Then Sings My Soul

VBS Day 2

2009-09-05T18:19:00.002-04:00

On the second day of VBS, we took a trek to Bethlehem with the three wisemen. Once again, the science portion of the day was a hit. The kids made bracelets with 3 strands of yarn tied to a dowel. They had to take each strand and twist it (with the help of a few hands). Once they were finished twisting, they let them go and they all entwined into a bracelet. Of course, God comes into all this twisting. :) The strands represented your family, your friends and God. God is intertwined throughout your life.

Been so long, I don't know what Extreme Jean was up to that day. I think she was kayaking or something. She was into some extreme sport, that I know.

For our craft today, we made a canoe picture holder. There were holes punched around the outside edge of the two sides of the canoe and the kids laced them up with plastic twine. They decorated them however they wanted and at the end of the week, their Camp Edge picture was put in it and sent home. Really neat craft.

I have failed to mention that my group was the 3rd to 5th graders. Over half of them were kids from my Sunday school, two of which were my own. They know me toooooo well. Mrs. M was put through the wringer all week.

We lost our music person and so today was a different kind of day for me. I taught the kids the dance moves to one of our new songs we were learning. FYI: Putting dancing to words and music sure helps them learn the songs quicker! Wow! They were great! I still cannot believe that I, a person who doesn't like to be in the spotlight, stood up in front of 35-40 kids plus adults and danced! The things you will do for kids. LOL Incidentally, the two new songs we learned were in my head all week, every second of the day and night. I was singing them in my sleep.

VBS Day 1

2009-09-03T22:36:00.002-04:00

Hidey ho! Been a long time. Thought I would share our VBS with you.

As I mentioned before, we used Cokesbury's Camp Edge. The first days theme was Trek to the Promised Land. We learned all about the Ark of the Covenant. So what was in the Ark, you ask? There were 3 items in the Ark: the 10 Commandments, Aaron's staff and manna. The pastor made an ark out of a copy paper size box with a lid and painted it gold and then attached two sticks to it. She found a really great template to make angels for the top. Wish I could share it with you, but I don't know where she got it. The kids had a great time acting out the story and carrying the Ark.

For our discovery time lab, which, by the way, was a big hit this year, the kids learned that we all need the love of God to accomplish the things God wants us to do. They did a water experiment. We filled a bowl with water and poured talcum powder in it. With a jumbo craft stick, the kids took turns trying to make a path through the powder. Didn't work. So we had them dip one end of the stick in liquid soap and then try it. Voila! A path is drawn. So God is the the liquid soap in our lives. Without God, we can't accomplish all the things he has planned for us.

We had a video each day. Our new friend for the week was "Extreme Jean". The kids loved her. I myself thought she was a little wacky :) but knew the kids would eat it up. They did. She was the second favorite of the week. She added lots of silliness with a reinforcing message of the days theme to each day.

Of course our craft had to be an Ark of the Covenant. This year, we decided to do our own crafts. We got a donation of jewelry boxes from a well known department store. The kids painted them gold after putting masking tape over it (it really added some texture and "realness" to the boxes). They then placed their mini angels on top and taped some chopsticks we purchased from a local chinese restaurant to it. Turned out really cool looking!

We had some great songs we worked on all week, along with some old favorites. Snack and recreation were an everyday staple. The first day went off without too many hitches. Stay tuned for the second day!

Time for VBS!

2009-06-05T22:21:00.002-04:00

We've only got about one month to go here! Our VBS is running July 6-10. We have been busy getting everything in line this past month and it's finally starting to all shape up. I pray we have another successful year. It's been better and better each one we have.

This year, we are once again using Cokesbury's VBS. The theme is extreme sports and is called Camp Edge. We have one talented lady who is doing alot of the decorating. She can draw just about anything. In one week, she got the majority of the decorations finished and did a fabulous job, I might add! Sure saved on having to purchase things. We are really taking it the green way in many ways this year. Crafts are mostly recyclables as are the science lab materials.

Are you doing Vacation Bible School this year? Are you using a kit or making your own lessons?

The Choice

2009-04-30T11:53:00.003-04:00

This is a short film about the choice that was made for us all.

Sunday School Lesson Plans

2009-04-24T11:58:00.002-04:00

I have just run across the most interesting and informative website for Sunday School lesson plans for middle school age kids. I was looking for lesson ideas and got so much more. The site is called Sunday School Lesson Connection. As most of us know, there is no perfect Sunday School curriculum out there. Even if you find one you really like, there is never a lesson you don't need to tweek. Kevin Ophoff felt the same way and has decided to write his own. The lessons are free to download, short and to the point and with no more preparation time than you would ordinarily need.

I was impressed with his idea that this age group is ready for the tougher questions because I have felt that way myself. But curriculum usually doesn't cover it. With lesson titles like Suicide and What Happens When You Die?, they are sure to grab the kids attention. With this age group, you can usually tell how the class is going to go by their first responses to the introduction. You know it's going downhill when you see the blank stares.

Kevin also has a blog (lucky for me ha ha) and from what I've read, I believe he'll be in my Reader as soon as this is posted. Go ahead, check him out!

Easter Experience

2009-04-07T19:00:00.002-04:00

Thought I'd let you know we had a real good day for our Easter Experience. It was a bit nippy during the egg hunt but that was quick thankfully.

My skit worked out nicely if a bit disorganized. My main readers were excellent. They really got into their reporter parts. One of them was Dan Doorknob. I didn't catch it until the end, but he was calling himself Dan Doork-nob. Cracked me up. No wonder there was so much giggling going on in the beginning. LOL

The children really were interested in the crucifixion this year and asking a lot of questions. They came from 2nd graders which kind of surprised me. One of the questions was how did they get Jesus on the cross. I was in awe at the great questions they asked!

I wanted to share a craft we did at the end. It was a nice reminder of all they learned that day. Our's was handmade because Oriental Trading was out of stock at the time we ordered. Naturally they came back in stock after we started making and cutting all our own pieces. It was an absolutely perfect project as it covered everything we went over. They turned out beautifully.

All in all, it was a great day.

Easter Experience Walk-Through

2009-04-03T13:46:00.002-04:00

Thought I would share with you about our Easter Experience we do at our church. It is like a one day VBS about the last week of Jesus' life. We will be doing it the day before Palm Sunday again this year which is tomorrow. It is broken down into 4 sections: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. My portion is Palm Sunday.

We begin with music which is always fun. Then I tell the children about Palm Sunday. Last year I had them parade around with palms. This year, I will be doing a little skit called Palm Sunday Live which I found at Christian Crafters. That should be fun! Afterwards, we will do a little donkey craft. The kids then move on to the next station, which is Maundy Thursday.

The Pastor will be doing the Last Supper replica with the kids. She gets them (12 disciples and Jesus) along two long tables and tells the story of the Last Supper. Then they cut crosses out of bread. She does a few groups so everyone can get a chance to be at the table. What awesome pictures we got from that last year.

The Crucifixion is a tough but necessary part. We have a wonderful woman who takes this on and she does an exceptional job.

The Resurrection is read by another of our lovely ladies and acted out by the kids. They had a real good time last year stomping their feet and running up and down the hall. How often can you do that in church? :)

To end the day, we have an egg hunt. We fill the eggs with Tootsie Rolls and a religious sticker. Last year we had a clown come in that was paid for by a parishioner. We nixed it this year because it took us an hour over schedule. :( But the clown will be back for VBS. It was a big hit with the kids...and the parents.

So wish me luck tomorrow! It's going to be lots of fun!

Free Sunday School Lessons

2009-03-24T19:26:00.003-04:00

God's Hand in our Lives is a Sunday School Program from the Church of the Lutheran Confession with NT, OT, Preschool and Reformation lessons for kids. Each lesson includes teacher notes and the best part about the children's lessons is that they are available for different age groups. Not just the usual "early elementary" "middle elementary" business. They break it down by grades. I have never seen anything like that that is free for use. Lots and lots of lessons here folks!

