Day 44

Yesterday was the last day of school for the fall semester.  It is hard to believe how fast it went!  And now I have two weeks for Christmas break.  Lord, help me to be smart with the use of my time so that is may glorify You in all ways.

Pray:
Vietnam
I am loving learning about this country because I have a student from Vietnam.  She is actually going to visit next month, so I will know what to pray for while she is there!  This is a communist county with strong authoritarian rule.  They have a constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, but there are Religion Police and churches are required to register but are often denied.  Praise the Lord that the church is growing in spite of persecution.  Also, there have been increased numbers of Bibles printed in Vietnamese with permission from the government.  That is so important!!

Exodus 35:10-36:38
The Israelites bring their offerings of supplies for the tabernacle and construction is begun.  Bezalel and Oholiab are the two main craftsmen for construction.

Matthew 27:32-66
Jesus is crucified.  This is such an awful death and hard to read about, but thankfully there is so much hope in His act of sacrifice.  When He died the curtain of the temple was torn in two, meaning that we no longer need anyone to go to God on our behalf.  Jesus made a way for us to go directly to God ourselves.  Such good news!!

Psalm 34:1-10
So much good in these few verses!  Here are some highlights:
"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord...
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him...
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
... those who seek the Lord lack no good thing."

Proverbs 9:7-8
These verses say that if you try to teach a scoffer, or wicked man, that he will only hate you, but if you teach a wise and righteous man, his wisdom will increase.  How I long to be one who increases in wisdom and knowledge rather than one who scoffs at it!