) One of my favourite details of this event, though it’s not mentioned here, is that the curtain was torn from top to bottom. This was a HUGE curtain, and this particular detail just proves that it was God’s doing. Pretty cool proof, right?

‘Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.’

This is such an extraordinary declaration. And it’s something we should declare as well. We need to commit our Spirits into His hands. Allow Him to do with us what He wants–even if that means death, like in Jesus’s case. And that last sentence…it just hits ya. Like, all of a sudden, He spoke that and then breathed His last. Just like that, His mission on earth (for that time anyway) was complete. Little did the people watching realize, He had other plans…even though He had definitely given them a spoiler alert earlier, they wouldn’t even realize what hit them.

Stay tuned for a post on the resurrection later. As for now, be thankful for this incredible sacrifice He made. He made it to forgive us from OUR SINS. Thank Him for this incredible act. And commit your spirit to Him.

Hope you all had a great Good Friday and have a lovely Easter!

-erinn victoria

[luke 10:42]

”One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it…” [msg]

”…but few things are needed–or indeed only one.” [niv]

The context of this verse, as some of you may know, is these two sisters who invited Jesus over to their home. One sister is definitely that Type A person (I can say that because it’s me…), who is bustling about, trying to make preparations and make everything perfect–this is Martha. Mary, her sister, is sitting at Jesus’s feet–‘hanging on every word He said’ (Luke 10:39 MSG). Eventually, Martha complains to Jesus about her sister (always a great idea, right?), and the above verse is His response. He tells her to not worry about so many things, and that Mary has chosen to focus on the ‘right’ thing…really, the ONLY important thing.

This story happens only over a couple of verses and doesn’t seem to be too life-changing, but it can be. We are ALL like Martha so much of the time. We’re constantly moving from one activity to the next–this current generation is known as the one without an attention span, we’re ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING. However, this response from Jesus reminds us to just sit and BE. He reminds us that there is truly ONE important thing and it’s spending time with Him. Obviously, the things He calls us to do (share His word, love others, etc.) are important as well, BUT–none of those are important if we don’t first align ourselves with Him. If we don’t start our day off with a couple moments of silence with just you and Him, our days will suffer. We can try to do all that He calls us to, but I think it will be in vain. We’re supposed to do those things in His name, but how can we do that if WE NEVER SPEND TIME WITH HIM??? It’s ludicrous, right?

I am extremely guilty of this. I tend to talk to God throughout my day, but I get right out of bed in the morning and start DOING. He will give us the time, strength, peace, and energy to get through the day–but first, maybe give Him the time of day, yeah? One thing is important today. And tomorrow when you wake up. And the next day. Remember it. Spend those few precious moments with your Lord and Saviour (and hopefully more throughout the day!) and it will NOT be taken away from you. He promises that. And He is a God who does not break His promises.

thanks for reading, guys! share with your friends! or acquaintances–I’m not picky!

love,

erinn victoria

[psalm 34:15-19]

‘The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.’
[Psalm 34:15-16]

I love the second part of verse 15 there: ‘His ears are attentive to their cry’. Not only does He hear us when we cry out to Him, but He’s awaiting our cries to Him. He keeps an eye and an ear out for you to ensure that you are safe and not in trouble. This is an incredible privilege, and much more enticing than the second part of that passage. I can’t imagine having the Lord ‘against’ me. He is an all-powerful God and that is somewhat terrifying. However, it is incredible to have such a loyal, loving God on our side. He wants to stand up to those who do evil, those who may be bullying you. He wants to keep the righteous safe.

‘The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.’
[Psalm 34:17-19]

He delivers the righteous from ALL their troubles. That’s pretty amazing. I love the second verse, that He is close to the brokenhearted. The Message version says ‘If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there…’ I love that phrasing too. When we’re brokenhearted and down & out, we tend to feel all alone, but that’s exactly where we’ll find God. He is strong in our weakness.

