Summer Study

I'm trying an online bible study starting June 3rd and thought I'd post it here in case anyone wants to do it with me.  I'll try to post some thoughts here too.  All you have to do is get the book (kindle or bookstore) and go online to enroll and sign up for daily emails that will take you to the online study!  I've heard great things about this book and I can't wait!

It's a great way to stay in the Word over the summer!

Click here to enroll. 

This Is Not Heaven

Christmas is a glimpse of the light, love and happiness we will one day experience in heaven, but it's only a glimpse.  When we expect too much of this earth, it disappoints every time.  This devotional makes so much sense as to why so many are depressed this time of year.

If you need a wonderful devotional, this one by Max Lucado was a blessing to me the past few days.

Here are a few quotes to chew on until you have the time to study it for yourself....

Unhappiness on earth cultivates a hunger for heaven. By gracing us with a deep dissatisfaction, God holds our attention. The only tragedy, then, is to be satisfied prematurely. To settle for earth. 

We are not happy here because we are not at home here. We are not happy here because we are not supposed to be happy here. We are “like foreigners and strangers in this world” (1 Peter 2:11).

And you will never be completely happy on earth simply because you were not made for earth. Oh, you will have your moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light. You will know moments or even days of peace. But they simply do not compare with the happiness that lies ahead.

Thou hast made us for thyself and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.³

....you were not made for this place and that there is a place made just for you.

But until then, be realistic. Lower your expectations of earth. This is not heaven, so don’t expect it to be. There will never be a newscast with no bad news. There will never be a church with no gossip or competition. There will never be a new car, new wife, or new baby who can give you the joy your heart craves. Only God can.

--Max Lucado, taken from "When God Whispers Your Name"

I am called...

• to belong to Jesus Christ. Romans 1:6
• according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
• to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. Romans 8:29
• to be justified and then, glorified. Romans 8:30
• to be holy.  1 Corinthians 1:2
• into fellowship with Jesus.  1 Corinthians 1:9
• to live in peace.  1 Corinthians 7:15
• to be free. Galatians 5:13
• to press on toward the goal to win the prize. Philippians 3:14
• to bear with each other and forgive as the Lord forgave me. Colossians 3:15
• to fight the good fight of the faith and take hold of the eternal. 1 Timothy 6:12
• to a holy life--because of His purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:9
• out of darkness into His wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
• to suffer for doing good and to endure it, because Christ suffered for me. 1 Peter 2:20-21
• to repay evil and insult with blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
• to serve my God and Father.  Revelation 1:5-6
• to be with Him, the Lamb, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, who WILL overcome! Revelation 17:14
• to follow Jesus John 21:19-22

Trick or Treat?

Halloween bible study for my kids....

• List what the enemy wants for those who love Jesus in Psalm 143:3 --Trick or Treat?
• List what God does for those who love His son, Jesus in Psalm 103:2-5 & John 3:16 --Trick or Treat?
• What is God's plan for those living in darkness?  Find the answers in Luke 1:79, Acts 26:18, Colossians 1:13-14, Ephesians 1:18-19  
• What does the Bible say about sorcery, magic and wizardry?  Acts 13:8-12 
• 2 Chronicles 33:6 tells of a man who took part in evil magic, sorcery and talking to spirits of the dead (psychic readings, etc).  How did this make God feel?
• Sorcery or witchcraft is listed among other deeds of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21.  What does verse 21 say will happen to those who practice such things?  Does this seem like something God is serious about or okay with, then?
• Explain why mom and dad are not allowing you to watch Disney channel for the month of October (or anything else that has to do with halloween, sorcery, magic and wizardry)
• You might not be involved in sorcery, magic or wizardry so what's the big deal?  When you let evil in through your eyes, ears or mind, you let evil into your heart which comes out in your attitude. In the movie Facing the Giants, Coach Taylor says..."Your attitude is like the aroma of your heart, if your attitude stinks, it means your heart's not right."  Write Proverbs 4:23 and draw or paint a picture that represents this verse.

For the Parents***This can be a controversial topic for parents who follow Christ.  In our family, we have chosen to dress up because it's fun and who doesn't love candy?  For us this holiday is more about those things.  It's a great time to talk about all the evil we see in the world, and how to live in the world but not love it.  I think I've talked about this book on my blog before but if not, check it out.  It's a story explaining where this holiday came from and how we turn something that the enemy meant for evil into something fun and happy and pleasing to God instead.  This book is actually my favorite for this time of year.  We read it as we're carving the pumpkins, which we'll do this Saturday at our house.  This year I will take Miss M. out trick-or-treating, GC will be with her girlfriends walking around the neighborhood, and the boys will stay home and pass out candy but also a tract that tells the kids how much Jesus loves them and an invitation to our church.  Here is one I found to print out!  If I had the money, I'd pass out bibles.  Wouldn't that be great?!

