What a great night!
First a little history...after I gave my life to Christ 8+ years ago, one of the issues He dealt with me on was how I would spend halloween.
I thought we'd just turn the lights off and leave for the night..but God had other plans. He led us to purchase Bibles for the kids, and to give them out on halloween night.
And, it was clear that we were to get neat Bibles that the kids would be excited to receive. ( or so we hoped! )
We were amazed that year by the responses of all but one of the children. The kids were thrilled! One little boy who lived in a million dollar home, left our front yard saying,
"Dad! Look! They gave me my very own Bible!"
The next few years were no exception. We had children coming to the door, while their parents waited patiently at the street, asking, "Is THIS where I can get a Bible?!".
One mom even came to the door, and led me outside to show me a group of teenagers all huddled in the street reading their Bibles at that very minute!
One young man, about 17, came to get one for his 7 year old brother and when he did I asked him if he had a Bible of his own, he answered, "No, Ma'am".
"Would you like one?"
"Yes. Ma'am."
"Well, we just gave out our last Teen Bible, but if you'll give us your name and address, we'll get you one and send it to you."
So...we ended up getting one for him and had his name put on it, and delivered it to his home instead. When I handed it to him, there were tears in his eyes. He said, "I can't believe you did this for me!"
Which, was a perfect opportunity to share with him what God had done for all of us through His Son, the Messiah.
I was blown away that this big teenage boy was so happy to have a Bible, that his eyes were filled with tears!
I mean, we live in America! One would think that if a kid wanted a Bible, they'd have one....but we've been proven wrong on that 4 times now.
Tonight, there was a huge group of kids who came to the door just as the night was winding down. We had a stack of about 8 Teen Study Bibles left, which we were holding for our neighbor kids. However, when we saw that group of kids, we knew that God had sent them to our door, and that the numbers had worked out exactly for those remaining Bibles to be theirs instead!
I couldn't believe it as the kids all were pushing to be first, and were saying, "I want one!". "I want one too!".
Then, one young man stepped out from the group and came toward me and said, in the kindest voice..."Do you know how amazing this is, what you're doing for kids?!". "This is just awesome."
I so wanted to say something intelligent, but knew that I'd burst out crying if I said much more than, "Praise God!".
Every year that we've done this, I expect to be met with hatred and guile. Yet, that has not happened once.
Kids aren't disappointed that they didn't get a candy bar. They RUN down the sidewalk, anxious to tell their parents that someone gave them a Bible.
I guess that even at a young age, children know when someone has done something caring for them.
What a blessing to have been able to do this. We couldn't have given out anywhere NEAR as many Bibles tonight if it weren't for the owner of Pathways Christian Bookstore here in Anthem. The owner really went to bat for us with the publisher, and saved us a TON of money.
Go see her, won't you..and support her business. It's really a wonderful ministry for our community.
Bibles for halloween ?
Sure has ended up being a rich blessing to our family..and hopefully, to all of those who have received one over the years.
Maybe the Lord will lead your family to do the same next year. If He does, please let us know. We'd love to be in prayer with you about it.
Remember, the Lord promises that His Word will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it! :)
Isaiah 55:10-11
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
In Him,
Jes
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Thursday, October 04, 2007
The Sovereignty of God
Today I got up early, and was looking forward to rekindling my love of studying God's Word over a great cup of iced coffee...ALONE.
Yet, my little guy is an early bird. I promise, I worked like mad to train him to be a late riser, but the older he has gotten, the more he has chosen to defy me. :)
God just wired him that way, I think. He loves to get up early.
So, before my coffee was even brewed, he walked in, chattering like a mockingbird.
It turned out wonderful, though. We had about an hour and a half together, and we studied Matthew chapter 2 on an in-depth level.
One of the cross references was Psalm 103:19 "The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all."
Wow! What a powerful verse.
These past months, I've really struggled with the sovereignty of God. I was taught, as a child, that satan controls this world, and God will control everything after Jesus comes back.
Yet, that isn't what Scripture says. Over and over again, it speaks of the sovereignty of God...TODAY. Even Peter was told by Jesus that satan had gained permission, by asking (of God), to sift him like wheat. The operative words here, though, are that satan had to ask permission of the Father first.
I believe, from my study of the Word, that nothing happens in the life of the believer without God's permission.
Romans tells us that we are a slave to that which we obey..either to sin or to righteousness. So, I believe that it's different for someone who doesn't belong to Jesus. I don't think that satan has to ask permission in their lives, although I'm still studying that hypothesis out.
I do believe that satan can't even breath a nasty breath on one who has been sealed by the Holy Spirit, in Christ, without God's permission.
So, to see that verse today was really amazing for me.
I asked Caedmon all about it...
WHO established God's throne? He did, Mommy.
WHERE is it established? In the heavens.
WHAT does it mean that God is sovereign? He rules, Mommy. He's in control.
WHAT does that mean to us, Caedmon? We can trust Him, Mommy.
WHO does God's sovereignty rule over? ALL, Mommy...everything.
Then there was a cross reference that took us to Revelation, where we learned about the new heaven and the new earth. (Did you KNOW that the new earth will have no seas?! I didn't!)
It talked about the new Jerusalem being the bride for Jesus. ( I'm paraphrasing a bit..but that's the gist.) I was SO excited when Caedmon said, "But Mommy, I thought the church was the bride of Christ."
Yippie! He's listening!
And, I was reminded of something quite dear to my heart, in this interchange with my little guy...this conversation we had today about God's Word, and his questions that stemmed from our study, are the EXACT reason why I hope to find a church where our children are welcomed in the service with us.
There is nothing that takes the place of these kinds of discussions with my children. Nothing. That's my job as a Mother, to ground them in the Word...and I hope to find a church home where the Word is taught, and not through a paraphrase, but through the Word itself. ( Oops! I think I just picked up the soapbox!)
I want to be able to talk with my children about the hard questions that they have of Scripture. Goodness knows that I have my fair share of tough questions for Scripture!
I was also reminded today that time in the Word, 1st thing in the morning, with Caedmon, just makes him a different little boy. It truly is like the Shepherd's staff for him...he was wonderful today, and yesterday I was ready to bar-b-que him for dinner!
I guess he's just like his Mommy in that...I'm not much fun to be around when I haven't had my time with the Lord, either.
Today was a wonderful day. I needed it. :)
He did too!
Jes
Yet, my little guy is an early bird. I promise, I worked like mad to train him to be a late riser, but the older he has gotten, the more he has chosen to defy me. :)
God just wired him that way, I think. He loves to get up early.
So, before my coffee was even brewed, he walked in, chattering like a mockingbird.
It turned out wonderful, though. We had about an hour and a half together, and we studied Matthew chapter 2 on an in-depth level.
One of the cross references was Psalm 103:19 "The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all."
Wow! What a powerful verse.
These past months, I've really struggled with the sovereignty of God. I was taught, as a child, that satan controls this world, and God will control everything after Jesus comes back.
Yet, that isn't what Scripture says. Over and over again, it speaks of the sovereignty of God...TODAY. Even Peter was told by Jesus that satan had gained permission, by asking (of God), to sift him like wheat. The operative words here, though, are that satan had to ask permission of the Father first.
I believe, from my study of the Word, that nothing happens in the life of the believer without God's permission.
Romans tells us that we are a slave to that which we obey..either to sin or to righteousness. So, I believe that it's different for someone who doesn't belong to Jesus. I don't think that satan has to ask permission in their lives, although I'm still studying that hypothesis out.
I do believe that satan can't even breath a nasty breath on one who has been sealed by the Holy Spirit, in Christ, without God's permission.
So, to see that verse today was really amazing for me.
I asked Caedmon all about it...
WHO established God's throne? He did, Mommy.
WHERE is it established? In the heavens.
WHAT does it mean that God is sovereign? He rules, Mommy. He's in control.
WHAT does that mean to us, Caedmon? We can trust Him, Mommy.
WHO does God's sovereignty rule over? ALL, Mommy...everything.
Then there was a cross reference that took us to Revelation, where we learned about the new heaven and the new earth. (Did you KNOW that the new earth will have no seas?! I didn't!)
It talked about the new Jerusalem being the bride for Jesus. ( I'm paraphrasing a bit..but that's the gist.) I was SO excited when Caedmon said, "But Mommy, I thought the church was the bride of Christ."
Yippie! He's listening!
And, I was reminded of something quite dear to my heart, in this interchange with my little guy...this conversation we had today about God's Word, and his questions that stemmed from our study, are the EXACT reason why I hope to find a church where our children are welcomed in the service with us.
There is nothing that takes the place of these kinds of discussions with my children. Nothing. That's my job as a Mother, to ground them in the Word...and I hope to find a church home where the Word is taught, and not through a paraphrase, but through the Word itself. ( Oops! I think I just picked up the soapbox!)
I want to be able to talk with my children about the hard questions that they have of Scripture. Goodness knows that I have my fair share of tough questions for Scripture!
I was also reminded today that time in the Word, 1st thing in the morning, with Caedmon, just makes him a different little boy. It truly is like the Shepherd's staff for him...he was wonderful today, and yesterday I was ready to bar-b-que him for dinner!
I guess he's just like his Mommy in that...I'm not much fun to be around when I haven't had my time with the Lord, either.
Today was a wonderful day. I needed it. :)
He did too!
Jes
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Increasingly, Abundantly More Than You Could Ever Ask or Imagine
I am in amazement today. Totally and completely humbled by God.
Truly in awe!
