Life Lessons from Legos

Caedmon with his homemade "Transformer."

A few days ago a friend of mine graced me with a ton of homeschooling material that she was no longer using. She invited me to come to her home and dig through all of it, and take whatever I pleased.


In the mix of wonderful books and science experiment materials, was a bag of Legos.


I was pretty excited to have found this bag, because Caedmon LOVES building with them. He will request specific sets for his birthday or Christmas and will build the entire thing within hours. He enjoys that part well enough, but his favorite part is creating his own designs with them.


He will spend hours designing aircraft carriers, or WW2 bi-planes, or houses. The list really goes on and on.


His grasp on the abilities that these little pieces of plastic have is absolutely unbelievable to me!


Once a project has been completed, he wants me to sit down so that he can show me each and every minute detail of what it does. We review colors and why they were chosen, which men do what job, what secret compartments are present and how those areas transform to look like simple sections of the overall design...all in an attempt to fool the poor Lego man who will inevitably end up in that secret jail or dungeon.


I have had to train myself to listen to all of the details, because it can take a looooong time for him to explain each part. 


For me it's easy to say, "Wow Caedmon, that's a really cool boat," all the while missing the hidden mystery that he has so carefully placed within each design.


So when I came home from my friend's house with a bag of Lego's, I knew that he'd be beside himself with excitement.


And I was right. 


Score one for Mom!


He said, "Man Mom, these are great! I've never seen this set before. These are going to be cool!"


The Legos were in ziploc baggies, separated out in some methodical way unknown to me. There were no directions, no box to explain what the set was.


Caedmon took a few of the pieces out of the bags and handled them. He looked intently at them, fingering each of the smaller more delicate pieces in an attempt to figure out what they were supposed to form as a whole.


He said a few times, "I've never seen Lego pieces like this before, Mom. These must be really old...like from when Dad was a kid!" 


Ahem. "Little brat!"...thought I, his doting mother.  OK, not really. 


Just a few seconds later I heard him say, "MOM! These aren't Legos. They're Megablocks. They look like Legos, and they are compatible with them, but they aren't Legos. That's why I didn't recognize any of the pieces."


And I couldn't help myself. I had to grab the moment because it was just so teachable. 
So applicable to life!


It was the perfect time to explain to the kids why we study the Word of God inductively.


I want my children to handle the Word like Caedmon handles Legos.


I want them to know it so well that when the counterfeit comes at them, looking good and talking a good talk, they'll be able to say, "That may look like Christianity. It may seem like Bible teaching, but when we get up close to it we see that it's not the real deal because it's not founded in a precept upon precept, contextual understanding of God's Word."


Caedmon knew those blocks weren't Legos, because he has spent countless hours of his life with the real deal.


Oh that we'll all be able to say the same thing about the handling of God's Word!


Are we in it enough to detect false teaching when it comes at us? 
Do we depend on others to tell us what it means, or do we open it and spend time in it asking the Spirit of God to teach us...to take us deep into the mysteries of His Word?


Good life lessons from Legos, aren't they?


With love to you tonight,
Jes

Absolute Awe, Absolutely

Sweet Friends,

I have so much to share with you tonight, that I don't quite know where to begin.

Today was a banner day. I haven't had a lot of those as of late, so I especially appreciated today.

It began with the study of Daniel. I've chosen to work through "You're A Brave Man Daniel," a study of Daniel chapters 1-6 with the kiddos this quarter.

Next we'll do the rest of Daniel, and then we'll dig into Revelation.

That is, unless Janna Arndt writes 1st & 2nd Thessalonians first. :)

That's my plug, by the way...if you're from Harvest House Publishers...we need the study of Covenant, and 1st & 2nd Thessalonians.

But, I digress...

Oh, a quick aside to tell you, I won't be proof reading tonight...I'm exhausted, but you know me...I gotta rattle when there's something worth sharing.

And today certainly was.

Our homeschooling morning ran later than expected, and it was a late lunch for us. I was starving, the kids were starving...you get the picture.

Add to that, I haven't been to the store since, I don't know....May, maybe?

