John 1:35-42

Two of John's Disciples Follow Jesus John was standing with two of his disciples and Jesus walked by and the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus saw the disciples following Him and asked what they wanted. The two men wanted to know where the Rabbi was going. Jesus told them to travel with them and they went to a certain place and stayed there for whole day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. Andrew was one of the man that followed and he went to find his brother Simon Peter to tell him that they have found the Messiah. Andrew brought his brother to Jesus and Jesus said, :You are Simon, the son of John-but you will be called Cephas which means Peter. It is exciting to see how the first thing Andrew wanted to do is find his brother so he too could met Jesus who was the Messiah. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Where Did You Get Those Shoes I was finished using the gym equipment and I was changing back into my regular shoes when a male voice asked me where did I get my shoes. "I'm sorry, the man said, I thought you were my wife. You have the same white color hair and I wore glasses." The wife came and laughed and said, "I'm guess you are going home with my husband and I am going home with yours." I told her that my husband was going to work first. She decided she would stay with her husband.

John 1:29-34

Jesus The Lamb Of God Jesus was coming toward John and John cried out, "Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Soon a man is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.'" John then said, "I saw the Holy Spirit resting upon him and this, I knew was the one I was looking for. I Baptist with water but He baptizes with the Holy Spirit. I saw this happen to Jesus so I testify that he is the Son of God. Can't you hear the excitement in John voice as he sees Jesus coming toward them? He wanted all of them, without a doubt, that Jesus was the Son of God. I am so glad that he did and it was written down.

John 1:15-18

Today we are going to be looking at John 1:15-18. Read this Scripture in your own Bible and then look at the summary that I have written up. John bore witness of Jesus by crying out, "This was he of whom I spoke, He that cometh after me is preferred before me; for he was before me. An of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No Man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." John was born first and then Jesus came along 6 months later as far as Jesus' human birth. Before His human birth He lived in heaven with His Father. No one has seen God except for His Son. Jesus was far greater than John because He existed long before John did. God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. Jesus talked about His Father and told them many things.

The Word

I received a new Bible for Christmas and I thought that we would do a Bible study on John. For the last couple of days I have heard it mentioned so thought would read it. Come join me. John 1:1-14 The Word Was God In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not the Light, but was sent to bear witness of tat Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came into his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Notes There are a lot of things going on in these few short verses. The Word-This is another name for the Lord. All things were made by Him. John was going to bear witness of the Lord so all might believe and be able to become t the sons of God. Those who believe on the name of Jesus (the Lord) were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. The Word (Lord) was made flesh and dwelt among His people and He was full of grace and truth. Things Learned Word another name for Jesus. Jesus was Light in a dark world. The world did not receive Him. He was full of grace and truth.

Day After Christmas

I hope those reading this had a good Christmas Day. We did. It was a quiet one with just my husband and I spending the day together. We had a good lunch and during the afternoon and into the evening we watched Christmas movies. Today was back to work. On Monday I decided to get my hair cut. I decided to go to one of the local haircut places near my home instead of going to my own hair dresser. I have had my hair cut there before and liked how they cut my hair. However I got a person who never cut my hair before. I told her she could cut it the way she thought it would look good. Mistake number one. She cut it but didn't leave a bang, which I usually have, so I looked like a balding old lady. The old lady part is true. Let's say getting up in years (72) and I did discover that my forehead is getting higher. My husband didn't notice it while we were still in the shop but when we were in the car he couldn't help but laugh. I laughed right along with him as I did look quite a sight. I tried washing it but it didn't help anything as it was sticking straight up. Finally had to use a product to hold it down. I guess I should have waited and gone to my own hairdresser. I told my husband that if I ever write a book it would have to be one thing that goes into it. I will just have to keep working at it so I can go out in public again. I have been in hiding.

