Bible in 90 Days

In January began reading the Bible in 90 days with Mom's Toolbox.  I actually finished in 86 because it is just that great.  The Bible is truly the greatest story ever told!  The challenge started again this week and I am in the middle of Genesis, the original soap opera!  I noticed something new when I read today.  (I love learning new things!  That's the great thing about the Bible!)
Leah, the first wife of Jacob, was not the favorite of her husband.  That role belonged to her younger sister, Rachel.  Leah wanted to be loved.  She had several sons.  Smart and strong.  Leah would be a good mom, a good wife, and Jacob would love her.  Leah's focus and perspecive changed with the birth of each son.  The first son she named Reuben because "surely my husband will love me now."  When Simeon was born she said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am not loved, He gave me this one too."  Another attempt when Levi was born; "at last my husband will become attached to me." 
When Judah was born, Leah realized that her hope, confidence, and worth was never going to come from Jacob; only from the Lord.  Leah named her fourth son Judah.  It means praise.  She said, "this time I will praise the Lord."

Where does my hope, confidence, and worth come from?

Worthless

If anyone thinks himself (or herself) to be religious, and yet does not bridle his own tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
James 1:26

Worthless means of no use, importance or value.  Good for nothing.
James is so straight forward.  He tells is like it is.  I. need. that.
When a believer does not 'walk the walk' they do NOTHING for God.  Sure, I'm still saved if I say unkind things to my friends or the clerk at the store or bank, but I am not helping them.  Worthless.  When I yell at my kids, worthless.  Telling my husband exactly what he did wrong, worthless.  Talking about my boss or coworkers behind their backs may not get me in trouble at work, but does it edify?  Nope.  Worthless.

James goes in to much more detail in Chapter 3.  What does he say about my tongue? Well, here is just a snippet.
The tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity, it cannot be tamed, it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.  Need I go on?  Sounds so positive...

So how do I make what I believe NOT worthless?  Ephesians 4:29!
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need at the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.

What to do with those crowns?

As I mentioned last week, I am doing Precepts Upon Precepts study of James and learning so much!  My 'nugget' this week?

CROWNS!

James 1:12 says when believers persevere under trial they will be approved and receive the crown of life that Jesus promised to those who love him.  Several other verses reference crowns that Christians can receive when the Lord comes back.
Believers receive an imperishable wreath when they run the race. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
The crown of righteousness is laid up for all those who loved Christ's appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
Teachers will receive the crown of glory when the Chief Shepherd has appeared. (1 Peter 5:4)
The crown of exultation is for those who spread the good news. (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

The BEST part of what I learned came in Revelation 4:10-11!  Twenty-four elders are worshiping Jesus on His throne in Heaven and they throw their crowns, the ones they earned for being faithful, enduring trials, preaching and teaching God's word, at Jesus' feet!  The only right and proper and acceptable thing to do with those crowns is to give them back to the One who is worthy!

All I have ever had or will have comes from God and is because of God.  What is my reasonable act of worship?  the only thing that makes sense?  To give ALL I have to my Savior!  After all, it was His to begin with!

Unhindered Running

Hebrews 12:1 says "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race which is set before us."

My 3 year old son, Eli, goes to preschool.  He loves it.  Eli is a social butterfly.  He likes the kids and he loves his teachers.  When he walked into the room today he saw Ms. Becky, yelled hi, dropped his backpack off his shoulders in one swift motion and ran across the room to give her a hug.

Seeing him cast the burden of his backpack aside so he could get where he was going as quickly as possible made me think of Hebrews 12.  I need to be that single-minded in my pursuit of Christ.  Not letting anything stop me.

A child's joy reminds me to seek Christ.  That is a finer thing!

James- My new love

Yes, I have a new love, his name is James.  However, don't worry and call my husband, James lived 2000 years ago or so.  And I don't really love him, just his epistle to the church.