So, we had an errand to run here in town...Dr.'s office...and I was going to drive through Taco Bell (again!), but then thought...hey, we're learning about the Middle East..why not go try middle eastern food?

I gotta admit, I was scared to death.

I'm a Texas girl, you know..I don't even like BBQ from anywhere north of the panhandle!

But, we were brave...and ventured into Cafe' Afify here in Anthem.

We were greeted by the most wonderful man, a fellow believer in Christ Jesus...and from Jerusalem.

You know I wanted to hop out of my seat and hug his neck, and pick his brain for hours on end!

Which is pretty much what I did..sans the hopping out of my seat and hugging his neck. :)

Today was homeschooling in it's purest form.

We studied a culture in the AM, and then we ate their food for lunch.

Our host at the Cafe' even gave us history lessons and geography lessons of the Mediterranean.

He walked us through every dish on the menu, and graciously allowed us to look at all the items of interest hanging on the walls.

I especially liked the picture of the cedars of Lebanon, having just studied about them in Kings & Prophets part 1. Then we got to look at maps of Tyre and Sidon.

I was totally beside myself with excitement!

I could go on and on.

It was amazing.

And the food...delicious!

I could eat lamb forever....and ever...and ever...and my kids could too! I was stunned!

Brennan and Caedmon are going to turn INTO pita bread, and I found that grape leaves stuffed with rice are De-Lic-ious!

OK...so that was part one of the day.

Then we came home, and I barked out orders like a mom with no grace whatsoever....for goodness sakes, there were women coming over tonight...for our fellowship night from the Kinsman Redeemer study, which wrapped two weeks ago, but which I've been absent from for that long due to illness upon illness here.

So, quite interesting isn't it?

Mommy acts like Mrs. Bossy pants to the kids, so that I can hostess the ladies that usually only see me at my best?

Um, I think I'll be asking for forgiveness of two sweet young kiddos tomorrow.

Yes. I know...upside down. Got that one wrong!

But, on to tonight...

These precious women who have been in the KR study of Ruth, all came for our wrap up dinner. They didn't let me do a thing, and even made me sit down while they made my plate of food.

They just came in like the loving swarm of little happy bees that they are, and took over my kitchen, whilst I sat on an icepack...

Then, it got really good....

I asked them the questions I'd been dying to ask for weeks...

Remember, although we've been studying Kinsman Redeemer, this has been a study for those being called into leadership....so it's been a different level of study...

I don't know how else to say it but to tell you that when you're studying with 10-12 other women who all do their homework and show up prepared, it's awesome to see what God does.

I've been the weak link in this, but thank the Lord that my friend D took over week 3 and led it. That was one of the main purposes of this class...to raise up other leaders/connect current leaders so that when life hits (as it will for all of us) we'll have someone else to call upon to lead our classes.

SO...here were the questions:

HOW has this study changed your life?

IS God calling you to lead?

If so....tell us....

To Whom?

When?

Where?

What?

You get the picture....

I kid you not when I tell you that I sat here and wiped many a tear as we went around the table and these precious women of God, from many different churches in the area, shared how deeply studying about their Kinsman Redeemer has changed their lives.

Then, glory be to God Almighty, from whom all good and perfect gifts come...they blessed me beyond their understanding!

You see, for 5+ years, I've been praying...begging God to raise up others who would go forth and lead.

There is such a need in our community.

So many hurting marriages.

Streets full of homes that people have lost due to foreclosure.

Kids deep into drugs.

Young women who dress like prostitutes because they have no clue how loved they are by the King of Kings.

Babies having babies.

Domestic violence.

So tonight, as we went around the table and each woman shared, I was in awe to hear how God is preparing them to go forth and lead.

3 of them go to the same church and have an amazing team between all of them...oh, how I'd like to be a fly on the wall when God gets them rolling....

1 is a veteran homeschooler, with a heart for young women and discipleship, and basically said that she's open...she just needs to know where the need is

1 knows that she's been called to lead teen girls through "Sweeter Than Chocolate" in January

1 has graciously agreed to be backup for me, as we will begin "Sweeter Than Chocolate" at my church on Oct. 1, and she's been studying with me for quite some time...

