Stick With Me! (New Testament)

I thought I would split this post in two... I know that I would be more likely to read it that way. So, stick with me, these are my updated thoughts on the New Testament to date.

Matthew
Ask, Seek, Knock is my favorite passage in the book of Matthew. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Love, Love, Love!
I am loving reading through Matthew and reading all of the miracles of Jesus. I could post every single one, but I know that you get the idea... Jesus heals the blind, heals the sick, just heals, heals, heals!.
I was reading Matthew 9:9 and got totally stumped. Matthew wrote the book of Matthew. How did Matthew write the first 8 chapters if he had not yet met Jesus? And...

9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

Why would Matthew not have written...

"Follow me," he told me, and I got up and followed him.

Maybe I am just reading too much into this, but I want to make sure that I am getting out of this experience everything that I can!!
"As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:7-8 -- There is nothing I can say to follow that! Go ahead and read that again, Freely you have received, freely give.

Romans
Elevation is doing a series a series titled "Christ Alone" on Romans 8 for the next few weeks. This falls right in with my reading, so I am stoked about it. This week was great! Pastor preached on Romans 8:1-2 - "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, becuase through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death". The band sang "Christ Alone" which is totally one of my favorite songs. In Christ alone, my hope is found...
When I read Romans 8:31, I am reminded of Chris Tomlin's newest song Our God.

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us, And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?

"It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy" Romans 9:16
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:12
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:20-21. It is so hard to read a passage like that. I wish that I was this good of a Christian. I actually just posted something on my status on facebook about being bitter towards people who do me wrong once. I wish that I could read a passage such as Romans 12:20-21 and say oh yeah, I do that. I hope that one day I can say with confidence that I overcome evil with good.

2 Thessalonians
What a great, short, book. I loved the eternal perspctive that Paul wrote about in this book. It was a great reminder that there is something (so much better) after life on this Earth. I do not have a favorite verse from this book. I can't possibly pick one. As a skim over it again, I can't chose one verse. "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance." 2 Thess. 3:3-5

1 Timothy
"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and recevie eternal life" 1 Tim. 1:16 - I am so thankful for God's unlimited patience. I do not know where I would be without his unlimited patience.


So there ya go. Those are my updated thoughts up to day 12!! I hope that you were able to stick with me through these long posts. I have read 4.8% of the Bible so far! :)