New Things/Old Things for 2014

October?!?! Has it really been that long since we posted???? Please forgive us. Life has just been very busy lately, but we have some very exciting things planned for the New Year such as, Bible trivia, fashion features, book reviews, easy evangelism ideas, homemaking 101 and more! (If you've enjoyed the past posts, don't worry-we will continue to feature similar articles & devotionals.) God has blessed us so much this year and we look forward to the great things he can use us for in 2014! We wish you a safe and happy New Year and as always, we welcome your comments, constructive critiques and suggestions!

Star light, Star bright

"Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also." Genesis 1:16 (NKJ)

"He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning and makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth; The Lord is His name." Amos 5:8 (NKJ)

"Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion?" Job 38:31 (NKJ)

Fall and winter are my favorite seasons. All the seasons are special in their own way but I do enjoy the end of the year better than the middle. One of my favorite things to do is look at the stars on clear, cold nights and marvel at the vastness of the universe. Our God, our Father created all things. How small we are! How utterly insignificant are our thoughts compared to Him! BUT He loves you. He loves me. He gave His Son to die for us so that we may be freed from the bonds of sin. (John 3:16) That amazes me every single day. I get to pray to the Creator. I get to study His word and learn more about how He wants me to live. Do you know what else we have? Proof of Him every day and every night. The sun, the moon, the stars. All were created by Him and you know what? They are still here! In the year 2013, I can look up at the sky and see the moon. I can also look up in the sky and see the constellations of stars. Orion is one of those constellations and he is mentioned in the Bible a few times like in the scriptures above. How wonderful it is to see these beacons of light and know that God made them. Every time I see Orion in the winter sky I am reminded that Job saw the same constellation as me. That Amos also wrote about it. That my Heavenly Father put him in the sky. No matter where you are on this earth, you are not alone. You are not a single individual with no substance. You are God's creation too. And you will be dust one day like Job and Amos but as long as the earth still spins, Orion will still be there. More importantly, God will still be here. He is more constant than the sun, the moon or the stars. He never fades, He never burns out. He is forever. 

-C

Article on Modesty

I already love comefillyourcup.com but this article is on a topic I think we need more of in our lives. It really brought out some points I haven't thought of before and I hope it is beneficial to all of you as well!

http://comefillyourcup.com/2013/08/12/secret-keeping-2/

Happy Monday you guys!

-C

"O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord."

Isaiah 2:5

Thursday's Thoughts-Dating & Marriage: Take 2 (Don't Rush)

                  We live in a society that is often guilty of placing you into the category of “weird,” or “strange” if you do not begin dating between the ages of thirteen to sixteen, but there is no need to rush into dating! Waiting to date has many advantages. One being that, the longer you wait, the more time you have to get to know yourself-to develop your personality and standards. Do not let the world’s standards influence yours. Use this time to study God’s word and what kind of mate he wants you to look for. 

-M

Thursday's Thoughts-Dating & Marriage: Who Are You Going To Marry?

                  We recently asked a group of teenage girls to list topics they would like to study more in our Bible studies; the most requested topic: dating & marriage. One request in particular: “Tips for dating and marriage.” Honoring their request, this will be the first in a series addressing these topics.

Most little girls dream about their wedding day. We dress up and practice marching down the imaginary aisle. We play mommy to my baby dolls and picked out names for our future children. During our middle-school years, we use our notebooks to doodle our first name with the last of our current crush. Then we approach our high school years; the years most of our dads (and moms)-begrudgingly-allow us to begin dating. While I was in high school, I remember discussing the topic of marriage in our Bible class at church. Here is how the conversation went…

Teacher: “Who are you going to marry?”

(blank stares and silence)

(finally someone speaks up)

Student: “We can’t know the answer to that yet.”

Teacher: “Wrong. You will marry someone you date. Therefore, be careful who you date.”