At the end of the year, she plans to approach her church about leading there in January

1 is following God's lead in ministering to her grandchildren right now, and wants to share Christ with them and with others, without fear (love that! love her!)

1 has been leading for quite some time, and is on a brief time of rest in God, but is faithfully praying about what to lead next/God's will for her church's body of believers

1 wants to open her home up for a neighborhood study

1 wants to minister to the new believers in her church

1 wants to reach out to women in marriages that are hurting

1 wants to obey God...is she to be ministering outside of her home right now? How can she love on her husband and family as God wants her to? Is there "more" she's to be doing for the kingdom? (Her questions and openness ministered to all of us!)

I put more into quotation marks because I think it's often the devil's lie to us as women....I think he wants to keep us busy, so we aren't there to minister to our husbands and families first.

They are our first ministry. Win the world, lose your family? Upside down. Not God's way.

Several are afraid...me included!

Truly, I could go on and on.....

But, what I want to leave you with is this....I love these precious women so much, and not just because they cleaned my kitchen and didn't comment about my piles of stuff in the kitchen...

And not just because they went upstairs to say hello to my dogs so they'd shut up, and never mentioned the condition of the 2nd story of my home....

And, not just because they love me, and love each other....

I love them because they are HUNGRY for GOD.

They are hungry for the lost to come to know Jesus Christ.

Some are scared to death to step out....but many of them are ready to do so....

I cried tonight, because hearing their passion for others to know God's Word the way that they've come to know Him through learning to study for themselves is INFECTIOUS!

You know, babies get colostrum when first they are born.

Then they get mother's milk.

Then rice cereal.

On to pureed green beans.

And one day, they get hamburger and steak....

We've got sheep in our churches who are hungry for steak...the meat of God's Word.

They are starving for it.

Even if our pastors are wonderful, one day a week is not sufficient for dining at God's table.

If you think it is, then try eating only one meal on Sundays.

Try it for a few months.

One meal...Sunday morning.

That's it.

Nothing more.

See how it sustains you.

Try it for a few years...

How would you do then?

And, this is considering that you have a pastor who is teaching the Word in Spirit and in Truth.

What if you don't?

What if you're just getting a jellybean thrown out to you on Sunday morning, and your sugar high is spent by the time you drive out of the parking lot?

And still, no food for you the rest of the week...the rest of the month...the rest of the decade....

How are you going to weather the storms of life then?

People, please hear my heart on this....people need to know the redemptive love of Jesus Christ.

If you know it, and you're not sharing it....

Then really, aren't you just being selfish?

Would you keep food from a starving man?

Would you refuse water to a person lost in a dry desert?

What do you think the Word of God is?

Living Water.

The Bread of Life.

You don't have to be eloquent...God's Word speaks for Itself.

Just let Him use you to teach others how to study It.

Oh, how in awe I am that He is raising up others from within this community for which I've prayed so long and so hard.

His goodness never ends.

Please pray for Cindy Wyatt tonight...she is the wife of Pastor Steve Wyatt from Crossroads here in Anthem. Her Caring Bridge site is caringbridge.org/visit/cindywyatt .

Please pray for these precious women who were in my home tonight...that they'll allow the boldness of Jesus Christ to propell them.

Please pray the same for me....I've been feeling a little sad as of late...I'm a late processor, and this whole MS thing just hit me a few days ago.

Tonight was healing water for a parched soul, as was my time with my new friend at Cafe' Afify.

That was rich.

I'd never seen an Orthodox Cross before. The cross with a crown on top, because Jesus is King, and the word "Jerusalem" on the back. Does it get any better than that?!

I gotta get one of those...loved it!

Remember..I gave you full disclosure...I'm not proofing...I'm fried, and still gotta take my shot. :(

Love to you all in the King of Kings,

Jes

A Mother's Heart Cry for Her Children, and God's Answer

This blog has turned out to be such a source for making precious friends across the miles, that I am ever astounded by how dearly I have come to love so many people whom I've never laid eyes on.

If you're reading this, and have wanted to "meet", I invite you to send me an email at the address listed in the sidebar. I'd love to know you, and know how I can be praying for you.