What Pleases the Lord, con'td

This post, though written long ago, is still on my mind....among a few other things.  :)  Remember that straight-to-the-point verse that jumped out and slapped me a while back?

"and find out what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:10

Here is another poignant verse that tells specifically what CANNOT please God:

...and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  Romans 8:8 (ouch.)

If your mind is not SET on the Spirit, by default your mind will be SET on the flesh.  I don't know about you but it seems to take no time at all for my mind to reset back to the flesh if I'm not feeding my Spirit with His Word, the bread of life. 

Paul in Romans 1 talks about how many of us KNOW God, but because we fill our idle minds with worldly things instead of continually giving glory and thanks to God, our thinking becomes "futile" and though we think we're wise, we become fools...

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. Romans 1:21-22

Definition of futile:  unlikely to produce a useful or desired result--useless or ineffective, lacking substance or value.

Ick.  I can relate.  It feels awful to be futile.  Sitting still produces nothing.  I don't want to be useless, ineffective, lack substance or value.  I want to fill my mind with the things of God and be useful in His kingdom. Most of all I want to please God.  

For more in depth study of the flesh and spirit, Read Romans 8 and make a list of what we have in Christ when we are setting our minds on the Spirit and another list of what the mind set on the flesh is like.  Then read the book of 1 John to cross reference with the picture of walking in the light or the darkness.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

What Pleases the Lord

A few months ago, I'm reading along in Ephesians 5, while writing a bible study for my kids, and a very inconspicuous, wee little verse jumps off the page at me and smacks me, in a gentle but very firm way, over the head!  I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.  This is why I love God's Word.


For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 


....kinda like that.  Ephesians 5:10.  Wow!  7 words.  


So since these words played like Annie songs over and over in my head....(Add as many over and overs as you like to enhance the reality.  Just don't come to my house without expecting at least one performance of a song from the Annie score sung in it's entirety with a dance and the command to "CLAP!" after it.  It's a daily experience.  Over and over.)....it was time to dig in and see what God wanted to teach me, tell me, show me and challenge me to live by.


I started in the Proverbs: 15:8 Prayer pleases Him, 15:26 Pure thoughts & gracious words please Him, 22:18 Keeping wise words in your heart pleases Him.


I Samuel 15:22 (New International Reader's Version) asks a question and give us the answer:
"What pleases the Lord more? Burnt sacrifices or obeying Him?  It is better to obey Him than to offer a sacrifice..."  So I go on to find out more about what this means and guess what I learn....


Did you know that God enjoys when we speak LOVE LANGUAGES  to Him?  I knew that my husband did.  I know that my kids have a specific love language.  Brad's is Acts of Service, Luke's is Quality Time, Grace's is Physical Affection and Moriah's (so far) has to be Words of Affirmation. ("CLAP!")  :)  We love to speak and be spoken to in love languages at our house, but God.....God is pleased when we speak these to Him as well.


God's Love Languages
QUALITY TIME- Romans 12:1 "Offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God."  When we off ourselves to Him in full, we can't help but obey Him, which is again, pleasing to God.
ACTS OF SERVICE- Romans 14:18 says that serving Christ with righteousness, peace and joy is pleasing to God.
GIFTS- Philippians 4:18 says that when you give gifts that supply the needs of a brother, you are a fragrant offering that is pleasing to God.
WORDS OF AFFIRMATION- Hebrews 13:15 God is pleased with continually offering a sacrifice of praise with lips that confess His name.


And since we know that Jesus was the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3)....we can take his example of how God would give and receive the Love Language of...


PHYSICAL AFFECTION- 
"At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them." Luke 4:40 [His touch heals.]
"People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them." Luke 18:15 [His touch is gentle.]
"Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly." Mark 8:25 [His touch changes how we see things.]


How do I know these things were pleasing to God?


John 5:30 Jesus said "...for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me."
John 8:29 Jesus said "I always do the things that are pleasing to God."


So we make it our goal to please him (NIV)....our ambition to be pleasing to Him. (NASB) 
2 Corinthians 5:9


Prayer from Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace...equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Martin Family Bible Study cont'd

Let’s continue in our study of Ephesians, chapter 4.

Read verse 3.  What is unity? 

Underline the word ONE in your bible.  How many times do you see it?

Deuteronomy 4:34-35 Moses told the Israeslites to remember that Pharoah’s god did not win and their God, the one true God saved them from slavery in Egypt.

Finish writing verse 35- “You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides Him…

_________________  ______  ______  ________________

 Isaiah 45:5 says “I am the LORD, and

_________________  ______  ______  ________________

Isaiah 45:18 says “I am the LORD, and

_________________  ______  ______  ________________

Isaiah 45:22 says “I am GOD, and

_________________  ______  ______  ________________

Reading Eph. 4:4-6  List what all believers have in common.  One…

Remember in the first 3 chapters of Ephesians, Paul talks about WHO we are as Christians.  Now he begins to tell us, as a family under the ONE TRUE GOD, HOW to behave or “walk” as Christians.