Today was the 1st day the Kids Precept Bible Study was opened to
non-homeschooled children. I expected to have a FEW more children join our study..but was BLOWN AWAY that we had 41 children come!
Only God could do that!
Last night, in our ladies study, we were looking into the life of Abram, at the time that God told him that He would establish His covenant between the two of them.
Abram had hoped for a child. Sarai had hoped for a child. They had prayed. They had waited. They had taken things into their own hands and failed to trust God at His word. They had produced a child through Sarai's handmaid that God said He would not establish His covenant with.
Still, the LORD was faithful, and chose to bless them.
Here are God's words to Abram:
Genesis 17:2-9
"I am God Almighty;
Walk before me and be blameless.
And I will establish My covenenat between Me and you,
And I will multiply you exceedingly."
And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
"As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you,
And you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.
No longer shall your name be called Abram,
But your name shall be Abraham;
For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.
And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations
of you, and kings shall come forth from you.
And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your
descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting
covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.
And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
OH MY GOODNESS! Look at all of the promises that God made to Abram!
Abram wanted a child. An heir. A son.
God told him he'd be the father of nations..of kings...that he'd be exceedingly fruitful!
It's just like we're told in the New Testament. And no doubt why..if God holds all in His hands, then why are we surprised when His plans end up more fruitful than we could have ever thought to ask of Him?
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
untoHim [be] the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
Makes me ask...what do we need in our lives? What's lacking in our walk with God?
Who do we so deeply wish would come to know the LORD?
Let's pray according to Who God is, instead of according to what we can imagine or think...clearly our dreams can't catch up with the greatness of our God! :)
Ask. Trust. Obey. Seek. Pray. Repeat.
What an awesome day this is!
I love those kiddos!
Have a super day,
Jesica
Truly in awe!
Today was the 1st day the Kids Precept Bible Study was opened to
non-homeschooled children. I expected to have a FEW more children join our study..but was BLOWN AWAY that we had 41 children come!
Only God could do that!
Last night, in our ladies study, we were looking into the life of Abram, at the time that God told him that He would establish His covenant between the two of them.
Abram had hoped for a child. Sarai had hoped for a child. They had prayed. They had waited. They had taken things into their own hands and failed to trust God at His word. They had produced a child through Sarai's handmaid that God said He would not establish His covenant with.
Still, the LORD was faithful, and chose to bless them.
Here are God's words to Abram:
Genesis 17:2-9
"I am God Almighty;
Walk before me and be blameless.
And I will establish My covenenat between Me and you,
And I will multiply you exceedingly."
And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
"As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you,
And you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.
No longer shall your name be called Abram,
But your name shall be Abraham;
For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.
And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations
of you, and kings shall come forth from you.
And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your
descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting
covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.
And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
OH MY GOODNESS! Look at all of the promises that God made to Abram!
Abram wanted a child. An heir. A son.
God told him he'd be the father of nations..of kings...that he'd be exceedingly fruitful!
It's just like we're told in the New Testament. And no doubt why..if God holds all in His hands, then why are we surprised when His plans end up more fruitful than we could have ever thought to ask of Him?
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
untoHim [be] the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
Makes me ask...what do we need in our lives? What's lacking in our walk with God?
Who do we so deeply wish would come to know the LORD?
Let's pray according to Who God is, instead of according to what we can imagine or think...clearly our dreams can't catch up with the greatness of our God! :)
Ask. Trust. Obey. Seek. Pray. Repeat.
What an awesome day this is!
I love those kiddos!
Have a super day,
Jesica
Monday, May 14, 2007
Messianic Judaism, a Brief Look at Jews Who Profess Yeshua as Messiah
I just finished reading a book that I just know will be on my
"Lifetime Top 5" list forever.
It's called, "Your People Shall Be My People" by Don Finto, former pastor of Belmont Church of Christ in Nashville, TN.
As I was reading his book, there were several times that I just put it down and hit my knees and confessed before God the sins of the generations before me, against the Jewish people.
You see, my family origin is primarily German. Anti-semitic jokes were the norm in my home growing up. It was nothing to say we had
"Jewed someone down" when we got a good deal on something.
I remember too, this attitude that the Jews were just hard-hearted and a lost cause because they had rejected Jesus.
How sad to see that today, with new eyes and a new heart. How sad that those who were teaching me didn't know their history very well.
The first century church was made up of Jewish people! The Jews came to Christ first..then the Gentiles later. Acts 10 shows us that the Jews were actually surprised to find that the Gospel, the Messiah was also for the Gentiles!
It wasn't until some Gentiles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, that the Jews realized it was ok for them to receive water baptism too!
When I was growing up, there was almost an attitude of pity toward the Jews for how blind they were.
Just writing this breaks my heart today!
If the Gospel was first for the Jew and then for the Gentile, why in the world aren't we reaching out to Jewish people in love and introducing them IN LOVE to THEIR Messiah?!
I'm not talking about beating them over the head...the LORD knows that they've had GENERATIONS of persecution in the name of Jesus. ( Tragic, as this was never God's intention..just an example of what happens when man doesn't observe the FULL counsel of God's Word enough to know what GOD'S plans are..and instead man depends upon his own fautly plans.)
I'm talking about in love, showing a Jewish person from Scripture how Yeshua fulfilled all of the prophesies made about the Messiah. To do this, we must know and realize the importance of the Old Testament, and not be blinded into thinking that we are just "New Testament" believers.
Jesus didn't first show up in the New Testament..He first showed up in the Old Testament!
Well, to summarize...reading Don Finto's book truly pierced my heart. I told Shane last weekend that I would move to Israel in a minute and live to love on God's chosen people...and to break bread daily with fellow believers in Yeshua.
This was HUGE for me, because I've never even wanted to go on a tour of Israel!
Then, someone sent me this news footage from an Israeli station today. It's really amazing.
We need to remember to be praying for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, in Israel...and for those whom they will share the good news of Messiah with, to have hearts open to hear and consider what the truth of Scripture really is.
Enjoy the footage. Link is below.
In Him,
Jesica
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6244392868781886952
"Lifetime Top 5" list forever.
It's called, "Your People Shall Be My People" by Don Finto, former pastor of Belmont Church of Christ in Nashville, TN.
As I was reading his book, there were several times that I just put it down and hit my knees and confessed before God the sins of the generations before me, against the Jewish people.
You see, my family origin is primarily German. Anti-semitic jokes were the norm in my home growing up. It was nothing to say we had
"Jewed someone down" when we got a good deal on something.
I remember too, this attitude that the Jews were just hard-hearted and a lost cause because they had rejected Jesus.
How sad to see that today, with new eyes and a new heart. How sad that those who were teaching me didn't know their history very well.
The first century church was made up of Jewish people! The Jews came to Christ first..then the Gentiles later. Acts 10 shows us that the Jews were actually surprised to find that the Gospel, the Messiah was also for the Gentiles!
It wasn't until some Gentiles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, that the Jews realized it was ok for them to receive water baptism too!
When I was growing up, there was almost an attitude of pity toward the Jews for how blind they were.
Just writing this breaks my heart today!
If the Gospel was first for the Jew and then for the Gentile, why in the world aren't we reaching out to Jewish people in love and introducing them IN LOVE to THEIR Messiah?!
I'm not talking about beating them over the head...the LORD knows that they've had GENERATIONS of persecution in the name of Jesus. ( Tragic, as this was never God's intention..just an example of what happens when man doesn't observe the FULL counsel of God's Word enough to know what GOD'S plans are..and instead man depends upon his own fautly plans.)
I'm talking about in love, showing a Jewish person from Scripture how Yeshua fulfilled all of the prophesies made about the Messiah. To do this, we must know and realize the importance of the Old Testament, and not be blinded into thinking that we are just "New Testament" believers.
Jesus didn't first show up in the New Testament..He first showed up in the Old Testament!
Well, to summarize...reading Don Finto's book truly pierced my heart. I told Shane last weekend that I would move to Israel in a minute and live to love on God's chosen people...and to break bread daily with fellow believers in Yeshua.
This was HUGE for me, because I've never even wanted to go on a tour of Israel!
Then, someone sent me this news footage from an Israeli station today. It's really amazing.
We need to remember to be praying for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, in Israel...and for those whom they will share the good news of Messiah with, to have hearts open to hear and consider what the truth of Scripture really is.
Enjoy the footage. Link is below.
In Him,
Jesica
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6244392868781886952
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Did you know that this is what "The Secret" says?!
Did you know that "The Secret" says this:
"You are the master of the Universe. You are the heir to the kingdom. You are the perfection of Life."
Incredible! Wow! PUUUULEASE!
Totally and completely opposed to Scripture.
I was the master of my universe (or so I thought...really, sin was ) when I had a one way ticket to Hell. ( See Romans 5 and 6)
Thankfully, I've now exchanged that with my Covenant partner, Jesus Christ, who paid the price of my sins for me..and in exchange, He is now Master of my universe! ( Romans 5 and 6)
I am an heir to the Kingdom of God, no doubt about that, but it's ALL and ONLY because of Christ, and who He has made me to be in Him.
I assure you, as will my husband and children, and anyone who has known me for more than 5 minutes, that I am NOT the perfection of life! In fact, that's just downright laughable!
Perfection rests only in God...in His Son, and in His Holy Spirit.
Wow! Just amazing the way that New Age junk can be repackaged over and over again and people still flock to buy it.
In the 90s, it was Anthony Robbins' stuff. And Landmark Education..and a whole supply of others.
I know, I had them all...I was deeply steeped in the lies of the enemy that come through the New Age movement. All junk!