Shelly, a Precept leader in South Carolina whom I mentioned in this post, is one of the precious friends I'm referring to. She's become like a sister to me, and we talk weekly. I love to hear her pray, for when she does, the Word of God pours off of her lips as one who truly knows the Lord, because she has disciplined herself to study His Word, and therefore knows His heart.

Shelly is a woman who is deeply in love with the Lord. Her desire is to be the best mom she can be, yet she has a redheaded 4 year old little boy, Ben, who likes to really test her!

She also has Sam who is 6...not a redhead. :)

She called me shortly after having written the 1st prayer journal entry, which you'll see below, and was at her wit's end with Ben. Haven't we all been there!

It was during that conversation that I challenged her to the call of leading her boys through studying the Bible inductively. I shared my heart with her, which is that we as parents cannot expect our kids to learn all they need to know about the Lord, just by putting them in Sunday School and Wednesday night classes at church.

What if we were to disciple our children at home, and then trust that what they get at church would be the icing on the cake? The cake that we had been faithful to bake at home!

I fully believe that we will stand before the Throne one day and will answer to God for what we did (and did not do) with His command to us to teach the Word to our children!

That very night, Shelly answered the call, even though neither of her boys are fluent readers. She started teaching them by using one of the Discover 4 Yourself books by Precept Ministries, "Wrong Way Jonah!"

The common misconception that I hear is this...people think they can't use the D4Y books because their kids aren't readers.

Please hear me on this...each of the D4Y books is written as a story within a story. There are a few leading characters, Max and Molly, and with each of the studies, they are learning a new career... they become archaeologists, comic book writers, advice columnists, superheroes, etc, and all the while they (and your kids) are learning to observe, interpret, and apply God's Word!

So, even if the children in your life are not reading yet, you can still use these books!

You'd just need to read the story aloud, and then verbally walk them through how to use the 5Ws and an H to reason through the Scriptures listed. It's all laid out for you in the book, so it's very easy for the teacher.

You will be QUICKLY BLOWN AWAY by how much very young kids can learn about the Word of God, if you'll just take the time to go though a Discover 4 Yourself book with them. And, they'll LOVE it!

OK, back to Shelly....

She was gracious enough to share the entries from her prayer journal, chronicling her journey with her son Ben's behavior, and how being willing to seek counsel, apply some new ideas, and spend daily time teaching he and Sam how to reason through the Word of God, has helped her whole family.

Her hope is that you will be encouraged, edified, and exhorted to begin leading your own children, or those in your church, through inductive Bible study, too!

Here's what she wrote in her prayer journal...

Saturday, May 9, 2009 (the before entry)

Dear Almighty and Most Holy Lord,

My heart is so heavy today! My load and burden seems too difficult to carry.

Immediately I am reminded by the Holy Spirit that “sheep” are not burden bearing animals.

That’s what you call and refer to Your people as…one of Your sheep and You Jesus are the Great Shepherd.

I have come to lay my burden on You.

I am so glad that I can pour out my heart like water before You and You welcome it.

How wonderful! How grateful I am!

So, here goes…

I need Your help with Ben! His screaming is driving me crazy. I beg of You to make him stop!

Teach me how to teach him to control his temper and anger. Teach me how to control mine as well. You have helped me with this already but I’m not all the way there yet.

I greatly desire peace and serenity for my home. A place where order and contentment exist.

A place where mommy doesn’t have an attitude, where mommy doesn’t resent her children’s misdeeds.

I beg for You to fix me to be the mother/nurturer/trainer of these kids.

I want to go to bed each night without regret that I said or did the wrong thing!

Here's the "after" entry....

A dear friend of mine, Jesica, spoke words of wisdom to my heart today.

She challenged me to be in the Word daily with Sam and Ben. I said “really?” “daily?”

I know I should and I have the “want” to but I hesitate – anticipating their response. I feared their lack of attention and lack of excitement.

So, Heavenly Father I bring this to You. I want to want to teach them more than I want to teach adult ladies.

Give to Sam and Ben a deep desire and enthusiasm for Your Word. May they initiate our time of Bible study.