                  Common sense, right? After all, the dating process is designed to help you get to know someone in order to find out if they are the type of person you would like to spend the rest of your life with. To a group of teenagers, this advice still seemed rather mind-blowing. Yet, it was some of the best advice we ever received. This month my husband and I celebrated five years since the day we vowed to love, honor and cherish each other. Guess what? I dated him. Last week, my grandparents celebrated sixty years of wedded bliss. Guess what? They dated. Ladies, be careful whom you choose to date; you just might end up sharing their last name.

-M

Sunday's Scripture

II Peter 3:9

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Acts 2:38

"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Who do you serve?

You have two choices. There are only two masters we can serve. One is Satan and the other is God. In Luke 16:13, Jesus says "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Sometimes we think we can be on the fence about spiritual things but this verse clearly says we cannot. We are either with God or we are with Satan. Either we are separate and different from the world or we are just like it. There is no having your cake and eating it too in Christianity. It is a choice between heaven and hell every day. When you make the choice to be baptized for the remission of sins, you are giving God your loyalty. You are a new creature to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Also in Romans 6:17-18, Paul says that you were servants of sin but after obeying the gospel you now become a servant of righteousness. None of these verses indicate you can have split loyalties. You can only serve one or the other. 

Choose wisely.

-C

Wednesday's Wisdom

Proverbs 21:2
"Every way of a man is right in his won eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts."

Luke 16:15
"And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

From these two verses we see that man thinks he knows more than God. However, this is an arrogant lie man tells himself. We do not know more than the Almighty God. He knows best and He has laid out His instructions for us. He also knows what's in our hearts so we must not be judgmental of others. We don't always know what we think we know about that strange, quiet girl on the ball team or why our neighbor is rude sometimes. They may be dealing with struggles that we know nothing about. But God knows. He knows everything!

Let us look to Him and obey His ways rather than deciding our way is better.

-C

Tuesday's Task.

Don't waste another minute thinking you have all the time in the world. This is one of Satan's greatest tricks! He makes us lose sight of the urgency of living right and obeying God. He makes us think that we can get to it tomorrow. This is a lie. We are not promised tomorrow so do what needs to be done today. Study and learn what you need to do to be saved. Pray for strength to endure hardships. Tell the people in your life you love them. They don't have time either.

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and the vanishes away." James 4:14

Let us not fall into this trap of Satan. Let us live for Christ today and anticipate daily when we shall be with Him one day.

-C

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching His understanding."

Isaiah 40:28

Friday's Focus-Be you.

Today I want to focus on YOU. Psalm 139 says we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" and Genesis 1:27 says that we are made in the image of God. That means that YOU are made in the image of God. He is your creator. He loves YOU. No matter what the bullies at school say to you, no matter what the magazines promote you should be, no matter how others treat you, YOU are made in the image of the Almighty God. Each of you is unique and special to Him. Don't let the world dictate how you should look or act. Let your Creator be the guiding force in your life. Proverbs 31:30 says that "favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." Your skin will not always be wrinkle free and your hair will not always be luxurious. But your heart can always be beautiful if you let the word of God live in it.

As much as we all are uniquely ourselves, we also have different talents for doing the Lord's work. In I Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul deals with this very subject. The body of Christ is like our own bodies. The eye has a specific purpose just like feet have specific purposes. The eye is not more important than the feet; they simply have different jobs. We all work together to do God's will but each of us don't do the same things. Some ladies are great at fixing meals for the sick while others are better at sending encouraging cards. Find your talent and use it! Do what YOU are capable of doing. Don't compare yourself to others because they are doing what they can do while you need to focus on what you can do.

Embrace your differences! Embrace your talents! God made you and you are beautiful.

-C

Priorities-Part two

As I said on Monday, part two of this study is going to be on what God's priorities are so that we know what is to be our focus.