If only we would realize, as a country, as a people, that "self-help" will let us down every time.
It's the help of Almighty God that we need....His is the only help that will make any lasting difference in our lives.
Psa 46:1
"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble."
See Jonah chapter 1. Seems the sailors were calling out to the gods of their understanding too...which gained them only higher waves and more calamity.
Jonah 1:5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten {it} for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.
Jonah 1:6
So the captain approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps {your} god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish."
Jonah 1:7
Each man said to his mate, "Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity {has struck} us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
Jonah 1:8
Then they said to him, "Tell us, now! On whose account {has} this calamity {struck} us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"
Jonah 1:9
He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land."
Jonah 1:10
Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
Jonah 1:11
So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"--for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.
Jonah 1:12
He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm {has come} upon you."
Jonah 1:13
However, the men rowed {desperately} to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming {even} stormier against them.
Jonah 1:14
Then they called on the LORD and said, "We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man's life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased."
Jonah 1:15
So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.
Jonah 1:16
Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.
Jonah 1:17
And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
See the progression?
The sailors start out calling on their false gods.
Then they realize that Jonah is a Hebrew, and knows Jehovah Elohim. ( LORD God )
Then they STILL try to solve the problem on their own.
Then the storms grow stronger.
THEN what happens? Finally, they call on the LORD, the one TRUE God, and they pray to Him for help. ( GONE are their calls to their false gods...no more "self-help". They're toally begging God Almighty for help..as they recognize, FINALLY Who is really in control.)
Then God delivers them from the storm.
And...they serve God. They praise Him. They worship Him. They make vows to Him and sacrifice to Him.
See..that's what happens when people are set free from the lies of false gods, even if that false god was themself. What happens when we realize the Truth and Power of Almighty God is that we can't HELP but worship Him. We can't HELP but want to give Him our lives.
Having been saved from the depth of the pit of sin and self, and having been given the GIFT of my Savior, my Master, my Messiah...I am overwhelmed with a love and depth of appreciation for all that He is to me.
The Secret would have me believe that it's all in my hands.
What better way to teach people how to attempt to steal the glory of God then by telling them that it's all of their own doing.
Ugh! I can't wait to get to Heaven...
"You are the master of the Universe. You are the heir to the kingdom. You are the perfection of Life."
Incredible! Wow! PUUUULEASE!
Totally and completely opposed to Scripture.
I was the master of my universe (or so I thought...really, sin was ) when I had a one way ticket to Hell. ( See Romans 5 and 6)
Thankfully, I've now exchanged that with my Covenant partner, Jesus Christ, who paid the price of my sins for me..and in exchange, He is now Master of my universe! ( Romans 5 and 6)
I am an heir to the Kingdom of God, no doubt about that, but it's ALL and ONLY because of Christ, and who He has made me to be in Him.
I assure you, as will my husband and children, and anyone who has known me for more than 5 minutes, that I am NOT the perfection of life! In fact, that's just downright laughable!
Perfection rests only in God...in His Son, and in His Holy Spirit.
Wow! Just amazing the way that New Age junk can be repackaged over and over again and people still flock to buy it.
In the 90s, it was Anthony Robbins' stuff. And Landmark Education..and a whole supply of others.
I know, I had them all...I was deeply steeped in the lies of the enemy that come through the New Age movement. All junk!
If only we would realize, as a country, as a people, that "self-help" will let us down every time.
It's the help of Almighty God that we need....His is the only help that will make any lasting difference in our lives.
Psa 46:1
"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble."
See Jonah chapter 1. Seems the sailors were calling out to the gods of their understanding too...which gained them only higher waves and more calamity.
Jonah 1:5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten {it} for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.
Jonah 1:6
So the captain approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps {your} god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish."
Jonah 1:7
Each man said to his mate, "Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity {has struck} us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
Jonah 1:8
Then they said to him, "Tell us, now! On whose account {has} this calamity {struck} us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"
Jonah 1:9
He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land."
Jonah 1:10
Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
Jonah 1:11
So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"--for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.
Jonah 1:12
He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm {has come} upon you."
Jonah 1:13
However, the men rowed {desperately} to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming {even} stormier against them.
Jonah 1:14
Then they called on the LORD and said, "We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man's life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased."
Jonah 1:15
So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.
Jonah 1:16
Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.
Jonah 1:17
And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
See the progression?
The sailors start out calling on their false gods.
Then they realize that Jonah is a Hebrew, and knows Jehovah Elohim. ( LORD God )
Then they STILL try to solve the problem on their own.
Then the storms grow stronger.
THEN what happens? Finally, they call on the LORD, the one TRUE God, and they pray to Him for help. ( GONE are their calls to their false gods...no more "self-help". They're toally begging God Almighty for help..as they recognize, FINALLY Who is really in control.)
Then God delivers them from the storm.
And...they serve God. They praise Him. They worship Him. They make vows to Him and sacrifice to Him.
See..that's what happens when people are set free from the lies of false gods, even if that false god was themself. What happens when we realize the Truth and Power of Almighty God is that we can't HELP but worship Him. We can't HELP but want to give Him our lives.
Having been saved from the depth of the pit of sin and self, and having been given the GIFT of my Savior, my Master, my Messiah...I am overwhelmed with a love and depth of appreciation for all that He is to me.
The Secret would have me believe that it's all in my hands.
What better way to teach people how to attempt to steal the glory of God then by telling them that it's all of their own doing.
Ugh! I can't wait to get to Heaven...
Monday, April 30, 2007
Our Son Was Baptized Today!
Today was a GREAT day!
As our family was sitting down enjoying lunch together today, Caedmon said, "Mom and Dad, I need to tell you something".
"What is it, Caedmon?"
"God is calling me to be baptized."
WOW! Not what we expected him to say, but he was as serious as a judge. We could tell that he had been thinking about this, and had decided that the time to tell us had arrived.
"Wow, Caedmon. That's great!", I said.
Then Shane asked him to tell us when he thought that God had called him to do this.
Clear as day, Caedmon said, "Friday morning, when we were on the way to the Dollar Store to get things for Precept class."
Amazing! So Caedmon had been thinking about this since Friday!
So, we talked to him at length about what baptism is...about what it means to be in covenant with Christ, and how baptism is the first act of obedience that God asks of us after we repent of our sins, and confess our need for Christ.
It's amazing to me how much this little guy understands.
I asked him, "Caedmon, why did Jesus raise from the dead to the glory of the Father?"
He said, "So we could walk in newness of life."
"YES!", said Mom.
Then I asked him, "Why did Christ die on the cross?".
"To pay for my sins, and so I wouldn't have to pay for them myself."
"Yes!"
If Christ hadn't of died on the cross for your sins, how would you have paid for them?
"By dying".
"Yes!"
Then we talked with him about how being baptized is his way of saying to the LORD and to those in his life, "I am laying my life down, and taking up Christ's life. I will no longer be living for myself, but for Christ. My life is not about me."
I really wanted him to understand that, especially in light of all that I've been learning in the Precept Covenant class.
Praise God, he understands. As much as any of us can, I believe that he does.
On and on the conversation went. It was so important to both Shane and I to KNOW that Caedmon understood what he was wanting to do.
It was clear that he did. No question about it.
So, we asked him who he would like to invite over to witness with us, and without hesitation, he said he wanted his friend Jonathan to be here.
Then we talked about the different people who he could choose from to actually baptize him, and he wanted his Daddy to do it.
We called Jonathan's family, and asked if they would come and be with us.
Then we went to 3 stores to choose a cake to celebrate this great day...he found just the right one at store #3. :)
And, then Shane and I got into the pool with Caedmon, and stood by his side as he confessed Christ to his family and friends.
He explained when it was that he had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. We are amazed that he still remembers the day...it was in 2004, yet he still remembers it clearly.
Then he explained to everyone what he was doing in being baptized..and why he wanted to be.
It was so beautiful!
When he came up out of the water, he was so full of JOY that I thought he was going to explode!
What an awesome day it turned out to be!
What joy to share this with our son!
What a special little guy we have!
Tonight, before he went to bed, he said, "Mommy, what does it feel like to know that your little boy just got baptized today?".
I told him that there weren't words to express how happy I am...and that I know his Daddy is too!
Thank You, LORD!
Thank You for loving my little boy more than even I do, and thank You for sealing him with your Holy Spirit until the day of Your Son's return!
Hallelujah! To God be the Glory!
Pictures to come soon. :)
As our family was sitting down enjoying lunch together today, Caedmon said, "Mom and Dad, I need to tell you something".
"What is it, Caedmon?"
"God is calling me to be baptized."
WOW! Not what we expected him to say, but he was as serious as a judge. We could tell that he had been thinking about this, and had decided that the time to tell us had arrived.
"Wow, Caedmon. That's great!", I said.
Then Shane asked him to tell us when he thought that God had called him to do this.
Clear as day, Caedmon said, "Friday morning, when we were on the way to the Dollar Store to get things for Precept class."
Amazing! So Caedmon had been thinking about this since Friday!
So, we talked to him at length about what baptism is...about what it means to be in covenant with Christ, and how baptism is the first act of obedience that God asks of us after we repent of our sins, and confess our need for Christ.
It's amazing to me how much this little guy understands.
I asked him, "Caedmon, why did Jesus raise from the dead to the glory of the Father?"
He said, "So we could walk in newness of life."
"YES!", said Mom.
Then I asked him, "Why did Christ die on the cross?".
"To pay for my sins, and so I wouldn't have to pay for them myself."
"Yes!"
