Bible Reading Plan

I especially love the Bible Reading Plan that I am using because it begins with the New Testament and only involves reading a few chapters a day. I love beginning with the New Testament because of all the stories and miracles of Jesus. I am able to "see" Him in action and really get to know Him as a person. So if you have tried over and over to read the Bible through and just can't seem to make it past Leviticus, try starting with the New Testament first.

I believe that reading through the Bible is important because when I'm just studying I tend to not read certain books or I just tend to skip certain parts of the Bible, partly because I'm just not all that familiar with what is in them.

Reading through the Bible on a regular basis helps me to become more familiar with the parts I don't know well and it creates a great habit. It also doesn't take long to read a few chapters and with the Bible on audio I can listen even while I am doing something else. I often like to listen as I am reading, especially when I come across difficult words. Alexander Scourby is my favorite when it comes to listening. He seems to have a special ability to make the word come alive.

My prayer is that as I read God's word and search for Him with all my heart, that my heart will be changed into His likeness. Happy reading.

Newness of Life

Therefore, If any man be in Christ He is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17

As I think of the new year that is fast approaching, my mind is drawn to this verse. I am ready for the new year, ready for a new life in Christ. Don't we all love things that are new? New house, new car, new clothes-there is just something about newness that is appealing and exciting.

The beautiful thing about a new life in Christ is that the newness happens every single day. I love the thought of that. Today I renew my newness in Christ and I pray that it never grows old.

Whispers From God

Lately I have really been enjoying my time with the Lord and not that I don't always enjoy my time with Him, but recently it has taken on an extra special meaning. When I first started having time with God in the mornings, I was at a loss. I knew I should have time, but what in the world was I supposed to be doing during that time?

Believe it or not, not knowing what to do has actually kept me from having my time. When I think about it, it's really silly. Let's suppose I have a really good friend that I love to hang out with. Do I always decide what we are going to do before we hang out? No, because I just enjoy being with that person and by spending time with that person, I get to know them better and grow closer to them.

This has been my relationship with God. I sit in the stillness and listen to Him speak. Sometimes He gives me scripture to meditate on. Sometimes I already know the scripture and can just meditate on it. Sometimes, I only know a portion and have to look it up. Sometimes I am just clueless and He has to guide me all the way.

Other times He impresses my mind with people to pray for-people I haven't heard from in years, or even people I have NO desire to talk to!

Sometimes He remind me that He is a God of order and tell me to go and clean my room. What I love about this is that even in keeping my room orderly, I am worshiping God. WOW, what a thought.

Today He whispered to me that I need to do better at meal planning. :-/ I hate meal planning. I have no idea why, but I do. But I am excited about it because I know God is going to help me. He has already given me ideas to help me out. How can I not love a God like that?

Perhaps you are struggling with your time with the Lord. You don't have to have the perfect Bible study plan or really any plan at all. Just carve out some time and He will take care of the rest!

True Worship

This past week our Sabbath School Lesson was about worship. What I particularly liked about this lesson is how practical it was. It made me think of my everyday life in a different way.

Oftentimes we refer to worship as an isolated event, but closer study reveals that just at the 4 beasts worship day and night, so we worship day and night. The question then becomes, who are we worshiping. Every act of life from washing dishes and laundry, to our interaction with others is an act of worship.

How then do we know who we are worshiping? Our fruits tell it all. One writer says it this way:

" Unless we control our words and tempter, we are slaves to Satan. We are in subjection to him. He lead us captive. All jangling and unpleasant, impatient, fretful words are an offering presented to his satanic majesty. And it is a costly offering, more costly than any sacrifice we can make for God, for it destroys the peace and happiness of whole families, destroys health, and is eventually the cause of forfeiting an eternal life of happiness."

Even the very words that we speak in day to day conversation are an act of worship. How important it is then to have all thoughts brought into subjection to the will of God.

Here are a few points that I gathered from this week's lesson that I thought were worth sharing:

1. God alone, the Creator of the Universe is worthy of worship and praise.

2. True Worship causes the old man to die.

3. True worship causes us to abhor self.

4. In the presence of God, a realization of our sinfulness rises before us.

5. True worship acknowledges who God is (Worthy, Powerful, Mighty, Wise, Just, True, etc...)

My prayer is that as I behold Christ, every thing that I do will reflect the fact that my worship is directed to Him and Him only. Let this mind be in me that was also in Christ Jesus.

Day 73: The Altar of Sacrifice Restored

Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted among the earth (Psalm 46:10)

As I began my worship time this morning, God reminded me of the importance of stillness in His presence. This is the time when God reveals Himself to me, when I get my instructions for the day, or when He reveals the truths of His word to me (or all of the above).

This 90 Day devotional that I am going through has several scriptures that are given for memorization. I notice a theme of cleansing in a few of them today.

John 15:2 Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit.

John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the words which I have said unto you

We must be cleansed. The them of salvation is about cleansing.

Psalm 19:9 The fear of the Lord is clean...

James 4:8 ...Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purify your hearts ye double-minded

Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way...

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart O God...

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17)

The death of Christ is sufficient for salvation. We must have faith to believe in the death of Christ. I was not there when Christ was crucified. At no time have I seen Christ in person to know that He is alive. How then do I know that His sacrifice is sufficient?

I believe in Christ because the Bible declares Him as the Savior of the world. Why then do I believe in the Bible as truth? I believe in the Bible as truth because when I meditate upon its themes, my life is transformed. My frustration is turned into joy and peace. The hatred that my natural man so easily gravitates toward is replaced with love. I never have to "try" to get rid of it. Just as the effect of playing dirt is to become dirty, so is the effect of meditating on God's word to bear the fruits of the Spirit.-to be cleansed of the filthiness of the works of the natural heart.

Another reason I believe in the Bible as the inspired word of god is prophecy. The Bible is the only book to predict with accuracy events that cover an unbroken time span of 2300 years. No other book or religion can make such a claim. So, if the God of the Bible can predict the future with such accuracy, then certainly He knows will happen in my lifetime and can guide me to make the best decisions according to His will for my life.

If you are struggling to know which way is the right way, I challenge you to study the prophecies of the Bible. Don't know where to begin? Feel free to contact me.

I will write a separate post soon for those w ho would like to study on their own.

Until then, Study to shew thyself approved...