Just a reminder these are Lutheran based lessons. You will have to adjust the lesson to your own denomination. But it's a wonderful basis to start if you are in need of lesson ideas.

Lent Study

2009-03-23T23:59:00.003-04:00

Upper Room has an 8 session Lent study for small groups. It includes a session for Holy Week and the week after Easter as well as suggestions for children's sessions. A bit late in the season but could still be bookmarked or saved for next year. This study is free.

As for how I'm doing on my Bible reading...Ehh, I'm about a month behind and on my own schedule at this point. :) More than a month on blogging it. I'm in Leviticus right now so this is my problem book. But...I just keep plodding along. Will hopefully get back to blogging soon.

Bible 365 Day 23

2009-02-27T15:35:00.002-05:00

Exodus 12:14-13:16 ~ Matthew 20:29-21:22 ~ Psalm 25:16-22 ~ Proverbs 6:12-15
Click here if you would like to read the days scripture on Bible Gateway.

Today in Exodus, we are told of how Passover began and also about the final plague. It is noted that the Israelites were in Egypt for 430 years.

In Matthew, Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Chapter 21 verse 22 tells us "Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."

Psalm had a prayer today that stuck with me for some reason. Verses 16-18:
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Sometimes, I feel like saying this prayer on a daily basis.

Bible 365 Day 22

2009-02-27T15:16:00.002-05:00

Exodus 10:1-12:13 ~ Matthew 20:1-28 ~ Psalm 25:1-15 ~ Proverbs 6:6-11
Click here to read the days scripture on Bible Gateway.

In Exodus today, it tells of the 8th and 9th plagues. Exodus 10:22 says God told Moses "Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt." Then, in verse 23, it tells us the extent of the darkness: people could not see one another and for three days they could not move from where they were. This gave me the heebie jeebies. A darkness that can be felt. What does that make you envision? It gives me the impression that is what hell would be like.

In Matthew today, the mother of the disciples James and John requests from Jesus that her sons sit on the right and left of him in heaven. While it angered the other disciples, Jesus said it wasn't for him to grant. He also tells them they must serve one another as he served them and not to give one more power over the others. Very thought provoking for me. Do we give certain people in our lives more power than others? If so, who are these people and why do we give them that power?

Psalm had many great verses today but I think my favorite is verse 4: Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.

Proverbs lesson: Don't be a lazybone and sleep the day away. Look to the ant.

Bible 365 Day 21

2009-02-27T14:44:00.003-05:00

Exodus 8:1-9:35 ~ Matthew 19:13-30 ~ Psalm 24:1-10 ~ Proverbs 6:1-5
Click here to read the days scripture on Bible Gateway.

Today's reading in Exodus takes us through the 2nd-7th plagues. That Pharoah was stubborn, but it was God's doing. We are repeatedly told on each plague that God will harden Pharoah's heart so that he may show the people His power. You can see Pharoah giving in after each plague only to have his heart hardened by God again. Do you think he felt a little nuts? Giving in and then renewing his hatred for the Israelites over and over. I read somewhere how many God's the Egyptian's worshipped. I don't know the exact number, but it was alot! God wanted them to know there was only one God and He was it. I also think these plagues were a punishment for how the Pharoah had treated God's chosen people for many years.

In Matthew, we hear the story of the rich young man and how it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven. It is amazing how much importance we put on our stuff and how upset we get when we lose or can't get stuff. How much stuff do we really need? Jesus told the rich young man all he needed. Simply Jesus. If you need an incentive for clearing out your stuff, this is a good passage to read. Purge your stuff and give it to the needy.

My favorite verse today is Matthew 19:26 when the disciples asked Jesus "Then who can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible."

Psalm 23

2009-02-24T13:11:00.001-05:00

This is the junior choir version of Psalm 23 I remember. Would you believe this is Cliff Richards singing?

Bible 365 Day 20

2009-02-24T12:39:00.002-05:00

Exodus 5:22-7:25 ~ Matthew 18:21-19:12 ~ Psalm 23:1-6 ~ Proverbs 5:22-23
Click here to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Moses is still working hard to get out of his duty. :) The first plague is sent, water to blood. The Egyptians couldn't drink from the Nile for 7 days. They had to dig along the Nile for drink. The genealogy of Moses and Aaron is also given. They descend from Levi. Levi's grandson Amram marries his father, Kohath's, sister (eww), Jochebed, who are Moses and Aaron's parents. Got that?

Matthew tells us about forgiveness. It also talks about divorce. It's very straight forward how God feels about divorce. I struggle with this issue alot. Do I know it's a sin to divorce? Yes, I do. So knowing that, why would I consider it? Like I said, it's something I struggle with. I'll leave it at that.

I'll leave you with the reading from Psalm today, Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside still waters;

He restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

For you are with me;

Your rod and your staff---they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Bible 365 Day 19

2009-02-24T12:20:00.002-05:00

Exodus 4:1-5:21 ~ Matthew 18:1-20 ~ Psalm 22:19-31 ~ Proverbs 5:15-21
Click here if you'd like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

In Matthew today is the well known verse 3, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." So what does that mean for us? My take is humble, obedient, innocent. Care to add anything?

Jesus then goes on to say in verse 6, " If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea." So there! Pretty plain and simple to understand. Sure makes you think about whether or not you're putting stumbling blocks in your children's paths or not. Nice little reminder for parents.

In Psalm today, there was a great reminder of our discipleship responsibilities. Verse 30b-31 says, Future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn. Our job as a Christian in a nutshell. Keep spreading the Word!

Bible 365 Day 18

2009-02-24T11:53:00.002-05:00

Exodus 2:11-3:22 ~ Matthew 17:10-27 ~ Psalm 22:1-18 ~ Proverbs 5:7-14
Click here if you'd like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Reflected a bit on Moses today. God shows himself to Moses as a burning bush in these readings and lets Moses in on what exactly he has planned for him. I couldn't help smiling when Moses begins to try and get himself out of the situation. In so many words, Moses is saying "Why me? I don't want this responsibility of leading this people! Why would they listen to me?" Which would have been my reply had I been in his shoes. How about you? But God chooses another imperfect unlikely man for the job.

There are a few things in my life I never thought I'd be doing. One of them is teaching Sunday school. But when the need arose for a teacher, I somehow knew it was something I was meant to do. God was calling me to it and if felt...right. Even though I had never felt an urge to do it. So I kind of relate to Moses' disposition here. :)

Verse 18 in Psalm 22 says, "They divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots." I love running across these Old Testement verses that connect with the New Testament. This wasn't even a prophecy. It was David pleaing for deliverance from suffering and hostility. I'm just amazed that I remember enough to pick up on the verses. :/

Bible 365 Day 17

2009-02-21T09:01:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed I'm just a wee bit off course here. When something happens to get me off course of something I'm doing, it's awful hard for me to jump back into it. That would be called procrastination in my case. :) So I'll just move along at my own pace here. Much farther ahead in my reading than the blogging. Just haven't had the desire to blog this month. Without further ado...

Genesis 50:1 - Exodus 2:10 ~ Matthew 16:13-17:9 ~ Psalm 21:1-13 ~ Proverbs 5:1-6
Click here to read the days scripture on Bible Gateway.

Big day for reading today. I finished up Genesis and began Exodus.

I don't know how much I got out of the readings as my mind wrapped around one thing and one thing only; the death and burial of Jacob. Due to a death in my family, it's no wonder. After Jacob died, Joseph commanded his physicians to embalm him. This took 40 days. Then the Egyptians wept for him...for 70 days. But that's not the end of it. Joseph still needs to take his father to be buried, which is a trek. My wandering mind started to wonder what happens to the body after that long. Eww! Joseph also dies at 110 yrs. Interesting how the ages keep getting younger and younger.

