Tag Archives: Christian blog

Habakkuk: Watching and Waiting on God

Habakkuk: Watching and Waiting on God by Patti Greene, 28 April 2019

As a new believer, one of the first Bible jokes I ever heard was about Habakkuk—a great prophet in the Old Testament.

Q: What Bible character stood on his watch?

A: Habakkuk, because he said, “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” (Habakkuk 2:1)

I’m not sure why I thought that joke was so funny, or whether I was thinking the ancient prophet really stood on a wristwatch. However, it caused me to read The Book of Habakkuk for the first time. And what I learned was a valuable lesson in how God works when we come to Him with heartful prayers during times of stress and anxiety.

About Habakkuk

The author of the book is the prophet Habakkuk. Written between 615-605 BC, we see the prophecies declared during this time come to fruition in the decade to follow.

In Books of the Bible: At a Glance, a short summary of the book’s three chapters states, “Habakkuk cried out to God during a very dark time in Israel. [He] likely prophesied in the first five years of King Jehoiakim’s reign…The Assyrians had control of the Northern Kingdom (Kingdom of Israel) after a brutal invasion more than 100 years earlier. Habakkuk preached from the Southern Kingdom (Kingdom of Judah), which was still intact but less than 50 years away from its own invasion by Babylon that destroyed the Temple.” ¹

In Chapter 1, Habakkuk questioned God when he saw injustice and violent behavior unpunished. Furthermore, he could not understand why evil Chaldeans were being used to punish Judah. His complaining to the Lord, and God’s reassurance to wait for an answer, led him into Chapter 2, where God is revealed as a righteous God with a purpose for doing what He was doing. In closing, the book’s final chapter consists of a faithful prayer by Habakkuk that contains a compelling argument that, with faith, God can work in any situation or circumstance.

Besides my personal favorite verse of Habakkuk 2:1 which is noted above, there are other vital and Spirit-led verses that walk us through the book of Habakkuk. Henceforth, the following verses should give you the gist of what transpired in the book.

Habakkuk and God’s Dialogue—Chapters 1 and 2

Habakkuk: How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. (Habakkuk 1:2-3)

God: Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told. (Habakkuk 1:5)

Habakkuk: Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look on wickedness with favor.
Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they? (Habakkuk 1:13)

Habakkuk: I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. (Habakkuk 2:1)

God: For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)

God: [God continues with how the righteous will live by his faith. Furthermore, God communicates five “WOES” against evil people.] (Habakkuk 2:4-19)

Habakkuk: But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him. (Habakkuk 2:20)

Habakkuk’s Prayer—Chapter 3

Habakkuk: Lord, I have heard the report about You, and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:1-2)

Habakkuk: Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:18)

Habakkuk: The GOD is my strength. And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet and makes me walk on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:19)

Habakkuk is like many of us. We ask, “How can a holy God stand by and watch evil continue?” God assures Habakkuk that He has everything under control and that He knows what He is doing. All the time while possessing a complaining spirit, Habakkuk continues to dialogue with His Lord God. As their communication continues, we eventually see that their discussion finally leads Habakkuk to a faith in God’s plan that, in His timing, God will deliver His people.

What Truths Can We Learn from Habakkuk?

  1. Communicating with God is beneficial.
  2. Realize God answers us when we pray within His will.
  3. Understand that you can talk to God about anything.
  4. Have faith while waiting on God.
  5. Accept that sin will be punished in God’s timing.
  6. Continue to rejoice during periods of hardship and suffering.
  7. Trust in God to protect us from calamity.
  8. Rest in the LORD while awaiting His answers.
  9. Turn to prayer and praise when frustrated.
  10. Know God is still working out all things for our good even when He is silent.
  11. Be strong when encountering hard circumstances.
  12. Recognize that God is working even when a situation seems dire.

Conclusion

While starting with “What Bible character stood on his watch?” I conclude with another Bible joke.

Q: What Bible character is a locksmith?

A: Zaccheus. (pronounced “za-KEY-us”)

Maybe we will study him next! We shall see.

