Day Nine - Saul Fails and is Rejected

Am I a new Christian? No, but am I finally returning to Christ? Yes, and I would like to start again. So this is thirty days of learning about Christianity. Some of these posts may be short, and some may be extremely long. I don't include the verses that I will be reading because I myself found it more fulfilling to look it up and read on my own.

• 1 Samuel 15:17 - 23

God told Saul to destroy everything. But Saul disobeyed and kept the sheep for himself, saying he would use them as offering. That wasn't what God said to do.

"To obey is better than sacrifice." 

Day Eight - The People Demand A King

Am I a new Christian? No, but am I finally returning to Christ? Yes, and I would like to start again. So this is thirty days of learning about Christianity. Some of these posts may be short, and some may be extremely long. I don't include the verses that I will be reading because I myself found it more fulfilling to look it up and read on my own.

• Samuel 8

Once again they turned away from God and wanted to be like other nations. They wanted a king, only for the sake of being like everyone else. By asking for a king, they had rejected God as their king. How many times have I done this? How many times have I wanted to be like everyone else, so I rejected God?

Day Seven - Cycles of Disobedience

Am I a new Christian? No, but am I finally returning to Christ? Yes, and I would like to start again. So this is thirty days of learning about Christianity. Some of these posts may be short, and some may be extremely long. I don't include the verses that I will be reading because I myself found it more fulfilling to look it up and read on my own.

• Judges 2:10 - 19

Basically God kept calling the Israelites back and gave them so many chances. It says in verse 18 that the LORD had compassion for them. 

How many times have I done that to God? A lot. I know he's been calling me back to him lately, and I'm just finally listening.

Food For Thought

• Judges doesn't mean a Judge as we know the word. It means Leader.

Day Six - Obedience from Love

Am I a new Christian? No, but am I finally returning to Christ? Yes, and I would like to start again. So this is thirty days of learning about Christianity. Some of these posts may be short, and some may be extremely long. I don't include the verses that I will be reading because I myself found it more fulfilling to look it up and read on my own.

• Deuteronomy 11:13 - 21

"For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes."

- Deuteronomy 10:17

He accepts no bribes, so we shouldn't try to bribe God. This includes prayers that go along the lines of "God if you do this I will so and so." I've made countless of those prayers. 

These verses also talk about loving God with all of our heart, soul, and all of our mind. With everything. That means no more keeping God out of parts of my life. That means no more only being a Christian half-heartedly. My heart needs to be God's, my soul must yearn for God, and my mind must focused on him.

God, please help me love you with everything. My mind wanders to bad thoughts. Please help me stop completely. I want my mind focused on you and only you. 

Day Five - Punishments for Sin Under Law

Am I a new Christian? No, but am I finally returning to Christ? Yes, and I would like to start again. So this is thirty days of learning about Christianity. Some of these posts may be short, and some may be extremely long. I don't include the verses that I will be reading because I myself found it more fulfilling to look it up and read on my own. 

• Leviticus 20:7 - 27

Leviticus 20:18 talks about how it is wrong to sleep with a girl on her period. In that time girls were considered "unclean" at their time of the month. Later, Jesus healed a girl who had her period for years. She was considered unclean, therefor she was alone.

Some of these punishments seem harsh, but somewhat understandable. I should probably look into them more.

Day Four - Sacrifices Required of the Law

Am I a new Christian? No, but am I finally returning to Christ? Yes, and I would like to start again. So this is thirty days of learning about Christianity. Some of these posts may be short, and some may be extremely long. I don't include the verses that I will be reading because I myself found it more fulfilling to look it up and read on my own.

• Leviticus 5:14 - 19

"If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and will be held responsible."

- Leviticus 5:17

Now this I found very interesting. How many times have I sinned without knowing? I always think about how much I sin. This just adds to it. I want to be honest, and I want others to be honest with me. Am I doing good? Am I doing wrong?

When I was at camp this summer, my counselor talked about how non-Christians don't always know if they're doing wrong or not. 

We judge them so readily for how they live their life... But do they know any better?

Day Three - The Ten Commandments

Am I a new Christian? No, but am I finally returning to Christ? Yes, and I would like to start again. So this is thirty days of learning about Christianity. Some of these posts may be short, and some may be extremely long. I don't include the verses that I will be reading because I myself found it more fulfilling to look it up and read on my own. 

• Exodus 20:1 - 17

1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor
10. You shall not covet.

God, I want to live by these rules. I put things before you, I swear, I disrespect my parents, I've stolen, I lie, and I want what everyone else has. Help me.