And that last verse…people may think that once you’re a Christian/a Christ follower, you’re with God and nothing can harm or hurt or trouble you. But that is 100% wrong. Sometimes, being a Christ follower causes more problems than not–at least in the way that you will be persecuted more for your beliefs, etc. It’s definitely worth it, but it’s important to know that Christians are not just immune from difficulties and trials. However, it’s also very important to note that last part of the verse/that last word: ‘the Lord rescues him from them ALL.’ He saves, rescues, and delivers us from ALL of our troubles. As the Message puts it: ‘God is there EVERY time.’ He won’t abandon you. The Christian lifestyle may get difficult, but the important thing is that we can survive it all because we have God by our side. He’ll deliver us from the trouble every single time.

Look to Him when you’re in trouble. He’s waiting for your call. He wants you to ask Him for help. Never feel alone, because He pulls close to you when you’re hurting, and He is always there for you.

Have a lovely day, all! I won’t be posting for about a week and half as I will be on spring break–so have a lovely week, as well!

love,

erinn victoria

[psalm 31:9-10a, 14-15a]

‘Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning…

BUT I trust in You, Lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.’
My times are in Your hands…’
[Psalm 31:9-10a, 14-15]

[Side note: Sorry that it’s such a broken up selection today, but I don’t want it to be too long, and these were the main points that needed to be discussed. hah.]

So, wow. Those first two verses. They really hit you, right? And the Message translation is a whole other story–‘I’ve cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs.’ Doesn’t David do an incredible job of showing that pain and depression and anguish here?

To be completely honest, the first thing that came to my head, sadly, was how I felt after a break-up. I’m seeing all my tweets in timehop, etc. and it hurts to even think about myself hurting so badly back then. I mean, we’ve all felt that though. That soul-crushing sadness that David’s referring to here. Obviously, his was for a much different, much more dignified reason, but still. However, I have always stood by the fact that a break-up should hurt. You should feel that pain, or did it really mean that much to you, you know?

ANYWAY though. I’m not turning this into a relationship blog, I promise. I am incredibly happy now, and I believe I am SO much stronger having gone through the pain for past relationships. I couldn’t be more grateful for all my past experiences. And I think that the stories I have to tell–the pain I’ve felt, the tears, the anguish, and then the new-ness, the refreshed feeling, the happiness that comes after–are a perfect testimony to these verses. I know I struggled a lot in that time, but I did try HARD to trust God. And I think that that is the absolute best solution we can come up with for times like that. Use those last two verses as your guide. TRUST in God. And commit all your days to Him.

It’s so important to know that lots of people have felt that pain–the pain you may be feeling right now. Know that you’re not alone. But also, know that the best thing you can do is TRUST GOD. He has a plan, I promise you. And though it may suck at the moment, there’s a reason for it. He’s making you stronger, preparing you for the next battle/struggle. He knows what’s best for you. And just like your parents and friends hate to see you struggle, He dislikes it so much more. You’re His kid, His creation. He will help you through this–now and any time in the future. Unfortunately, pain and suffering tend to just be a part of life. Make it easier on yourself and just trust that He’s holding your life in His hands. And He knows what He’s doing.

thanks for reading, guys!

love,

erinn victoria

p.s. If you are struggling, and need someone to talk to–reach out; I would love to help in any way I can.

[mark 10:51-52]

”What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him [a blind man named Bartimaeus].
The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’
‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.’
[Mark 10:51-52]

This passage is just one ‘tiny’ miracle that Jesus performs throughout His time on earth in the New Testament. However, this short little story [Mark 10:46-52] gives us such an awesome example of the life we should be leading. Many people say that we’re blind until we know Jesus & have Him leading our lives. If this is the case, we are and should be EXACTLY like this man. Have faith. Trust that God can and will save/heal us. He expressed His desire to see to Jesus because He knew that He could heal him. In response, Jesus heals the man, but says that it was his faith that saved him. This alone is great, because if we do have faith, He will save us. I mean, He really already has.

Secondly, we should use this man’s response to being healed as a model for our lives. As soon as we recognize God’s healing and saving in our lives, we need to immediately drop everything and follow Him. It’s insane how quickly this man was healed from BLINDNESS. But the passage says ‘immediately he received his sight’, or the Message version says ‘in that very instant he recovered his sight’. The man was literally blind, and Jesus healed him just like that. God has already saved us, and each day, He heals & forgives us. When He does that, we need to follow Him and share that amazing news as quickly as He has healed us (immediately).

Don’t hesitate. When we get good news in our every day lives, we want to share it. Share the miracles He does in your life, and FOLLOW Him and the path He has laid out for you.

thanks for reading, guys!