A Treasure Found

Last evening I went looking for a book that I wanted to continue reading on C.S.Lewis. I cleaned out my magazine rack and I didn't find the book I was looking for, but I found a small treasure in a small pamphlet called "The Christian and Mental Health." It is written by Richard W. De Haan. Since I have some issues with Mental Illness this has helped me just reading a few pages. I am looking forward to getting into reading and studying it further today. The thought through the first few pages is as follows: God made us like we are for His good purposes. Psalm 139:14 tells us "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are they works and that my soul knoweth right well. We were fashioned by the Lord, and He has a special niche He wants us to fill. Whatever your limitations they were permitted by God as part of His wise plan. See why I think this pamphlet is such a treasure. I believe God wanted me to find this treasure just when I did in order to help me along in my Christian walk and to help me become stronger in what I believe in and I know that He is guiding me at this time especially. May you all have a wonderful Christmas and may your New Year be a good one.

A Different Time

I discovered yesterday that it is best to post in the morning that way I know you will receive a post. Yesterday I thought I would wait till evening and then I might have more information to give to you. As it turned out we never got home until 7:00 p.m. and we both had a Hockey game on. I had to get supper and by the time I got settled in my game was going very well. Actually we won 5to3. By the time it was over it was way pasted 10:00. I then decided to write down things today. I like to do something every day, but sometimes my life seems very quiet and do the same thing every day. If this happens again I think I would fill in with Bible verses. We finally found out when our children are coming for Christmas. Didn't know until yesterday that two of our children and their families are coming on Sunday. Our oldest son is coming on New Years Day. He had a bathroom pipe break and his car needs some work on in order to pass inspection. It will be nice to have them all here even if it is on different days. Well I guess that is all for now. The Lord has been good to us and I am wanting to praise Him. We have such a good God and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is the reason for this season. All have a good day.

Ears and Eyes

Today is one of those days in which I feel especially good. I feel the presence of the Lord in my life. The sun is shining outside and we have good music playing. I wanted to use a Scripture verse this morning and so I went to Proverbs 20 and found this one, "Ears to hear and eyes to see-both are gifts from the LORD. (NLT) Proverbs 20:12. It is one of those kind of mornings where I am feeling grateful for both my ears and eyes. What great gifts these are from the Lord. I need to make sure I am using both of them for good and not evil.

Busy Day

Today was one of those type of days that was very busy. I had an appointment at 10:00, then a class at 1:30 lasting to 3:00 and then a party at 4:00. I am still under the care of a counselor for my moods. I meet with my counselor about every two weeks. It was a good session today and got a lot accomplished. I met my goal for today and will continue to work on it more for my next visit. I am taking a class, again it is in the stage of making goals and meeting them by January 9th. So far I have met this goal and looking forward to work on it some more. In my spare time I volunteer for my local library and today they had a party for all their volunteers. It was a great party and we each got a small gift and plenty of food to eat. There was a lot of laughter and good time as we met together. I am so glad that I can still volunteer. It breaks up the week and I get to see all the new books that come in the library and I get to read them. Do you have any place that you volunteer for?

Time Well Spent

My time today was used in studying my words for sign language, reading my library book, and I decided to read in the book of Galatians. I learned a few more words in ASL, which I have made it my goal to learn at least six words a week or more, which I have been doing. I use sign language during our church service when we sing. My voice is not to good lately and it is hard to sing and then talk. So by doing signing I can enjoy the songs. I finished up my library book which was very good. It was a crime story. Galatians 2:20 reads as follows: (Amplified Bible):"I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]: it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. What a great verse! I have been crucified with Christ it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. I have faith in and complete trust in the Son of God. He loved me and gave Himself up for me. As I write this I am rejoicing in the Lord along with the other things that are mentioned. How about you? Can you rejoice along with me? I hope you can and are doing so!

My Hobby

I enjoy creating things whether it is painting with wax, pour painting, geli painting or doing zentangles. I look forward to a couple of magazines that are on the market and they are Where Women Create Work and What Women Create. I just picked up Where Women Create Work this afternoon. So if you enjoy reading about different crafts and how each person does their own craft I recommend these magazines. I find them in Barnes and Noble and Wegmans. To me God has given all of us things that we can do. I think mine is teaching, doing crafts. How about you? Do you have anything that you really enjoy doing as a hobby or a business?

I Love This Time Of Year

I have my shopping done, I am not baking anything as I do not have an oven, I don't need to wrap my gifts. I am enjoying just sitting and listening to the wonderful versions of Christmas music. Some of it is so relaxing and gets me thinking why we celebrate Christmas. I hope you are enjoying this precious time of the year.