If Christ hadn't of died on the cross for your sins, how would you have paid for them?
"By dying".
"Yes!"
Then we talked with him about how being baptized is his way of saying to the LORD and to those in his life, "I am laying my life down, and taking up Christ's life. I will no longer be living for myself, but for Christ. My life is not about me."
I really wanted him to understand that, especially in light of all that I've been learning in the Precept Covenant class.
Praise God, he understands. As much as any of us can, I believe that he does.
On and on the conversation went. It was so important to both Shane and I to KNOW that Caedmon understood what he was wanting to do.
It was clear that he did. No question about it.
So, we asked him who he would like to invite over to witness with us, and without hesitation, he said he wanted his friend Jonathan to be here.
Then we talked about the different people who he could choose from to actually baptize him, and he wanted his Daddy to do it.
We called Jonathan's family, and asked if they would come and be with us.
Then we went to 3 stores to choose a cake to celebrate this great day...he found just the right one at store #3. :)
And, then Shane and I got into the pool with Caedmon, and stood by his side as he confessed Christ to his family and friends.
He explained when it was that he had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. We are amazed that he still remembers the day...it was in 2004, yet he still remembers it clearly.
Then he explained to everyone what he was doing in being baptized..and why he wanted to be.
It was so beautiful!
When he came up out of the water, he was so full of JOY that I thought he was going to explode!
What an awesome day it turned out to be!
What joy to share this with our son!
What a special little guy we have!
Tonight, before he went to bed, he said, "Mommy, what does it feel like to know that your little boy just got baptized today?".
I told him that there weren't words to express how happy I am...and that I know his Daddy is too!
Thank You, LORD!
Thank You for loving my little boy more than even I do, and thank You for sealing him with your Holy Spirit until the day of Your Son's return!
Hallelujah! To God be the Glory!
Pictures to come soon. :)
Saturday, April 28, 2007
What Brings Me Joy...
The Joy of The Lord is my Strength!Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
I love the above picture. It was taken about 3 years ago, when the children had their first trip to the beach.
I found it today, and when I looked at it I realized that everything I see in that picture is something that I love passionately, and something that God created to bring me joy.
The beach.
The ocean.
The BIG blue exspanse of sky.
The white clouds in the air.
One lone bird flying with his wings outstretched...oh, to be able to fly!
And, my precious little children...what a gift they are!
Seeing this picture, with Brennan tagging along behind Caedmon tells such a story for me. He really is her hero. The two of them love each other so much..they play for HOURS together every day.
Caedmon considers himself to be her soldier. He protects her, he treats her like a lady.
Brennan loves learning from Caedmon. Right now he is teaching her how to read, as he learns..he shares with her.
Sometimes life gets hard. This week has been especially tough. Learning that our friends' daughter is so sick...it has just about broken our hearts.
But then, I find a picture like this, that reminds me of all that is precious in my life...and once again, I am reminded that the JOY of the LORD is my strength.
Hope you will be encouraged today rejoice in the Lord, and that you will joy in the God of your Salvation.
In Him,
Jesica
Friday, April 27, 2007
The Difference Between Obedience and Legalism
The difference between obedience and legalism is massive.
Legalism is defined as "excessive conformity to a religious code".
Obedience is defined as "submissive to the restraint or command of authority".
When we look at these 2 definitions in light of our Heavenly Father, the gulf between the 2 is wide.
Legalism is following a code, a creed, a tradition of man that God never called us to follow. Legalism is "doing church" ( i.e. making it all look good on Sunday all the while living to serve self Monday - Saturday)instead of hanging on every word that God has given us as a guide for our lives.
Has God truly given us a guide? Yes! Without a doubt. It's called the Bible..His Holy and inspired Word.
Are we to learn and live by all of it, or only by part of it?
Romans 15:4 says, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
2 Timothy 3:14-17 says, "You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Think about this for a minute...when the letter to Timothy was written by Paul, it was written one Jewish man to another. These were men who KNEW the Old Testament. These were men who had referred to the Old Testament as Scripture for most of their lives.
What were the "sacred writings" Paul references?
What gave Timothy the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus?
According the the above verse from Romans, why were the Scriptures of the Old Testament written?
Think about it logically for a minute...if you ever have an opportunity to share the truth that Yeshua is the promised Messiah of Israel with a Jewish person who knows the Old Testament, don't you think the above verse would be an encouragement to them?
How in the WORLD could you hope to share Christ with a Jew who knows the Old Testament and for ONE MINUTE toss it aside?!
Throughout the Old Testament, the picture of Christ is painted. Over and over again the stories of the Old Testament are replete with signs pointing to the Redeemer of Israel.
Even aside from all of that, though...there are truths throughout the Old Testament that the Gentile believer must hold to.
Am I saying that we are bound to the law? Not for a minute.
Do I believe that as a Christian, there are truths and precepts from the Old Testament that God wants me to know and live by? ABSOLUTELY!
Does it make one legalistic to want to walk in obedience to God?
Not at all! Not for a minute!
Wanna be a Jonah? Not me!
Does it make one more "grace oriented" if they just live their life however they please, unwilling to submit to the command of the authority of God?
No! It makes one disobedient! Period!
Paul addresses that in Romans 6:1-2 when he says, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"
Grace is not a license to FREE LOAD!
I remember when I was a new believer, and had just bowed my knee totally to God. I had truly decided to walk in obedience to Him...having come to the end of my free-loading, grace-loading, lip-smacking life.
God's call of obedience on my life was big. It looked something like this:
Give up your 6 figure income.
Say goodbye to your fancy new dream car.
Stay home and learn to be a wife and get into My Word.
Deal with family members who will malign you and won't understand your decisions.
Lose some friends who will think you've lost it because you won't cuss and party anymore.
Stop shopping in boutiques and learn to love WalMart clothes, because that's all you'll be able to afford.
Go from being the giver to learning to receive.
Get off your high-horse and learn to walk in humility.
Commit to love your husband, even though this will be the hardest part of your walk of obedience, until I ( the LORD ) deal with him.
Oh...and, submit to your husband, even though you don't want to, don't think you should have to, and don't think he's worthy of it.
Really..the list goes on and on.
Well, right about the time that God was teaching me to live a life of obedience to Him, Shane and I went and visited at a church of one of my relatives. FROM THE PULPIT, the pastor said, "Obedience does not bring God's blessing."
WAIT A MINUTE! STOP THE PRESSES! THIS IS NEWS TO ME!!!!
What HOCUS POCUS!!
Show me ONE PLACE..just ONE, that the Bible says that.
YOU CANNOT FIND IT! It is not there!
Now, do we obey in order to be blessed? I don't think that's God model or desire for us. I believe that the heart desire needs to be a reverence for God, and a love for Him.
However, the character of God is that He does bless obedience.
Some in my life do not understand the choices that I make in order to obey God's call on my life. That's ok. It's really not about anyone but me and my Lord, and my husband.
I can assure you that when I stand before the throne, and God holds me accountable for the choices I made here on earth, those people won't be saying, "Hey God! That time that she buckled and did it MY way instead of Yours...why don't You talk to me about it instead of her, because it's really my fault."
Recently, I was at a ministry event, and I was to be the one picking up people from the airport. At one point, I realized that I was scheduled to pick up a man, and that it would just be the 2 of us.
Well, Shane and I have an agreement that we don't spend time alone with people of the opposite sex. It's a boundary that God has made CLEAR in our lives, and it's not one that we cross for anybody, because to do so would be to disobey our Lord.
So, I had to ask the person in charge if someone else could go with me, or if someone else could pick this man up. It wasn't an easy thing to ask..because I didn't know if they'd "get it" or not. I still don't know if they "got it", but what I do know is that they were gracious to respect my request, and it all worked out fine.
And..interestingly enough, that man has become quite special to Shane and I..and now his wife too, and when the opportunity arose to discuss a similar situation with him, I was so HAPPY to know that this is a boundary that they have in their marriage too!
So...some will "get it", some will not, some will think you're crazy when you choose to obey God in light of looking foolish or legalistic.
Will that determine how you respond, or will your love for the LORD, and your desire to obey Him determine your decisions?
Look at an example of someone who did it his way...maybe what God was asking of him just didn't make sense to him...or maybe his friends all thought he was being legalistic...
Then Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. 'Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.
Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
Samuel Rebukes Saul Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
"I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands " And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.
Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal."
Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD."
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed."
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak!"
Samuel said, "Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,
and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.'
"Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?"
Then Saul said to Samuel, "I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
"But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal."
Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king."
Hmmm...interesting, isn't it?
Partial obedience turned out to be total disobedience for King Saul, didn't it?
Learning to walk in obedience to God has been the most freeing thing He has taught me. I mean, how arrogant of me to think for a minute that I know better than God does, anyway!
If He holds all in His hands, and if He loves me beyond my imagination, why WOULDN'T I want to obey Him?
I remember when I learned that the word "submit" in the Greek means to place one's self under one's rightful authority"...it changed my understanding of what it meant to submit to my husband.
God has order. And in His kingdom, my husband is my rightful authority, as Christ is his.
It just works. Christ over Shane, Shane over me.
The key though, is that I am the one doing the submitting..I'm not being beaten over the head to submit. Big difference. I'm being loved, and cherished, and sacrificed for....all by my husband as Christ for His church.
Why would I NOT want to place myself under a man who treats me like that?
Yes, there were YEARS when our marriage didn't look like that...but STILL God called me to submit to Shane..and you know what happened as a result? God was glorified and God used my choices to walk in obedience by submitting to Shane, to draw Shane to Himself.