We move on to Exodus now and read about the birth of Moses and the plight of the Israelites under Pharoah.

Stuck in the Old Testemant today.

Bible 365 Day 16

2009-02-20T09:39:00.002-05:00

Genesis 48:1-49:33 ~ Matthew 15:29-16:12 ~ Psalm 20:1-9 ~ Proverbs 4:20-27
Click here to read the day's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Psalm 20:7b tells us But our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:8b tells us But we shall rise and stand upright.

As a Christian, this is something I strive to do. I haven't always been comfortable with putting my views out there for everyone to see. As I've gotten older, it's important to me to do this. I am not ashamed. I am not afraid to mention His name for fear someone will berate me or make fun of me. These verses remind me of an old hymn, Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.

Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.

Life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh. Have you ever just opened your Bible and started reading and it simply applies to a current situation you are struggling with? Our Lord answers us and guides us always. Are we attentive and hear Him? Or too wrapped up in our own thoughts and fail to hear what He is telling us. That's a sometimes tough thing to do; listening for God. But when we hear Him, it's loud and clear. It's life and it's healing.

It's Official

2009-02-20T09:11:00.002-05:00

It's official! I have attended my first Session meeting. Wasn't bad at all.

We had a lovely presentation of our Hungarian heritage. Very interesting.

I am now the official chairperson for the mission committee. We have a food pantry, participate in the CropWalk and contribute to One Great Hour of Sharing. So what I'm trying to figure out is something that we can do that doesn't involve more out of pocket funds. What do you think about a clothing thrift store. Like maybe for work clothes donations and people could come and get nice outfits for work? Anybody have any ideas? I'm all ears!

Bible 365 Day 15

2009-02-06T22:32:00.002-05:00

Genesis 46:1-47:31 ~ Matthew 15:1-28 ~ Psalm 19:1-14 ~ Proverbs 4:14-19
Click here to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

I've decided to just take a couple things from the scripture readings right now. Perhaps it will become habit or perhaps not. At least until I get caught up it will be this way. So here we go.

Matthew 15:8-9
"This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me: in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as docrines."

The above scripture is Jesus quoting the prophet Isaiah while speaking with the Pharisee's and scribes. Is this not just a bit scary? There is so much in the Bible that many a layperson would have no idea whether they are being preached the Gospel or only the personal views of the clergyman. Then too, being a Sunday school teacher, do we not have to walk that fine line too? For myself, I don't always use my curriculum for a lesson. I will go on the internet and piece together a lesson from what I find. But always, and I do mean always, I make sure that what the lesson is telling us is from actual scripture.

I was once going to show my Sunday school kids a movie we had on Moses. We had just finished learning all about his life. I was so glad that I took the video home to preview it. While I had taught that Miriam was Moses' sister, this movie depicted her as his wife! There was absolutely no way I was going to show that! Needless to say, we rarely watch video's in Sunday school. Mainly because I just don't have time to preview them.

So, we hope and believe that what we are being preached on and told is fact is based on actual scripture. But it's really up to us to read the Word so that we know it is from scripture. I'll just keep reading my Bible.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and redeemer.

When I was growing up, I was in a youth choir at church. We sang a song with these words. I will never forget it but have never heard it since. Such a shame because it was a peppy, happy song. I scoured YouTube to no avail.

Stumble

2009-02-03T23:43:00.003-05:00

Stumble number one. :(

I am so off on my blogging here because of family issues. Now I'm off on my reading for about 4 days. Sooner or later I'll get back on track.

In the meantime, here's a really great site to check out. Christian Courses is a very interesting place. From Getting to Know the Bible to World Religion's Basics, there's lots of free courses to choose from and you can study at your own pace. Some of the courses do require payment. You receive credits for those courses. Great for adults and teens but I think some pre-teens could handle it, too. They sent me a nice little 60-day devotional book! Nice little surprise!

Till next time.

Bible Study Tools

2009-01-26T20:11:00.002-05:00

I've run across many Bible Study Tool sites lately. Thought I'd share a few with you.

Padfield has some great study books on many books of the Bible. They include charts and maps along with questions for your readings. At the bottom of the page are a few other options.
Bible e-books has a bunch of things to choose from. From online Bible Study courses to Bible lessons for children and youth.
If you're a timeline nut like I am, biblediagrams is the place for it! I'm real excited about finding this site!
Bible Study Lessons is a free online study of mainly the NT but also topical subjects.
More free e-books at Global Christians. Many different topics.

As I find more, I will share. If you have any sites you use for your Bible studies, I'd love to hear about them.

Bible 365 Days 13 & 14

2009-01-22T09:57:00.002-05:00

Genesis 42:18-43:34 ~ Matthew 13:47-14:12 ~ Psalm 18:16-36 ~ Proverbs 4:7-10
Click here to read the day's scripture at Bible Gateway.

Genesis 44:1-45:28 ~ Matthew 14:13-36 ~ Psalm 18:37-50 ~ Proverbs 4:11-13
Click here to read the day's scripture at Bible Gateway.

Genesis 42:18-45:28
These chapters give us the story of Joseph's brother's going to Egypt and Joseph really putting them through the wringer. Simeon is held prisoner while the others are sent back to their families and instructed to bring their brother Benjamin back with them. Upon opening their sacks of grain, they are surprised and terrified. They believe God is punishing them for what they did to Joseph. When Jacob is told all of the happenings, he refuses to send his youngest son. It is only until they are out of grain and he tells his sons to go buy more that they remind him they cannot go back without Benjamin. Jacob finally relents. Chapter 45 is the revealing of Joseph to his brothers.

A few things of interest to me in this reading. Judah seems to have matured. He takes responsibility for bringing Benjamin back and also offers himself as a slave in return for Benjamin, as he knew his father would suffer greatly were he not returned. Another thing is how long Joseph was able to keep up the charade of not knowing them. I don't know as I would have been strong enough to last that long! I think his weeping throughout this reading lets us know it was not easy for him, because he was happy to see them even after what they did to him. I think the reason he messed with them was to ensure that he was able to see his younger brother and father again. Had he just kept Simeon, they may never have come back. But with Benjamin there, he was also assured he would see his father Jacob again too.

Matthew 13:47-14:36
Lots of goings on in these readings. Jesus is rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. This is sad to me. The people he interacted with daily while he was growing up all reject him. Sad. I have a feeling if I told a few people I know that I was reading the Bible this year, they would look at me a little differently. Might think of me as a Jesus Freak. Okay by me! lol I do think it would probably be a conversation they would avoid. I guess you could consider that a type of rejection. I don't think they would totally write me off, but it would just be something they were uncomfortable with for whatever reason.

The death of John the Baptist is just....grossly horrific. That's all I care to say on that subject.

Jesus feeds the five thousand which is probably more had Matthew counted all the women and children. There is also mention of Him healing the sick in Gennesaret. Wondering why this is in there. Did something spectacular happen in this city? Maybe one of the other Gospel's will mention it.

I was glad to read about Jesus walking on water. This is one of the few stories I remember from my Sunday school years. It always fascinated me. And the verse "You of little faith, why do you doubt?" has stuck with me.

Psalm 18:16-50
There's a couple of verses that stick out for me. Verse 20 tells us "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me." We should all strive to be righteous and I will add to that humbly righteous.

Verse 35 is comforting to me. "You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me; your help has made me great."

Verse 46 is joy and praise. "The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation."

Proverbs 4:7-13
Verse 10~"Hear, my child, and accept my word, that the years of your life may be many."
Verse 11~"I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
Verse 13~"Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.

Read and accept the Word. Live by the wisdom it brings. Remember the instructions.