Praising The Lord Today

One of my favorite verse is This is the day the Lord has made I am going to rejoice in it! Today I am really hurting from my fall yesterday but I still can praise the Lord as it is not an all-day hurting. Thank you Lord for helping not to hurt all day.

Almost Quiet Day

Now that we have talked about what Christmas is all about we will be looking into just general news. How the Lord is working in my life and lives of others. Today was almost a normal, quiet day. A busy one, as my husband and I went to the church to clean it for tonight. He cleans the church each week. I was so tired that I laid down on their couch they have and fell asleep. After my husband was through cleaning he woke me up and we left and went to Kentucky Fried Chicken House for our lunch. We had about an 1/2 hour before a meeting was to start that I needed to go to. We ordered our lunch but they were out of regular chicken and didn't have time to wait for the new batch to be ready. So we left the restaurant and went to one we had never been before. We had a great lunch and we got up to go to the car. I was ahead of my husband and didn't realize there was a step down and I fell and hit the door. I must say the Lord was protecting me as I could have injured the shoulder I had broken and also hit my head. I did not do either. I did get banged up a little. Scraps on my knees and one elbow but they will heal and will be back to normal in a short time. My husband told me he couldn't take me anywhere.

It Happened This Way

I was looking up a verse on laughter and when I opened up my Bible I came across the following verse, "Proverbs 19:1-Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his speech and is a [self-confident] fool." (Amplifier Bible) This verse just grabbed my attention.

2 Years Later

Matthew 2:1-12 NLT) Wise Men Visit Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him." Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. "Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?" he asked them. "In Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote; 'O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.'" Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star. Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too! They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

It's Anna Turn

Luke 2:36-40 (NLT) Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. Reading about Anna makes me think about how many people I know or heard about that would do such a thing as Anna did. Stay in a Temple, or today a place of worship, and not leave. She was their for years and worshiped, fasting and praying. If only we could do that today. A lot of people have problem just staying in church for an hour. How devoted Anna was.

Simeon

Luke 2:35 (NLT) Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God saying, "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, I have seen the Savior you have given to all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." Again we see where Mary was told many things that were going to take place. I wonder why only Mary was told about Jesus and not both Mary and Joseph. Joseph was probably close by and heard but Simeon was telling Mary all the things that would take place.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

Luke 2:24 Eight days after His birth Jesus was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given Him by the angel even before He was conceived. Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took Him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord." So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord-either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

Shepherds and Angels

Luke 2:8-20 (NLT) That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven-praising God: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all who God favors." When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said. Angels were involved again this time talking with shepherds. They were the first people to see Jesus. And they told everyone about how the angels told them about Him as they went back to their sheep. What I find so fascinating is that Mary quietly treasured those things in her heart.

Birth Of Jesus

When we read Luke 2:1-7 it seems like such a simple birth of Jesus. In some ways it was a simple birth. Just like any other birth of a Jewish baby. But we know it wasn't as simple as it reads. First Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem in Judea. It was a long trip both walking or riding on a donkey. It was twice as hard especially for Mary as she was almost ready to deliver her baby. When they got to Bethlehem there were so many people there that there was no room in the inn. Joseph and Mary were given a space in the stable and they were among the different animals that people had used or those of the inn keeper had. We don't know for sure if Mary had any help delivering the baby. Once born He was put in a stable and it was used as a bed. There is a little more to this event but we will look at the rest in our next post. Just think on these things and thing what it would have been like for Joseph and Mary.

Looking At Joseph

Matthew 1:18-25(NLT) Today we are going to read about Joseph in Matthew chapter 1. Then we will go back to Luke for the next part of the event. In Matthew chapter 1:1-17 we have the record of Jesus's ancestors. Among them we find Joseph, the husband of Mary. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah. Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly. As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet: "Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Mary was afraid that Joseph may feel like this and that is why she waited three months to tell him that she was pregnant. The Scripture tells us that Joseph was a just man. He, had thought that Mary was unfaithful and he wanted to quietly break off the engagement so that she would not be disgraced or harmed in any way. Then, while he was asleep an angel appears to him and explains the whole thing to him. Joseph listened an went and brought Mary home and she became his wife and she had a baby boy and they named him Jesus. I am so glad that Joseph listened and believed the angel.