It was tough...but OH MY GOODNESS it was SOOO worth it!
Today I am married to the man of my dreams, who is as in love with the LORD as I am. My cherished friend, my gift from God, my covering, my head, my HUBBA-HUBBA! :)
Obeying my husband and obeying my LORD are not legalism. They are acts that give me freedom and joy and blessing.
Obeying the LORD will give you freedom too. God doesn't want you to live in bondage to yourself, or to your flesh.
Surrender it to Him, and trust Him as He leads you in a walk of obedience to Him.
If you belong to Him, your life is not your own...so get out of the way and let God reign supreme through you!
Legalism=Bad
Obedience has been very good to me. :)
In love,
Jes
Legalism is defined as "excessive conformity to a religious code".
Obedience is defined as "submissive to the restraint or command of authority".
When we look at these 2 definitions in light of our Heavenly Father, the gulf between the 2 is wide.
Legalism is following a code, a creed, a tradition of man that God never called us to follow. Legalism is "doing church" ( i.e. making it all look good on Sunday all the while living to serve self Monday - Saturday)instead of hanging on every word that God has given us as a guide for our lives.
Has God truly given us a guide? Yes! Without a doubt. It's called the Bible..His Holy and inspired Word.
Are we to learn and live by all of it, or only by part of it?
Romans 15:4 says, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
2 Timothy 3:14-17 says, "You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Think about this for a minute...when the letter to Timothy was written by Paul, it was written one Jewish man to another. These were men who KNEW the Old Testament. These were men who had referred to the Old Testament as Scripture for most of their lives.
What were the "sacred writings" Paul references?
What gave Timothy the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus?
According the the above verse from Romans, why were the Scriptures of the Old Testament written?
Think about it logically for a minute...if you ever have an opportunity to share the truth that Yeshua is the promised Messiah of Israel with a Jewish person who knows the Old Testament, don't you think the above verse would be an encouragement to them?
How in the WORLD could you hope to share Christ with a Jew who knows the Old Testament and for ONE MINUTE toss it aside?!
Throughout the Old Testament, the picture of Christ is painted. Over and over again the stories of the Old Testament are replete with signs pointing to the Redeemer of Israel.
Even aside from all of that, though...there are truths throughout the Old Testament that the Gentile believer must hold to.
Am I saying that we are bound to the law? Not for a minute.
Do I believe that as a Christian, there are truths and precepts from the Old Testament that God wants me to know and live by? ABSOLUTELY!
Does it make one legalistic to want to walk in obedience to God?
Not at all! Not for a minute!
Wanna be a Jonah? Not me!
Does it make one more "grace oriented" if they just live their life however they please, unwilling to submit to the command of the authority of God?
No! It makes one disobedient! Period!
Paul addresses that in Romans 6:1-2 when he says, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"
Grace is not a license to FREE LOAD!
I remember when I was a new believer, and had just bowed my knee totally to God. I had truly decided to walk in obedience to Him...having come to the end of my free-loading, grace-loading, lip-smacking life.
God's call of obedience on my life was big. It looked something like this:
Give up your 6 figure income.
Say goodbye to your fancy new dream car.
Stay home and learn to be a wife and get into My Word.
Deal with family members who will malign you and won't understand your decisions.
Lose some friends who will think you've lost it because you won't cuss and party anymore.
Stop shopping in boutiques and learn to love WalMart clothes, because that's all you'll be able to afford.
Go from being the giver to learning to receive.
Get off your high-horse and learn to walk in humility.
Commit to love your husband, even though this will be the hardest part of your walk of obedience, until I ( the LORD ) deal with him.
Oh...and, submit to your husband, even though you don't want to, don't think you should have to, and don't think he's worthy of it.
Really..the list goes on and on.
Well, right about the time that God was teaching me to live a life of obedience to Him, Shane and I went and visited at a church of one of my relatives. FROM THE PULPIT, the pastor said, "Obedience does not bring God's blessing."
WAIT A MINUTE! STOP THE PRESSES! THIS IS NEWS TO ME!!!!
What HOCUS POCUS!!
Show me ONE PLACE..just ONE, that the Bible says that.
YOU CANNOT FIND IT! It is not there!
Now, do we obey in order to be blessed? I don't think that's God model or desire for us. I believe that the heart desire needs to be a reverence for God, and a love for Him.
However, the character of God is that He does bless obedience.
Some in my life do not understand the choices that I make in order to obey God's call on my life. That's ok. It's really not about anyone but me and my Lord, and my husband.
I can assure you that when I stand before the throne, and God holds me accountable for the choices I made here on earth, those people won't be saying, "Hey God! That time that she buckled and did it MY way instead of Yours...why don't You talk to me about it instead of her, because it's really my fault."
Recently, I was at a ministry event, and I was to be the one picking up people from the airport. At one point, I realized that I was scheduled to pick up a man, and that it would just be the 2 of us.
Well, Shane and I have an agreement that we don't spend time alone with people of the opposite sex. It's a boundary that God has made CLEAR in our lives, and it's not one that we cross for anybody, because to do so would be to disobey our Lord.
So, I had to ask the person in charge if someone else could go with me, or if someone else could pick this man up. It wasn't an easy thing to ask..because I didn't know if they'd "get it" or not. I still don't know if they "got it", but what I do know is that they were gracious to respect my request, and it all worked out fine.
And..interestingly enough, that man has become quite special to Shane and I..and now his wife too, and when the opportunity arose to discuss a similar situation with him, I was so HAPPY to know that this is a boundary that they have in their marriage too!
So...some will "get it", some will not, some will think you're crazy when you choose to obey God in light of looking foolish or legalistic.
Will that determine how you respond, or will your love for the LORD, and your desire to obey Him determine your decisions?
Look at an example of someone who did it his way...maybe what God was asking of him just didn't make sense to him...or maybe his friends all thought he was being legalistic...
Then Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. 'Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.
Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
Samuel Rebukes Saul Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
"I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands " And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.
Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal."
Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD."
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed."
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak!"
Samuel said, "Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,
and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.'
"Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?"
Then Saul said to Samuel, "I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
"But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal."
Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king."
Hmmm...interesting, isn't it?
Partial obedience turned out to be total disobedience for King Saul, didn't it?
Learning to walk in obedience to God has been the most freeing thing He has taught me. I mean, how arrogant of me to think for a minute that I know better than God does, anyway!
If He holds all in His hands, and if He loves me beyond my imagination, why WOULDN'T I want to obey Him?
I remember when I learned that the word "submit" in the Greek means to place one's self under one's rightful authority"...it changed my understanding of what it meant to submit to my husband.
God has order. And in His kingdom, my husband is my rightful authority, as Christ is his.
It just works. Christ over Shane, Shane over me.
The key though, is that I am the one doing the submitting..I'm not being beaten over the head to submit. Big difference. I'm being loved, and cherished, and sacrificed for....all by my husband as Christ for His church.
Why would I NOT want to place myself under a man who treats me like that?
Yes, there were YEARS when our marriage didn't look like that...but STILL God called me to submit to Shane..and you know what happened as a result? God was glorified and God used my choices to walk in obedience by submitting to Shane, to draw Shane to Himself.
It was tough...but OH MY GOODNESS it was SOOO worth it!
Today I am married to the man of my dreams, who is as in love with the LORD as I am. My cherished friend, my gift from God, my covering, my head, my HUBBA-HUBBA! :)
Obeying my husband and obeying my LORD are not legalism. They are acts that give me freedom and joy and blessing.
Obeying the LORD will give you freedom too. God doesn't want you to live in bondage to yourself, or to your flesh.
Surrender it to Him, and trust Him as He leads you in a walk of obedience to Him.
If you belong to Him, your life is not your own...so get out of the way and let God reign supreme through you!
Legalism=Bad
Obedience has been very good to me. :)
In love,
Jes
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
URGENT Prayer Request
I just sent this out via e-mail to our friends who are in Precept classes with us, and to our homeschooling friends. However, for those who read this blog from other parts of the world, would you please join us all in prayer?
Dear Precious Friends and Fellow Soldiers for Christ,
I had every intention of calling you each personally to ask you to pray, but I can't get past the heart breaking sobs that keep breaking through each time I try to speak.
I just received a phone call from a friend, Kim H. Some of you may remember her, as she visited the Monday night study one time.
She is the best of friends with Kim and Brian D, whose home we have the Thursday night study in. Kim is in our Covenant study as well.
Well, the D family left this past Sunday to go to California for vacation, and at the last minute, their friends the H family decided to join them there a few days later.
While there, Kayleigh D, who is 12, started to not feel so well, and her mom saw spots on her skin..so they went into Urgent Care. While there, they had blood drawn, and found that Kayleigh has virtually no iron in her blood, and that her white blood cell count is very low.
So, they are transferring her to Childrens Hospital. A doctor told her mom that he thinks it's leukemia. They will admit Kayleigh and will do more testing on her. She is on an IV already, and that's about all that I know.
PLEASE join us in prayer for this precious family. We love them so much..in a very short time they have become very special to us, as I know they have to so many of you who are in Precept classes with them.
Already, even in the midst of this, we can see God's hand at work. Pray that we'll see more and more of His sovereignty shine through in the upcoming days.
1. They are at one of the best Childrens Hospitals in the country.
2. They have some of their most loved and cherished and Biblically gounded friends with them.
3. They have both been steeping themselves in God's Word over the past few months.
4. They are not alone.
Please pray that all that they've been learning from God's Word will be a great comfort and strength to them right now.
Please pray that God's perfect will be done in this situation, and that He will be glorified through all they say and do.