Bible 365 Day12

2009-01-21T21:21:00.004-05:00

Okay, yes! I am a day behind now. But I swear on the...Bible (hehe) that I have been keeping at my readings. But for today I'm just going to do Jan. 20th readings blog wise. I'll get to today's reading with tomorrow's. Got that?

I was having a bit of a rough day the other day. My mind has been weighed down by financial troubles as of late and I finally just broke down and prayed, fervently I might add. I also asked God to give me some kind of a sign everything would be okay, something from my reading I could apply to my situation, strengthen me. You get the idea. I don't think I've ever had a prayer answered so quickly! And yet I don't think I've ever prayed so fervently either. Lesson learned!!

Genesis 41:17-42:17 ~ Matthew 13:24-46 ~ Psalm 18:1-15 ~ Proverbs 4:1-6
Click here to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Genesis 41:17-42:17
What an awesome dream interpretation of the 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine! Apply this to your relationship with God. Store up the strength, joy, happiness and wisdom etc. while it is given so that it is always there in the time of need. On a practical note, always keep a nest egg to fall back on in hard times. I feel like I'm getting a kick in the rear right now.

Moving along, Joseph, at the age of 30, entered the service of Pharoah, king of Egypt. Joseph is given the power and authority over all of Egypt because of his dream interpretation. He would preside over the storing of food during the seven yrs of plenty and would open the storehouses and sell the grain in the seven yrs of famine. The famine became severe throughout the world (kind of sounds like our current economy, doesn't it?). This brings Joseph's brothers to Egypt.

All but Benjamin go, as Jacob was afraid harm would come to him. Makes me wonder if he suspected his other sons when Joseph disappeared. Amazing to me is that Joseph recognizes his brother's, but they don't recognize him. It's only been about 27 years. Would he have changed that much from 17? Maybe he had gray hair or something. Rattling on here.

Joseph decides to test his brothers after calling them spies. He tells them that one of them will go and bring their brother, Benjamin, to Egypt and the others will stay in prison until their return to prove they are not spies.

Matthew 13:24-46
Oh no, more parables! Thankfully the one I didn't understand was explained. The parable of the weeds among the wheat is a teaching of the end times (Revelations) if I'm not mistaken. Another was the three parables of what the kingdom of heaven is like. Summary....pretty cool! When I think of heaven, I think I've been brainwashed by Sunday school crafts and pictures. I think of fluffy clouds with a castle like building. Ha! Actually, I think what Jesus says in these verses is that if you think of all of your most favorite things that make you the happiest, heaven's better. How do you picture heaven?

Psalm 18:1-15
Haaallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I have been able to pick something out that is just singing to me in this reading of Psalm. Verse 6 tells us, "In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears." THIS is what I did! And he heard me! And He has just let me know that he heard me. I have to say I was feeling pretty alright after reading scripture that night. :) I should probably make a note of this passage.

Proverbs 4:1-6
Because of my precarious position on *ahem* sanity the night I read this, how appropriate that this be the last words I read. Verses 4b-5: Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away.

Bible 365 Day 10-11

2009-01-19T14:38:00.003-05:00

Genesis 37:1-38:30 ~ Matthew 12:22-45 ~ Psalm 16:1-11 ~ Proverbs 3:27-32
Click here to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.
Genesis 39:1-41:16 ~ Matthew 12:46-13:23 ~ Psalm 17:1-15 ~ Proverbs 3:33-35
Click here to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Genesis 37:1-41:16
Genesis 37 begins the story of Joseph's life. He is the favorite child of Jacob because he is the child of his old age. Lots of stuff going on in these readings. Joseph dreams and makes the mistake of telling his brother's and father. It only makes his brother's hate him more and although Jacob chastises him for the interpretations of the dreams (the brother's bowing before him~Joseph), he also keeps the matter in mind.

Joseph is thrown in a pit by his brother's and eventually sold as a slave to an Egyptian, Potiphar. Jacob mourns his son after his brother's deceitfully tell their father a wild animal came upon Joseph and devoured him, producing bloodied clothes from a goat's blood. Now Joseph's master saw that the Lord was with Joseph and only good things happened in his house, so Joseph became very successful. Potiphar's wife put an end to that and Joseph was thrown in prison. While there, he interpreted two prisoners dreams and was brought before Pharoah, who had some troubling dreams to interpret.

One Year Bible had an interesting thing to say about dreams and their interpretations. Following that line of thinking, I've had some strange dreams. Most, I don't even remember. Some still stand out in my mind and I wonder now if they are of any importance. Did I act on any dreams? I don't think so. I've never really put much stock into dreams which is probably why I let them dissolve in my mind. I know if I eat too late at night, I have nightmares. At least that's what I tell myself it's from. I even have specific foods I avoid: peanuts and seafood. Ha ha!

There is also the telling of Judah and Tamar in today's scripture, Judah being the line to King David and Jesus. It seems Judah has some skeletons in his closet. A reminder not to judge, as I think we all have skeletons we're not too proud of. He was brought up short when confronted by Tamar. Perez, one of the twins born from this liason, is the line to King David.

Matthew 12:22-13:23
Some verses that stood out to me: Chapter 12:36-37~"I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned."

Chapter 12:43-45 is talking about the return of the unclean spirit. It tells us when it goes back to the house from which it came, it finds it empty and cleansed. It then brings seven other spirits with it and enters the house and "the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation." Sometimes, the Bible scares me. But it should!

We read about the parable of the sower and the purpose of the parables. I understand them as for those who aren't open to the Word, they will hear it but not understand. For those open to it, they will hear and understand. I also think it was a way for Jesus to get the Word across in a way that people could understand as it applied to their daily lives. That is how he healed them.

Psalm 16:1-17:15
Still not getting much out of the Psalms. Give me a Psalm 23 and I get it. I know many people get alot out of the Psalms, but it's alot of poetry to me and I rarely get the understanding of poetry, let alone Biblical poetry. What I'm getting, over and over, is God prevailing over the wicked to protect the innocent. I'm hoping that's what I'm supposed be getting. It's a bit redundant to blog the same thing everyday though. Perhaps I'll get more out of it the second time around. Kind of ticked at myself for being a dunderhead on this. Guess I'll have to rely on One Year Bible for my insight.

Proverbs 3:27-35
I get from these readings: Do not withhold help to your neighbor if it is within your power to help them. Verse 35 is something to really strive for in our lives. The wise will inherit honor, but stubborn fools, disgrace. I think, I know, that I am a stubborn fool at times. I am trying to consciously think before acting or making decisions now.

Bible 365 Day 8 & 9

2009-01-17T08:30:00.002-05:00

Genesis 32:13-34:31 ~ Matthew 11:7-30 ~ Psalm 14:1-7 ~ Proverbs 3:19-20
Click here if you would like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.
Genesis 35:1-36:43 ~ Matthew 12:1-21 ~ Psalm 15:1-5 ~ Proverbs 3:21-26
Click here if you would like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Genesis 32:13-36:43
Jacob wrestles at Peniel and has a reunion with Esau. Dinah is raped. Jacob returns to Bethel. Benjamin is born and Rachel and Isaac die. Esau's descendents are listed.

The wrestling match! Did Jacob wrestle God? There are different points of view on this. What's yours? My own opinion is that he did indeed wrestle with God and that it was for Jacob's complete submission. Following the wrestling match, Jacob is blessed by his "sparring partner" and renamed Israel. I do wrestle with God myself. My will selfishly wants to plan the path my life will take. It's something I struggle with regularly. Do you wrestle with God? An item that had me a little confused in this reading was when, in Gen. 32:22, it says he took his two wives, his two maids and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. Eleven? By my count, it should be twelve. Either it's a typo in the Bible, :0, or the author is not counting Dinah.