Read these verses and mark the word “walk” with a cloud around it.

Ephesians 4:1, 17; 5:1-2, 8, 15

What does it mean to walk?  How did you learn to walk?

What are we walking towards?  What is our goal?  Find the repeated word in Eph. 4:13 & 15.

and become _______________

Verse 14 talks about infants but doesn’t mean literally little babies.  When we are first born again, we only know Jesus a little bit and learn little by little like a baby learns to walk.  As we spend time with Jesus and learn more about Him, we walk with Him so we grow closer to Him and more like Him every day.  Mature Christians trust Jesus and live for Him in holiness.

When Paul talks about the “Gentiles” in 4:17, he means those that are not walking with God.  Read 4:17-24

What does vs.22 say to “put off”?

What does vs.24 say to “put on”?

List the things to “put on” and “put off” in verses 25-32.

DO:                                                               DON’T:

Write verse 32 and draw a picture or doodle around the words to help you remember what it says.

Write verse 23. 

Let’s pray that God will make our attitude like the attitude of Jesus.

Read & pray with Philippians 2:5-8.

Martin Family Bible Study cont'd

Ephesians 4

Where was Paul when he began writing this chapter?  

The first 3 chapters of Ephesians were about WHO we are as Christians.  Now he tells us HOW to walk.  Read Ephesians 4:1.  What does Paul ask us, the church, to do?  Underline it in your bible, and write it here.

 Memorize verse 2 and list here what Paul says we should “BE”:

Let’s look at some Proverbs that will tell us more about each of these words.  Write what you learn about each word. 

BE HUMBLE!  (NKJV)

22:4                   What does humility bring? 

15:33            What comes before honor?

16:5                  Who will be punished?  (Look at NIV, too.)

27:2                  Write this verse below. 

How humble & gentle should we be? __________________

BE GENTLE!

15:1         A gentle answer ______________________

                  A harsh word ________________________

15:4          What does a gentle tongue bring?  _______________

                  What does a mean tongue do? ___________________

BE PATIENT!

15:18         What can a patient person do? ____________________

16:32         A patient man controls his/her _______________

14:29         What does a patient person have? ___________________

LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

17:17         A friend ___________ when? _______________________

 22:11         Who may have a king for a friend?  One who

 _______________________________________________

Jesus gave us a new commandment in JOHN 13:34.  Write it below.

How will everyone know we follow Jesus?  (see John 13:35)

Write Romans 12:10.

What does 1John 4:7-12 say about this love?

How does Galatians 5:13 say we can show love humbly?  (The answer was the title of Daddy’s sermon last Sunday, 4/10/11.)

_______________ ___________ ____________________

Being Refined...

What is your birthstone???  Mine is emerald.  I love it.  It sparkles!

“And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver…” Malachi 3:3

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.  As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.  The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver…”   She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered that yes, He not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered,

'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. 

SPARKle & Shine part 3

So while we’re sitting in our own version of the darkness, His Light breaks in on us, picks us up & shines the light toward the path of life He already has planned out for us…but this only happens, the whole reason He shows up and gives us His light while we are in the darkness is because of HIS great love for us…

Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, (Luke 1:78)

This is His love pouring out.  But we must watch for it like we watch for the joy… He wants to shower us with His love and with His joy.  

PP-Jude 1:20-21MSG But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, …[stay]ing right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

Open your arms daily, and be ready, watching for the mercy to pour in!  Our heart is a Dixie Cup and God's [love & mercy] is Niagara. We simply can't contain it all. (Max Lucado)

When God’s light and love pours in, He’s gently preparing us for the Hope and the Future that He has already planned out for us like He tells us in His word.  We have His light but it’s our choice to see it and follow it or to ignore it.  Will we stay?  Sitting in the darkness?  OR will we choose to try and walk in the darkness in our own strength?  The Bible says that walking in darkness is just foolishness…

Have you ever tried to walk in the dark? I do it a lot because of having to get up during the night. I also usually walk in the dark for a few moments after everyone has gone to bed when I turn out the lights. When I do walk in the dark, I don't run; I don't even walk confidently. I'm usually feeling around with my hands and arms trying to identify objects that are where I know they should be. I walk very gingerly making sure of my steps before I put my feet flat on the floor (you never know when there is going to be a small metal toy car there, and while they aren't that big, they sure hurt when you step on them without any shoes on). Then, after I am sure of my step, I'll put that foot down and pick the other one up. I'm also very careful to make sure that I know where furniture and other objects are so that I don't stub my toe or bang an arm. Even when you know what the basic layout of the house is and where the furniture is located, walking in the dark is at best, difficult. It is so much easier to just turn on the light and walk in confidence.

