Category Archives: Bible

Thankful Thursday ~ Romans 12:15

 

Romans 12:15 (ESV)

 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

My family has been taught by the example of our parents to always be ready to go where you are needed. My mother and father are the first ones at the hospital when someone takes ill. They are the ones that go to the house to grieve with the family members after a loved one dies. They care for the elderly (and they are elderly themselves) when they have to go into a care facility. Over the last several weeks my father and mother have visited a dying member of their church in a care facility one to two times a day. This is a sole surviving spinster with no family at all to care for her. My father will make all her funeral arrangements and make sure there’s a nice service for her. *We just got the news that this dear believer died last night and my father and mother are on their way right now to the funeral home to make the arrangements for her burial. Please pray for strength and stamina for my parents. I can’t tell you the number of funeral arrangements they have walked friends and family through. Today I am so thankful for them, their example and my youngest brother and his wife who seem to be stepping into my parents shoes with this wonderful service to people. This extends to the hurting and the rejoicing. My brother will fly to weddings, funerals, and special celebrations way more than the average Joe. I am so thankful today for the example in the flesh of those who rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep!

For more Thankful Thursday Posts head over to Sting My Heart…

Thankful Thursday ~ Various Gifts

 

Romans 12: 3-13 (ESV)

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy in proportion to our faith; if service in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

 

I am thankful for these and others whom God has put in my life that have used their gifts at various times and in various ways that have taught me, encouraged me, corrected me, served me, forgiven me, and blessed me. Thank you Lord for the model you have given us on how the Body of Christ can function with each one helping the other serving you to the measure of their faith. Thank you for your great mercy and love toward us…

To read more Thankful posts head on over to Sting My Heart….

WFMW ~ Parenting Tip ~ August 1st

Deuteronomy 6: 5-7 (ESV)

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your houses, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise”

Some very simple tips to keep God in your conversation…

~ When your kids get up in the morning thank God out loud for the new day that He has given them.

~ When you sit down to your meal thank God out loud for providing another meal for you.

~ When your kids walk out the door remind them that God goes with them and they should honor Him and shine for Him.

~ When your kids lie down to sleep tell them that you love them and that God loves them.

If you go to Rocks in My Dryer you will see many more parenting tips today!

ht: Photo from Madame Blueberry Learns to be Thankful ~ Cindy Kenney,  Zonderkidz

Philippians 4: 4-9 (ESV)

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Here are some notes from the Reformation Study Bible on these verses.

4:4 Rejoice. The theme of joy is prominent in Philippians. The command to rejoice can always be obeyed, even in the midst of conflict, adversity, and deprivation, because joy rests not on favorable circumstances, but “in the Lord.” Paul uses repetition to emphasize this truth.

4:5 reasonableness. The Greek word denotes the generous spirit that rises above offenses, or a forbearing spirit, of which Jesus provides the supreme example (2 Cor. 10:1). Such a person does not insist on his rights (2:1-4). Only such persons learn the secret of joy.

The Lord is at hand. This may be understood temporally, looking to Christ’s coming as a future event (3:20, 21), and taking hope from this. Or Paul may also be speaking of Christ’s abiding presence with those united to Him (1:1).

4:6 do not be anxious about anything. Although the same word is used in 2:20 of a loving concern for others, here it denotes an anxiety that is incompatible with trust in God.

in everything. Paul’s language is deliberately all-inclusive; there are no restrictions on applying it.

prayer and supplication with thanksgiving…requests. The four terms used here make up two couplets. Paul is not defining separate types of prayers. Rather, the cluster of words shows what importance he attaches to the practice of prayer. Presenting requests in prayer provides an outlet for anxiety (I Pet. 5:7). Doing so “with thanksgiving” is itself an antidote to worry.

4:7 peace of God.This is the direct answer to the prayer of anxiety. Things that cannot be fully comprehended can nonetheless be peacefully experienced by those who are “in Christ” (1:1; cf. Eph. 3:18, 19).

4:8 Concluding these exhortations, Paul calls his readers to a life of obedience, the right response to the peace of God. The virtues listed are not exhaustive but representative, and they come to expression in countless ways (note the repeated “whatever”). Thinking on such things is not an end in itself, but preparation for purposeful action (v.9).

Closing Prayer attributed to Patrick (Breastplate of Patrick)

May the Power of God preserve us. May the wisdom of God instruct us and the way of God direct us. May the hand of God protect us and the host of God guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world.

Thankful Thursday ~ Psalm 118

Thankful List from Psalm 118

I’m thankful that

God is good

His love endures forever

He answered me and set me free

He is on my side

He is my helper

I can take refuge in Him

He is my salvation

He has disciplined me

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118: 24

Now head on over to Sting My Heart to see more Thankful Thursday Posts…

Tuesdays ~ In Other Words

 My husband and I had an interesting conversation about this Mary/Martha experience. Two of the questions we asked were,

Did Martha have to be at Jesus’ feet to experience intimacy?