Zechariah's Prophecy

Luke 1:67-80 Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited his people and redeemed them. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant with them, the covenant he gave to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness forever. An you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God's tender mercy the light from heaven is about to break upon us, give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." John grew up and became strong in spirit. Then he lived out in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Birth Of John The Baptist

Luke 1:56-66(NLT) Before John is born Mary returns back home. She had been with Zechariah and Elizabeth for three months. When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby the word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives that the Lord had been very kind to her, and everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah after his father but Elizabeth said, "No! His name is John!" There is no one in the family named John so they asked to speak to Zechariah. Zechariah m0rtioned for a writing tablet and everyone's surprise he wrote, "His name is John!" Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. The question was asked, "I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way.

Mary Sings Song Of Praise

Luke 1:47-56 (NLT) "Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. For he promised our ancestors-Abraham and his children-to be merciful to them forever."

Mary Visits Elizabeth

Luke 1:39-45 Mary Visits Elizabeth A few days after Mary was told she was going to have a baby she hurried to the hill-country of Judea where Zechariah lived. When she entered the house and greeted Elizabeth the sound of Mary's voice made John leap in Elizabeth's body and Elizabeth was filled the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice. You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said." Thought: What a difference between Zechariah and Mary. When Zechariah heard what the angel had to tell him he didn't believe what the angel said. He was not able to speak and wouldn't be able to speak until the baby was born. Mary, on the other hand, believed what the angel told her and know she was called a blessed woman and she was going to be the mother of the Lord. I can't even imagine how Mary was feeling.

Birth Of Jesus Foretold

Review Zechariah was visited by the angel Gabriel in the Temple. He was told that his wife Elizabeth would conceive and they were going to have a baby and he was to call his name John. Zechariah did not believe the angel and because of this his speech was taken away and he it would not return to him until the baby was born. He went home to Elizabeth and she did conceive and we left off where she was 5 months pregnant. When Elizabeth was six months pregnant the same angel that visited Zechariah came to Mary who was in Nazareth in Galilee. Mary was a virgin and she was engaged to be married to Joseph a descendant of King David. The angel greeted Mary with "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.!" Mary was confused and disturbed, she tried to think what the angel was talking about. Then Gabriel explained to her that she was going to become pregnant and have a son and she was to name Him Jesus. He would be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He would reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!" Mary asked the question, "How can she have a baby for she knew not a man, she was a virgin? The angel told her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called Son of God. Also Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! For nothing is impossible with God." Mary believed the angel and told him, "I am the Lord's servant and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." I am so glad that Mary believed the angel. She had faith in her Lord. She knew what would happen once Joseph found out about her being pregnant. It would hurt him deeply. She loved the Lord with all of her heart and she wanted to please Him. I am not so sure I would have responded like Mary did. How about you? Would you have responded like Mary or would you be more like Zechariah?

Birth Of John the Baptist Foretold

Birth Of John The Baptist Foretold Luke 1:5-25 It all begins with a Jewish priest, Zechariah. He lived when Herod was king of Judea. Zechariah was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, His wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and now they were both very old. One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple and an angel of the Lord appeared, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was overwhelmed wit fear. But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And your are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth, for he will great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or hard liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth, and he will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom." Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I know this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years." "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was He who sent me to bring you this good news! And now, since you didn't believe what I said, you won't be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time. Meanwhile, people were waiting for Zechariah to come out, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn't speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures that he must have seen a vision in the Temple sanctuary. He stayed till his of service was over then he went home to his wife Elizabeth, and she shortly afterward became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. "How kind is the Lord. He has taken away my disgrace of having no children!" What a great start to our Christmas story!

Christmas Season

Now I feel comfortable in doing the Christmas story. It is a short story and it is only found in two of the Gospels, Luke and Matthew. There are many characters found in the Christmas story. Priest Zachariah, his wife Elizabeth, John, Mary, Joseph, the Angel, Angels, Shepards, King, Wise Men, Simeon and Anna. We will look in Luke and take a few verses a day and do a summary of what took place. Get your Bibles and join me in this wonderful account of our Lord Jesus and His birth.

