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

[demi lovato–5 years sober]

‘So grateful. It’s been quite the journey. So many ups and downs. So many times I wanted to relapse but sat on my hands and begged God to relieve the obsession. I’m so proud of myself but I couldn’t have done it without my higher power (God), my family, friends, and everyone else who supported me. Feeling humbled and joyful today. Thank you guys for sticking by my side and believing in me.’

[this is not the picture from her instagram post, but I love it because it's so natural--and she's stunning here. It's actually from another time she was busy inspiring people--talking about her battle with mental illness.] — [this is not the picture from her instagram post, but I love it because it’s so natural–and she’s stunning here. It’s actually from another time she was busy inspiring people–talking about her battle with mental illness.]

This was the caption to a recent Instagram post by Demi Lovato. As you can see in the picture (linked above), she was referring to being 5 years sober. This is obviously an INCREDIBLE feat and she is such a great role model for it (and many other reasons). However, I truly love that she credits her success to God, first and foremost. It’s definitely easy to get caught up in ourselves sometimes and think we’re so great for accomplishing this or that, but it truly is Him who helps us out of those tough situations and temptations.

Two verses come to mind whenever I think about temptations, and they’re such important ones to remember. First, is 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says: ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’ I love this verse because so often we feel so alone when it comes to temptations. We feel ashamed for being tempted in the first place and like we can’t tell anyone, and we feel sinful because we know we shouldn’t be partaking in that activity, so it’s important to remember that He is with us. He will provide a way out. Sometimes, it may not be super obvious, but it’s there. Look to Him in those times. As Demi said, she would ‘sit on [her] hands and begged God to relieve the obsession’. It takes an incredibly strong person to do that.

The other verse I think of is 2 Corinthians 12:9, which says: ‘But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’ He is strong when we are consumed by weakness. This is one of my favourite verses. We all need support when we’re feeling weak, so it’s great to know that when we are at our worst, He will and can be at His ‘best’, so to speak. He is our strength. You’re never in this alone. No matter what it is.

thanks for reading!

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