This incident happened before the Holy Spirit indwelled believers. Jesus was asking Martha to be with Him while He was there. This was the better part. She was not experiencing Him in the kitchen. She was bothered and grumbly. Her service wasn’t unto Him. She was consumed with her task and that Mary wasn’t helping her. He was with them physically for a short time and Mary chose the better part.

What is the difference in our situations from Mary & Martha’s experience?

Today with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we have the opportunity to have intimacy with Jesus when we are doing service He has called us to do. We can experience intimacy in the kitchen as well as sitting quietly in worship through reading His word, in the livingroom.

It’s not just the kitchen that keeps us from sitting at Jesus’ feet. Any care of the world can keep us from experiencing our rest in the Lord. Also, it doesn’t have to be one or the other, the kitchen or the livingroom. I think it’s more about where God wants you to be and entering that place with Him. We can have intimacy in the middle of a battle.

Mathew 11:28-29 ~ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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 yolk is easy and my burden is light.

Entering God’s rest is being where God wants you to be empowered by His Spirit. It does not mean the absence of difficulties. God’s rest is filled with battle, enemies, obstacles and danger. Moving forward to accomplish everything He has given you to accomplish with His power allows you to enter His rest. When we yolk up with Jesus we will have intimacy in the most unlikely places and experiences.

If you’d like to read more thoughts on this quote head over to Joy in the Morning.

Thankful Thursday ~ The Body of Christ

 

Psalm 27: 4-5 ~ One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Today I am thankful for the churches that Dear and I have been a part of in our married life together…

(1974-1975) Grace Community Church, Panorama City, Ca. Although John MacArthur was teaching from the pulpit our most memorable teaching during our time here was in the College/Career class. We took a wonderful midweek college course that set us on a discipleship mindset in our Christian walk.

(1975-1984) Evangelical Free Church of Huntington Beach, Ca. Bob Thune was our pastor here. One of the milestone events that stands out was being discipled by the associate pastor Steve Hinrichs and the introduction of Fellowship Groups (Home-groups, cell groups, small groups) We were trained to lead a small group in a home and we’ve been part of some sort of small group ever since this time!

(1984-1988) Bible Fellowship Church in Ventura, Ca. Joe Albin was our pastor here. This is the church where we met our best friends for life Dave and Jody. Dave encouraged Dear to go back to school and become a Pharmacist. That set us on an interesting life changing path.

(1988-2006) Sunrise Christian Fellowship Church (Seattle, Edmonds),Wa. Bob Spiro was our pastor here. This is the church where we have spent the longest time so far. We value all the growth and learning we were afforded with this body of believers. We saw loving confrontation, forgiveness, reconciliation, friendship, hospitality, perseverance and healing, modeled in this body that has changed our lives forever.

(2006- ??) Evangelical Free Church Conejo Valley, Ca. Steve Larson is our pastor here. We are in a small group and have learned from the sermons. I have taken part in a weekly women’s Bible study. We are eager to see what God has in store for us as we continue to worship and grow with this new body of believers.

So on this Thankful Thursday I wanted to thank God for leading us and taking care of us in these wonderful church bodies!

Laurel is hosting Thankful Thursday this week so head on over to Laurel Wreath and read other Thankful posts.

The Door

John 10:9 (ESV)

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

James 5:9

Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Rev 3:20

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and eat with him. and he with me.”

Mathew 7:7 (NIV)

“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks recieves; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Show & Tell Friday ~ Lincoln’s Devotional

 I found this book at Goodwill this week.

The newly-found book of daily Scriptural messages and inspirational verse in which Abraham Lincoln signed his name – a book he used and cherished, revealing a faith you can share. This copy was copyrighted in 1957.

The devotional portion of this volume contains the entire text of “The Believer’s Daily Treasure; or , Texts of Scripture Arranged for Every Day in the Year,” published in 1852 by the Religious Tract Society of London, England. The material is reprinted as it appears in the copy of the book which Abraham Lincoln owned, and therefore contains the several inconsistencies and typographical errors found in the original edition.

This is a bit blurry

This plate of Lincoln and his Log Cabin was given to us by Dear’s grandmother Nettie. It is from Wayne City, Illinois.

I’m including the July 13th entry from the devotional with no corrections…

13

Communion with God 

 a Source of Joy

There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou has put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Psalm iv. 6, 7.

Lord, what is life? if spent with thee,
In humble praise and prayer,
How long or short my life may be
I feel no anxious care:
though life depart, my joys shall last,
When life and all its joys are past.

For more Show & Tell Friday click on over to Kelli’s at There’s No Place Like Home…

All the photos from this post are being held hostage by Photobucket as of July 2017.