Patience and Perseverance June: Day 1

Welcome back fellow followers in Christ.  Doing God's will sometimes means waiting patiently.  That is why June is dedicated to Patience & Perseverance.  While we wait we can love God, serve others, and tell others about him.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing, 

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed.

They will put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:1-3

Waiting for God to help us is not easy, but David received four benefits from waiting: 1) God lifted him out of his despair, 2) God set his feet on solid ground, 3) God steadied him as he walked, and 4) God put a new song of praise in his mouth.  Often blessings can't be received unless we go through the trial of waiting.

Related:

Psalm 27:14

Month of Motherhood: 5/13/18 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

    Happy Mothers' Day!
     I've always felt a feeling of joy on Mother's Day simply because it is ALWAYS on a Sunday. Why? Think about it....
    God, our Lord!
    Granted, we always seem to address God as "Father" or "He".  However, ever stop to think he has motherly qualities as well?

"I will comfort you there in Jerusalem 

As a mother comforts her child."

Isaiah 66:13 

"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."
2 Corinthians 1:4

     Many think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away.  But if that were always so, people would turn to God only out of desire to be relieved of pain and NOT out of love for Him.  We must understand that being "comforted" can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles.  The more we suffer, the more comfort God gives us.  If you are feeling overwhelmed, allow God to comfort you.  Remember that every trial you endure will help you comfort other people who are suffering similar troubles.

Month of Motherhood: 5/1/18

Scripture March Madness: Day 6

The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when 

you will be scattered, each one to his home, and

you will leave me alone.  Yet I am not alone because 

the Father is with me.  I have said this to you, so

that in me you may have peace.  In the world you

face persecution.  But  take courage; I have

conquered the world.

John 16:32-33

 The disciples scattered after Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:50). Jesus accepted their statement of faith even though he knew their weakness.  He knew they would have to grow into people whose words and lives matched even to the point of death.  He takes us through the same process.  How well are you living out what you say you believe about Jesus?  As Christians, we should expect continuing tension with an unbelieving world that is "out of sync" with Christ, his Good News, and his people.  At the same time, we can expect our relationship with Christ to produce peace and comfort because we are "in sync" with him.

Related:

Zechariah 13:7

Matt 26:31

John 8:29, 14:27

Romans 5:1, 8:37

21st Day of Lent:

He revealed his Character to Moses

    and his deeds to the people of Israel. 

The Lord is compassionate and merciful,

                 slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love .

He will not constantly accuse us,

nor remain angry forever.

He does not punish us for all our sins;

                 he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

For his unfailing love to those who fear him

                   is great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us

as the East is from the West.

Psalm 103:7-12

East and west can never meet.  This symbolic portrait of God's forgiveness: When he forgives our sin, he separates it from us and doesn't even remember it.  We need never wallow in the past, for God forgives and forgets.  We tend to dredge up the ugly past, but God has wiped our record clean.  If we are to follow God, we must model his forgiveness.  When we forgive another, we must also forget the sin. 

Scripture March Madness: Day 5

Hear the message and learn to follow:
Give your cares and worries to God.

Humble yourself therefore under the mighty hand of God, 

so that he may exalt you in due time.  

Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

    We often worry  about our position and status , hoping to get proper recognition for what we do.  But Peter advises us to remember that God's recognition counts more than human praise.  God is able and willing to bless us according to his timing.  Humbly obey God regardless of present circumstances, and in his good time - either in this lifetime or next - he will honor you.  Carrying your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows you have not trusted God fully with your life.  It takes humility however to recognize that God  cares, to admit your need, and to let others in God's family help you.  Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our sin and foolishness aren't God's concern.  But when we turn to God in repentance, he will bear the weight even of those struggles.  Letting God have your anxieties calls for action, not passivity.  Don't submit to circumstances but to the Lord, who controls circumstances.