Give me the ability to teach them at 4 and 6 years of age.

I realize that I don’t take teaching them seriously enough. I am more concerned and excited and consumed with teaching others rather than my own children.

Why is that, Lord?

I ask for you to forgive me and change my heart. I am pleading with You Father to truly change my heart and attitude regarding them and turn my heart back to my first ministry.

UPDATE!

We started Bible study last night and it was GREAT!

I read the first chapter of Jonah out loud and asked the 5 W’s and an H.

I used a small dry erase board and drew pictures of the events. I had them draw in their notebooks pictures as well.

They participated and even Sam said the best prayer that “we wouldn’t be like Jonah who when told to go to Nineveh went to Tarshish instead and disobeyed God.” (Sam is 6!)

I showed a map that showed Tarshish was in the opposite direction of Nineveh.

I asked them “Can you really run from the presence of the Lord?” and they said “NO! He sees you all the time and everywhere!”

We also discussed how Jonah’s disobedience was and is SIN and his sin affected other people (the sailors).

We discussed how we are often like Jonah and Sam gave me an example.

Ben tried but had some trouble (he’s four).

Our time together far exceeded my expectation and was so fulfilling!

Oh, my heart is so full of thankfulness to my dearest Father. He answered the cry of this mama’s heart beautifully!

Don't you just want to meet this Momma, who so transparently poured her heart out before the Lord? Doesn't her story make you want to start studying with your own children or grandchildren? What about the children in your church?

Oh that we would all cry out to God for the hearts of our children, as Shelly did!

Here she is...with Sam and Ben, in front of the library on the grounds of Billy Graham's ministry.

I love you, Shelly! Thanks for sharing your story with us, and keep up the great work!

Scripture Acting.. Proverbs 3:5-6

Oh my GOODNESS! Aren't they the CUTEST?!
Once I have permission from the Mommies, there will be 2 more videos of other verses posted here.
These are two little girls from a Speech and Drama class I've been teaching, called "Let's Act UP! Glorifying God through Speech and Drama"
I took this video on my Palm pilot at class yesterday, so their moms could have something to watch in order to learn the movements to help them practice at home for our upcoming Showcase night.
Scripture acting is such a wonderful way to teach the Word of God to kids. If you endeavor to do this, though, please don't just stop with the movements and the words...us the 5 Ws and an H to teach the children how to study God's Word out...so that they truly understand why it is TRUTH and how to apply the verses they've learned to their everyday lives.
This verse is Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
In the case of this verse, you might ask your child,
HOW do we know that we can trust in the LORD?
WHAT would it mean to trust Him with only part of our heart?
WHY do we want to trust Him with ALL of our heart?
WHAT is trust?
WHO is the LORD?
WHAT does it mean to lean on our own understanding?
Explain words like understanding and acknowledge TO them, and then continue with the 5Ws and and H...
So, if acknowledge means to "admit the authority of"...
HOW do we admit to God's authority in our lives?
HOW do we give over all control of our lives to God instead of trying to control it ourselves, by our own understanding?
WHY would it be better for God to be in control, than for us to run our own lives?
WHO knows the future?
WHO holds it in HIS hands?
WHO created us for a purpose and has a plan for your life?
WHY would we want to try to be the boss instead of letting God be?
WHEN we feel like we are boss, WHAT would be the right thing to do? (bow in submission to God)
Do you ever want to lean on ANYONE else's understanding?
Your friends'?
Hannah Montana's?
Big Bird's?
Or only God's?
What does it mean that He will make your path's straight?
Would it be better to live your life on a crooked path, never knowing what is ahead of you or where you're going...or on a straight path, directed by God?
WHY?
Don't DUMB DOWN SCRIPTURE FOR KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!
THEY DON'T REQUIRE IT!
Every week I use inductive Bible study skills to ask these children about what they've learned, and they amaze me with their application of the Scriptures!
A note about this video...
One of these little girls has been out of town and out of class for over a month, so she was going pretty slowly with this Scripture, and she happens to be the "leader" of this duo....but normally they are faster with it...she was just getting back into the swing. :)
Hey Let's Act Up! Mommies...
Have I told you today how much I love your precious children?!
They bless my life, and so do you!
Have a great day,
Jesica

Teaching Precept Inductive Bible Study to Kids and Children

God's Word Matters to Me Too!