Jacob's biggest fear right now, is Esau. He has no idea how he will be received. He sends several servants ahead with animals hoping to find favor with Esau. When they finally meet, Jacob is shocked when Esau grabs him and hugs him. Jacob's description of seeing his brother is joyfully depicted in Gen. 33:10; For truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God. This is the first time I've seen the love for one another with these two.

Jacob and Esau go their separate ways. They are both large companies and cannot settle near one another. Esau goes on to Seir while Jacob settles in Shechem. At Shechem, Dinah goes out to visit the women in the village. While there, Shechem sees her and takes her and rapes her. He falls in love with her and tells his father to get her for his wife. So Hamor and Shechem go to Jacob. Jacob, although angry, held his tongue until his sons came in from the field. A deal was struck. Jacob's sons made the condition that all males in the city must be circumcised like they were and they would give Dinah to Shechem as a wife. Shechem was happy to comply. After the third day, while the men were still in pain, Simeon and Levi went into the city and killed all the males and brought Dinah home. The rest of the brothers plundered the city, taking the flocks, herds, donkeys, women and children. Everything of wealth. When Jacob heard what they had done, he was angry. For now, his sons had put their whole company at risk with the rest of the Canaanites and Perizzites. I'm curious as to what happens with Dinah now.

God sends Jacob to Bethel and God brings terrors on the cities as they journey so no one will pursue them. God appears to Jacob again and blessed him with the blessing he gave Abraham and Isaac. Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin at Bethel. When Jacob finally comes to Mamre where his father is, Isaac dies. His sons bury him. He was 180.

It then goes on to list all the descendants, clans and Kings of Esau (Edom). He was a wealthy and powerful man. I can never follow these lines easily. What is the significance of listing only certain descendants in the Bible. I can only think it will be revealed at a later point.

Matthew 11:7-12:-12:21
Jesus praises John the Baptist, reproaches cities where his power has been shown but none repented, thanks his Father, explains about plucking grain and healing on the Sabbath and the prophecy of the Chosen Servant is told.

Two things stood out to me in these readings:

Matthew 11:28-30 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. We all need that spiritual rest that Jesus offers.

Matthew 12:15-21 I have found my answer!! Once again Jesus is ordering people not to make him known to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah. Verses 18-21 tell us: "Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Psalm 14:1-15:5
Psalm 14:1-7 starts out with these words: Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no on who does good. And goes on to say There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the company of the righteous. You would confound the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge. My initial thought was that this is for unbelievers. But I think it is for everyone. If we believe we are good and others are not, perhaps we need to look at ourselves again and make sure we are living our lives as though we are saying "There is a God."

Psalm 15:1-5 A glorious reminder to us of who will dwell in God's sanctuary.

Proverbs 3:19-26
Verses 19-20 remind us of Creation. I don't know how anyone could refute this and continue to cram evolution down our throats.

Verses 21-26 tell us wisdom and prudence will be life for our souls. If we keep them in sight, we will walk securely and not stumble.

Bible 365 Day Seven

2009-01-15T08:29:00.002-05:00

Yeah! One week down and only 51 to go! Will I still be saying this when I get to Leviticus? lol

Genesis 31:17-32:12 ~ Matthew 10:24-11:6 ~ Psalm 13:1-6 ~ Proverbs 3:16-18
Click here if you would like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Genesis 31:17-32:12
Jacob flees and Laban chases after him. They make a vow not to harm each other. Jacob is approaching the land of Seir, where Esau is, so he sends gifts ahead to appease Esau.

Laban overtakes Jacob in the hill country of Gilead. Before he gets to Jacob, God comes to him in a dream and warns him to "Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad." in Gen. 31:24. Would have stopped me in my tracks, but it didn't seem to deter Laban. Seems to me he said plenty to Jacob. I was waiting for him to be struck down, but instead they made a vow not to hurt one another.

I want to make note of the fact that Rachel stole her father's household gods when they all fled. As Laban is searching all the tents for his property, Rachel hides the gods in the camel's saddle and sits on them. She tells her father she is sorry for not getting up for "the way of women is upon me". Now you know Laban wouldn't come near her as she was considered unclean. Very conniving on Rachel's part. Later, these household gods must be left behind.

The time has come for Esau and Jacob to meet again. Jacob is nearing Seir, the land of Esau (Edom~which means red, as Esau was born hairy and the hair was red), and is very distressed at how he will be received. With good reason I might add. It has been 20 years since the deception took place. Jacob sends messengers ahead to tell Esau of his wealth hoping this will find favor with Esau. Only to find out Esau is coming to meet him...with 400 men! To be continued....

In Gen 32:10 Jacob is praying to God to bring him out of his meeting with Esau alive. He says "I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan: and now I have become two companies." This reminds me of Jesus' instructions to the twelve yesterday to take nothing with them. It was only the twelve, but those numbers grew. Jacob went to Laban with nothing but his walking stick and grew to two companies.

Matthew 10:24-11:6
Jesus teaches his disciples that a disciple is not above the teacher, whom to fear, that he brings not peace but a sword and about rewards. There is also a message from John the Baptist.

In Matthew 10:32-33 Jesus says "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven." In verse 40, he says, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." In verse 39, he says, "Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." He is the way.

John the Baptist questions whether Jesus is the Messiah to come or are we to wait for another. Everyone expected the Messiah to come in like gangbusters. Maybe this is why Jesus kept telling everyone not to tell of their healings? Because he didn't come in like a Warrior King?

Psalm 13:1-6
More prayer for deliverance from enemies. Another Psalm from David. Verse 5-6 stand out for me in this reading: But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. Yes, we should all rejoice!

Proverbs 3:16-18
This is a lovely passage about wisdom being the true wealth.

16Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.

Pleasantness and peace. I like that!

Bible 365 Day Six

2009-01-14T11:16:00.002-05:00

Genesis 30:1-31:16 ~ Matthew 10:1-23 ~ Psalm 12:1-8 ~ Proverbs 3:13-15
Click here if you would like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Genesis 30:1-31:16
Jacob is multiplying up a storm, becomes wealthy at Laban's expense and flees with his family and flocks.

I sure hope others see the humor in the runaround the wives give Jacob to produce offspring. LOL My goodness, they had him hopping! 12 children in 14 years. Rachel had but one son, Joseph, throughout this reading. I believe God didn't think she was the best wife for Jacob, however, she was the one to produce the line to advance God's plan. In his time, not her's. She was barren for many years after marrying Jacob.

Jacob is learning to rely on God's help and protection. This is evident with the story of the flocks. Once again, there is deception on Laban's part. But with God's help and protection, Jacob flourishes and comes out of the situation a very wealthy man. It's not much longer that he takes his flock and family and flees.

Matthew 10:1-23
Jesus chooses the twelve disciples, gives them authority to cast out unclean spirits and heal, instruction for their journey and warns of persecution to come.

I found it interesting how Matthew describes Judas when naming the disciples. He is named Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. The others only had the past attached to their names, but Judas had the future. Curious to see how the other Gospel's write this.

Jesus sends the twelve out with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the shoes on their feet, letting them know they need nothing but the Word of God. Can you imagine taking a vacation and taking nothing with you? The disciples were told that they were to find worthy people to stay with. Imagine trying to find that on your vacation? Would there be people who would take strangers in? You know what? I believe there would be. God would make sure we were directed in the right path. The disciples are also told to "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." in verse 5. How's that for explicit instructions? What stands out to me is "lost sheep". Those who have lost their way.

Psalm 12:1-8
A plea for help in troubled times.

Verse 2 says, "They utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak." Verse 4 goes on to say, "Those who say, 'With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are our own - who is our master?'" Gosh, kind of sounds like the description of a politician to me. But verse 1 is so sad to me because it is so true. "Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; the faithful have disappeared from humankind."