Thanksgiving Theme

Being that this is Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, it is appropriate to think on the theme of Thanksgiving. The other day I said I was thankful for family and friends and today I want to mention my church family. I have been with my church off and on now for 46 years. I found it is a great church to be part of. We have three Pastors. One is our main Pastor, one is our Youth Pastor, and the last one works with the Seniors in our congregation. All are very busy and on occasion they take turns to preach. Our church is a very caring church. We have a prayer line which is used when church is not in session. I have needed to us this prayer line a few times. It is great to know that people are praying when going through a tough time. We have get-togethers often and it is nice to fellowship around a dinner table and eat great food. I think this is one of our favorite times together. Coming up we are having a baptism and communion in the same service which ought to be very exciting and reflecting on the last supper in which the Lord took bread and ate and took drink which represents His blood. I pray that you also have a good church you are attending. One that preaches God's Word and is a praying church. Happy Thanksgiving!

Forgiveness

Today I was reading from a devotional book on forgiveness. If we want to be in the center of God's will we need to make sure that we have forgiven the people who may have hurt us in the pass. Love your enemies and those that who spitefully use you. When I was taking care of my mother at the end of her life she was making life very difficult. I prayed a lot and I finally had to stop taking care of her for awhile. It was a hard decision at the time. I had to forgive my Mom for all the things that she did at the end and most of my life. It was hard thing to do but I knew I needed to do so. As God if there is anyone you need to ask forgiveness for.

Be Thankful For Your Processions

Yesterday, our Pastor spoke on being thankful for our processions. God gives us what we have. It is His gift to us. Think about what you have. I am very thankful for the normal things such as my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my home. I am also thankful for the food that I have. Sometimes it may be the same food more than once during the week but I have food. I am thankful for all of my seventeen medicines I need to take. Without them I would be in big trouble. I need to be thankful and also content. Seventeen medicine is a lot to take in a day. But the illnesses I have require this amount. I feel good when all of them work as they should. I am also thankful for the local fitness center that is near me. I feel much better when I go and use the stationary bike and the treadmill. It is my get away. What are you thankful for and are you content with what you have?

Being Creative

This morning my husband and I went to a craft show at our local Hight School. I always enjoy seeing what other people have created with their hands. This years show had pretty much all the same type of displays. Handmade soap, glazed coasters, jewelry, some homemade candles. I did buy one thing for my friend. I like to do crafts. Right now I am into making a scrapbook. Taking some of my rolls of paper and cutting them up and putting them down to make pages. I already have one side with dried paint on it with different designs. It is going together nicely. Do any of you have a craft projects that you do? If you would like to share would be glad to hear from you. God gives people the gift of making things to enrich the lives of others. It is also a good therapy method for those who need something to keep them busy. It is like music and calms the soul.

Big Snow Storm

Our household is calming down. I am getting back to being my old self and the depression is going away. I am so grateful to the Lord for this and it is an answer to many prayers being send up to God on my behalf. Yesterday was our biggest snow storm of the year so far. Where we live we got 8 inches of snow. My husband went out and shoveled it all this morning. It was a heavy snow but he did alright with it. He had to do our stairs, sidewalk, and driveway. Sometimes our neighbor helps out. Hope things are going well for all who are reading this and will talk to you again soon.

Search Me O God

Psalm 139:23-24 are the last two verses we have to look at. Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life. To me these verses seem to be a prayer. A prayer that is the kind that I would want to be said and mean it. Who know what God may bring to my mind. Am I ready to do a pray like this? Are you ready to do a pray like this?

Hate God's Enemies

Psalm 139:19-22 (New Living Translation) O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies take your name in vain. O LORD, shouldn't I hate those who hate you? Yes, I hate them with complete hatred, for your enemies are my enemies. Hate means to dislike strongly. Do we, like the writer of Psalm 139, hate those who are our Lord's enemies? The writer of Psalm 139 did. He hated with complete hatred the enemies of the Lord!

God Thinks About Me!

God thinks about those He has created. Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!

I'm fearfully and wonderfully made

As I read Psalm 139:13-16 I realize that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. And since I am this I have no reason to feel insecure and to have the attitude I am inferior. See if you agree with these verses in your own life.

Psalm 139:13-16 New Living Translation

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!

I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!