Related:

Psalm 55:22

Matt 6:25

James 4:10

20th Day of Lent:  

By the sweat of your face

you shall eat bread

until you return to the ground,

for out of it you were taken;

you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.

Genesis 3:19

Related:

Genesis 2:7

Ecclesiastes 3:20-21, 12:7

Psalm 90:30, 103:14, 104:29

1 Corinthians 15:47 

Scripture March Madness: Day 4

There are many reasons to say thank you.  

REJOICE! God is with us always so don't worry.  Give thanks , follow Jesus' example, and help others.

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses ALL understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

    Imagine never worrying about anything!  It seems like an impossibility; we all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school.  But Paul's advice is to turn our worries into prayers.  Do you want to worry less?  Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray.

    God's peace is different from the world's peace.  True peace is not found in positive thinking, absence of conflict, or in good feelings.  It comes from knowing that God is in control.  Our citizenship in Christ's Kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin.  Let God's peace guard your heart against anxiety.

Related:

John 14:27

Colossians 3:15

  

JESUS CLEANSES the TEMPLE

19th Day of Lent:  The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went to Jerusalem.  In the temple, he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and money changers seated at their tables.  Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle.  He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.  He told those who were selling doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"  

His disciples remembered that it was written: Zeal for your house will consume me.

The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?"

Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"

But he was speaking of the temple of his body.  After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

John 2:13-22

    The outer court of the temple, accessible to non-Jews, encompassed a huge area the size of ten football fields.  Some business there was legitimate:  Out-of-town pilgrims needed a way to obtain sacrificial animals and to change money into local currency.  Jesus was obviously angry at the merchants who exploited those who had come to God's house to worship.  There is a difference between uncontrolled rage and righteous indignation - yet both are called anger.  We must be very careful how we use the powerful emotion of anger.  It is right to be angry about injustice and sin; it is wrong to be angry over trivial personal offenses.

Scripture March Madnes!: Day 3

Verse: "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

     A yoke is a heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of oxen.  It is attached to a piece of equipment that oxen are to pull.  A person may be carrying heavy burdens of 1) sin, 2) excessive demands of religious leaders (Matt 23:4, Acts 5:10), 3) oppression and persecution, or 4) weariness in the search for God.

    Jesus frees people from all these burdens.  The rest that Jesus  promises is love, healing, and peace with God, not the end of all labor.  A relationship with God changes meaningless, wearisome toil into spiritual productivity and purpose.

Related:

1 John 5:3

Jeremiah 6:16 

18th Day of Lent:

  Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came to him and asked "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered them, "The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they?  As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can not fast.  The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast on that day.

    No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the whine is lost along with the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."

Mark 2:18-22 

     John the Baptist had two goals: to lead people to repent of their sin, and to prepare them for Christ's coming.  John's message was sobering, so he and his followers fasted.  Fasting is both an outward sign of humility and regret for sin, and an inner discipline that clears the mind and keeps the spirit alert.  Fasting empties the body of food, repentance empties the life of sin.  Jesus' disciples didn't need to fast to prepare for his coming because he was with them.  Jesus didn't condemn fasting however.  He himself fasted for 40 days (Matt 4:2) Nevertheless, Jesus emphasized fasting with the right motives.  The Pharisees fasted twice a week to show others how holy they were. Jesus explained that if people fast only to impress others, they will be twisting the purpose of fasting.

    Jesus compared himself to a groom.  In the Bible, the image of a bride is often used for God's people and the image of a groom for the God who loves them (Isaiah 62:5, Matt 25:1-13, Rev 21:2)

Related:

Matt 9:14-17

Luke 5:33-38   

Scripture March Madness: Day 2

Verse:
    "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will wear.  Is note life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feed them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And can any of you, by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
    And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you even Solomon in ALL his glory was not clothed like they.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, alive today and tomorrow thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith?  Therefore, do not worry saying 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But strive first for the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  
    So, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

Matthew 6:25-34

    DO. NOT. WORRY.