It can teach me, reprove me, correct me, and train me in righteousness...so that I will be adequate, equipped for every good work! (see 2 Tim.3:16-17)

Today was a pretty amazing day.

A friend of mine is teaching a class for her church, and asked me to come in as a guest teacher. She goes to a Catholic church, and her class is made up of about 20 1st graders.

Today's lesson was on Luke chapter 1, through about verse 38.

These kids had never been exposed to inductive study before, and I really didn't know what to expect...but they caught on so quickly! I was so proud of them!

I wrote the 5Ws and an H questions on the board, and then explained to them that questioning the Scripture will help us to better understand it.

Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?

I just jumped right in by reading to them straight from the Word...and every few verses I would stop and ask them one of the above, and then write their answers on the board. They loved seeing what they had said, printed out for all to see!

Pretty soon, they figured me out, and were all over it...they listened so well, and then answered my questions like pros!

They were able to tell me that the story was about the angel Gabriel coming to earth and giving a message from God to two people...first to Zacharias, and then to Mary.

It was so cool, because we made a comparison chart of the two on the board..and the children quickly saw that even thought Zacharias was a priest, who likely knew God's Word quite well, he didn't act in faith when Gabriel told him that he would have a son.

By contrast, Mary asked a question of Gabriel, but acted in great faith. She even said that she was the bondservant of the Lord!

I explained to the children that a bondservant is one who has willingly given their life to serve their master. All that their master asks, they will do. They have given up their life to live for another.

So I asked the children.."Who do you want to be like? Whose faith do you want to have?".

We talked about salvation, and about why Jesus came to earth as a baby. We talked about repentance, and about how John the baptist came to pave the way for Jesus..and that John was going through all the area telling people to repent of their sins.

I told them that I had sinned, and that I needed Jesus as my Savior and Lord....their little eyes grew so big when they heard me say that I had sinned...had told lies, had disobeyed.

OOOOOH! They are so precious!

Then, they learned how to act out Proverbs 3:5-6.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him
And He will make your paths straight."

We had a great time with those verses! I asked them all kinds of questions about it to make sure that they understood the concepts, and they did!

At one point I asked one little boy,
"The next time you're on the playground at school, and someone tries to get you to refuse to play with another boy...or someone wants you to join in on making fun of someone else, remember that you don't have to lean on your own understanding of what to do. If you aren't sure how to act, what does this verse promise you?"

He thought for a minute and then said, "That I can ask God in my heart. I can pray and ask Him what to do, and He'll make my paths straight."

I was so proud of that little guy! I could have hugged him!

You know, the more time that I spend teaching little ones the gift of Inductive Bible study, the more I love it.

I am amazed by how many Christian publishers think that they have to dumb down the material in order for children to understand it.

If we'd just get past thinking that we're the one doing all the work, and remember that the Word says that The Holy Spirit is the teacher, our kids would be much better off.

These kiddos had never heard of Precept Ministries. They don't know what inductive means...BUT, they sure did learn a whole lot of Truth from God's Word today...and they had so much fun doing it!

I wish we'd commit, as believers, to spend the hour a week that we have with children in our churches, feeding them on the Word instead of trying to entertain them.

Take away the cheese puffs, and give them the meat of God's Word!

They get it! I promise, they do!

I encourage you, if you're teaching kids....just give them a chance, by giving them the Word in Spirit and Truth...and then make up some fun quiz games to cement that which you've just taught them.

You'll be amazed, in short order, how much God writes on their little hearts.

Below are the verses that we studied today...we started with the 1st one that you see in red, but I just went ahead and included from Luke 1:1 -1:38.