I Can Never Escape From God's Spirit

Psalm 139:7-12
I can never escape from your spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
If I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
If  I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.

I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are both alike to you.

Trying Again

It seems like when I am not doing a blog I come up with all kinds of ideas. When I start it up again all the ideas just flee away. Well, I am here again and am going to try again with a daily post. The Lord has been doing so many wonderful things in my life and I feel I need to share this with my readers.

First, I just got out of the hospital. I was in for a week. It was the longest week ever. I learned that I needed to be grateful for all the things going on in my life. Being with other people and I could see what is going on in their lives and realize that I have it real good.

Second, be thankful that I have the Lord as my Savior and Lord. Without Him and His Holy Word I don't know how I would have gotten through my stay at the hospital. I wanted to read a book and there were not any in the room where books were kept. One of the nurses said that they had a book cart so she brought it up to our floor. On the cart were many Bibles so I picked out one and turned to Psalm 139 and began reading. I read the whole chapter. There were so many things in this chapter that helped me through my stay at the hospital I thought I would share the verses in case any of you who are reading are going through some trials at this time.

I believe there is a place in which you can share if you have any comments. I would love to hear from you.

Psalm 139:1-16 New Living Translation
O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me,
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my every thought when far away.
You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!

I will continue on with more verses tomorrow. Hope you feel the presence of the Lord as you read this post.

Christian Living

Romans 12:9 (NLT)

Don't just pretend that you love others, really love them.

Hate what is wrong.

Stand on the side that is good. 

We all have at least one gift

Gifts

Romans 12:6-9(NLT)
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Thought
We should know our gift(s) and use them. It pleases God greatly.

Romans 12:3-5

Romans 12:3-5 (NL)
As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.

Thought
Do you ever feel that you are better than you are? I, myself, usually have the problem of feeling like I am nothing, down on myself, but we are warned today to not things better of ourselves then we ought. If we think more highly than we ought this brings pride. The Lord hates pride. We are to be humble.

Review of what we have read so far:

Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
And so, dear brothers and sister, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do,  and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

Our Service To God Part 2

• Our bodies-Our whole selves-free well-service to God-holy-act of worship.
• Be transformed by renewing of mind-conversion-setting ourselves apart from the world-dying to sin and living to righteousness-being transformed into the likeness of Christ. 
• Can be done by the transforming influences of the Holy Spirit. 
• Be pressing forward towards perfection. 

Ephesians 4:24

"...and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. "

*Information is taken from NIV Matthew Henry Commentary and New King James Bible

Duty To God

Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Thought
We are to give our bodies to God. We are to let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind He will accept. By surrendering ourselves to God, which gives us a good foundation. This is a voluntary act. It must be a free-will offering. Using our bodies as a servant of the soul in the service of God. Yield our bodies as instruments of righteousness. By doing so gives proof of the dedication of our souls to God. It is Christ living in the soul by faith that makes the body a living sacrifice. Being alive to God. We are asked to be set apart from the world and set apart for God. Our bodies are to be used for a holy purpose.

Brothers and Sisters I Beseech You

How to live the Christian Life-Looking at Romans 12:1

Reference books used

1 John MacArthur book The MacArthur Bible Commentary as a reference book. 

2Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus In Dictionary Form

Romans 12:1
I beseech you, therefore, brethren,...

Comments
The Greek word beseech comes from a root word which means 1" to call alongside to help."2This word can also mean to plead.  Paul was speaking as a counselor to his readers pleading with them to do what was requested for them to do which we will find out in the next lesson. He wanted to encourage them. His readers are his brothers and sisters in Christ. 

 Conclusion
The verse could read as follows: I plead with you, therefore, my brothers and sisters in Christ,

If we know something that is very important we too can come along side our brothers and sisters in Christ and encourage them to do what the Bible says to do. 

I Have So Much To Share

It seems like every time I start up again in doing this blog something comes along and I stop. I hope this is not going to happen again.

I enjoy sharing what the Lord is doing in my life. Hopefully, the things I share are an encouragement to those who read the post. The Lord has so good to me throughout knowing Him as my personal Savior, now it is 53 years. I must admit that all those years have not been fruitful years, but as I am growing older, just turned 72 on August 20th of this year, I truly look at my life and say, "Thank you, Jesus, for being with me all these years. 

