In Due Time

They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son.   1 Samuel 1:19-20

In due time…the sickness will pass.
In due time…my three year old will consistently use the potty.
In due time…we will have a few pennies to spare.
In due time…the baby will be born.
In due time…we will not be so busy.
In due time…________________?


Dear sisters, in due time the season will turn and whatever hardship or painful situation you are facing (which in hind sight might actually prove to have been good for you - a blessing even) will pass. Trust that God is good even when life doesn’t seem so. For now trust and obey, walk out your faith and trust in God even when it is dark, hold fast to God’s promises for if you do then in due time it will be over and God will be glorified.


In due time. Such a precious promise.

And finally - “in due time” - God’s answer came rushing through. “Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him of the Lord' (1 Samuel 1:20)". Still trusting. -Janet Parshall

As We Wait

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. –Luke 23:46

From John Stott:

Between them the evangelists use four different expressions, each of which places the initiative in the process of dying in Jesus’s own hands. Mark says he “breathed his last” (Mark 15:37), and Matthew that he “gave up his spirit” (Matt. 27:50), while Luke records his words, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). But John’s expression is the most striking, namely that “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30). The verb is again paradidomi, which was used of Barabbas, the priests, Pilate, and the soldiers who “handed over” Jesus. But now John uses it of Jesus himself, handing over his spirit to the Father and his body to death. Notice that before he did this he “bowed his head.” It is not that he first died, and then his head fell forward onto his chest. It was the other way around. The bowing of the head was his final act of surrender to the will of his Father. So by word and deed (bowing the head and declaring that he was handing over his spirit), Jesus indicated that his death was his own voluntary act.

Jesus could have escaped death right up to the last minute. As he said in the garden, he could have summoned more than twelve legions of angels to rescue him. He could have come down from the cross, as his mockers challenged him to do. But he did not. Of his own free will and deliberate choice he gave himself up to death. It was he who determined the time, the place, and the manner of his departure.

The last two words from the cross (“finished” and “I commit my spirit”) proclaim Jesus as the conqueror of sin and death. We must come humbly to the cross, deserving nothing but judgment, pleading nothing but mercy, and Christ will deliver us from both the guilt of sin and the fear of death.

-from Through the Bible ~ Through the Year by John Stott

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. –Hebrews 2:14

Holy Week

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday.

One of the few things I miss about no longer being a Catholic is the lack of palms on Palm Sunday. There is something about actually having a palm branch in your hand on Palm Sunday that makes a difference…especially for the children. And now that I think about it I also miss walking the Stations of the Cross…

Next week (starting today actually) is my favorite week of the entire year. I love this week.

Holy Week

Holy – consecrated, saintly, sacred, awe-inspiring.

Awe-inspiring

Don’t allow this special week (which culminates on Easter Sunday) to pass by without a glace or thought…

What can you do?

1. Lenten Lights: Eight Biblical Devotions to Prepare for Easter
2. Treasuring God in Our Traditions – Noel Piper
3. Through the Bible Through the Year – John Stott (specifically chapters 32-33)
3. Check out what is going on at your church or mine and attend.
4. Do you have really little ones? Veggie Tales Easter Carol, Children’s books/Bible stories about Easter, Nightly Bible readings using Lenten Lights or something simpler (your Bible or your child’s Bible) and/or candles.

Special Days: Palm Sunday (tomorrow), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Don’t let this week just pass by. Spend it in the Word –spend it riding a donkey with Jesus; hearing the rustle of palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna”; savor the Last Supper; share in the sorrow as friends desert, betray and deny; walk dusty streets bleeding and torn feeling the weight of the cross; imagine the pain (can we even?) of nails, and weight, and suffering; hear others beg to be remembered and hear soft words of forgiveness; taste the bitterness of vinegar, and the saltiness of sweat and blood; hear the words from the cross; shudder and weep at His death; feel the depth of loss; wait in the weight and despair of darkness and confusion and then, and then…walk to the tomb. Notice that the stone has been rolled away; that the burial clothes are empty; marvel; see the angel; listen in wonder and awe; be filled with JOY and run proclaiming…

He is not here; He is risen, just as He said (Matthew 28:6). !!!

He is risen. Place your hands in His wounds. Touch His hands and feet. Weep for joy. Rejoice!