1. Soul-saving. From the beginning, God's ambition was and is to save mankind. I Timothy 2:4 states that He "will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." In Hebrews 2:9 the writer says "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Jesus tasted death for me and for you. He tasted death for all so that they could be saved. Shouldn't we care about souls if they were all important enough for Jesus to die for them? Of course we should! Soul-saving should be our ambition too!
2. The church. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says to Simon Peter, "And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The church Jesus built is the church. Acts 2:47 tells us that "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." Who were the saved? Those in Acts 2:38 who received the teachings of Peter and were baptized for the remission of sins. Jesus gave himself for the church. (Ephesians 5:25-26). The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23) and so it is a priority to God. We should make the church our priority too. We should care for the church and do what we can to help her grow and be as Christ would have her to be. 
3. His word. God's word should be our priority. Not only is it our instruction book but  it is how God communicates to us! It is how we examine ourselves and how we know how God wants us to live. Hebrews 4:12 describes the word as "quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" and it also "is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." He has "given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue." (I Peter 1:3). Psalm 119 describes what our attitude towards the word should be. We should never be too busy to study the word of God or too busy to share it with others!
4. Worship. In John 4:23-24 we learn that we are to worship God "in spirit and in truth." We are to worship God how He wants to be worshiped; not how we want to worship Him. It isn't about entertaining ourselves or doing what we like. It is about doing what He has instructed us to do. We are to praise Him in song with our voices and not with mechanical instruments (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16). We are to remember Christ's death, burial and resurrection through the Lord's supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7, I Cor 11:24-29). We also take up a collection (I Cor 16:2). There should be prayer and preaching of the gospel (Acts 20:7, Acts 2:42). Emphasis should be placed on John 4:23 where it states that the Father seeks true worshipers. He isn't interested in our half-hearted attempts to show up on Sunday morning and check a box. He isn't seeking our selfish attitudes when we feel like the service would be better with musical instruments. He is only interested in the true worshipers; the ones who worship Him in the correct way and also with the correct attitude.  

Let each of us examine our lives and make sure that our priorities are aligned with God's priorities. If they aren't, then the perfect time to fix that is now!

-C

*Again, credit goes to my local preacher for these points! 

Tuesday's Task-Specific Prayers

I know we've discussed the importance of prayer on this blog before but today I want us to think about what we should pray for when we talk to God. Prayer is such an awesome and incredible privilege that we, who are in Christ, have in our lives. We can approach the throne of the living God and talk to Him! And we have the promise that He will listen if we are His children. James 5:16b states that "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." God listens. He doesn't always answer in the way that we want but He does listen and will do what is best for us.  For our task today, I want us to think about praying specifically for certain things.

1. Pray for the word of God. In II Thessalonians 3:1-3, the apostle Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for a specific outcome. He says, "Finally brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith." We should pray that the word of God is always glorified in our local congregations and everywhere it is preached. 
2. Pray for people who are zealous in the error of false teachers.  In Romans 10:1-3, Paul says he specifically prays for the Jews to be saved. They had a "zeal for God" but were ignorant of the truth. There are good, decent people who are lost because they believe false teachers and not the whole gospel truth. We should pray earnestly for them to hear the word of God and obey His will. 
3. Pray for each other. In the first half of James 5:16, James says we are to "confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." Also in Philippians 1:3-4, Paul mentions that he keeps the people at Philippi in his prayers always. We are to pray for our brethren here and abroad. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of things we should specifically pray for but hopefully it will give you a start in your own study of prayer. There is such power in prayer and we should learn now not to take it for granted and to utilize it the best we can!

-C

Priorities-Part One

Who comes first in your life? Who is the driving force behind everything you do? As a Christian, the answer should be God. What's important to Him should be what's important to us. We are His children so we must align our priorities with His. Throughout the old testament, the Isrealites were punished because they didn't align themselves with God. They rejected His word and rejected Him. They put themselves first. In Amos 3:3, the Lord says "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" If you aren't walking in the light of God's word then you are disagreeable to God. When we focus on what God wants us to focus on, everything else will fall into place. We won't question whether we're going to worship services or not. We won't lack in our Bible study. We won't treat people meanly or dishonestly. We will prioritize our life to put God and His will first.