Please pray that some lost person(s) at that hospital will come to Christ as they watch how the D family trusts the Lord through this trial.
Please pray that God will heal Kayleigh, in Jesus' name.
I am going to order a bouquet for Kayleigh, and will send it out asap. If you would like to contribute to it, that would be super. I will be addressing it from the Monday and Thursday night Precept classes.
We love you all, and thank you for loving the Lord and co-laboring for the cause of Christ.
Thank you for your prayers that I know you will send up for the D family, and for Kayleigh.
To His Glory...
Jesica
Dear Precious Friends and Fellow Soldiers for Christ,
I had every intention of calling you each personally to ask you to pray, but I can't get past the heart breaking sobs that keep breaking through each time I try to speak.
I just received a phone call from a friend, Kim H. Some of you may remember her, as she visited the Monday night study one time.
She is the best of friends with Kim and Brian D, whose home we have the Thursday night study in. Kim is in our Covenant study as well.
Well, the D family left this past Sunday to go to California for vacation, and at the last minute, their friends the H family decided to join them there a few days later.
While there, Kayleigh D, who is 12, started to not feel so well, and her mom saw spots on her skin..so they went into Urgent Care. While there, they had blood drawn, and found that Kayleigh has virtually no iron in her blood, and that her white blood cell count is very low.
So, they are transferring her to Childrens Hospital. A doctor told her mom that he thinks it's leukemia. They will admit Kayleigh and will do more testing on her. She is on an IV already, and that's about all that I know.
PLEASE join us in prayer for this precious family. We love them so much..in a very short time they have become very special to us, as I know they have to so many of you who are in Precept classes with them.
Already, even in the midst of this, we can see God's hand at work. Pray that we'll see more and more of His sovereignty shine through in the upcoming days.
1. They are at one of the best Childrens Hospitals in the country.
2. They have some of their most loved and cherished and Biblically gounded friends with them.
3. They have both been steeping themselves in God's Word over the past few months.
4. They are not alone.
Please pray that all that they've been learning from God's Word will be a great comfort and strength to them right now.
Please pray that God's perfect will be done in this situation, and that He will be glorified through all they say and do.
Please pray that some lost person(s) at that hospital will come to Christ as they watch how the D family trusts the Lord through this trial.
Please pray that God will heal Kayleigh, in Jesus' name.
I am going to order a bouquet for Kayleigh, and will send it out asap. If you would like to contribute to it, that would be super. I will be addressing it from the Monday and Thursday night Precept classes.
We love you all, and thank you for loving the Lord and co-laboring for the cause of Christ.
Thank you for your prayers that I know you will send up for the D family, and for Kayleigh.
To His Glory...
Jesica
Saturday, April 14, 2007
What I learned from My Friend Today....
I encourage you to read the note below. It is from a precious friend of mine who has cancer for the 2nd time. Last time it was lymphoma, this time it's breast cancer.
She just "gets it". She realizes that sometimes, to accomplish His greater plans, God allows painful things to happen to us. Maybe it's cancer, like she has...maybe it's the loss of those you love, like we've been through....maybe it's any number of things.
The main point remains the same...to glorify God no matter what. To walk in obedience to Him no matter how hard. To know that He loves you more than you can ever imagine, and that He will not allow ONE SINGLE THING into your life that He can't be glorified through.
NOT ONE!
I had someone tell me recently that if I just had enough faith, God would heal my children. That they wouldn't keep getting so sick if only I "named it and claimed it".
This is such false teaching! So very false, and so damaging to those who don't know the character of God well enough yet to know that it's false!
My friend "gets it". I hope after you read her note, you do too.
Reading her note makes me wonder if all of those other cancer patients and nurses and doctors have any idea how many people are praying for them....for their spiritual healing, and their eternal security more than anything!
It also makes me wonder if anyone would have been praying for them, had not God allowed my friend another bout with cancer. Maybe God needed a soldier at the Cancer Center?
Obviously so.
In love,
Jes
Dear Friends - A quick update: Very thankful for chemo this week! That completes #6- HALFWAY DONE!
My infection appears to finally be on the mend- and Valley Fever testing came back negative- Yeah!
It has long been confirmed in my heart that Jesus loves me no matter my circumstances- the more challenges I've faced and the more deeply I have experienced His love and provision, the stronger this conviction becomes.
My Bible Study reading this week was a refreshing reflection of what I know to be true: "We naturally think if God answers a prayer or grants a miraculous healing, it is because He loves us. If we pray and the answer is no, we question God's love. But beloved, healing or answered prayer has absolutely nothing to do with whether he loves you. It has to do with God's purposes and plans for your life.When circumstances tempt you to question God's love, learn to look in the right place.
John 13:1 tells us: "It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, He now showed them the extent of His love." ~Living Free, Beth Moore
What a great Easter reminder: His "cup" did not pass- so that we can all drink deeply of forgiveness!
God's love is constant, and our prayers bring us into deeper intimacy with Him... bless you for remembering our family and other cancer patients I have met these past 6 weeks: Vera Carol Mike June Wendy Norm and nurses: Martha, Barbara, Chris, Amber, Sam, Lydia, Tammy... and of course Dr. Kass.
I believe what goes on at the Cancer Center are "holy ground" experiences...I feel most privileged to be treated there with such loving care. Grateful for you, dear ones! Love, K
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She just "gets it". She realizes that sometimes, to accomplish His greater plans, God allows painful things to happen to us. Maybe it's cancer, like she has...maybe it's the loss of those you love, like we've been through....maybe it's any number of things.
The main point remains the same...to glorify God no matter what. To walk in obedience to Him no matter how hard. To know that He loves you more than you can ever imagine, and that He will not allow ONE SINGLE THING into your life that He can't be glorified through.
NOT ONE!
I had someone tell me recently that if I just had enough faith, God would heal my children. That they wouldn't keep getting so sick if only I "named it and claimed it".
This is such false teaching! So very false, and so damaging to those who don't know the character of God well enough yet to know that it's false!
My friend "gets it". I hope after you read her note, you do too.
Reading her note makes me wonder if all of those other cancer patients and nurses and doctors have any idea how many people are praying for them....for their spiritual healing, and their eternal security more than anything!
It also makes me wonder if anyone would have been praying for them, had not God allowed my friend another bout with cancer. Maybe God needed a soldier at the Cancer Center?
Obviously so.
In love,
Jes
Dear Friends - A quick update: Very thankful for chemo this week! That completes #6- HALFWAY DONE!
My infection appears to finally be on the mend- and Valley Fever testing came back negative- Yeah!
It has long been confirmed in my heart that Jesus loves me no matter my circumstances- the more challenges I've faced and the more deeply I have experienced His love and provision, the stronger this conviction becomes.
My Bible Study reading this week was a refreshing reflection of what I know to be true: "We naturally think if God answers a prayer or grants a miraculous healing, it is because He loves us. If we pray and the answer is no, we question God's love. But beloved, healing or answered prayer has absolutely nothing to do with whether he loves you. It has to do with God's purposes and plans for your life.When circumstances tempt you to question God's love, learn to look in the right place.
John 13:1 tells us: "It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, He now showed them the extent of His love." ~Living Free, Beth Moore
What a great Easter reminder: His "cup" did not pass- so that we can all drink deeply of forgiveness!
God's love is constant, and our prayers bring us into deeper intimacy with Him... bless you for remembering our family and other cancer patients I have met these past 6 weeks: Vera Carol Mike June Wendy Norm and nurses: Martha, Barbara, Chris, Amber, Sam, Lydia, Tammy... and of course Dr. Kass.
I believe what goes on at the Cancer Center are "holy ground" experiences...I feel most privileged to be treated there with such loving care. Grateful for you, dear ones! Love, K
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Thursday, April 12, 2007
The Next Time Someone Tells Me They Have a "WORD" for Me From God...
Recently, I had the second person in a short period of time come up and tell me that they had a "word" for me from the Lord.
I remind you that in my last post about this, I shared that in the Old Testament, God was so serious about false prophets, that He required them to be killed.
It's not acceptable in His eyes for one to say that they are speaking on His behalf, when in fact, they are just speaking out of their own feelings.
He does not tolerate that!
In fact, now that we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which people did not have during the times of the Old Testament, I believe that that God loves me enough that He'll speak right to my heart.
He doesn't need to tell someone else to come and tell me what He Himself is fully capable, and desirous of telling me.
In addition, I've been learning through the example of Josiah's life, that even when God spoke to Josiah through a prophet, what was spoken related right back to the book of the law. To be more specific, it was directly out of Deuteronomy.
And today, we have the full cannon of Scripture. It's complete. Lacking nothing.
So, even more so today...if God wants to speak, He will do it by pointing people back to His Holy Word.
I do believe that the gift of prophesy is still an active gift...but I believe that a true prophet only points people back to God's Word.
I don't believe that there is new revelation. Yes, it might be new to us, in that we might never have seen a truth in Scripture before..but it isn't "new" in that God just came up with it!
So, the next time someone tells me, "I have a word for you from the Lord", I'm going to say, "Super! I love hearing from God. Please tell me what book and verse it is, and I'll go home and get on my face before Him, and I'll read it"!
Chapter and verse, please...that's all I need.
Chapter and verse, please...no more, no less.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Believer's Responsibility for the Body and for The Word
Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
How are you living out your life as a minister of reconciliation? Are you aware of the fact that God says in His Word that this is your job description?
Do you know that it also says that as a believer in Jesus Christ, that you are to be an ambassador for Christ?