Awe-inspiring? Uh-huh. Now you understand why.

Hallelujah!

Holy Week. I love it.

Remember and walk.

Regeneration

O God…

occupy the throne of my heart,
take full possession and reign supreme,
lay low every rebel lust,
let no vile passion resist thy holy war;
manifest thy mighty power,
and make me thine for ever.

Thou art worthy to be praised with my every breath,
loved with my every faculty of soul,
served with my every act of life.

Thou hast loved me, espoused me, received me,
purchased, washed, favored, clothed, adorned me,
when I was worthless, vile, soiled, polluted.

I was dead in iniquities,
having no eyes to see thee,
no ears to hear thee,
no taste to relish thy joys,
no intelligence to know thee;

But thy Spirit has quickened me,
has brought me into a new world as a new creature,
has given me spiritual perception,
has opened to me thy Word as light, guide, solace, joy.

Thy presence is to me a treasure of unending peace;
No provocation can part me from thy sympathy,
for thou hast drawn me with cords of love,
and dost forgive me daily, hourly.

O help me then to walk worthy of thy love,
of my hopes, and my vocation.

Keep me, for I cannot keep myself;
Protect me that no evil befall me;
Let me lay aside every sin admired of many;
Help me to walk by thy side, lean on thy arm,
hold converse with thee,
That henceforth I may be salt of the earth and a blessing to all.

-This prayer and many other Puritan prayers can be found in The Valley of Vision

Q. 33. What is a change of heart called?

A. Regneration

-from A Catechism for Boys and Girls

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. -Titus 3:4-7

The Best Part of the Day

is spent immersed in the Word of God. Over the last year (2009) I read through God’s word chronologically from beginning to end. It was the best part of my day. I’m doing it again. Join me if you dare.

BibleYear.com…Read the Bible in One Year

WSR 7/12-7/18

Day One: Sunday July 12 -1 Kings 20-21

Day Two: Monday July 13 – Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18

Day Three: Tuesday July 14 – 2 Chronicles 19–23

Day Four: Wednesday July 15 – Obadiah; Psalm 82-83

Day Five: Thursday July 16 – 2 Kings 1-4

Day Six: Friday July 17 – 2 Kings 5-8

Day Seven: Saturday July 18 – 2 Kings 9-11

Looking Ahead: Sunday July 19 – 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24

This week we are reading the whole book of Obadiah. Not to worry it is a very short book. In my Bible it comprises a page and a half.

So where is the book of Obadiah? (I didn’t know either.) It is sandwiched between Amos and Jonah. And the following week we will be reading the entire book of Jonah – another page and a half/two page book.

Have a great week in the Word!

For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been. But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble, they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the LORD has spoken. – Obadiah (v.) 15 - 18

Be...Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, knowing that in the LORD your labor is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:58

To those who work for HIM know that your labor is NOT in vain.

Thank you!

Weekly Scripture Readings* - WSR 7/5-7/11

Keep it up! There is a lot to read this week. Rejoice!

Monday we are reading Proverbs 31.

Day One: Sunday July 5 – 1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9

Day Two: Monday July 6 – Proverbs 30-31

Day Three: Tuesday July 7 – 1 Kings 12-14

Day Four: Wednesday July 8 – 2 Chronicles 10-12

Day Five: Thursday July 9 – 1 Kings 15:1-24; 2 Chronicles 13-16

Day Six: Friday July 10 – 1 Kings 15:25-16:34; 2 Chronicles 17

Day Seven: Saturday July 11 – 1 Kings 17-19

Looking Ahead: Sunday July 12 – 1 Kings 20-21

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. – Proverbs 31:10-12

* Weekly Scripture Readings will be referred to as WSR from now on.

Nancy on Finding God's Will

From today’s Seeking Him Devotional –

Nancy Leigh DeMoss: I have some close friends whose marriage is in serious trouble. Sometimes I feel like I just don’t know how to pray for them. Maybe you’ve been in the same situation.

I do know that God shows us His will in His Word. So if I pray according to what the Scripture says, I can know that I’m praying God’s will.

For example, I know from Ephesians 5 that it’s God’s will for this husband to love his wife in the same way Christ loves the church. So I can pray that this husband will learn to do that.

Read or Listen to the rest HERE.