For part two of this post I want to talk about some of the areas that are God's priorities so we know what we should be focused on.

Stay tuned!

-C

*Credit to my local preacher for this sermon Sunday!

Friday's Focus-Shelter from the Storm



This afternoon I was caught out in a summer storm with no umbrella, no raincoat, and no protection.  The winds were whipping, the thunder was booming and lightning was flashing across the sky. By the time I made it to my car, I was soaked to the bone. During my trek across the parking lot, I couldn’t see the way in front of me and all I could think of was that I had to get to the shelter of my car as quick as possible! After finally making it my vehicle, I sat and waited for the rain to let up.  While waiting, I was struck with the thought of how important it was to me to get to the car. How important it was to get out of the elements and get to safety. Isn’t that how it is with us in our Christian lives? When the troubles of this life are wearing on us and we can’t see our way out, how important is the shelter God provides? We need Him to protect us. We need Him to get us out of the storm.  We need Him to guide us as the thunderous voices of discouragement bombard us, as the lightning of mean-spirited people flash before us, and as the rain of sin falls down around us.

We get caught out of His protection though sometimes, don’t we? We get too caught up in the pleasures or trials of this life and before we know it, we are in the midst of a terrible spiritual storm of our own. The only thing to do in those instances is to run to the shelter God provides. He is safety and our refuge. In Isaiah, He says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee…” (Is 41:10a) We don’t need to fear the spiritual storms. As long as we are in the shelter of our God, He will see us through them.

-C

Friday's Focus-Your Neighbor

A couple of week's ago, the Friday's Focus post was on real people.  I wanted you to see/understand the people of the Bible as real people and not just characters in a book.  This week I want to bring us closer to home. For many of you, a new school year has started. You have new kids in your classes, new teachers, or new kids on an extracurricular team. Our focus should always be to see these friends/coworkers/strangers as souls.  Each one of them is loved by our Creator. He wants them to see that they are lost without Him. But who can tell them about Him? About His love, His sacrifice, His grace and His mercy? YOU can! I can! In fact, we are commanded to bring the gospel to the lost. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." But sometimes I think we forget who the lost are but they are our friends/our coworkers/our neighbors. They are the nations that we can teach.

I need this post just as much as (or more than!) any of you. We go about our lives and interact with so many people but we don't share with them the most important aspect of our lives. Let's change that. The world needs the gospel. And God has left it with us to get it to them.

-C

Also, if any of you reading this want to learn more about the gospel or becoming a New Testament Christian, shoot us an email and we'd love to study more with you!!!

Thursday's Thoughts-The Power of One

*                One Good Samaritan rescued a wounded man on the Jericho Road (Luke 10).

*                One aged man was instrumental in saving mankind from extinction (Gen. 6; Heb. 11:7).

*                One man, who felt unqualified, confronted a Pharaoh and led the Exodus (Ex. 3).

*                One woman broke longstanding tradition, walked into the king’s throne room and saved an entire nation from genocide (Esther 4).

*                One boy faced a nine-foot giant and saved the Israelites from slavery (1 Sam. 17).

*                One boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish fed thousands (John 6).

*                One slave girl was instrumental in healing a world military leader (2 Kings 5).

*                One vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England in 1645.

*                One vote gave America the English language instead of the German language in 1776.

*                One vote saved Andrew Jackson from impeachment in 1868.

*                One vote gave Adolf Hitler control of the Nazi Party in 1941.

-unknown

                  You never know how your actions will affect others. The only thing you know for sure is that you WILL have an impact on the lives of others positively or negatively. It’s known as the ripple effect. When you toss a stone into a pond, ripples form around the place the stone entered the water. The ripples start out small but they grow as they move outward.