Bible Verses:

But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31)

But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. (Psalm 5:11)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I see so much sin and evil in this world. I wonder why You allow it to exist, and to continue indefinitely. Let me remember that You always know exactly what You are doing. Let me trust in You as I patiently wait on Your timetable. And, as I wait, let me rejoice, knowing that Your timing and Your ways of handling what we face in life is best.

God Bless,

Works Cited

¹ Books of the Bible: At a glance. Teach Sunday School. Accessed March 2019.

All verses are taken from The New American Standard Bible.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

.@PattiGreene13

 

The Bible: The Best-Selling Book of All Time

What is the Bible?

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time from many different ranking sources. Estimations state that over 2.5 billion copies of the Bible have been sold since the printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. Additionally, it is also the most compelling account available to us of all creation, from the beginning of time through the end of the ages. ¹

The Christian Bible consists of 66 different books—39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. Writers of GotQuestions.org claim that “While the Bible is a unified book, differences abound between the Old Testament and the New Testament. However, in many ways, they are also complimentary. While the Old Testament is foundational; the New Testament builds on that foundation with further revelation from God.”

Old Testament

The Old Testament delves into the beginning of the world and early historical empires.

Pentateuch – Includes 5 books about creation, the Flood, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It also follows the Israelites during their time in Egypt (captivity and exodus), through 40 years in the wilderness, and finally entering the Promised Land.

Historical Books – Includes 12 historical books which include the conquest of the Promised Land and continues with the disobedience of the Israelites through the Babylonian invasion.

Poetry and Wisdom – Includes 5 books that show how the people of God communicated with Him and with each other.

Major Prophets – Includes 5 books on prophets and their prophecies. These prophets warn of judgment for being disobedient and the hope of Jesus Christ.

Minor Prophets – Includes 12 books on prophets and their prophecies. These prophets warn of the same prophecies as the Major Prophets – judgment and future hope in their Messiah.

New Testament

The New Testament examines the age of Jesus.

Gospels and Acts – Includes the first 5 books of the NT which records the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, including His death, burial, and resurrection. Whereas the Book of Acts includes the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on the early believers and the spread of the Gospel to both the Jews and Gentiles

Paul’s Epistles – Includes the 13 letters written to the early Church which follow Christ as He corrects and guides it on how to address specific problems it encountered.

General Epistles through Revelation – Includes 8 general epistles which follow along with the purpose of Paul’s letters. In contrast, Revelation concentrates on the seven churches in Asia Minor, imparting prophecy regarding future persecutions people will face and describing the new heaven and the new earth.

Some Bibles include additional books in a section between the Old and New Testament called the Biblical Apocrypha. Uniquely, the preface to the Apocrypha in the Geneva Bible explains that these books were written by godly men for their historical knowledge and godly instruction only. The Geneva Bible was a significant English Bible translation used in the 16th century; it preceded the King James Version by 51 years.

Who Reads the Bible?

While the Bible is considered the “go-to” book for Christ-followers, it is also read by a multitude of Americans, both religious and otherwise. In Who Reads the Bible—and Why? David Briggs states that the top two reasons people surveyed said they read Scripture were for “personal prayer and devotion, and to learn more about their religion.” The third most popular reason was “to seek guidance in personal decisions and relationships with spouses, parents, children, and friends.”

Additionally, Briggs notes that “people no longer just open the pages of the Good Book. Thirty-one percent read it on the Internet and [twenty-two] percent used e-devices.” ³

Why Read the Bible?

When we read the Bible, we become aware of many other people—just like us—who have encountered the same circumstances that we experience. Through their example, we can gain insight into how to handle the good, bad, and the ugly in life. Moreover, the Bible is the only book that addresses every problem men and women will ever face.

Being devoted to Bible reading and listening to sermons is commendable, but you must be quickened by the Spirit for true godly understanding. Not only is the Bible the Word of God, but it is also the believer’s inspiration and God’s last word on authority. Reading the Bible increases and matures a person’s faith. Faith is defined as “our belief and actions regarding God’s truths.”

The apostle Paul says, ‘It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life (John 6:63).

As mentioned above, many believers and unbelievers read the Bible. Believers are sanctified through their reading—meaning that through their reading, they learn how to live according to the purpose and design of God.

When unbelievers read the Word of God, God’s grace may touch their spirits and lead them to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through the confession of their sin and a commitment to follow Jesus. This is known as a salvation or “born-again” experience.