Also, on the True Women Blog Paula Hendricks will be exploring what it means to live out statement #9 in the True Women Manifesto.

By His grace and in humble dependence on His power, we will . . . Seek to establish homes that manifest the love, grace, beauty, and order of God; that provide a climate conducive to nurturing life; and that extend Christian hospitality to those outside the walls of our homes.

Don’t miss out. It is sure to be enlightening and encouraging. Where do you fall short? I fall short in so many areas…the primary being hospitality. I’m a recluse and have to force myself out of my shell, but creating and maintaining order in my home comes in a close second.

Don’t you just love the line in the manifesto that says, “a climate conducive to nurturing life”. Tell me what you think that climate looks like. Ponder the word "nurturing". Isn't it beautiful! As I go about my day I'll be pondering it as well.

Follow along with the True Women Blog HERE. Paula will be exploring this topic all month.

Simple Illustration

As we were driving home from church one Sunday a few months back my 11 year old son Aaron mentioned that his Sunday school teacher had asked the students to tell the story of Jonah. He said, “Mom, no one knew who Jonah was. They didn’t know he was swallowed by a whale, or that he was running away from God, or that God wanted him to go to Nineveh. That is a simple kid story. I was the only one there that knew the story of Jonah. It was crazy.”

Now when he told me this I took it with a grain of salt as I assumed that his perception of what had transpired was off a bit (he has an auditory processing disorder and is typically a bit behind his peers in ability and there is a lot he simply does not know and cannot do that his peers know and do) and I assumed that the kids in his class simply did not want to answer the question, but after hearing what Woodrow Kroll had to say the other day I’m beginning to wonder – maybe his perception wasn’t as off as I thought.

Just for fun here is a question for you…without looking (it up) can you tell me who Jubal and Tubal-cain were?

(If you’ve done Mystery of History part I you will know the answer to this.) Aaron knows the answer because we study Bible and history together.

Give up? The answer can be found in Genesis 4:21-22.

______________

I just asked Aaron the above question to be sure he remembered the answer and he said, “one was a musician and one was a crafter of bronze and iron”. He couldn’t remember who was who, but that is pretty good considering we learned this obscure fact in September of last year and only briefly reviewed it at Christmas.

Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. –Genesis 4:20-22

Why We Don't Read It

It = the Bible

Another interesting tidbit – while I was driving around last week I happened to hear an interview of Woodrow Kroll from Back to the Bible. He was being interviewed on a local Christian channel (88.3 fm) on a show called Christian Life Today. (I tried to find the website and a tape of the show, but was unsuccessful. It seems that this was just a fill in show and doesn’t normally air on this channel.) The topic was “Why Don’t People Read Their Bible”(right up my alley) and Kroll’s answers were amazing. In an odd way, I felt that his answer(s) to this question also answered the question of why our children/Christian kids are leaving the church in droves.

I’m going to attempt to relay some of the information that I heard, but please be aware of the fact that my memory is terrible and I would much rather have redirected you directly to the interview, but as far as I can tell it does not exist anywhere online (even my dear husband who can locate just about anything couldn’t find it).

Here are some of the facts as I recall them:

1. The main answer to the question of why people do not read their Bible is lack of time. People say they simply do not have the time. But the consensus on the show was that we find time for things that we deem important.

2. Kroll said that he took a stop watch and timed just how long it took him to read the Bible from cover to cover and he found (and I may not have the time exactly right, but close I think) that it only takes about a half an hour to read the Bible half way through so it is possible to read the entire Bible in about an hour or two. (Even if I’m a little off here, the point is that you could probably easily read the entire Bible in a few weeks or a month.)

3. He gave these facts – he said that if you read your Bible 0-1 times a week then you are the same as a non-Christian and there will be no noticeable change in your lifestyle from that of a person who does not claim to know Christ. He said that if you read your Bible 2-3 times a week, there will be a slight change in lifestyle from that of a non-Christian, and if you read your Bible 4 or more times a week, your life will be significantly different from those who do not read their Bible or only read it 0-3 times a week. He said that this was scientifically proven, but I’m not sure where he got his facts or how he proved this.