Bob Marley, a Jamaican singer-songwriter, believed racism and hate could be cured by injecting music and love into people’s lives. While I do not support or agree with his beliefs, he once made a statement that impressed me. When he was scheduled to perform at a peace rally, a gunman came to his house and shot him. Two days later he walked out on that stage and sang. When asked why he wasn’t resting after his injury, he said, “The people, who were trying to make this world worse are not taking a day off. How can I?” That quote can be applied to our lives as Christians. Satan doesn’t take days off and he is working especially hard on us. He already has the world where he wants it. He wants us to join it instead of make a difference in it. Satan knows the power of one.

Light up the darkness.

-M

Wednesday's Wisdom

Psalm 112:6-8

 

"Surely he shall not be moved forever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

His heart is established and shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies."

 

Let our hearts be fixed on the Lord; trusting Him and staying faithful to Him always. There are a lot of evil tidings in the world. We are surrounded by them constantly. However, let us always remind ourselves that God is control and He holds the future.

 

-C & J

Tuesday's Task-Be honest

Today, I'm going to be honest with you. Last week, I didn't post on the days I was scheduled to post. I apologize to you for that but the reason I didn't post was because I had no words. I had no words of wisdom or encouragement because I was in need of those words. I couldn't find a way to encourage anyone else because I was so discouraged myself. And I want you to know that when you feel that way, you are not alone. You are not the only one who has those days/weeks. Sometimes life just gets the best of us. We fall down and we can't see the way  to get back up.

But then the sun rises and you are reminded of God's love and His grace and His mercy and His care. He is the light. On my own, all I see is darkness. But in Him, the shadows disappear and His light guides me out.

So today, I want you to know that you aren't alone. One, you have God always with you. But also, you aren't the first person to feel discouraged or full of despair. Don't be afraid to share those days with others. Don't be afraid to tell a sister or brother in Christ that you are struggling. Part of the beauty of having a family in Christ is that we can help each other. We aren't walking this life alone.

May this week be filled with light instead of darkness. And may we never forget that He is always with us.

-C

Monday's Musings

"Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!"

-Psalm 105:1-6

The rest of this psalm lists many of the wondrous works God did for the nation of Israel. Today, let's try to focus on the great things God has done in our lives, and let's share our blessings and the gospel with others as we have opportunity.

-J

Sunday's Scripture

Psalm 121 (NKJV)

" I will lift up my eyes to the hills-from whence comes my help?  

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 

Behold, He who keeps Isreal shall neither slumber nor sleep.  

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 

 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  

The Lord shall preserve your soul. 

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in 

from this time forth, and even forevermore."

Thursday's Thoughts-Be Kind

It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives; in our own problems. Our excitements. Fears. Dreads. We forget about others. We don't realize what they may be going through. We just assume that girl we saw practically run into the bathroom with tears in her eyes after first period is strange. We don't take the time to get to know her or we might find out her dad was deployed to Iraq yesterday-for a year. We call that guy who sits in front of us a jerk because he was snappy when someone accidentally bumped into him. We don't know that he is snappy because he didn't get enough sleep. He stayed up listening to his parents argue over how they were going to pay their bills this month. We go to church and sit with our little group of friends. We don't take the time to invite the girl whose family placed membership there a month ago. She seems weird, but she's only sad. When they moved to this area she left her grandparents and best friend behind.

Please watch this video and remember to be kind. And if you find tears making their way down your cheeks, don't be ashamed. Mine traveled the same path.

-M

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you see if fighting some kind of battle.

-unknown

Friday's Focus-Real people

Today I am going to encourage you to visit The Light Network (http://thelightnetwork.tv/) and listen/watch Emily Hatfield's podcasts titled Navigating the New Testament. In these podcasts, Emily takes the cities of first century Christianity and brings them to life. From the book of Acts and the first couple of chapters in the book of Revelation, we read about these people in these cities but I feel we don't truly grasp the fact that these were real people. They lived. They breathed. They loved and they struggled. Our fight with the devil is much like theirs was back then. I want you to see Paul and Lydia and the Corinthians not as characters in a book but as flesh and blood people. As brothers and as sisters.