When salvation occurs, the Bible takes on an entirely different meaning to the reader; it is only then can a person comprehend the things of God and His Word, experience God’s presence and trust in the power of the living Word.

Outcomes When Reading the Bible

The late pastor Adrian Rogers chronicles four outcomes Christ-followers can depend on when one asks the Lord to help them understand His Word.

  1. Eyes will be opened. (Psalm 119:18)
  2. Understanding will be increased. (Luke 24:45)
  3. Hearts will be stirred. (Psalm 119:36)
  4. Minds will be enlightened (Psalm 119:73) ⁴

Is the Bible Inspired?

To answer this question, some say it isn’t right to answer by using Scripture itself, but I disagree. Not only has the Bible said the words by God are inspired, but historically it has been deemed accurate by many early and late scholars. [See the verses below for verification.]

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

“For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Understanding God

The Bible consists of God’s words to us. It is how our heavenly Father communicates with us.

Through Scripture, we learn about God’s character, His goodness and His promises. In the same way that food nourishes our body, the Word of God strengthens our spirit to help us live an honorable lifestyle. We learn how to imitate Jesus Christ by understanding His intention for us to live a worthy life by serving and loving Him.

Furthermore, God provides stories about the heroes of faith: prophets, apostles, Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. These Biblical stories are understood by illustrations in multiple parables and real-life events.

In 2 Timothy 2:15, God calls us to read and study the Bible. Coupled with time, it takes planning. This discipline takes time. We must be committed to reading and studying the Word of God.

Applying Our Mind

When we apply our mind to understand the Bible, God will reveal His promises to us. When that occurs, we become enlightened to His ways, enabling us to obey Him, gain His strength, establish our faith, gain courage, increase wisdom, and direct us away from temptation and sin.

While the Bible can be read through casually, it is also for us to study deeply—maybe verse by verse, chapter by chapter, or topic by topic. As a matter of fact, when we dig in and truly study God’s word, lightning bolts of insight spark our mind and show us a deeper understanding of His ways that we may not gain from a quick read-through. By the same token, when we meditate on the Word of God, God’s presence, guidance, and love will speak to us about how to become the person God wants us to be.

The Bible is the holiest of all books. In light of that, it should be cherished and regarded with the highest honor and esteem. Through it, God will give us wisdom and instruct us in righteousness.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is thinking deeply on the Word in our mind, soul and spirit. It takes time to meditate. But when we do, we will start desiring to apply God’s truths to our lives. Through our prayers of worship, praise, confession, requests and pondering on God’s righteousness, we are sanctifying our thinking and becoming more under submission to our Lord Jesus Christ. Henceforth, our minds are being guided to want what Jesus wants for us.

Personal Illustration

Reading the Bible is a virtuous goal and this practice is wholeheartedly encouraged by many churches, pastors and religious organizations.

In fact, I found when I first started reading the Bible seriously, it was because of what I would call an insurmountable need—the need to move closer to my parents in Houston or stay in seminary in Ft. Worth to pursue my calling into the ministry. In fact, my desperate yearning for an answer to this problem stimulated an unfathomable longing for more of God’s Word.

I can honestly say reading the Bible is one, if not the most, thrilling experiences of my life. Consequently, I wake up each morning looking forward to hearing from my God; I think of Him throughout the day; I approach my evenings looking over the day’s occurrences and how He moved or how I need to move closer to Him.

Practice Humility

If you are so inclined to read the Bible from cover to cover (Genesis to Revelation), I applaud and encourage you to do so. God’s word will convict and change lives—yes, even yours!

However, I must lovingly caution you. The Pharisees prayed and read God’s word only to be seen by men:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

Take care, my friend, that you do not read the Scriptures only to declare that you have read the Bible through—hoping to impress others with your “religiosity”. Be careful not to become big-headed, smug or boastful in declaring a numerical digit as to how many times you have read the Bible through, how often you read the Bible or how many hours you spend in the Word of God. God knows, but everyone else doesn’t need to know. But I bet they will see it in your attitudes, kindness, and countenance!