4. He said that he used to work for Liberty University (a Christian college) and that he was in charge of giving the incoming students an exam to test their knowledge of the Bible so that the college would know where to place the students in their religion classes. He said that in the year 1980 (early 80's) the college had something like 1100 incoming students – all of them from Christian backgrounds - and that of these 1100 students only 85 or so scored 50% on the test (they only had to score 50% to pass; my numbers are probably off a bit, I think the number was actually less than 85 students, but I wanted to give a higher number just in case - but regardless you get the point, the number was a two digit number and the results were horrible) the rest failed. The point being that we are raising children that are biblically illiterate and who do not have, or know, or are able to articulate what a Christian worldview is. We are raising children that do not read or know their Bible.

5. And this was the most amazing and scariest point he made – he said that he polled a large group of Christian teens and asked them where they go to hear from God; as in what source they use when they want to know God’s will for their life. Do you know what their answer was? They ask their friends! They go to their peers! They are going to their friends to figure out God’s will for their life! If that information doesn’t bother you…it should.

~Friends are great and a wonderful resource (as are blogs and online resources), but please go to your Bible first, then go to God in prayer, then go to someone who has more wisdom than you (preferably someone with an in depth knowledge of scripture) and ask their opinion about your dilemma, question, etc. ~

I wish I could find the tape of this show because it was so enlightening and there was much more said. It's my guess that much of the information that was presented is in Woodrow Kroll’s book, Taking Back the Good Book, but I haven’t read it. As I said, I just stumbled upon this show but since it was on topic, I wanted to share the information as I recalled it. If anyone knows where I can find this message in its entirety, I would be grateful.

I hope I haven’t misrepresented too much of what was said, I’ve done my best to be as accurate as I can.

I think it is interesting and scary stuff and definitely worth pondering.

P.S. My two cents about instilling a Christian worldview and raising readers of the Word: The church isn’t dropping the ball; we parents are. It is our job to raise biblically literate children and children with a Christian worldview. The church’s job is to add to what the children learn at home. One Sunday a week is not going to give your child enough information for them to be able to combat all the liberal anti-God doctrine they will be surrounded with once they leave the safe confines of your home and head to college.

Day by day; precept by precept; step by step...

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. –Deuteronomy 10:19

Motherhood and Time w/God

How do you find time to read God’s Word when you are in the midst of life with nursing babies, dirty diapers, and a house that never seems to stay clean, meals that must be made, and children you must teach. How indeed! When and where do you find the time? Do you have to get up at the crack of dawn even though you’ve been up all night nursing or caring for a sick child? Please never hear me say that. Time with God is important, but it does not have to be at five in the morning.

Here is what Stacy McDonald ( wife of a pastor and a mother of 10) had to say in her book Passionate Housewives Desperate for God from the chapter aptly titled “Weary Women”.

Too many women are in bondage to the man-made myth that everyone should pray in one great big gush early each morning. But rather than praying a river at an appointed time every day, I would suggest a more reasonable and feasible option for a busy mother: pray in “droplets” throughout the day. Not only is this achievable, it is biblical. We are instructed to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and to let our souls follow close behind Him as His right hand holds us up (Psalm 63:8).

…Looking back to the days when all my children were young and I desperately sought time alone with God, I recall thinking, “What’s wrong with me? Why does everyone else seem to have it all together, and I can’t seem to have a single quiet time without getting frustrated over being interrupted every five seconds?” I thought I had to spend time with God a certain way for it to “count”.

…It took me a long time to realize that I needed to serve God right where He had placed me – and I didn’t have to be in seclusion to spend quality time with Him. I was in His presence with every diaper I changed, every Bible story I told my children, every meal I prepared, every toilet I cleaned, and every math paper I graded. I learned to gather my little ones around me to pray the Lord ’s Prayer, for my good as well as theirs.

…God will provide us with the rest and refreshing we need. He will even provide us with moments alone with Him at times. But we’re not to knock ourselves out trying to get away from everyone to meet with God. We need to learn to find Him in the commotion of everyday life. We must view serving our families as acts of service to God, rather than as acts that “get in the way” of serving Him. -Stacy McDonald

Weekly Scripture Reading

So how did it go last week? Were you able to spend time in the Word?