Proverbs 3:13-15
Wisdom is the true wealth. Don't measure happiness on monetary wealth. Wisdom brings true happiness.

Bible 365 Day Five

2009-01-14T09:57:00.002-05:00

I took a day off from blogging yesterday. Not the reading though. Just needed a break.

Genesis 28:1-29:35 ~ Matthew 9:18-38 ~ Psalm 11:1-7 ~ Proverbs 3:11-12
Click here if you would like to read today's scripture at Bible Gateway.

Genesis 28:1-29:35
Esau marries again. Jacob dreams at Bethel, meets Rachel and marries Laban's daughters, Leah and Rachel.

Hmm, it seems the deceiver is deceived in this reading. Reminds me of the cliche "What goes around, comes around." Laban really took advantage of this situation when he sent Leah into the marriage room (or whatever you want to call it). I can't imagine how Leah felt. Perhaps excited she was getting married. But in the morning, it was a different story. Jacob was angry and made it well known that she wasn't his choice. After all, he had been lusting after Rachel's beauty for 7 years. God felt sorry for her too and gave her four sons, although Rachel was barren. Bible.org has a very interesting article on this subject. As to Rachel, well, I'm inclined to believe that Jacob did not look below the surface and was taken in by outward appearance only. Could this be where the saying "Beauty is only skin deep" came from?

Jacob's dream of heaven takes place while enroute to Laban. Afterward, he names the place Bethel and erects a pillar where he slept. One Year Bible Blog draws attention to the if/then vow he makes to God. Have you ever done that? I know I have, but couldn't tell you what it was about. :) Their take is that Jacob hadn't fully accepted God yet. I'm inclined to agree with that at this point.

I also want to mention Esau's marriage to Ishmael's daughter. Hello! He married his....cousin? Not uncommon in those days, but it's kind of icky to me nonetheless, all of these inter-family marriages. Esau does this after overhearing what his father told Jacob about not taking a Canaanite wife. And here Esau has two Hittite wives. Once again, Bible.org has an excellent article about this. I am finding this site to be a very helpful tool in understanding what I'm reading.

Matthew 9:18-38
Jesus heals a woman who has been hemorrhaging for 12 years, a young girl thought dead (Jairus' daughter?), 2 blind men and a mute with a demon.

My focus was drawn to 2 things in this reading. The faith of the woman and that Jesus told the blind men "See that no one knows of this."

In one of our Bible studies at church, this woman was the subject. We all felt such sympathy for her. Imagine hemorrhaging for 12 years. I'm sure there is a diagnosis for this today. But she was considered unclean. She was ostracized from society and even her husband and children. For 12 years! I like Luke's version of this story better. What faith!

This is the second time I've read about Jesus telling one of the healed not to tell anyone. But of course, they do. But why does he keep saying this? I think it's because everything hasn't yet been set in motion. There are prophecies that still need to be fulfilled. That's my take on it.

Psalm 11:1-7
Trusting God to protect us. One Year Bible Blog poses this question; Do we really trust in God for our protection? Or do we sometimes rely on others or our own cunning? That's a tough one. I'd like to believe that I completely trust in God for my protection. But I know there have been times in my past that I haven't. I find it's easier, now that I'm older, to place my trust in Him. I think the old adage "With age comes wisdom" comes into play with this. When you experience the let-down of others to protect you, or even yourself, the wisdom slowly sinks in that you're placing your trust in the wrong person.

Proverbs 3:11-12
I love this! 11 My child, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

As the Lord disciplines us with love, so should we too discipline our children. Correct them when they do wrong. Many parents are under the false impression that they should be their child's friend. For fear of losing the child's love, they do not correct them when they are wrong. This is why we see so many kids who think they can do whatever they want. Ironically, they learn how to follow rules elsewhere without losing respect for the discipliner. Why haven't more parent's taken notice of that and correct themselves in this area?

Speaking of Tithings and Offerings

2009-01-12T14:02:00.003-05:00

Speaking of tithings and offerings, I need to lighten things up a bit here. This is from Power to Change Ministries on TheLife.com.

Charitable Contribution
from TheLife.com

by Power to Change Ministries

Father O’Malley answered the phone.

“Hello, is this Father O’Malley?”

“It is.”

“This is the IRS. Can you help us?”

“I can.”

“Do you know a Ted Houlihan?”

“I do.”

“Is he a member of your congregation?”

“He is.”

“Did he donate $10,000.00?”

(pause)

“He will.”

Dilemma?

2009-01-12T10:53:00.002-05:00

I am enjoying my Bible reading so far, but I have a bit of a dilemma. I do my readings at night. I don't always get the full meanings of the readings, so I check out a few sites for some insight. By the time I am finished with my posting, it has been 3 hours! Now, I know it's not a bad idea to spend time learning and growing in God's word, but this is a good chunk of time! Any ideas or suggestions on making this easier? I'm feeling mighty stupid with how long it takes me to do this. The reading portion is not the problem. It's the stupidity. :/ I'm wondering if maybe I should just do the reading and make a post once a week. Ahhh, I think I may be on to something! What do you think?

Bible 365 Day Four

2009-01-12T08:38:00.002-05:00

Genesis 26:17-27:46 ~ Matthew 9:1-17 ~ Psalm 10:16-18 ~ Proverbs 3:9-10
Click here to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Genesis 26:17-27:46
Isaac begins re-opening the wells his father dug and digging for new wells. He is challenged to ownership more than once. He finally digs a well no one challenges and pitches a tent. God blesses Isaac and he and Abimelech make a vow not to harm one another. The servants find water again and it is named Shibah which is how the city Beersheba got it's name. It also tells of Esau, at the age of 40, taking two Hittite wives, who were a source of grief for Isaac and Rebekah.

Chapter 27 tells of how Jacob steals Esau's blessing from Isaac. Esau is ready to kill Jacob, so Jacob is sent to Rebekah's brother, Laban.

Well, I couldn't help focusing on wells in this reading. There were four dug. So I'm wondering what on earth is the significance of all these wells. Do some digging and find out they are a hot commodity for surviving in the desert. Duh! I think it must be a symbol of land ownership too.

I'm feeling sorry for Esau at this point, having his birthright and blessing stolen by Jacob. I get the feeling Jacob was somewhat of a mama's boy and Rebekah is not shown in a very good light either. She was quite conniving. I should not be surprised and I should also not cast stones. This is such a reminder that we are all sinners. It is very easy to judge others by their sins without first looking at our own. A very interesting take on this chapter can be found at bible.org. Puts everything into a better perspective.

A verse that stood out for me was 26:24. "And that very night the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you and make your offspring numerous for my servant Abraham's sake." The covenant with Abraham is repeated. This is letting us know that God keeps his promises.

Matthew 9:1-17
Jesus heals a paralytic, calls Matthew (Levi and author of this book), a tax collector to follow Him and answers the question about fasting.

I'm thinking back to the other days reading of when Jesus healed the leper. He told him not to tell anyone. In this reading, it is clear he wants people to know that he is the Son of Man who has been given the authority to forgive sins. I also picked up on the impending death of Jesus in verse 15 when Jesus tells the disciples of John, "The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."

The stand out verse of the reading for me was verse 13. Jesus is telling the Pharisees why he eats with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus says, "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." He comes to save us from our sins so that we can enter the kingdom of heaven (if we truly repent), not to overlook the sinner for the already righteous.

Psalm 10:16-18
God strengthens the hearts of the meek and doles out justice to those who oppress them.

What does meek mean in biblical terms? It does not mean weak as most people would believe. It is more like poor in spirit or depressed. Puts me in mind of the third world countries who rule with an iron fist. They oppress the people.

Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

This was pretty easy. Tithes and offerings. Although, you could look at it differently. Honor the Lord with all that you are and your reward will be heaven.