    That is the theme for this month of March.  And these verses from Matthew is a classic go to for any pastor or preacher.  It reminds us that we are FAR more important to God than the birds in the air or the lilies of the field, yet our Father gives both all that is needed to survive.  Therefore, as long as we trust in Him, we do what we do and we'll be provided for. 
    Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not worry about those needs that God promises to supply.  Worry may 1) damage your health, 2) disrupt your productivity, 3) negatively affect the way you treat others, and 4) reduce your ability to trust God.  How many ill effects of worry are you experiencing?  Here is the difference between worry and genuine concern - worry immobilizes, concern moves you to action!
  Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted.  Sometimes, it's difficult to tell the difference.  Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God's guidance. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry.  Worriers, by contrast, are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God.  they let their plans interfere with their relationship with God.  Don't let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today.

Related: 

Luke 12:22-31

Philippians 4:6 

1 Timothy 6:6-8

1 Peter 5:7

 

17th Day of Lent:

     "I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.  I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world but to save the world.  The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to speak.  And I know that his commandment is eternal life.  What I speak therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."

John 12:46-50

     The purpose of Jesus' first mission on earth was NOT to judge people, but to show them the way to find salvation and eternal life.  When he comes again, one of his main purposes will be to judge people for how they lived on earth.  Christ's words that we would NOT accept and obey will condemn us.  On the day of judgement, those who accepted Jesus and lived his way will be raised to eternal life and those who rejected Jesus and lived any way they pleased will face eternal punishment.  Decide now which side you'll be on, for the consequences of your decision  last forever.

Related:

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-7 

Scripture March Madness! Day 1

Four months in and going strong my Brothers and Sisters!
March will focus on Fear/Anxiety/Worry and what God and the Bible say about those negative feelings.
Of course, we are also still in the Church season of Lent, therefore my readers can still look forward to the second Lenten-based passage as well.

Daily Verse:

But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham, my friend; 

you whom I took from the ends or the earth,

and called from its farthest corners, 

saying to you, "You are my servant

I haven chosen you and not cast you off",

do not fear, for I am with you

do not be afraid, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help

I will uphold you with my victorious

right hand."

Isaiah 41:8-10

    God chose Israel through Abraham because he wanted to, not because the people deserved it.  Although God chose the Israelites to represent him to the world, they failed to do this; so God punished them into captivity. Now all believers are God's chosen people, and all share the responsibility of representing him to the world.  One day, God will bring all his faithful people together.  We need not fear because 1) God is with us, 2)God has established a relationship with us, and 3) God gives us assurance of his strength, help, and victory over sin and death.  Are you aware of all the ways God has helped you?
Who's Who: Jacob- Esau's brother and Isaac's son in Genesis.  Read some of his adventures in Genesis28-33 from visions of angels to trickery with his uncle to wrestling matches feature divine opponents.

Related:

Deuteronomy 7:6-8, 9:4-6

Isaiah 51:2

Romans 8:31 

16th Day of Lent:

Nevertheless, many, even of authorities, believed in him.  But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.  Then Jesus cried aloud: "Whoever believes in me believes in me believes not in me but in him.  And whoever sees me sees him who sent me." 

 John 12:42-45

    Along with those who refused to believe, many believed but refused to admit it.  This is just as bad, and Jesus had strong words for such people (Matt 10:32-33).  People who won't take a stand for Jesus are afraid of rejection or ridicule.  Many Jewish leaders wouldn't admit to faith in Jesus because they feared excommunication from the synagogue (which was their livelihood) and loss of their prestigious place in the community.  But the praise of others is fickle and short-lived. We should be much more concerned about God's eternal acceptance than about the temporary approval of other people.

    We often wonder what God is like.  How can we know the Creator when he doesn't make himself visible?  Jesus said plainly that those who see him see God, because he IS God.If you want to know what God is like, study the person and words of Jesus Christ.
 