Last week I wasn’t able to spend as much time in the Word as I would have liked. I like to be able to dig in deep and really “spend” time reading and praying. But last week I was exhausted and I shut off my alarm four out of five mornings (M-F) without even realizing I had done so. The result was that I wasn’t able to get up before the children and had to spend my quiet time with a bit of noise and many interruptions. You might recall that I mentioned before that I know all about interruptions. I’ve come to believe they are okay during various seasons of a mother’s life (having your quiet time while the children are awake) and especially okay when there is a newborn in the house or a toddler that is refusing to sleep at night, but I’ve come to realize that I much prefer getting up before the children are awake. I’ve come to treasure my quiet hours alone with God. Notice the word “my”. I’ve claimed the time. As mother’s we must be careful not to claim time as our own, because once we do we will regret it’s inevitable loss and that is when the interruptions start to make us irritable and unpleasant. So I must remind myself that my time with God is a privilege and doesn’t “belong” to me. I must be willing to give it up if other life issues call, and go back to it as I have time. Smile.

But, I find that it is nice to be able get up before the children because it allows me time to spiritually and mentally prepare myself for the day ahead. Later in the week I’ll try to write a little about how to have a quiet time when the children are awake.

Here are the Scripture Readings for the week of June 28th – July 5th. This week holds the promise of being busy as we prepare for the July 4th holiday. Don't let your busyness steal your time with God - stay in the Word. And if you do get sidetracked and stop reading, start again as soon as you are able.

Day One: Sunday June 28 – 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 136

Day Two: Monday June 29 – Psalm 134; 146-150

Day Three: Tuesday June 30 – 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8

Day Four: Wednesday July 1 – Proverbs 25-26

Day Five: Thursday July 2 – Proverbs 27-29

Day Six: Friday July 3 – Ecclesiastes 1-6

Day Seven: Saturday July 4 – Ecclesiastes 7-12 (I know that you will be busy today, but don’t skip!)

Looking Ahead: Sunday July 5 – 1 Kings10-11; 2 Chronicles 9

A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. –Ecclesiastes 1:4

About Thursday and Friday's Scripture Readings

Now, don’t look at the Scriptures listed for Thursday and Friday and think, “1 Kings and 2 Chronicles! You’re kidding! Boring!” I’m not. These books are not boring. They are not dull. Change your thinking. These books are informative. It is so neat to see how the two books fit together and parallel each other.

Because we are doing a chronological reading we will be reading God’s redemptive story right up to and through the birth, death and resurrection of Christ (and on) and we will be able to walk, so to speak, the path of HIStory that leads almost right to our very doorstep.

These books are not boring. They are part of God’s grand redemptive history that fits perfectly together to form HIS story and the story of you (if you are a Christian). Plus, I know that deep down you want to know how God worked in the life of King Solomon and how Solomon responded to God and how he built the temple. (Be sure to look for a picture of the temple and look up a picture of the Ark as well and then reflect on whether God was pleased to finally have a house.) And I know you will find much wisdom to savor in Proverbs (in fact reading through the book of Proverbs each month isn’t a bad thing to do as it is so rich and so much can be learned from it).

Savor God’s Word this week. I’ll be praying for you.

As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” -1 Kings 5:7

Weekly Scripture Reading

As promised here are the Scriptures we will be reading this week. They run Sunday June 21-Sunday June 28, 2009. We are still in Proverbs for a few days, and then we move into 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles for awhile. Don’t get discouraged. This is fun, informative, and best of all it is molding you into the likeness of Christ. Amen!

Day 1: Sunday June 21 – Proverbs 13-15

Day 2: Monday June 22 – Proverbs 16-18

Day 3: Tuesday June 23 – Proverbs 19-21

Day 4: Wednesday June 24 – Proverbs 22-24

Day 5: Thursday June 25 – 1 Kings 5-6; 2 Chronicles 2-3

Day 6: Friday June 26 – 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4

Day 7: Saturday June 27 - 1 Kings 8: 2 Chronicles 5

Looking Ahead: Sunday June 28 – 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 136

Again the complete yearly chronological list can be found here.

Reminder: If you miss a day, pick up where you left off. Don’t let the daily readings (i.e. the dates) discourage you or overwhelm you. They are not as daunting as they look. Really! It is better to be reading as much as you are able than to quit because you just “can’t keep up” or get behind. I know all about having no time and lots of interruptions. And don’t forget, please don’t hesitate to stop and meditate on God’s Word. If a specific scripture jumps out at you and speaks to your heart, savor it, devour it, look it up in a concordance or a good commentary and learn about it. Memorize it. After all, that is the point - to get to know God, to learn about Him, to grow yourself spiritually, and to leave your time with God touched, changed, and filled – it is not to rush through just to finish.