I have been dealing a lot with many different health issues. The one that is bothering me most is not being able to sleep nights. I just received new medicine and it seems to be helping me a lot by calming my mind and moods. The pain in my feet also has gotten better so that I am not jumping around in bed with pain shooting up my legs. I have cut down on sugar, caffeine, so this has helped in lowering my blood sugar and pain.

I am going to be starting a study on the word slavery as I heard a message on this on Christian Radio WPEL the other day. Did you realize that we are all slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ? I had not thought of it that way but the word that is usually used is a servant.

So join me as we look together in God's Word and find out what a slave really is.

Any time you have any questions or remarks you would like to share just post them on this site and I will try to help you and share with others if you want. I read them first before they go onto the group.

Trustworthy Is Our Thought and Word For Today

As I was reading my devotional this morning I came across a verse that I stopped and read no more and have been contemplating it all morning. Here it is: II Timothy 2:2..."Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass it on to others."

This verse is taken from the New Living Translations. And now I will give you the whole thought.

II Timothy 2:1-2
Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

The word that I have been meditating on is trustworthy. Trustworthy means to be reliable and faithful. If I understand this verse, Timothy, was to go and find others who were trustworthy, reliable and faithful people and teach them so they could teach others. What an amazing thought. So simple but not.

For us today, that is why we need to listen to and understand, and learn from our Pastors. They spend many hours researching the Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach them so that they can teach us.

My prayer is that you have a good Pastor/ Preacher who gives you the truth and then you can share that with others.

Barnabas-Encourager

Hello,
Today as I was reading my Life Principles Daily Bible, which is Charles F. Stanley's Biblical Principles for Each Day of the Year study Bible (NASB), he had a section on Barnabas.

Did you know that Barnabas was known as an encourager? Dr. Stanley states that whenever Barnabas went somewhere people's faces lit up. His presence brought a kind work and maybe a helpful suggestion. His real name was Joseph, who was a Levite from Cyprus, but the apostles gave Joseph the nickname of Barnabas which means "Son of Encouragement." Part of his story is found in Acts 11:25-30.

Thought
How about you? What do people think about when you are around? My desire is that when people meet me or see me coming that they too would have a feeling of happiness because I am there. Sometimes I get the impression that is not always the case.

Thought For Today
Let us who are born again have the characteristic of Christ and Barnabas and be an encourager to others.

 

Jabez-Called On God of Israel

Hello,

Today we are going to turn to I Chronicles 4:9-10.
    What do we find out about Jabez?            
          In verse 9 it tells us that Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.
          We also see why his mother chose the name Jabez.
                  His mother had a lot of as he was being born.
What kind of life do you think Zabez had growing up? 
We are not sure because the Bible doesn't come out and tell us, but I think maybe it was a sad life. However, I also see when I read the verse that he must have believed in God of Israel. He must have been taught something about him from someone because we see that Jabez prayed to the God of Israel.

What did Jabez request?

"Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!"

That seems like a strange prayer to us but for Jabez it was not. He wanted to have more than what he had. He also did not to be hurt in the process of getting more than he had. 

Did God answer Jabez prayer?

Yes he did. 

Thought

When we pray to God to we pray specific enough or is it a general prayer? Jabez knew what he wanted and he just asked God for it. Does God always answer our prayers this way? No, but He does always answer our prays either by yes, no, wait. I am happy that Jazbez prayer was answered with a positive yes. 

How about you? 

What is your thought on this subject of prayer? Should we be direct with God and tell it like it is?

Exciting Reveal!

I don't know about you, but I find when there is something I can't have I want it all the more. For instance, I am starting a new eating and exercise plan. It is not a diet it is a plan that will help me lose the weight I need to lose and maintain that weight loss. So that means that there are some food like; shrimp, mussels, any kind of shell fish and no beef, pork, or any read meat, all the good stuff I like to eat.

I had the thinking, at first, of poor is me. All I can eat is mostly all kinds of vegetables and all kinds of fruit, nuts, seeds. Which there are many ways you can fix these things to make good meals. I then had an idea, I am sure it was the Holy Spirit directly me to have a new mind set.