In Him,
Jesica


Luke 1:1
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, Luke 1:2
just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
Luke 1:3
it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write {it} out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;
Luke 1:4
so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
Luke 1:5
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Luke 1:6
They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
Luke 1:7
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
Luke 1:8
Now it happened {that} while he was performing his priestly service before God in the {appointed} order of his division,
Luke 1:9
according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Luke 1:10
And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. Luke 1:11
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
Luke 1:12
Zacharias was troubled when he saw {the angel,} and fear gripped him.
Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
Luke 1:14
"You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Luke 1:15
"For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb.
Luke 1:16
"And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.
Luke 1:17
"It is he who will go {as a forerunner} before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Luke 1:18
Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this {for certain?} For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."
Luke 1:19
The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Luke 1:20
"And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
Luke 1:21
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.
Luke 1:22
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.
Luke 1:23
When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
Luke 1:24
After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,
Luke 1:25
"This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked {with favor} upon {me,} to take away my disgrace among men."
Luke 1:26
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,
Luke 1:27
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Luke 1:28
And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord {is} with you."
Luke 1:29
But she was very perplexed at {this} statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
Luke 1:30
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
Luke 1:31
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
Luke 1:32
"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
Luke 1:33
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."
Luke 1:34
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
Luke 1:35
The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:36
"And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.
Luke 1:37
"For nothing will be impossible with God."
Luke 1:38
And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

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

Putting on a Heart of Humility

Humility..it's the word that the children in the Precept class are working on this week.
We're studying through Colossians 3:12, and are learning how to put on a heart in keeping with the new man, or the "newness of life" that we are promised in Romans 6:4, through Christ.
The first two characteristics that they learned about were kindness and compassion. Those seemed so much easier to explain to little children. They "got" those concepts, and rather quickly.
But..humility? I had a hard time trying to figure out how to teach them about humility.
Eventually, we acted again. And they seemed to get it.
I set up a "scene" with two of the children. Then I asked them both to sing a song, and told them that after they sang the song, I was going to compliment them..and then I explained to them how I wanted them to respond.
One said, "Oh, I know. I'm really gifted. I have a great voice. I'm glad you got to hear it!"
The other said, "Thank you. But, give the glory to God. He is the one who gave me this voice to bless Him and to bless you. The glory is His alone."
The kids INSTANTLY understood the difference.
That's what I think humility is. And, when I think of the first example we have of one who refused to walk in humility, I think of Lucifer.
He wanted to be glorified. He wanted to be like God. He wanted the praise. He forgot that all praise belongs to God alone.
By contrast, we have Jesus, of whom the Scripture says in Phillipians 2:5, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied (laid aside His priviledges) Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men."
Wow! Our Savior, God the Son, when here on earth did not regard equality with God a think to be siezed!
He knew that He was a bond-servant to God Most High. Period! That was His role here on earth..to listen and obey God.
That's the believer's sole role too.
When we focus more on being right, then we do on emptying ourselves, we've missed the heart of Christ altogether.
That's what I hope the children learned. In order to truly "put on" a heart of humility, we must be willing to realize that we aren't here to be exalted.
We are here only to be used of God that He may be exalted in our lives...for His glory.
We'll see how the kids seemed to understand it, this week when we meet again.
They get to come to class and share examples of ways that they walked in the heart characteristic that we learned the week before.
It's so precious to see them learning to walk in newness of life..and to see how excited they are about it!
I love these kids so much! They bless me every single week by their hunger for God's Word.
It amazes me..we don't do any crafts..we don't have play time...we are just learning to study God's Word, and they are learning to interrogate the text by asking the 5Ws and an H questions.
They're marking key words, and making lists of what they learn from those words...then they have time to discuss what they see in Scripture...interpretation and application flow quickly for these little ones, but only because we spend the BULK of our time in observation.
Already they are learning not to jump from observation to interpretation...they are learning that God is the teacher, and He will show them how to interpret His Word, but that they must be faithful to spend time observing first.
We are also memorizing Scripture together by acting it out.
Everything we do during our class is based in God's Word, and their moms tell me that they can't WAIT to come to class!
It's so refreshing...even at these young ages... they aren't looking to be entertained...they are just hungry for the truth of God's Word.
What a blessing to be a part of their learning!
Oh that we would all be this hungry for the truth of God's Word instead of the philosophies of man.
These kids inspire me!
Have a great week,
Jesica













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