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. –Proverbs 24:3-4

In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD. -1Kings 6:1

How to Practice Time w/God

A re-write of my notes from Sunday June 14, 2009 on Biblical Meditation.

1. Set aside an uninterrupted time to meet with God.
2. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Ask God to quiet your mind.
3. Read the Word
4. Pray
5. Memorize scripture
6. Live it out.

Why do this? To conform to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), to renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2), to set our minds on the proper things (Colossians 3:1-2), to rid ourselves of the “old self” and put on the “new self” (Colossians 3:8-10).

Why we fail? We live according to the flesh (Romans 8:5-8), we dwell on carnal things, we are too busy.

Additional Helps? Meditate on the right things (Philippians 4:8), be selective about what you watch, read, do and the time you spend on these things.

Most Important Take Home: Meditate on God’s word. Chew on it. Savor it. Devour it. Make it part of you. Live it out.

Lord, quiet my heart. Speak to me through Your word. Shine the light of Your truth into my life. I surrender myself to You and commit to do whatever You show me to do. In Jesus Name.

As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey… -Isaiah 31:4

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. –Philippians 4:8-9

Bible Reading Part III - Final

This is the third and final post in this unintended series on reading the Bible. I apologize for taking all week to post it.

As some of you know I’ve been reading my Bible chronologically. When I decided to do this I sent out a call to join me in this endeavor (read your Bible in a year) on Facebook. Sadly, only two sweet women joined me. Now, I’d like to send this call out again. You may join me in this (even if you are currently reading your Bible according to some other plan) by leaving a comment and letting me know you would like to do so or you may send me a message on Facebook. Every week I will try to post the passages that I will be reading for the week. I encourage you to join with us. Even if you do not comment, please prayerfully consider making this a priority in your life.

If you are a Christian, this should be a priority. It is not really an option. It is, as my husband has been teaching us on Sunday mornings, one of the spiritual disciplines of a Christian. It doesn’t make you a Christian, but it is one of the disciplines that will lead to growth as a Christian (and without which it is very difficult to grow spiritually as a Christian).

Readings will be listed Sunday through Saturday with a look ahead at the following Sunday (so that you can read Sunday on Saturday if you would like to). I will try to post on Saturday or Sunday at the latest.

Note: If you use these passages, you will be reading about King Solomon.

Bible Reading for June 14-20th

Sunday June 14: 1 Kings 3-4; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 72
Monday June 15: Psalm 119:89-176
Tuesday June 16: Song of Solomon
Wednesday June 17: Proverbs 1-3
Thursday June 18: Proverbs 4-6
Friday June 19: Proverbs 7-9
Saturday June 20: Proverbs 10-12

A Look Ahead

Sunday June 21: Proverbs 13-15

Feel free to jump in and read along with me. I would also love to hear your thoughts on the passages or hear about what you are currently reading.

Meditate on This:

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statues; I will not forget your word. – Psalm 119:15-16

Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wonderous works. –Psalm 119:27

I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statues. –Psalm 119:48

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he mediates day and night. –Psalm 1:1-2

P.S. Just in case you are curious here are a few of the primary Spiritual Disciplines that should be a part of your life as a maturing Christian – prayer, confession, fasting, biblical meditation, worship, fellowship, teaching, and service.

Part I
Part II

Bible Reading Part II

Okay, so I’ve been talking about my Bible reading plan and how to approach those days when you simply do not have the time to read or when you are unable to read for whatever reason (including laziness). Now I’d like to take a few minutes to share a few more thoughts about the Bible. Most of this will sound like I’m preaching to the choir, but if you would bear with me I think this bears repeating.

For some reason a lot of people think that the Bible is boring or dull or just a list of names. Not so.

The Bible is an interesting book. It is a great read. You’ve got wars, betrayals, famines, births, deaths, love affairs, angels talking to people, God doing amazing and miraculous things, and so much more – prophets sitting under trees being fed by birds, poetry, and love stories, and all this in just the Old Testament…I mean really!