We are linked through the blood of Christ. We do ourselves an injustice when we don't think of that as we learn about the lives of the early Christians.

So go check it out!

-C

Thursday's Thoughts-Beauty Is Only Skin Deep?

“In our world today, beauty is highly prized. Everyone seems to be dieting to lose weight and look good. Women spend days shopping for the perfect outfit. Hours are wiled away in beauty salons. Yet their spirits sit… and sit… and sit, neglected and unadorned.”

This is an excellent point I read recently. The author goes on to say in 1Peter 3:3-6 Peter address the fact that outer beauty is not sinful but it should not be our focus. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in the way you present yourself but if all your focus is on outer beauty you are missing what is most important. Today I encourage you to sit in front of the “spiritual mirror” and look at your reflection. Make sure it is one that you are proud to stand before God with. Remember the old saying, “Pretty is as pretty does” and make sure you are spending time making your attitude beautiful by focusing on our Lord. 

-M

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”

Proverbs 31:30

Wednesday's Wisdom

"Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!" Psalm 117

It is the middle of the week, and you may be feeling bogged down with school, work, or family concerns. Take comfort in the steadfast love of the LORD. Pause to count your blessings. Let this short psalm encourage you today to take a moment to praise the LORD for his faithfulness!

 

-J

Tuesday's Task-Be Watchful

"Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8

Always be aware that Satan is out to bring you down to his level. He is diligently seeking followers. He wants your soul. He will do whatever neccessary to get it. He doesn't play nice or fair. He is a liar and a cheat. He will make sin look so good and welcoming to you until he gets you in his snares. Then you will see the truth. That sin is dark, ugly and no amount of perfume will take away the stench once you see it for what it is. That is why we have to be watchful and prayerful. Keep God's Word in your heart and at the forefront of your mind so you can resist him. In James 4:7, the Bible says to "submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."  We aren't powerless against this adversary. Far from it. But we must be watchful and guard ourselves through study, perseverance, prayer, and faithfulness.

Above all, don't get complacent! Satan is definitely out there and will strike whenever you're weakest.

-C

Monday's Musings

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel." Ezra 7:10

There is much that could be said about this verse, but I want to focus on the importance of studying God's Word. Studying the Bible is something that is essential for our spiritual growth. Personal Bible study is very important, and it is also beneficial to study with others. We must "set in our heart to study" as Ezra did. It is a choice we must make with determination. Bible study won't just happen without our effort and focus.

I hope that you will consider joining the Bible study that will be hosted here. Studying with one another can be a great source of insight and encouragement!

 

 

-J

Exciting Announcement!

In an effort to hold ourselves more accountable and glean lessons from each other we (the writers behind the blog) have decided to embark on a monthly Bible study together. Each month we will chose a topic or portion of the Bible to study and share our favorite passages, biggest encouragements, most difficult struggles and lessons learned from it right here. It is our hope and prayer that you will study along with us and contribute to this portion of the blog as well. We would love your input because learning from and encouraging one another is what this blog is all about!

            This month’s topic will be Philippians chapters 1-2. We will conclude this study on Thursday, August 29^th. We’re excited! We hope you are too!

Sunday's Scripture

Hosea 14:9

"Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent and he shall know them? For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein."

Friday's Focus-Gratitude

Today, tell someone thank you. Tell your mom how much you appreciate all she does for your family. Tell your dad how thankful you are to him for being a strong male figure in your life. If you don't have a mom or dad in your life, tell your caregiver how much you care for them. Just share your gratitude to someone today. We are not islands and we do not walk this life completely alone. Someone, somewhere has helped you get to where you are right now. Don't take them for granted.