In the final analysis, practicing humility in this area is a good discipline to follow.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

Critics

The Bible has been criticized, degraded, and disgraced by many people. Satan has made sure of this. Moreover, most people who criticize the Bible are justifying their OWN choices and actions. While many “celebrities” have been condemned for their belief in God and the Bible, we are seeing many more being openly critical about the Bible and things of God. Unfortunately, many believe it is a psychological crutch to get us through a difficult time.

For example, Jesse Ventura, former governor of Minnesota, once said, “Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers.” Agreeing with him is Larry Flynt, producer of magazines, such as Hustler and sexually graphic videos, who commented, “There’s nothing good I can say about it [religion]. People use it as a crutch.” Ted Turner once simply said, “Christianity is a religion for losers!” Ventura, Flynt, Turner, and others who think like them view Christians as being emotionally feeble and in need of imaginary support to get through life. Their insinuation is that they themselves are strong and in no need of a supposed God to help them with their lives. ⁵

Unfortunately, this is a heartbreaking indictment against their denial of Jesus Christ—the one and only true God.

The Bible—Loved by Millions

Baptist theologian and apologist Bernard Ramm stated, “the Bible is still loved by millions, read by millions, and studied by millions.” ⁶ In conclusion, my deep desire is that you will make a commitment today to read and/or study the Bible. It’ll change your life—I promise!

Bible Verses

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:8-9)

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (James 1:14)

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Oh, how I love Thy Word. Teach me to respect and obey all the words in Your love letter to me. May the Bible guide me and protect me all the days of my life. May I honor You through my love, obedience, and desire to know You more and more every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless,

Works Cited

¹ “Top Ten Best Selling Books of All-Time.” www.rankings.com/books-sales-worldwide.

² “What Happens after Death.” GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/what-happens-death.html. I used “Old Testament vs. New Testament – What are the differences?” https://www.gotquestions.org/difference-old-new-testaments.html

³ Briggs, David. “Who Reads the Bible—and Why.” Ahead of the Trend. 7 March 2014. Accessed 18 March 2019. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/who-reads-the-bible—and_b_4919444.html.

Rogers, Adrian. “How to Make the Bible Come Alive.” Love Worth Finding. OnePlace. Accessed 18-18-2019. https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/read/articles/how-to-make-your-bible-come-alive-15522.html

⁵ “Is Faith in God a Crutch?” Accessed 8 March 2019. GotQuestions.org.

⁶ Ramm, Bernard. “Bernard Ramm.” Wikipedia. Accessed 17 March 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Ramm.

Bible verses are taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

.@PattiGreene13

Good Without God?

Good Without God?

Can you be “good” without needing a God? Think again.

by Ellsworth Johnson, Guest Blogger

1) Acts

It’s Christmas Day morning. A young boy bursts into the living room of his spacious suburban home, where a beautifully-decorated tree dominates its surroundings by the window. Under the tree are numerous presents bearing, among others, the child’s name. The parents who put up the tree and supplied the gifts are still comfortably asleep in bed, after spending all night preparing this wondrous setting.

The child runs to the tree and immediately begins opening his presents, ripping off wrapping paper and casting it aside. A race car! The latest video game! And finally… his own CELL PHONE!

They are good gifts. And he was a good boy all year, so of course he deserves them! After all, he wasn’t like Johnny Booker, shooting his neighbor’s dog with a BB gun and blinding it in one eye, or those older kids who regularly stole stuff from stores down at the mall.

He plays with the race car and begins to set up his phone. Nowhere in his thoughts of the moment are the parents who gave him the gifts, or that they chose to give them to him despite his ongoing tendencies to “talk back” to them, and not do his chores…

==============================

In the last decade there has been a push in the humanist/atheist community to establish a belief system where the value of morality is recognized and affirmed without having to attribute it, or anything else, to a divine Creator.

A manifesto for this way of thinking is a 2009 book by Greg Epstein, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe.  In the book, Epstein does not seek to destroy traditional religion, but instead supplant it, positing that what is “good” about humanity does not depend on faith in a divine being.

In fact, the author is a great proponent of secular humanism, the principle that humanity is capable of morality and self-fulfillment without belief in God. It specifically rejects religious dogma and supernaturalism as means of morality and decision making.

