#52 My favorite jelly beans are only sold once a year

I have a slight addiction to jelly beans. I will admit it now. I can have ice cream in the house and only eat my little half-cup scoop, but if I have a bag of jelly beans open in front of me, I can't be stopped. I don't know what it is about them, the texture, the shiny colors, the sweet flavors... I just can't have enough. My all-time favorite kinds only come out once a year for Easter. Starburst makes a tropical flavored bag of jelly beans, and Lifesavers makes a pastel colored bag. Those two are my Nemesis. I've only gone through a bag of each this year, but I am feeling really weak and want to drive up to Walgreens and get some more... must resist temptation...

#51 God can help create change

In our small group bible study, we are going through a study called "The Genesis Process". It is a study based on addictions and coping behaviors we use that are harmful to us and others that take the place of really dealing with an issue. The coping behavior I've chosen to work on is frustration. We've only gone through two weeks of the study, but just today I noticed my reaction to a situation was different than what it would normally have been. I've been trying to develop ways to combat this behavior (like memorizing a bible verse to quote during times of weakness), but haven't followed through with it yet. However, I think it is just the fact of being aware, and beginning to pray to God to heal me of this harmful behavior, that is changing things. I'm excited to see what else He can do in my life!!

#50 Roomba vacuum cleaner

I'm thankful that I can sit here on the computer while my nifty little robot cleans all my floors. Thanks to Alyssa for sharing her cool toy with me :)

#49 You can be grafted and re-grafted

"And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." Romans 11:23

Paul is talking about how Israel started out as the hold olive tree. However, because of their unbelief, the branches, or certain people, were cut off the tree. In their place, new believers, or Gentiles, were grafted onto the tree. They don't support the tree, the tree supports them. If some of the old branches, or old believers, were to come back to belief and repent, they would be re-grafted. And they would grow and cultivate even quicker, since they were part of the natural tree to begin with.

This parable provides hope for all people. If you are new to the faith, God can simply graft you onto His tree, and you will grow and thrive. If for some reason you were with God, but then have fallen away, it's even easier to come back to God, even if it can seem harder. Some believers who have fallen away may feel that they don't deserve to come back; they knew God, then denied Him, so they have no right to be taken back. But God says that those type of people, as long as they change their belief, will come back to Him readily. Now there's no excuse!!

Lord, thank You for promising a way for all types of believers. Thank You that You are the tree that we can gain sustenance from, and that can help us grow and thrive. Help me to stay connected to Your tree, and not be broken off. I want to produce fruit for You.

#48 Knowing Christ is all it takes

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" Romans 10:13

Knowing Christ is what it all boils down to. The Jews thought they were saved through knowing and obeying the law. But "Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (10:4). So by ignoring and denying Christ, they missed out on the big picture. By following the law, they are living by the law. By following Christ, we can live through Christ. The law is powerful and ordained by God, but I would much rather follow a living Jesus than a set of rules. Through following Jesus those rules should fall in place, but it's Jesus who is leading my life, not a set of rules. In a game of "follow the leader", Jesus is at the head of my line, not rulebook. What would be better, a set of rules for how to play the game, or a coach to teach you them? Or how about a textbook or a teacher to teach you what you need to know to pass the class? I would much rather have the real thing, the real person guiding me.

Lord, I want You to be at the head of my life. I know the Bible is not "just a book", you can use it to speak to me, but I don't want it to just be a book. I've been discouraged lately in my daily devotions and I don't like it. I want to be able to communicate to You through Your word. I will finish off Romans, then start up with the Life Journal in January with the Message Bible. I was really inspired with that reading plan, and maybe a new version will put a new spin on things for me. Thank You for giving me the Bible, and a desire to read, even if sometimes it doesn't get done. Help me to reach for the Bible first, instead of my book or the internet. Help me to make time, and help it to not just be something I fit in. I want to go to that first, commune with You, and make that my focus.

#47 God's got it figured out

"But who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it 'Why did you make me like this?'" Romans 9:20

This section of Romans talks a lot about how God predestines those who are going to love Him, and those who are going to hate Him. "Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden." (18). This doesn't really seem fair. I thought we were supposed to have free choice to decide to follow God? But God says that He knows what's going on, He's got it all worked out, He's the one that made us. So maybe it is like we still have the choice, but God, since He's all-knowing, knows what we will eventually choose, but did He create us that way? Hmmm... maybe tomorrow's reading will have more insight.

Lord, I don't understand it all, but I know You do. Thank You for having it all figured out.

#46 Jews can find Jesus

"...Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!" Romans 9:5

Reading about WW2 has opened my eyes to how much the Jews were hated, how they were blamed for Christ's death, how they were singled out. Jews have a unique heritage, Jesus came through them!! But even with them following all the laws, they still need to come to know Christ. They need to be shown how Jesus fills the prophesies of all the old testament prophets, how the savior they were looking for already came. Their heritage is awesome, and they should preserve that, but they need to know Jesus. Their image of Jesus most often is through "Christians" who throw His name around and use it for asserting their own purposes. But that's not how it's supposed to be. Jesus was one of them.

Lord, I don't personally know any Jewish people, but it amazes me to hear stories of Jews coming to know Jesus. Please help them to come to know You, before the end, through any way possible.