Bible 365 Day Three

2009-01-11T14:14:00.003-05:00

Genesis 24:52-26:16 ~ Matthew 8:18-34 ~ Psalm 10:1-15 ~ Proverbs 3:7-8
Click here if you'd like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Genesis 24:52-26:16
Isaac and Rebekah are married. Abraham marries once more, to Keturah, who he has 6 more children with. Abraham dies, Jacob and Esau are born. Another famine comes to the land and Isaac and Rebekah go to Gerar, led by God. Descendents are named for Abraham's children with Keturah as well as Ishmael's sons. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob.

I have to start with Isaac and Rebekah. After all the buildup to their meeting, I was a little disappointed to read in Genesis 24:67 "Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." That's it? After the servant relayed the story of Rebekah, he promptly takes her and that's it. Boy, I was kind of hoping for some dialogue at least.

Another interesting thing I picked up on was that Rebekah was barren for twenty years after they married. Also curious to know if they had other children other than Jacob and Esau. There was some favoritism with the parents. Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah, Jacob. While Esau preferred hunting and farming, Jacob was, in my opinion, a lazy butt who sat in the tents all day and then tricks Esau out of his birthright.

Another famine comes and Isaac decides to head for Egypt, but God tells him to settle in Gerar instead. At this point, it is like father, like son. Like his father Abraham, Isaac tells Abimelech that Rebekah is his sister. Where Abraham had this set as a rule when entering an alien land, Isaac waited until asked about his wife and then lied. This doesn't portray them in a very good light to me! In this day and age, I could see this type of thing happening (hiding behind a woman), but in Biblical times? I just found it very odd. Isaac goes on to have some good crops and becomes very wealthy, to the point the Philistines tell him to leave because he is too powerful.

All of Abraham's last children with Keturah are named as well as Ishmael's. We are told that Ishmael's sons numbered twelve. There were twelve tribes. Future significance? They all settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. We are also told that, before his death, Abraham sent all of his living sons eastward to the east country. I should map this out. I'm wondering if this is significant to something.

Matthew 8:18-34
This reading tells us about the would-be followers of Jesus and of how Jesus calmed the storm. It also tells of healing the Gadarene of demons, where they enter the swine and rush to the sea and perish.

One Year Bible Blog asked a really tough question today. Would you be willing to die for your faith? Following Jesus isn't always easy or comfortable as he tells us in verse 20. Jesus says, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." A serviceman/woman has to decide for themselves if they would die for our country. When I think of it that way, it is easier for me to answer this question. I would not die for my country, but I would die for my faith. Would I be scared? You betcha! But I also think my thoughts would be to God at that point.

Psalm 10:1-15
A prayer for deliverance from enemies.

I'm hoping these Psalms start to make sense to me soon! I'm struggling to understand them right now. This reading was a bit easier than the other two. The reading begins with "Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?" The reading ends with "But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief, that you may take it into your hands; the helpless commit themselves to you; you have been the helper of the orphan." Yes, he does see us struggling and hurting. But I have always found that he is with us during those times more than others. When things are going well, we tend to call on him less. Oh, I am guilty of that! I need to remember to praise and thank him at those times and remember that he brings us these good times.

Proverbs 3:7-8
We are reminded again not to rely on ourselves but to put all our trust in God.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.

Bible 365 Day Two

2009-01-10T12:00:00.002-05:00

Genesis 23:1-24:51 ~ Matthew 8:1-17 ~ Psalm 9:13-20 ~ Proverbs 3:1-6
Click here if you'd like to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway

Genesis 23:1-24:51
In chapter 23, we are told of the death and burial of Sarah, who died at the age of 127. Chapter 24 tells the main story of Isaac and Rebekah's beginnings. Rebekah is previously mentioned in chapter 22 as being the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor. She is brought from the land of Abraham's kin.

I was struck by how explicit the burial place of Sarah was. You are told exactly where the cave is, how it was purchased and cities near to it. Genesis 23:19 tells us, Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan. This was repeated again throughout the chapter as was the manner of payment. I'm going to back up here a bit to when God called Abram. In Genesis 15:7, God told Abram "I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess." Perhaps Abraham paid the outrageous amount of 400 shekels to Ephron to fulfill a part of God's promise to possess the land instead of accepting it as a gift, which Ephron proposed. Since the story was repeated in the chapter, I was happy to find out that the cave is still around. Imagine standing at the entrance, in silence, recalling the lives of these two.

Abraham needs to find a wife for Isaac now, who is grieving over his mother. She can't be just anyone from the Canaanites. He sends a servant to his kindred's land. Once there, the servant prays God will send a girl who will give him drink and water his camels. Immediately, God answers the prayer and Rebekah comes along. Again, the story is told again when relaying it to the mother and brother of Rebekah. No questions are asked. She is sent to be Isaac's wife. God has answered the prayer of the servant and the family trusts this is God's will. Rebekah was willing and I felt she was excited, even not knowing or seeing her husband beforehand, to go. That is a custom I wouldn't be comfortable with. Different times and yet not as it still happens.

Matthew 8:1-17
Three tellings of miracles by Jesus in this reading. The leper, the Centurian's servant and Peter's mother-in-law as well as many others in Peter's house.

Loads of faith in this reading. From the leper's "if you are willing, you can make me clean" to the Centurian's "just say the word and my servant will be healed." In verse 17, it states that these healings at Peter's house were done to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah. I had to check this out! :) Isaiah 53:4a; Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases. This is a book I am looking forward to reading.

Psalm 9:13-20
This reading continues David's Psalm of God's power and justice, asking for His grace for suffering and His judgement against the wicked.

I'm off on the wrong thing here. What caught my eye was Higgaion and Selah in the middle of this reading and Selah at the end. Higgaion means a place for happy music. Selah? May mean a silence or pause in the music but others think it could mean "end". I'll go along with that considering the points it came in the writing. Necessary to find out the definition though as it's seen often in Psalm.

Proverbs 3:1-6
A reminder to trust and honor God.

A verse popped out at me. Verses 5-6; Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

This is the nice part about reading the Bible. You run across these familiar verses you know at some point in your life you had to memorize but can't remember when (myself, anyway). But you've kept the words in your heart, the meaning of them, even if you don't fully remember all the words. I believe I memorized most of my verses in confirmation class. The pastor really cracked the whip on it! :)

One of One Year Bible's questions today is "Do you believe Jesus still heals people today?" I would have to say yes because you hear so many stories of people with terminal diseases making full recoveries. It can be nothing less than a miracle. I have not felt Jesus' healing in my life in terms of illness, but I have felt his healing in times of grief. He is a great comforter, isn't he?

Bible 365 Day One

2009-01-09T12:10:00.004-05:00

Okay! Here we go! I am starting to think this is going to be harder than I thought. But, it is only day one. Sometimes, when I read the Bible, I completely miss the point. I pick out things that aren't the main focus and wonder what I should be learning. So beware! :) However, the One Year Bible Blog should come in handy to help me focus. Coming into this late, I'm missing some background, so I'm going to try to stick to making comments on the readings of the day.

Genesis 20:1-22:24 ~ Matthew 7:15-29 ~ Psalm 9:1-12 ~ Proverbs 2:16-22
Click here to read today's scripture on Bible Gateway.

Old Testament Summary

In Genesis 20, we are told the story of Abraham and Sarah in the region of Negeb. He lies to King Abimelech about Sarah being his sister, being afraid this wasn't a God fearing land and being afraid for their lives, and Abimelech promptly takes her. This doesn't sit well with God!

In Genesis 21, Isaac is born of Abraham and Sarah, as promised by God. Hagar and Ishmael are sent away. Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant to deal honestly and kindly with one another.