-erinn victoria

[exodus 31:3, 6b]

”…and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills…Also, I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you.”
[Exodus 31:3, 6b]

For some context, God is talking to Moses here. The last couple chapters have been God giving Moses TONS of specific instructions about sacraments to build, and plenty of other instructions, as well. And in this passage, He tells Moses that there are already people He set aside to accomplish these tasks/build all that He instructed them to build. I think this is such a great passage for multiple reasons.

First, this passage shows that God gives each and every one of us specific gifts. They may seem like odd, disjointed, non-Kingdom related gifts, but He has a reason for giving you those gifts. He says, in verses 4 and 5, that He gave these men the specific skills so they could ‘make artistic designs…to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.’ These gifts/abilities all had purposes in God’s Kingdom. But you can only imagine that maybe some of the guys with those gifts were kind of confused by their talents earlier in life. This is why I think it’s important to utilize the talents God has given us. He’s given them to us for a reason and we should not take that lightly or ignore them. He wants to use those gifts to further His Kingdom.

This is definitely an area where I struggle. I struggle with knowing what exactly I’m talented in. [This is not me fishing for compliments, by the way.] I think I’m decent at several things, but to this day, there still isn’t one specific thing that I feel CALLED TO DO. And that’s a really difficult thing to feel when all we hear about is the ‘gifts’ that God has given us and how we need to use them. So, I know that sounds hypocritical when you pair it with what I said in the previous paragraph. But, all that being said, if you DO have a passion, run towards it. Point the glory back to Him because He wants to use it for something, but definitely pursue it. And if you don’t feel a particular calling? Trust that He will reveal it to you in due time. In the mean time, keep trying to live for Him and do what you feel you’re good at–but, also step out of your comfort zone every once in awhile.

WOW. That was a lot of rambling I did not expect to do.

ANYWAY. The other reason I really loved this passage is that it shows us that God has really got it all planned out. He won’t ask too much of you. He will prepare you for what’s down the road. I’m certain that hearing all of the detailed, specific instructions that God was giving him, Moses felt quite overwhelmed. I would–I did just reading it! But then, it seems that God gives him reassurance, and immediately lets him know that He already has men who can perform each one of those tedious, particular tasks. All that being said, TRUST HIM. He will prepare you for what’s down the road. But that’s also why it’s important to not look too far down that road. That will just overwhelm you, like Moses could have been if he started thinking about the logistics of it all. So, take it one day at a time, trusting that God has a plan, and He’s got perfect timing.

thanks for reading!

-erinn victoria

[proverbs 6:23]

‘For sound advice is a beacon,
good teaching is a light,

moral discipline is a life path.’
[Proverbs 6:23]

I figured this would be a good way to start a blog titled ‘The Beacon’, that I should probably explain the title. When searching for a title for this blog, I came across a couple of good options, and thankfully I have some wonderful friends that helped me narrow it down to this particular one. I am quite pleased with this title now though. I truly hope to make this blog sound advice for anyone reading. Advice not from me–but from God. I hope that He will use me to speak to you. I’ve never been the type to desire to do a blog, but I know so many blogs out there are just incredible and inspiring and they are beacons to me.

I’m really hoping to be that beacon of sound advice to anyone who decides to read this. I want to model my life after this verse. However, I know that truly the sound advice, good teaching, and moral disciplines all come from Him. I’ve been doing my Bible readings lately (attempting to read through the Bible in a year), and the teachings in them have really been a light to me. I’m receiving true, hard advice for everyday living. In a book written thousands of years ago. That’s incredible though, right? It blows my mind. And the last part of that verse…’moral discipline’. That may sound like such a boring concept to some people, but it is something that completely guides the way I live each and every day. He gives us lessons and disciplines that encourage us to walk with Him and help us to grow closer to those around us. People are always wanting a guidebook for life, right? Well, this is it. Pick it up. Read something. He’ll speak to you. I guarantee it.

Thanks for hanging out with me for a bit, guys. Sorry this is rough. Still trying to figure out what I want to say (and how I want to say it), and kind of just trying to let Him speak through me. Hopefully it will only get better; thanks for giving me a chance.

with love,

erinn victoria