On the spiritual side, how much more has our heavenly Father done for us? Thank Him for His love, His mercy, and His grace. Without Him, we would be spiritually and literally lost.

 Psalm 136:1

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!"

 

 

I want to thank each of you for taking time to read this blog. I hope it is beneficial to all of you as we try to encourage one another!

 

-C

Wednesday's Wisdom

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him."

Psalm 103:11-13

 

This passage contains great news for sinners like you and me. When we obey God's word and are baptized, God removes our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. He has compassion on us. He understands that we mess up, and He forgives us. His unfailing love for us is so huge that we can't even comprehend it.

 

I can think of no better news for a lost and dying world. Embrace this encouragement and share it with others today.

 

-J

Friday's Focus-God's Creation

Today, let's get outside and enjoy the beauty of God's creation. You can see His artistry in the painting of colors at sunset and sunrise. You can see His attention to detail in the spider's web and the veins of plants. You can see His power in the deepest canyon that was carved by the smallest river. You can see His gentleness in the tender care of a mother cow with her calf. All the things in nature tell us about our Creator and how much He cares for us.

Go see Him in the sunshine, in the rain, in the trees and in the flowers today. Praise Him for His wisdom, His power and His love.

Psalm 148 (NKJV)

 

"Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

Praise Him in the heights!

Praise Him, all His angels,

Praise Him, all His hosts!

Praise Him, sun and moon;

Praise Him, all you stars of light!

Praise Him, you heavens of heaven, and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were created. He also established them forever and ever;

He made a decree which shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths:

Fire and hail, snow and clouds: Stormy winds, fulfilling His word:

Mountains and all hills;

Fruitful trees and cedars;

Beasts and all cattle;

Creeping things and flying fowl;

Kings of the earth and all you people;

Princes and all judges of the earth;

Both young men and maidens;

old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For His name alone is exalted;

His glory is above the earth and heaven.

And He has exalted the horn of His people,

the praise of all His saints-of the children of Isreal,

a people near to Him,

Praise the Lord!"

 

Thursday's Thoughts

A lthough things are not perfect

B ecause of trial of pain

C ontinue in thanksgiving

D o not begin to blame

E ven when the times are hard

F ierce winds are bound to blow

G od is forever able

H old on to what you know

I magine life without His love

J oy would cease to be

K eep thanking Him for all the things

L ove imparts to thee

M ove out of “Camp Complaining”

N o weapon that is known

O n earth can yield the power

P raise can do alone

Q uit looking at the future

R edeem the time at hand

S tart everyday with worship

T o “thank” is a command

U ntil we see Him coming

V ictorious in the sky

W e’ll run the race with gratitude

X alting God most high

Y es, there will be good times and yes some will be bad, but

Z ion waits in glory…where none are ever sad.

-unknown

Wednesday's Wisdom

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

Neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

Sometimes—ok, MANY times—I don’t necessarily understand the plans God has for me.  We may wonder why things are the way they are, or why God designed certain things in certain ways.  It is important to take a step back and realize that we can’t comprehend the mind of God.  We have to trust in His words and in His timing.  He is faithful!  In a way, it’s a relief.  We don’t have to know everything, we don’t have to be in control, and we don’t have to have everything figured out.

 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

 

-J

Tuesday's Task-Be joyful.

Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

 

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

 

 

No matter what's going on in our nation, in our congregations, in our personal lives, we are to be a joyful people because we are children of God. He is in control and that should lift all the burdens from our shoulders. Does this mean we won't be sad or hurt by things going on in our lives? No, of course not. But in the depths of our souls at all times, we should know who holds the future and rejoice in Him.

 

Let's rejoice in Him. Always.