For Precepts this fall we are studying James and if that were not enough, I am also teaching a 5 week study on James for the ladies at my church.  I am loving it and I'm sure themes from James will arise throughout the next few months as I immerse myself in the book.

photo courtesy of Precepts Ministries International

The thought I have for today is from Kay Arthur's lesson on James 1 last week.  She said James is not about Ephesians 2:8-9, how a person can be saved, but rather it is about Ephesians 2:10, how to live once you are saved.  The book of James really is a 'how to' manual for Christian living!

The Myth of the Perfect Mother

A book I am reading.

I. need. this.

I cannot tell you if I agree theoloically with this book (I am only in the first chapter), but the few pages I have read have made me say, "Yes! Exactly! This is how I feel!"

Carla Barnhill says, "The real toll of motherhood often blindsides women who grow up believing that becoming a mother will be the greatest thing ever to happen to them. Instead of floating along in a sea of motherly bliss, many of us find ourselves conflicted, depressed, guilt-ridden, lonely, even suicidal. Sadly when these feelings begin to creep in, the last place many of us feel comfortable talking about them is in our churches."

I don't know what this lady is going to recommend, but at least someone understands me now.

Book Review: Plan B

Thomas Nelson Publishers sent me Plan B by Pete Wilson to review. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and I was not compensated in any other way.

I found myself thinking about this book over the weeks I read it. It would pop up in my mind during women's Bible study or in conversation with friends. Pete is a pastor of a growing church in Tennessee and he addresses an issue that occurs in everyone's life: what do you do when things don't go according to plan? Sometimes our plans go awry because of our poor planning or sin, but sometimes it seems we did nothing wrong, but still nothing goes right. Where is God in that? Has He abandoned me? Those questions and more are discussed in Plan B.

Pete shares stories from his own life as well as those he has pastored and counseled. Most importantly, Pete opens the Word of God and relates it to life! The 'hero's of faith' in the Bible all fell on difficult times; was God abandoning them? Pete shows that God was faithful to Job, Abraham, Mary, David, and others and that He is faithful to His children today. Even when Plan A has gone out the window, there is a Plan B, and often, that plan is better than we could have ever imagined! I would recommend this book to anyone who feels lost or abandoned. If you have been a believer in Christ for many years or are searching for hope, God will meet you in this book.

Good, Better, Best

This is the story of two sisters who were both excited about the guest coming to dinner at their home, but the way they showed it was different. One hurried around getting things ready, distracted by her preparations. The other sat and listened to the guest excited just to be near him. Perhaps the first sister grew a little bitter and resented the second. Here she was doing all the work, and her sister just sat! She asked that her sister help, but the guest said the sister who was sitting had chosen the one thing that was necessary.

I imagine many of you recognize the account of Martha and her sister Mary who received a visit from Jesus in Luke 10:38-42. I struggled with this story as I am sure many other women do. I think, Martha was doing good, they had to eat, isn't it important to serve. This week as I studied that passage I noticed something. Verse 38 says that Martha welcomed Jesus, she was glad he was there, she truly loved him, but later in verse 40 she became distracted by all she had to do and her focus was no longer on where it should be- her Savior and her God! Martha was not wrong in her kitchen prep, she was wrong in her attitude and her heart. She was over-occupied and too busy. Who does that happen to? Being over-occupied and too busy? Not me I am sure ;) Martha only remembered her service and forgot the One she was serving! She forgot her purpose, her one thing.

Jesus told Martha that she was worried and bothered about so many things but only one thing is necessary and Mary had chosen that! (verse 42) Mary understood the 'good, better, best' concept. Getting supper ready was good, doing it with a happy attitude would be better, meditation, devotion, and worship is the best. Mary's time spent at the feet of Jesus would last for eternity, would not be taken away from her.

Ken Guire says in his book, Intimate Moments With the Savior, "Jesus says something extraordinary about what Mary did: it would become a permanent part of her life; it would count for eternity. Quite a promise. And what did Mary do? All she did was sit. It was where she sat that made the difference."