An entire ecosystem has been built to bolster this viewpoint. Like-minded authors have come alongside Epstein with supporting works of their own. A Web site, Kids Without God, seeks to steer the younger crowd away from the need to rely on anything outside of themselves.

There is even  the Council for Secular Humanism, “North America’s leading organization for non-religious people” to “advocate and defend a nonreligious lifestance rooted in science, naturalistic philosophy, and humanist ethics and to serve and support adherents of that lifestance.”

The race car, given a good strong push, zips along its merry way along a flat surface. Soon, however, it comes to an incline and slows… and in fact rolls back down the way it came, almost back to where it started.

==============================

The attempt to claim life is “good without God” is similar to the above illustration with the toy car. You WILL occasionally and randomly get good pushes and zoom along for a while, but soon you’ll run out of your own power and stop, or hit a hill and roll back down. Worse, with no one all-seeing at the steering wheel, the car could easily hit a wall or go over a cliff.

Things may seem “good” for a while, in fits and starts, but that’s a pretty low standard compared to what’s available. How much better are the gifts that God gives — wisdom, discernment, comfort and guidance in times of trouble, and a peace which passes all understanding — than the perishable things we receive from this world?

Maybe it should be called “life has been OK so far, and doesn’t hurt too badly for me to complain, without God.” And if that’s good enough for you, enjoy that life for all it’s worth, because what comes afterward is guaranteed to be decidedly less pleasant.

The difference is that, with God, you are not limited to your own power, or the fickle vagaries of those in your sphere, but instead can depend on the inexhaustible resources of the Creator of the universe. Through Him, you keep getting pushed along by that mighty hand when you run low on momentum:

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

Now, in your own travels through this world, you’ll have to trust Him to take the wheel of your car and drive where you need (but not always want) to go, often not an easy thing for many of us to do. You will encounter some rough roads, sometimes travel by night and occasionally take some long detours, but the ultimate end of the journey is guaranteed to make that leap of faith worthwhile.

How much better than the “OK without God” life, then, would it be, instead of rolling back downhill, or getting out and pushing the car yourself, to instead glide over the summit and down the other side with someone driving who knows where He is going, and move along as needed just fine without energy or effort from you?

2) Judges

Unbeknownst to the young boy, the parents in fact are awake in their bedroom, aroused by the playful noises emanating from the front of the house. Dad is angry because the boy did not wait until the entire family was up before opening the gifts, as has traditionally been done in their household.

“Not even a ‘thank you’ from that ungrateful little snot!” he mutters. He wants to get out his belt and “teach that boy some manners”, but the mother’s patience permits cooler heads to prevail.

“Let’s go talk to him,” she advises. “Give him the chance to realize the error of his ways. We’ll think of a suitable penalty later, like no playing with the new stuff for a week.”

Dad huffs, his momentary wrath subsided. He really wants to confront his son about the boy’s impatience and lack of appreciation for the gifts provided, but realizes that the message will be lost unless delivered when the time is right…

==============================

Justice and mercy are two sides of the same coin in God’s economy. The father would be justified in giving the boy a good tanning with the belt, but relents when the mother suggests a different approach, which could have more-desirable long-term effects.

In the first chapter of the book of Romans, Paul lays out God’s unimpeachable indictment against humanity in the starkest terms: man failed to acknowledge God for who He is and the good things He provided, earning us His divine wrath. He gave man over to a Godless existence, mired in his own lusts and devices, the first steps on the road to an eternity in Hell.

The only “off-ramp” from that road is found in Jesus Christ, whose death on the cross opened man’s only way back to God, by appropriating Christ’s righteousness for ourselves and, in the process, turning aside God’s well-deserved anger directed at us “while we were yet sinners”.

Just like the boy enjoying his presents, we are many times blissfully oblivious to the justifiable fury kindling elsewhere against us.

3) Lamentations

Finally, the last member of the family was awake.

“Dude!” the boy’s older sister exclaimed as she entered the living room. “You’re making enough noise to wake the dead!” Her protest landed on deaf ears as playtime continued unabated.

“I see that you couldn’t wait to open your presents,” she said sharply, rolling her eyes. She plopped down in a plush armchair near the Christmas tree and sat back, folding her legs underneath her body.