Here is my new thinking. Instead of complaining and moaning about what I can't have I am replacing those thought with enjoy what I can have. I well feel better, I will look better, and I will become a better person all around. My Heavenly Father knows exactly what I need and how to go about getting it. I am so excited!

How about you? Do you have negative thoughts about something the Lord is asking you to do? Why not change your attitude and see if that makes any difference. Let me know how you make out. Feel free to write a comment and I will get back to you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and be looking forward to what else the Lord is ready to show me through the Holy Spirit.

365 Days Of Wonder

Question
Have any of you read the book Wonder? It is about a boy who was deformed from birth, had many surgeries, and then the story starts with him going to public school for the first time. It was a difficult time for him. This book is also a movie. It is found in the Teen section but is a book or movie for whole family to see.

The Arthur, R.J. Palacio, has written other books and the one I am quoting from today is called,  365 Days Of Wonder Mr. Browne's Precepts. It is book of daily quotes by different people. When I read the one for today I just had to share it.

"You were born An original don't become a copy" Dustin. I know for myself that sometimes I try to be like other people. But as my husband says, "There is only one like me!" He is right. God made me just the way He wanted me to be so all I need to do is listen to Him and He will direct me in the way I should go.

I am very thankful for how I was created. God has made me so that I really have to depend on Him for everything. I like that too as I am used to depending on people that have been and are in my life. Who better to take directions from then God my Heavenly Father.

Thought For The Day
How about you? Do you like yourself or do you try to copy someone you know? Do you depend on God and are thankful for how He has made you?  Let that be your goal for today.

It's Not Easy Being A Christian

Question
Have you every found yourself having everything going smoothly in your life? You say to yourself that it is good to be alive?

My Story
I was just thinking about this thought the other day. I was saying to myself that now that I am retired and have a lot of free time that I can do a lot of things. No real problems, health is ok, and my marriage of almost 52 years is going great.

Well, today I had a severe panic attack. I was paralyzed from my waist down. I had just gotten up from a nap.I went into our living room and there discovered my husband had moved something that I had placed somewhere else. For me that was the last straw and I went in the bedroom to talk to the Lord about this. I did and he calmed me down and we talked out the problem that I was having in my thought life. That is when it happened. I had gone paralyzed. This has happen before and I usually get over soon after it happens. Today was not the case. Being that my husband was upstairs there was no way I could let him know what was happening. I lay on the bed for about an hour and a half.  I tried to relax and just let it pass. Once in awhile I would try to move my lower body-nothing happened.

Finally I could feel my legs again and I could get up. The first thing I said was, "Thank you Lord."

Why this is happening is because I have been reading my Bible and am spending more time with God. When I do this then I get all kinds of different things happen. Either it is Satan trying to get me away from the Lord again or It is God testing me. There is a difference. Satan attacks in the areas I am weakest. My thinking, my health and my marriage. If not all three at a time he takes one at a time.

God is kinder. The tests are not easy but He only shows me one area that I need to work on and He gives me verses and other means of helping me get through. Victory is a great thing. Some times it takes me a little longer to get victory, but it comes.

Thought For The Day
How about you? Do you have days like this? Do you know whether it is a test or Satan? My prayer is that you will know the difference and the day will go better.

Just Do It!

Proverbs 15:1

The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing: But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

Have you ever said to yourself I need to get up and do something. I want to do it but I am so tired. How about I will do it later.

The Bible verse is speaking about those who are lazy. I am thinking about those, like myself, that have an illness which does not always allows one to do what they want.

Sometimes though I think mine is a mixture. I usually have everything done for me. I have since childhood. I was an only child. My husband of fifty-one years tends to what to spoil me and he thinks he is helping me by doing everything. Most of the time it is a help but sometimes I just give up and don't want to do anything. 

There are times though that I hear this still small voice, sometimes it is mine, sometimes it is the Lord's, and sometimes like this morning it was my husband saying to me: Just Do It!

How About You?

1. Are you one that is lazy?

2. Are you one that has physical problems and want to do things but sometimes don't have the strength to do something?

If you are truly lazy then the Lord wants you to change. If you are like me you just have to say to yourself, "Just Do It!" Then go and do it. You will feel a lot better and you won't feel so tired because you got at least one thing done.