PP-Psalm 56:13 NIV  For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

 God loves us so much and wants us to not only get up from where we are, seeing His light and His love, but He wants us to walk confidently WITH HIM in His wonderful light.  Now the truth is:  Life is tough.  Stuff happens.  I don’t know what you’re going through but I know some of us feel like we’ve been through hell.  Literally.  So what do you do when you’re going through hell?  You keep going.  You certainly don’t want to stop and sit down in it. You want to keep going to get out of it.  Like Psalm 23 says…Yea, tho’ I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  Keep walking!  Press on! 

SPARKLe & Shine part 2

We talked about different versions of darkness.  And though everyone has their own times and perceptions of darkness.  It's all the same.  Darkness is darkness.  Pain is pain.

When I lost a baby last summer, I felt the darkness of pain. I was so angry.  I knew He was there, but I hurt. This was a time in my life when I felt darkness consuming me and I had a choice… stay in it and let it consume me OR ask God for that light to see, and walk the path of life where I could find JOY.  A few weeks later I was thinking -Wow! I’m really being blessed lately.  In little ways, but I just felt…blessed.

Then I took my Moriah to the dr. for shots, and I had to sit there while she cried, (You Moms know how this is...excruciating!) but I promised to take her for a happy meal or a present later.  I realized that that was a lot like how God felt when I was in pain and He was now blessing me with….Joy Presents.

PP-Psalm 16:11 NIV You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Who doesn’t want more JOY?  His presence alone gives us JOY.  Just the fact that we are being led and we don’t have to be afraid gives JOY.  I think so many times we miss the little blessings, the little joy presents that God so sweetly gives us because either we’re not looking or we’re looking in the wrong places, or maybe because the world has called them “coincidences”, like getting the green light when you’re in a hurry or the friend who says just the right thing at just the right time.  I think the key to seeing His joy presents is really…just watching for them.  When the darkness begins to fade and the light comes in, watch and pray for the JOY that's coming your way.  God loves to give good gifts to His kids. (Matt.7:11 & James 1:17)

SPARKle & Shine

Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death.  Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace. Luke 1:78MSG 

I love the scripture for the weekend and when I read God’s Word, I like to pull it apart in order to really understand what God wants to tell me.  God’s Word is truly a love letter that’s written to each of us.  So let’s break it apart.  I want to start where I think it begins…and where I remember my walk with God beginning...

“those sitting in the shadow of death.” This picture of the girl sitting alone on the staircase could be any of us.  Those in the darkness, sitting in the shadow of death...

Darkness is the absence of light.  There are different kinds of darkness: spiritual darkness, when we refuse to let God enter our lives. (No one is perfect.  We all need Him to enter our lives.  Romans 3:23 says “We ALL sin & fall short of the glory of God.”)  There is the darkness of negative emotions like unforgiveness, pride, jealousy, anger, bitterness or intense fear. There is the darkness of living in disobedience to God’s ways. Sometimes we feel as if we were put there & find ourselves in the darkness

, for reasons out of our control, 

because of something or someone in our lives.  We find ourselves sitting in the hopelessness, unable to move or unwilling to move.  "Sitting" indicates we've been there a while, and have given up trying to get out.  The darkness can be paralyzing.  

BUT let’s look at what God’s Word says… while we were there sitting in darkness, in the shadow of death… God’s light penetrates the darkness.  (Like in the picture)  

God did not create us to live in the darkness.  He wants us to see His light, so He reveals Himself to each of us in His own way.  

"God's Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness,"  

Another translation says God will visit us, or come to us because some of us need Him to appear gently, like the gentleman that He is.  This translation says that He will break in, like a hero, that appears in just the nick of time!  Some of us need a hero.  

God’s Sunrise is God’s beloved Son, JESUS who is "The Light of the World". Jesus WILL break in when we’re sitting in the darkness.  It doesn’t say He might…He will.  

John 8:12 Jesus...said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but WILL have the light of life.  

Our lives are touched with many different kinds of light: stoplights, city lights, candlelights, blinding lights, confusing and deceiving lights.  All of these have 1 thing in common: they eventually go out. They’re not reliable. 

The world’s light is false & leads back to darkness.  The Bible even says Satan poses as “an angel of light”. (

2Cor.11:14)

But God doesn’t say follow A light, He says follow my Son, the light. His light will never dim and never goes out.  Now we sometimes do things that separate us from the fullness of His life and cause His light to appear dim in our lives.  I have electricity in my home but if I don’t plug into it I don’t see the light.  I have Jesus in my heart, but if I don’t plug into Him daily, I won’t see His light either, even though it is there.  I have to connect with Him, talk to Him, worship Him.  Spend time with Him.  

More tomorrow...