Quite simply, there is no other book that will speak to your heart the way the Bible does and I haven’t even mentioned that it has the answer for your every need. If that isn’t reason alone to read it, I don’t know what is. And I still haven’t even touched on the main reason to read it.

The MAIN reason to read the Bible…

The Bible is God’s holy and precious word. In it He is speaking to us. To you, me – us. It is His Word telling us about Himself. It is about Himself/God and a Savior who loves you with an everlasting and incomprehensible love. Did you hear that!

Everlasting
Incomprehensible
Unchanging

Not based on anything you do or do not do…a love that isn’t fickle or inconsistent or subject to change…a love that is forever and doesn’t falter.

The Bible is about a Savior who loves you so much that He was willing to die for YOU. For you…unworthy, ugly, sinful you. (And yes you are, and yes I am…and yes we need this Savior because without Him we are…without hope.)

And to those of you who think you are not "moved" by the Bible that it does not speak to you and therefore you have no need to read it…hogwash!! Here is a challenge for you – ask God to make His Word alive to you. Ask Him to speak to you as you read. Ask Him to give you a love and a passion for His Word. Ask Him to show Himself to you as you read. Then get ready because if you are faithful and you do your part by reading you are in for the ride of your life because God is going to turn your world upside down (and then He will expect you to start turning the world upside down).

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. -Isaiah 55:11

And if after reading God’s Word and asking Him to speak you are still not moved the problem is you. It is not God or the Bible. The problem is your heart and you need to lay it before the Lord and pray He has mercy on you.

Finally, if you are a Christian and you think you have the right to decide whether or not you read your Bible I would ask you to carefully and prayerfully consider this…how can you come to know who God is unless you read His Word? How can you come to know how He wants you to live if you do not read His Word. Christian books about these subjects are good and should be utilized, but they should not take the place of your Bible. Your Bible is where you start and stop. If you have time to read (or do) anything else -- be it the newspaper, blogs, emails, Facebook, text messages, fiction, self-help books, anything else, you have time to read your Bible. Do it now. Ask God to help you find the time. He will do so with joy.

I’m sorry, I said I would list this week’s Bible readings and I still have not done it. Please continue on. I promise to list it in the next post.

And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." –Acts 17:6-7

I have loved you with an everlasting love… -Jeremiah 31:3

Part I
Part III

Bible Reading Part I

It has been on my heart for several days to share my Bible reading plan.

Last Sunday my husband Mark taught on Biblical Meditation (which has nothing to do with transcendental meditation and everything to do with meditating on and savoring God’s Word) and to follow up I thought I would post this because I think that reading your Bible (on a regular basis and meditating on God's Word) is not an option for a Christian it is a mandate.

So every Sunday (yes, I know it is now Tuesday, I’m a bit late in deciding to do this) I will try to post my weekly Bible reading. If you would like to print out the whole yearly reading it can also be found here (along with other Bible reading plans if you happen to want a different one).

Now, I have two thoughts about Bible reading:

1.) It is very easy to feel like you should give up if you miss a few days (especially if your plan has dates and you are supposed to read a certain passage on a certain date. I know that it can be overwhelming to try to catch up so you just give up instead). Don’t give in to this. If you miss, start where you stopped. Ignore the dates and move on. Be as consistent as you can, but it is okay if you miss a day here and there, just start again where you left off. Ignore the dates. Missing a day is not a good reason to stop reading. This is about a lifestyle (way of life), not a diet.

2.) You might think that since you didn’t start back in January you can’t start reading right now. Hogwash! Start where you are. Your year can start right now and your year can take two years or three years or however long. In fact, it could be and probably should be a continuous circle or cycle that never ends. The goal is to read your Bible as consistently as you can. If you miss a day or two or three, pick it up again as soon as you can. Just jump in. God isn’t going to turn you away.

In truth God doesn’t care how long it takes you, only that you are consistently reading. One more time...if you miss a day, (I often miss Sundays - which is kind of silly, but happens because that day is super busy for me) pick up the next day. Do a double reading (which is what I do and isn’t as difficult as it might seem).

Final - we often sit down and read several chapters of our favorite novel, but sitting down and reading several chapters in our Bible is for some reason difficult and unpleasant. Hogwash! I think this shows that our priorities are skewed.

Well, as often happens I’ve run too long so I’m going to stop and continue this in another post. Please continue with part II and part III.