So how do I apply good, better, best in my life? I remember that there will be time to pick up toys and vacuum another day. It means that I do not have to make every meal homemade. It is okay to miss a class or meeting. What is good and better will be different for every person, but the best always is resting at the Savior's feet. When I focus on the one relationship that matters most, mine with my Lord, the other relationships do not be come less, they become better and more fulfilling! I love better as a wife, mother, daughter, friend.

What is your One Thing? Has something 'good' has replaced the best in your life?

Strong or Spoiled

I am almost done with Beth Moore's study on Esther. Today she asked us a question she has been asking herself since the beginning of writing this study- Am I strong or am I spoiled?

Am I spoiled by the nice house, car, clothes, food, etc. I have? Satan thought Job was spoiled and would not worship God if he were not blessed. Job was strong. He stayed faithful to God through adversity.

All for you

Andy and I have been reading through Paul's letters to the church at Corinth and if you have read these you may recall that he is offensive. Even as a believer in Christ, I read what he had to say and think, 'wow, that was harsh!' And the church was offended by his exhortation, at least for at first. Somehow though, Paul spoke truth and preached what they needed, but didn't want, to hear; and while they didn't like it, they did listen. They took to heart what Paul had to say. No one likes to be told they are wrong.

What made the church at Corinth receptive to what Paul had to say? How did Paul teach Truth without pushing the believers further away?

Paul points out that what he says and what he does are judged by God and that God knows he speaks for the benefit of the Corinthians. Second Corinthians 12:19 says "All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for your upbuilding, beloved."

Did you hear that?
all for your upbuilding
Paul loved those he was writing to and that love was evident in his actions, making it easier to accept his exhortation!

Am I open to learning God's Truth presented in His Word and by way of other believers? Do I speak the truth in love? What is my motive in telling another believer something?

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Everyday they are watching me. Listening to me. What am I showing them?


I want to be able to say, as Paul did to the church in Philippi, "The things you have learned and recieved and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Phil. 4:9)

How will I live? How will you live? Who is watching you?

Status Update

Last night at church I helped with the youth group. I met in a small group with Sarah and 6 junior high and high school girls. The topic of discussion was prayer, which I always need reminding of!

As believers, we are told to pray continually in 1 Thessalonians 5. Sarah asked the girls what it meant or looked like to do this in their lives. I thought about it and decided that I needed to treat prayer like I treat facebook.

I stay home with the kiddos and have the computer up most of the day. I can check out facebook regularly. I will get on the the morning and update my status, then get breakfast ready. Later I will check out pictures and read new messages, then feed Carmody and switch laundry around. Then I will send some posts to friends followed by cleaning the bathroom and loading the dishwasher. I might play a game of Word Twist then read a book with Eli. As you can see I don't spend all my time on facebook, but I check it and update it continually, it is something I come back to.

My relationship with my Heavenly Father should be that way! I need to come talk to Him throughout the day! That communication ought to be part of my everyday life. Why isn't it? Do I not value prayer or truly believe it works? Perhaps my view of God is skewed. Whatever it is, I am wrong!

Seeking God

Recently Andy and I have had an issue arise numerous times. Sometimes this means God is trying to teach me something!

Believers are called to obey God even if they are alone in that. In every relationship, regardless of whether the other participants are righteous and holy in their actions, I am to live and act as God has commanded. I am to follow God's will. I have to do what is right in the eyes of God.

I will not answer for what someone else has done.

I will answer for my attitude.

I will answer for my deeds.

This means that I have to seek God's will and God's wisdom in each matter. I cannot assume that what I think is right, I have to read and pray over God's Word, asking Him to give me wisdom to see His will. I need to strive for truth, not human truth, because we humans are foolish, but real TRUTH that can only come from God. I know that God is faithful and when I earnestly seek Him, I will find Him. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." WOW!

This is somethings that I want to teach Eli in small ways now, through everyday situations. I would love to know how you have taught your children to diligently seek God and be righteous no matter what the circumstances.