 

 

-C

Monday's Musings

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

 

This is one of my favorite quotes!  I think the sooner you can learn this, the better off you will be.  It is a waste of time and energy to compare yourself to others.  In our “social media” age, it is so easy and tempting to look at other people’s Facebook pages or Instagram photos and think, “Oh, their life must be so perfect.  I’ll never be as pretty/good/lucky/rich/happy as them.”  Not true!  Everyone has problems; everyone has struggles.  Everyone has good days and bad days.  Don’t let comparison discourage you, and don’t let it fill you will pride.  The only person you should compare yourself to is Jesus; see if you are following in His footsteps or not and adjust your path accordingly.

 

-J

 

Sunday's Scripture

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

James 3:16-18 (KJV)

Saturday's Sense-Shouldn't We Be Excited?

            Football games. Movies. Shopping. Fairs. Camp. Concerts. These are events we plan and then look forward to. These events are something we should look forward to because they are not wrong in and of themselves-they are fun and it is wonderful to have (good, clean) fun times with our friends, but do we look to Bible class, Bible studies and worship services with the same excitement and anticipation? We should. We should be even more excited to be participants in activities that praise our Lord!

            Last week, I encouraged you to get out of your comfort zone and be friendly. I challenged you to mentally prepare yourself to be the one to walk up to that visitor Sunday morning and welcome them to Bible class. I challenged you to tell that sweet lady who is always sitting on the pew in front of you how much you are encouraged just by her presence each week. Today, I challenge you to be excited about going to worship tomorrow and every Sunday. I encourage you to encourage your friends to be there for midweek Bible study. I challenge you to be excited and let that excitement spill over into the lives of those you come in contact with. It won’t be long before your congregation is buzzing with love and excitement to assemble together to praise our Lord and Savior.

Higher Ground

"I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

 

-Hymn/poem written by Johnson Oatman

Friday's Focus-Temporary Homes

"This world is not my home. I'm just a passin' through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue." -Hymn

""For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon our house which is in heaven."

II Cor 4:16-5:2

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

I Thess 4:16-18

Today I want us to focus on how temporary this life is for us. This world isn't our home and we do have a home with Christ prepared for us if we believe in Him and are saved. It is too easy to get attached to this life we have and the people in it. But we know it is just temporary. This is not our forever home. We need to live  our lives in such a way that will get us to the eternal home of Heaven. 

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Rev 21:4

Heaven is our goal. Let's not lose sight of that. 

-C

Thursday's Thoughts-Training Your Thoughts

                  Several years ago, a dear friend gave me a book some of you may be familiar with, Caterpillars or Butterflies by Sister Jane McWhorter. It has been quite awhile since I read it so when I came across it I decided I needed to reread it. Let me encourage you to put this next on your list if you’ve never read it. It is excellent! With today’s topic being Thursday’s thoughts, I think it is fitting to share this excerpt with you.

“Our minds are the soil in which the seeds of our thoughts grow. ‘Chance only favors the mind which is prepared’ (Louis Pasteur). We cannot think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report one hour a week or even one hour a day and expect to flutter like butterflies. Just as we are to pray without ceasing, so must our thoughts be constantly focused upon the right seeds.

Emerson observed: ‘A man is what he thinks about all day long.’ Long ago Plato stated the same thought when he said: ‘We become what we contemplate.’ Sir Issac Newton was the object of mockery by his neighbors because he spent hours blowing soap bubbles in his garden. Years later, when he was asked how he discovered the principle of gravitation, he replied, ‘By thinking about it all the time.’ Newton also offered this explanation of his success: ‘If I have made any improvement in the sciences, ,it is owing more to patient attention than to anything else.’ Just as Newton thought about the soap bubbles as he went about his other tasks, so must we constantly fill our minds with the right thoughts. We should train our subconscious thoughts to think about these things even when our conscious thought processes are busy with other ideas. Too many Christians take the Word of God just as they do bad-tasting medicine. They tolerate it when they have to do so just to get it over with and out of the way. They have never known the delight that the psalmist experienced as he meditated upon the Law of God day and night (Psalm 1:2).

(p.23)

So are you delighting in the Word or just tolerating it like bad medicine?