Think about it...both of those truths tell us that our lives are not our own...wow! Scripture even says that too..we've been bought with a price ( the blood and flesh and life of Jesus Christ ), and it's NOT ABOUT US ANYMORE!
What does it mean to be a bond-servant?
It means that we are totally and completely to be at the will of God in all that we say and do.
Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, was SERIOUS about this!
He said that even if he himself, or an angel, should preach a gospel other than what they had heard originally, that they were to be accursed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He included himself in that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is SERIOUS about the holiness of God's Word...and so is GOD!
God tells us in the Old Testament that He has exalted His Name with His Word.
Why do we feel, in the church, that we can't be bold in the Lord?
Why do we buy into the thought that we don't have to PROTECT God's Holy Word with our very lives?!
Why do we seek the favor of MAN instead of the favor of Almighty God?
Why do we work harder at protecting man than at protecting God's Word and His body?!
We have to realize that God hates that junk! He hates it! He will not put up with it!
He is Holy, and we are told to be holy as He is holy.
He would not tolerate someone twisting His Word to meet their own needs and their own glorification..and He does not want His church, His body, to tolerate it either.
Yes, we are to speak the truth in love. No doubt about that...but speak the truth must...and it won't always mean that the person who it's being spoken to walks away feeling all rosy inside!
Maybe they'll be mad.
Maybe they'll be hurt.
Maybe they'll be convicted.
The end result is not our business. God doesn't say, "Speak the truth in love unless someone is going to be offended. In that case, just coddle them instead."
He never says that, for to do so would be contrary to Who He is...and contrary to the truth that He GUARDS His GLORY..and that we, as His body, are supposed to do the same...to follow in His model.
In fact, let's look at that passage a little more closely, for it is WAY too often taken totally out of context, and used to serve one's selfish need instead of serving it's intended purpose.
Ephesians 4:14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
So, look for yourself and see..what's the PURPOSE behind "speaking the truth in love"????????????????
That the whole body may grow up in all aspects into HIM who is the head, even Christ! For the growth of the body, for the building up of itself in love!
How can a body of believers truly grow up in all aspects into Christ, if we are not willing to speak the truth, relative to v.14 regarding "the winds of doctrine, the trickery of men, and craftiness in decietful scheming"?!
We must do so! We have an obligation to protect both the body of Christ and the Word of God.
If we need an example of what happens when a body of believers doesn't do this...we need only to read the Old Testament and see what happened to Israel and Judah.
Monday, April 09, 2007
I found this picture of Brennan yesterday, on an old disc, and just had to post it. Isn't she precious? How can it be that it feels like this was last week..when it was actually years ago?!Do you remember, when you were a kid, that it felt like it would take FOREVER to be 18 years old..the age when you were just SURE you'd know everything about everything?!
And yet as an adult, time is quite different, isn't it? When we have our babies, it just seems to FLY by!
This picture brought such sweet memories back for me. Brennan was such a sweet little baby...so gentle and happy. Really, she's still that way...except for the occasional pouty fit. :)
Makes me realize once again that the Bible is really true when it tells us that our lives are but vapors...not only can they be gone in an instant..but even the stages of our childrens' lives seem to disappear before our very eyes, as they mature on to the next season that God has created for them.
Gotta go now...my baby girl is still young enough for me to squeeze a hug out of her, and my son is ALWAYS willing to hug his momma...so I gotta go get some loving! :)
Oh, did you know? The promised Messiah of Israel is risen indeed!
Without His resurrection, there would be no salvation for mankind.
Do you know that?!
Do you know that He appeared to over 500 people after He rose...a testimony to the fact that He did, in fact, rise.
Guess where He is today? Seated at the right hand of the Father.
Guess what He's doing today? Praying ( the Scripture calls is interceding) always for those who are His.
In Scripture, we are called saints. (This means holy ones.)
Do you know Him, and the power of His resurrection?
Do you know that He died to set you free from bondage..the bondage of sin?
Do you know that once you are His, you are no longer a slave to sin?
Do you kow that you are a slave to that which you obey?
If you don't know Him..but want to know more about what I've told you...please post a comment, or e-mail me at azswimmer@msn.com.
I'd love to give you the Scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments, which will show you that Yeshua is truly the Promised Messiah of Israel...but that even if you are a Gentile
(non-Jewish person), you may have a true relationship with God...the great "I AM".
Yes, Yeshua is the promised Messiah of Israel, but He's also the Messiah of the Gentiles...He's the Messiah of all mankind, and He died to give you new life in Him.
I hope that today, as we celebrate His Resurrection, you will seek Him with all of your heart and mind and soul and spirit...knowing that as you seek Him, you will find Him.
God loves you dearly, and He provided His Son as the atonement for your sins.
To lay down His life for you...that's love!
In Him,
Jesica
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Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Caedmon leads a Precept Discussion
This may blow your mind:
Tonight, Caedmon, who is 6, woke up from leg pains, and was laying on the couch as I was doing some computer work.
He asked me what a blog was, and I told him about mine, and he wanted me to read something that I had written to him, so I read him the post about Noah ( see links to the left to go to the original post ).
When I got to the part where I was asking the questions about Lamech, he stopped me and said, "Mom, if Noah was righteous, then his dad had to have been."
I asked him why he assumed that.
He said, "Because Noah would have heard about God from his dad. His dad would have been the one to teach him about God and His ways."
So then I asked him, "Well, then why were none of Noah's brothers and sisters called righteous in God's eyes?"
He said, "Mom..they would have had to have died already. I think they were killed by animals or in war. If Noah's dad taught him about God, he would have taught the brothers and sisters, too...so they couldn't have gone through the flood..they died before it."
WOW! Now, I know that he skipped right to interpretation, but after I re-read that post, I see that I did too. I assumed that the brothers and sisters weren't spared, but maybe Caedmon's theory is correct.
Maybe they died before the flood.
Man...talk about having a cool inductive study discussion with your 6 year old!
I love how studying through the Precept method is teaching my 6 year old inductive reasoning skills!
People ask me a lot what curriculum I use for homeschooling, and I tell them, right now...we use the Bible. Yes, we use some other things for math and science, etc. But primarily, we use the Word.
It covers so many things...but what I love the most is that they are learning to think, to investigate, to write, to memorize, to read, and all of that in the framework of learning to "Trust in the Lord" with all of their hearts, and to "lean not on their own understanding"..in all their ways they are learning to "acknowledge Him" knowing that He will direct their paths.
Wow! God is so amazing!
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Tonight, Caedmon, who is 6, woke up from leg pains, and was laying on the couch as I was doing some computer work.
He asked me what a blog was, and I told him about mine, and he wanted me to read something that I had written to him, so I read him the post about Noah ( see links to the left to go to the original post ).
When I got to the part where I was asking the questions about Lamech, he stopped me and said, "Mom, if Noah was righteous, then his dad had to have been."
I asked him why he assumed that.
He said, "Because Noah would have heard about God from his dad. His dad would have been the one to teach him about God and His ways."
So then I asked him, "Well, then why were none of Noah's brothers and sisters called righteous in God's eyes?"
He said, "Mom..they would have had to have died already. I think they were killed by animals or in war. If Noah's dad taught him about God, he would have taught the brothers and sisters, too...so they couldn't have gone through the flood..they died before it."
WOW! Now, I know that he skipped right to interpretation, but after I re-read that post, I see that I did too. I assumed that the brothers and sisters weren't spared, but maybe Caedmon's theory is correct.
Maybe they died before the flood.
Man...talk about having a cool inductive study discussion with your 6 year old!
I love how studying through the Precept method is teaching my 6 year old inductive reasoning skills!
People ask me a lot what curriculum I use for homeschooling, and I tell them, right now...we use the Bible. Yes, we use some other things for math and science, etc. But primarily, we use the Word.
It covers so many things...but what I love the most is that they are learning to think, to investigate, to write, to memorize, to read, and all of that in the framework of learning to "Trust in the Lord" with all of their hearts, and to "lean not on their own understanding"..in all their ways they are learning to "acknowledge Him" knowing that He will direct their paths.
Wow! God is so amazing!
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Saturday, March 17, 2007
Why I Love Inductive Bible Study and Precept Ministries
I had the priviledge of spending the past several days in Albuquerque for a Precept Leader Day and for a Kay Arthur teaching event at Hoffmantown Church.
I came in early to help the ministry team in any way that I could..I count it such an honor to give back to a ministry that has given so much to me. Learning to study the Bible inductively has changed my walk with God completely..and continues to change my life.
I love the people that work with Precept so much! They are so REAL and transparent, and fun, and they have such a HUNGER for God and for His Word, and to live a life of Righteousness that honors Him.
Kay spoke yesterday on one verse that really sums the heart of Precept up for her...and I just had to share it with you, because it's so perfect!
Psalm 119:102
I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, For You Yourself have taught me.
And that's it..don't you see?
When we study God's Word through exhaustive Observation FIRST...then we allow the Lord Himself to teach us the Interpretation of the Scripture, and then follow His lead and obey Him as we apply the Truth in our lives...We won't turn away from His ordinances.
That's what I love about Precept Ministries and Inductive Study.....it points me to God, not to a person to tell me what the Word means.
I love Kay with all of my heart, but I don't depend upon her to tell me what Scripture means.
She has allowed God to use her to teach people HOW to study for themselves, so that we can depend upon GOD to do the teaching.
Do you know how to study the Word for yourself? If not, and you want to learn, Shane and I have dedicated our lives to teaching people what others have so graciously taught us.
We'll be starting a couples' study on March 29th...all are welcome.