In Genesis 22, God tests Abraham's faith by telling him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. It also tells us of Abraham's brother, Nahor, and his children.

New Testament Summary

In Matthew 7:15-29, we are told three of Jesus' teachings. A tree and its fruits, self-deception and hearers and doers.

Psalm Summary

Psalm 9:1-12 is a Psalm by David praising God's power and justice.

Proverbs Summary

Proverbs 2: 16-22 starts off with "You will be saved from the loose woman." It ends by telling us to walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the just.

A few things from the Old Testement that catch my eye:

Abraham pimps his wife to avoid death!
Abraham and Sarah actually are brother and sister. Same fathers different mothers.

I often times forget that customs were different then. It was a different way of life. This wasn't the first time Abraham had offered his wife up as his sister since he had answered God's call. But this time, God put a stop to it! I also never knew about the two being siblings.

New Testement Thoughts

"Beware of false prophets" False prophets are always brought down.
Self-deception Do not deceive yourself into thinking that because you profess to be a Christian and you do all things in the name of Jesus that you will enter heaven. "but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." shall enter. If you say it or do it, mean it. Believe it. Live it!
Hearers and doers Our Sunday school curriculum is based on this teaching. It says to me: Hear Jesus' words, live by his words and you will not fall.

Psalm Thoughts

Verses 9-10 are so powerful; The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

These words are very comforting to me. As my family struggles financially and mentally right now, I know in my soul, He is with us and protecting us.

Proverbs Thoughts

Pretty straight forward, this reading. Stay away from the loose woman, she leads to destruction. Of course, this would apply to loose men also. :)

In conclusion, One Year Bible Blog, thankfully, focuses me on this question: Knowing that storms will come throughout your life, what are you doing in your life to build a firm foundation of faith? My answer is reading the Bible in a year, being an active member of my church, teaching, having conversations with God through prayer and thoughts and trying to listen for his answers, somewhat patiently, and see his path for me. I believe the more I grow in faith as a Christian, the easier it will be for me to live by his Word.

Bible in One Year

2009-01-08T12:02:00.003-05:00

I have decided to take up the challenge of reading the Bible in a year. This is something I've always wanted to do and have even tried a few times. But when I get to Leviticus, my eyes cross. That is a hard book to understand and I lose interest. So I'm hoping I can get through it.

Previously, I've attempted to read it chronologically. This time, I'm going to try it a different way. One Year Bible Online has a 15 minute a day reading plan that I am going to follow. It includes readings from the Old and New Testaments, Psalm and Proverbs. At this point, I am behind schedule as they start the program Jan. 1. So I'm going to start my 365 days with tomorrows readings and then circle back at the end of the year.

One Year Bible Online also has a blog with an overview of the days readings. You can also sign up for a weekly newsletter email or join their yahoo or google groups.

My plan is to post the days readings and any thoughts I have. If you'd like to join me on this quest, please do. Tomorrows readings are:

Genesis 20:1-22:24

Matthew 7:15-29

Psalm 9:1-12

Proverbs 2:16-22

Quote of the Day

2009-01-08T09:33:00.003-05:00

From Quote of the Day

Dorothy Parker

"If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to."

A reminder for me. It's easy to become attached to the almighty dollar. Though we may think it makes life easier, it doesn't make you happier and in the wanting of it, we forget God, who provides all we need anyway.

Menopause Parking

2009-01-07T15:20:00.000-05:00

Now here's something I could definitely get in line for for the good of all!

Online Bible Study

2009-01-07T15:12:00.000-05:00

I've discovered an interesting site today. YouVersion is an online Bible reader. They have many versions to choose from. What got my interest was a private journal you can keep while reading. You can also view other members thoughts on passages and interact with other members. It is free to join. A word of advice though. If you don't wish to have your last name out there, don't put it in during the registration. Your "Real Name" appears on your profile page which everyone sees. Same goes for the location. I like to be vague on that stuff. I'm hoping this will help me collect my thoughts (in one place) while preparing Sunday school lessons.

YouVersion also has a blog. It's got some tips and tricks about the site there along with other stuff. One of those other things is 100 things you can do with YouVersion. Now that's a tip! However, they're only up to 37. :)

Just thought I'd share. Check it out.

Missions

2009-01-07T15:11:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've had missions on the brain. Between donating rummage sale leftovers (and learning about a local mission while doing it), Sunday school lesson info, a field trip for glasses for the needy and the pastor handing over any number of things she gets in the mail to me, I have been thinking about them alot. So I thought I'd share this knowledge every once in a while. I also have a mission yearbook from our Presbytery that I'd like to share some ideas from.

I am by nature a very compassionate person. I feel the need to try to help whenever I can. I believe that is my best quality. I won't tell you what my worst qualities are. :) I will make the statement right now that I do not have direct experience with these missions. I just find them interesting and appealing. I will let you know if I do, such as the field trip I went on.

The first mission I'd like to share comes from my Sunday school curriculum, which some of you know I'm in love with. Nothing But Nets is an organization that supplies anti-malaria bed nets to families in Africa. Malaria is one of the leading killers of children in Africa contributing to nearly 3,000 deaths per day. You purchase a net and they distribute it to families and educate them on how to use them. An excellent article to read is a column that Rick Reilly wrote for Sports Illustrated. Any information you would need to donate or get a fundraising campaign up is just a click away.

I found this mission interesting for a few reasons. It could be done as a group fundraiser or as a personal donation from a family. The cost is minimal. But the result is phenomenal.

You're Late Again, Lord!

2009-01-07T14:55:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not trying to be offensive with the title. It is the name of a book I bought quite awhile ago. I normally read fiction, but occasionally, I like a non-fiction read. This book seemed to be written for me, so I immediately picked it up. The line that caught my attention on the cover was "The Impatient Woman's Guide to God's Timing". Aha! Finally, I'll learn how to be patient!

Uh uh! It seems it takes work! LOL I love the way this woman writes. She's humorous and encouraging at the same time. Much of it is written as a conversation with God. I have yet to finish this book. But it has given me much to think about already. I haven't found the answer yet. But like all good books, it will sum it all up at the end. But I refuse to look ahead.

I was never so sure that God is in charge as I was at our Father's Day presentation. I had made up this wonderful slide show for it. My teenager had put together a "Year in the Life" of our church in pictures and we were going to end our Sunday school year that way. Well! We could not get the projector to work for anything. (Came to find out later, after someone read directions, you only had to hit two keys. Duh!). Now either He was telling me that I should learn how to use things before trying them out or He was telling me "Listen, missy! You are not in charge here. This is the way you're going to do this!" Thank goodness I had the presence of mind beforehand to print the slides and frame them so we had something to give the dad's. And amazingly, it went much better and was more personal than the way I had planned. LOL

For more information on this book and more, click here

Free Rice

2009-01-07T14:52:00.000-05:00

This is an addictive "game" I ran across about a year ago. Not only does it build your vocabulary, but it helps feed people. It's fun to watch the bowls fill up and keep filling even if you get the definition wrong. Word of warning: I've come across a few words you wouldn't want to have to explain to your kids

Soles 4 Souls

2009-01-07T14:51:00.001-05:00

In one of the blogs in my reader, Make and Takes, I ran across another mission. Soles 4 Souls. This is an organization that collects new or gently used shoes and gives them to areas in need. This would be a great church mission. They have resources for a drive and you ship to one of their warehouses. Unsure of the shipping information, such as cost, so that would be something to take into consideration.

As an individual, you could drop your shoes off at one of their locations. Just enter your zip code to find one near you. You can also host a shoe drive yourself, donate cash, sponsor, etc.

The shoes go to people following disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, to those living in poverty, etc. It's worth it to check out the site.

How Great Thou Art

2009-01-07T14:28:00.001-05:00

Lyrics Martina McBride - How Great Thou Art lyrics