Category Archives: Bible Studies

Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Under Their Heels!

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I assume you are familiar with the children’s  Itsy-Bitsy Spider sing along.

In the Old Testament book of Numbers, we find whining Hebrew spies. Faithless, they felt like itsy-bitsy-grasshoppers.

“There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight. (Numbers 13:33 NAS).”

They saw themselves as insignificant and powerless. Likewise, the giants in the land saw them as spineless invaders they would crush under their heels.

In contrast, Caleb had seen God’s children through eyes of courage and faith.

“Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it (Numbers 13:30 NAS).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Salvation

Behold, your King…

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The King has come…

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him (Matthew 2:1-2 NKJ).”

Your King is coming…                                        SEPTEMBER 2014 002

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.”
(Zechariah 9:9 NKJ)

He rules over a spiritual kingdom…

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here (John 18:36 NKJ).”

Enthrone Him…

“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21 NKJ).”

The King ‘is’ coming!
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20 NKJ).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Solomon Prayed…

“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house (2 Chronicles 7:1 KJV).”

When hearing the name of Solomon, the first word that pops into my mind is wisdom. SEPTEMBER 2014 002

 
“In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants (1 Kings 3:5-15 KJV).”

 
After reading the 2 Chronicles passage, I am adding prayer to my memory bank.

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Salvation

When the LORD is Keeping Count …

saint-29666_1280                                                                                                                                   A  Disciple 

Jesus chose Twelve Disciples.

That is fact. Yet, He sent out an additional  seventy.

“After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come (Luke 10:1 KJV).”

I am allowing truths from this passage to seep into my soul.

There is strength in numbers when the LORD is keeping count.

In sending them out two-by-two, the disciples had the companionship and prayer support they would need in their outreach ministry.  In addition, the second disciple could confirm the testimony of the first to share.

Their outreach was in preparation of Jesus arrival.

I cannot fathom the numbers of those that Jesus has sent in his name. I do know that he wants you and I personally involved in the expansion of his kingdom.

 
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Matthew 28:18-20 KJV).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Salvation

Obit

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“Therefore I [Micah] will lament and wail; I will go stripped and [virtually] naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a lamentation like the ostriches. For [Samaria’s] wounds are incurable and they come even to Judah; He [the Lord] has reached to the gate of my people, to Jerusalem (Micah 1:8-9 Amplified Bible).”

These are not the words of a lunatic or one on mind-altering drugs. SEPTEMBER 2014 002

If voiced today,  authorities might put the speaker in a padded cell. No matter, he would make it his prayer room.

The Prophet Micah had inside information from the Lord God about the future destruction of Samaria. As we grieve impending death of a loved one battling cancer, he saw the effects of sin in its advanced stages. He diagnosed it as an incurable spiritual disease.

“For the wages which sin pays is death (Romans 6:23a Amplified Bible).”

That reads like an obituary. Praise God, a birth announcement follows!

“For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23 Amplified Bible).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

In His Image…

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I wonder; I mull the subject in question over in my cluttered mind.  SEPTEMBER 2014 002
What will my body be like after I die?

(1 Corinthians 15:42-52 KJV).
42 “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:42-52 KJV).
God created Adam and Eve in his image; in rebellion, they sinned and tarnished that image. Once more, his children by adoption will bear his image.

Glory to his name!

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, The Church

TAKE NOTES!

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Do you take notes during your pastor’s sermons? I’m a note taker from way back. I not only stay focused; I save valuable teaching for future meditations. Pastors use varied methods in the delivery of their messages; the changing of methods is of little consequence as long as the message remains founded upon scripture. SEPTEMBER 2014 002

I am a fan of three-point sermons…

If you take notes, jot down this scripture verse from a KJV,                        1 Peter 5:10.

Message Outline:
I. Stablish
II. Strengthen
III. Settle

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect , stablish , strengthen , settle you (1 Peter 5:10 KJV).”

I’m flexible; I see a fourth point in the passage. I just might drop Stablish into second position and place Suffered in first place.

Keep pens and highlighters handy; take notes and hide God’s word in your heart. [Psalm 119:11]

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

DARKNESS OF DESPAIR

I can understand why young children are afraid of the dark. I wouldn’t say I have a fear of the dark; it is more of a loathing. I have seldom found myself in total darkness; when I was, I wanted the lights to come back on,  pronto!SEPTEMBER 2014 002

The darkness of despair is traumatic and tragic. Eavesdrop on a conversation with Job…

“Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me; when His lamp shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness (Job 29:2-3 NKJ).”

Job suffered through despair of debilitating illness; alas, he saw no light-only darkness. The LORD did not leave him in the dark. He shed His light of healing and new beginnings. Job would recover and walk in light during his latter days…

“Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning (Job 42:12 NKJ).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Benefits of Bible Study

       

 

I believe I benefit from the Bible, every book of the Bible, chapter and verse. Repetition is a great teacher and I have recently learned a new appreciation of the Book of Job.                                                                                       SEPTEMBER 2014 002

First, I share the first two words that come to mind when considering Job.

• Suffering
• Patience

Before I reveal a third I want to tell how I discovered it. Each year, I try to take a fresh approach to my Bible study, using different translations, read-the-Bible through plans etc. This year, for my very first time I am using the Nave’s Topical Bible; in my journal, I enter scriptures by themes. As examples: grace, mercy, peace and joy.

• Joy

I have just begun joy scriptures. To my amazement, I have found scripture references from Job!

• Job 8:21
• Job 22:21
• Job 22:26
• Job 33:26 “He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, he shall see his face with joy, for he restores to man His righteousness (NKJ).”

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Bible Studies, Children, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Duck, it’s Pouring!

6-25- BLOG RAIN

 

“It’s raining, it’s pouring”….

 

PAM CROPPED 2013

The children’s nursery rhyme has a catchy tune!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avurCRJiUj0

Residents of South Texas were singing songs of woe when experiencing a severe drought. It could mean devastation to crops and loss of life in livestock herds. We watched weather broadcasts, searched the horizon and prayed for rain.

Elijah prayed; the LORD God sent rain pouring down upon parched land.

“He bowed down to the ground and put his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, ‘Go up and look toward the sea.’ So he went up, looked, and said, ‘There’s nothing.’ Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’ On the seventh time, he reported, ‘There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming from the sea.’ Then Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, Get [your chariot] ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’ In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour (1 Kings 18:42b-45a HCS).”

God also heard the prayer requests of Texans. It rained and we rejoiced!

 

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