Shane and another man from our church will be leading "Living a Life of True Worship" starting very soon, at our church on Sunday mornings.
We have the childrens' Precept study on Friday afternoons...all are welcome.
The women are studying Covenant on Monday nights...all WOMEN are welcome. ;)
If you live outside of Arizona and want to find a class in your area, please go to www.precept.org and look on the right hand column for Classes...it will take you to a map where you can click on your state and then enter your zip code, and you'll have the info. you need to get started.
Or, feel free to leave me a comment with a way to get in touch with you. All comments are moderated by me, so if you send your e-mail or phone number, I will not publish your comment, but will get back with you asap and we'll get you plugged in.
If there's not a study in your area, I'll be happy to help you find the right materials to help you start one, or at least to help you get started studying on your own.
We have no excuse in America, for not spending time in God's Word.
Especially not when our brothers and sisters in Christ who live overseas are being brutally murdered for doing the very thing that we think we can't find the time to do!
That's just absurd, and a lie from the pit of hell!
You CAN learn to study your Bible!
You will be BLESSED when you learn to study your Bible!
You have been afforded the FREEDOM to study your Bible anytime, anywhere in this great country...without fear of death or imprisonment.
What will YOU do with that FREEDOM that great men and women have DIED to make sure that you have?!
I gotta tell you, from the depth of my heart, that over the past year and a half or so, I have gone through the most heartbreaking time in my life. I have lost someone that I love very dearly...she's still alive, so I didn't lose her to death...but I lost her because of the filth of sin.
I pray for her daily, that God will teach her His precepts, and that through learning them, she will choose to walk in obedience to Him.
But, until that time, I still wipe away many a tear as I think of all that she is missing in my life, and in my childrens' lives, and I in hers.
PLEASE hear me on this...If I did not know God's Word...if I had not been taught how to STAND on the Truth of His Word....if I had not learned to incline my ear to His still small voice, and to walk in obedience to what He whispers to my heart and teaches me through His Word....
I would be a basket case!
My home would be a war zone!
My children would be confused.
And I would be blaming God.
But, I am so far from any of those.
I am walking in the peace that passes all comprehension...and I am waiting on God.
He has made it clear to me that He has work to do in the lives of those involved, and that I am to stay out of His way.
So I am obeying.
Do I know that healing of this relationship will come in my lifetime?
No, I do not.
But, I pray fervently that God's Will will be established, and that restoration will happen.
Until then, I have chosen to take God at His Word....He tells me to "Cease Striving and KNOW that I AM God".
And I do know...and I can cease striving...because I've learned to study His Holy Word.
So my only questions for you are:
1. When are you going to start studying His Word inductively?
and
2. If you're already an inductive student, when are you going to share the gift with another person who also so desperately needs His Word?
Send me a comment...and let me know how I can help you.
All for Him...all for His Glory,
Jesica
I came in early to help the ministry team in any way that I could..I count it such an honor to give back to a ministry that has given so much to me. Learning to study the Bible inductively has changed my walk with God completely..and continues to change my life.
I love the people that work with Precept so much! They are so REAL and transparent, and fun, and they have such a HUNGER for God and for His Word, and to live a life of Righteousness that honors Him.
Kay spoke yesterday on one verse that really sums the heart of Precept up for her...and I just had to share it with you, because it's so perfect!
Psalm 119:102
I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, For You Yourself have taught me.
And that's it..don't you see?
When we study God's Word through exhaustive Observation FIRST...then we allow the Lord Himself to teach us the Interpretation of the Scripture, and then follow His lead and obey Him as we apply the Truth in our lives...We won't turn away from His ordinances.
That's what I love about Precept Ministries and Inductive Study.....it points me to God, not to a person to tell me what the Word means.
I love Kay with all of my heart, but I don't depend upon her to tell me what Scripture means.
She has allowed God to use her to teach people HOW to study for themselves, so that we can depend upon GOD to do the teaching.
Do you know how to study the Word for yourself? If not, and you want to learn, Shane and I have dedicated our lives to teaching people what others have so graciously taught us.
We'll be starting a couples' study on March 29th...all are welcome.
Shane and another man from our church will be leading "Living a Life of True Worship" starting very soon, at our church on Sunday mornings.
We have the childrens' Precept study on Friday afternoons...all are welcome.
The women are studying Covenant on Monday nights...all WOMEN are welcome. ;)
If you live outside of Arizona and want to find a class in your area, please go to www.precept.org and look on the right hand column for Classes...it will take you to a map where you can click on your state and then enter your zip code, and you'll have the info. you need to get started.
Or, feel free to leave me a comment with a way to get in touch with you. All comments are moderated by me, so if you send your e-mail or phone number, I will not publish your comment, but will get back with you asap and we'll get you plugged in.
If there's not a study in your area, I'll be happy to help you find the right materials to help you start one, or at least to help you get started studying on your own.
We have no excuse in America, for not spending time in God's Word.
Especially not when our brothers and sisters in Christ who live overseas are being brutally murdered for doing the very thing that we think we can't find the time to do!
That's just absurd, and a lie from the pit of hell!
You CAN learn to study your Bible!
You will be BLESSED when you learn to study your Bible!
You have been afforded the FREEDOM to study your Bible anytime, anywhere in this great country...without fear of death or imprisonment.
What will YOU do with that FREEDOM that great men and women have DIED to make sure that you have?!
I gotta tell you, from the depth of my heart, that over the past year and a half or so, I have gone through the most heartbreaking time in my life. I have lost someone that I love very dearly...she's still alive, so I didn't lose her to death...but I lost her because of the filth of sin.
I pray for her daily, that God will teach her His precepts, and that through learning them, she will choose to walk in obedience to Him.
But, until that time, I still wipe away many a tear as I think of all that she is missing in my life, and in my childrens' lives, and I in hers.
PLEASE hear me on this...If I did not know God's Word...if I had not been taught how to STAND on the Truth of His Word....if I had not learned to incline my ear to His still small voice, and to walk in obedience to what He whispers to my heart and teaches me through His Word....
I would be a basket case!
My home would be a war zone!
My children would be confused.
And I would be blaming God.
But, I am so far from any of those.
I am walking in the peace that passes all comprehension...and I am waiting on God.
He has made it clear to me that He has work to do in the lives of those involved, and that I am to stay out of His way.
So I am obeying.
Do I know that healing of this relationship will come in my lifetime?
No, I do not.
But, I pray fervently that God's Will will be established, and that restoration will happen.
Until then, I have chosen to take God at His Word....He tells me to "Cease Striving and KNOW that I AM God".
And I do know...and I can cease striving...because I've learned to study His Holy Word.
So my only questions for you are:
1. When are you going to start studying His Word inductively?
and
2. If you're already an inductive student, when are you going to share the gift with another person who also so desperately needs His Word?
Send me a comment...and let me know how I can help you.
All for Him...all for His Glory,
Jesica
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
A child who hits their parent....
Did you know that the Old Testament says that a child who hit their mother or father must surely be put to death?
Wow! God was SERIOUS about not transgressing His Covenant!
We had to deal with this yesterday with our child.
It wasn't really a hit, it was more of a head slam.
So, for you who say our kids are perfect ( you know who you are!), can't say that anymore! ;)
Shane found that verse in the Old Testament and shared it with our son and then was able to explain to him about God's mercy through Jesus Christ and that it's only because of Jesus' coming and fulfilling the Old Covenant that we are able to walk in grace before God.
But, that God's grace is not to be used as opportunity to walk in sin, thereby profaning His covenant.
It was a great study for Caedmon to learn, and today I have a new son. His heart was broken before God...it had to come through his bottom, unfortunately for him.
But, he got it. And we were reminded once again how serious God is about His Word, and WHY he has precepts in place to help us govern our lives according to His righteousness and not our own.
(In my righteousness, I wanted to tear his head off! Good thing I have God's pattern to live by and not what is right in my own eyes.)
Aren't you glad we don't have to put our kids to death for doing something like that, anymore? The death for sin was paid once for all when the Messiah of Israel came and reconciled us all to God, and imparted His Righteousness to us, through His death. (Romans 6)
And, through His resurrection we have newness of life to walk in God's glory through Jesus! ( Romans 6 )
Thank you again, Lord Jesus! Thank you, Father!
Wow! God was SERIOUS about not transgressing His Covenant!
We had to deal with this yesterday with our child.
It wasn't really a hit, it was more of a head slam.
So, for you who say our kids are perfect ( you know who you are!), can't say that anymore! ;)
Shane found that verse in the Old Testament and shared it with our son and then was able to explain to him about God's mercy through Jesus Christ and that it's only because of Jesus' coming and fulfilling the Old Covenant that we are able to walk in grace before God.
But, that God's grace is not to be used as opportunity to walk in sin, thereby profaning His covenant.
It was a great study for Caedmon to learn, and today I have a new son. His heart was broken before God...it had to come through his bottom, unfortunately for him.
But, he got it. And we were reminded once again how serious God is about His Word, and WHY he has precepts in place to help us govern our lives according to His righteousness and not our own.
(In my righteousness, I wanted to tear his head off! Good thing I have God's pattern to live by and not what is right in my own eyes.)
Aren't you glad we don't have to put our kids to death for doing something like that, anymore? The death for sin was paid once for all when the Messiah of Israel came and reconciled us all to God, and imparted His Righteousness to us, through His death. (Romans 6)
And, through His resurrection we have newness of life to walk in God's glory through Jesus! ( Romans 6 )
Thank you again, Lord Jesus! Thank you, Father!
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