28 Days (Feb) of God's Love: Day 14th - Ash Wednesday

Happy Valentine's Day my Sisters in Christ!
This is indeed St. Valentine's Day.  It is also Ash Wednesday.  The day that starts the 40 days of Lent, the time that we as Christians observe the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness, tempted by Satan.  We Christians take this time to reflect what it means to be Christian.  As I reflect on the next 40 days, I will be posting two scriptures:  The Daily as well as a special Lenten scripture.

Daily Verse:
So now , O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you?  Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well being.  Although heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord, the earth with all that is in it, yet the Lord set his heart in love on your ancestors alone and chose you, their decendents after them, out of all people, as it is today.   Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stubborn any longer.  For the Lord is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing.  You shall also love the strangers, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 10:12-19

LENT Verse-Day 1:

Ash Wednesday

  Yet even now, says the Lord,

return to me with all your with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

rend your hearts and not your clothing.

Return to the Lord, your God,

for he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, 

and relents from punishing.

Who knows whether he will not turn and relent

and leave a blessing behind him,

a grain offering and a drink offering

for the Lord.

Joel 2:12-14

 Know It!

Q: What 4 characteristics does Joel describe?

A:  Gracious, merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love.

Think About It!

Q: How can you work toward being slow to anger?

A: We can pray to God for patience.  I also meditate on the words of Jesus every day.

 -Torn Hearts-

       In the Old Testament, men and women tore their robes as a sign of sorrow and mourning.  Some Middle Easterners still do.

Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, David, and Job all tore their  clothes as an expression of grief or anguish.  In Joel's day however, God looked for change on the inside, not just another outward show of remorse.  He sought broken hearts, not torn garments.

Related Lenten Verse:

 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.  Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.  And one called to another and said:

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of host;

the whole earth is full of his glory."

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.  And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!"

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.  The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this had touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out."

Isaiah 6:1-7

New Word:

Seraph/Seraphim- A heavenly creature with multiple sets of wings

Another prophet with a flair for interesting visuals is Ezekiel. He saw heavenly creatures with four wings and faces.

-Message from God-

      Isaiah experienced a dramatic call from God to become a prophet.  The message was personally delivered by seraphs, a term that appears only here and means "something burning and dazzling"  Evidently, seraphs were angels who acted as spokesmen for God.

28 Days (Feb) of God's Love: Day 1st

Welcome back my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ.

A new month brings a new theme to the blog.  And as it's February, what better theme to talk about than....LOVE!

WHAT IS LOVE?

There are many different kinds of Love.  Three types are used throughout the New Testament.  

The Greeks have a name for each:

• Eros - Sexual Love
• Philia- Friendly Love
• Philaruria- Love of Money
• Agape- Unconditional Love 

The love Paul writes about he is talking of "Agape"

Verse:
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he asked:
"Which commandment is the first of all?"
Jesus answered:
"The first is -You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  The  second is this -  love your neighbor as yourself.  There is NO other commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:28-31 

 

January Bible Resolutions: Day 1st - New Year's Day

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
And I'm SO happy to still have my sisters (and maybe brothers?) in Christ following me.  If you're new to my Bible Studies Blog, welcome.  If you're new to the love of Christ, an even BIGGER welcome!  I hope to help you along in your new found faith.
As you know, a new year means changes.  No, no changes to this blog but rather a look at those resolutions we make as human beings. 
Most are given up within the month.  However, through God and his Son, anything can be accomplished!

Verse: 

Thus says the Lord,

who makes a way in the sea,

a path in the mighty waters,

who brings out a chariot and horse,

army and warrior;

they lie down, they can not rise,

they are extinguished, quenched like a wick.

Do not remember the former things, 

or consider the things of old.

I am about to do a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

 Isaiah43:16-19

Know It!

Q:  What new thing will the Lord do? 

A: The Lord, according to Isaiah 43, will make a new way/path.