“Aren’t they incredible? I really hit the jackpot with Mom and Dad this year!”

“I’m sure they are nice, but I’m just as sure they would have loved to see your excitement as you opened your gifts.”

The comment registered for an instant, evidenced by a pause in pushing the race car around the floor, and a brief cessation of engine noises from the boy’s mouth.

“They’ll get over it,” shrugged the boy. He resumed pushing the car and making engine noises. The moment had passed.

Time to shift gears.

“You sure seem to take a lot for granted, especially on this day that we are to appreciate the things we have.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” He did not look up when asking the question.

“Well, what about the fact that we have a nice big house? We could have a smaller one, like the Carluccis next door…”

“… or have that mansion on the hill, like Scott Hendel’s family has,” countered her brother.

“Or be living in a cardboard box on the street.” The reversal itself had been reversed, and her brother’s naked covetousness irritated her, yet something in her heart spurred her on.

“My friend Jenny, she and her family decided to forego giving each other gifts this year, and instead use the money to get stuff for other people in their lives. She decided to buy presents for her teachers at school. Her parents got stuff for their co-workers, and I think her brother surprised his basketball team with … whatever it is that basketball players like.”

The boy pondered that thought for a moment. “That was pretty nice of them. I’ll bet all those people were pretty happy to get all that stuff.”

“They were. And it made Jenny and her family feel even better to give it.”

The girl sighed. Another attempt to take flight had been allowed to fall back to earth. She had been awoken that morning not by the noise in the living room, but the need to bring her brother’s ongoing selfish behavior under repentance. So far, all her efforts had failed.

Then, finally, enduring inspiration struck.

“Remember when you tried to steal that candy down at Walmart?”

The boy hesitated for a moment. He had stopped playing with the race car and had started to configure the phone. “Yeah. That was probably wrong…”

“‘Probably’? The store clerk who caught you was pretty sure when she told Mom.”

“I could not go outside and play after school for a week,” he recalled. Then he smiled. “But that was OK: I stayed inside and played Halo on my Xbox. Even got a high score!” The boy was proud of himself.

His triumph, however, was short-lived.

“What about the second time, with Dad?”

The boy was stunned, enough so that he put down the cell phone.

“Aha!” the sister declared triumphantly. “You didn’t know I KNEW about that one, did you??? Mom told me what happened, as well as what Dad did about it.”

This was a less-sanguine memory. The boy had been with his father at a hardware store when he decided on a whim to steal a box of Junior Mints at the checkout stand. The store manager happened to be on the floor at the time and confronted the boy, who, at the manager’s behest, led him to the father. Dad was clearly embarrassed, and, the boy could tell, more than a little angry. Dad apologized to the manager, and made the boy say that he, too, was sorry.

Memories of the ride home, and the later beating, gave the boy chills. Dad didn’t say much beyond muttered threats, letting the dread of anticipation build. When they got home, Mom wasn’t there to shield him from the punishment; out came the belt and the boy got a thorough whipping.

“I had to write a letter to the manager, and deliver it in person,” recalled the boy, decidedly downcast. “I had to say that stealing is wrong, and I was sorry. It was quite embarrassing.”

“Sorry that you did it? Or sorry you got caught?”

“That I did it.” And then, in a flash, the boy became quite defensive.

“Just because you are thirteen doesn’t make you somehow better than me!”

“True, ” the girl replied pensively. “It does not. But it DOES make me ask questions, and think about things nine-year-old boys don’t.”

Embarrassed, the boy went back to playing with his car, but now in silence and with a lot less joy.

==============================

It’s true: the deep dark sins we commit in secret will all eventually come out. In fact, Jesus Himself declared this much in Luke’s gospel:

But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.

Luke 12:2-3

God, of course, already knows all about our transgressions: He knew about them before they took place, and had a front-row seat when they actually occurred. It is also possible that others, unbeknownst to you, already know about them as well, tainting those relationships and coloring the judgments they make toward you, all without your knowledge.

4) Revelation

The boy’s remorse over opening his presents early had become oppressive. What should have been a morning of delight and celebration had instead for him become burdensome and guilt-ridden. He continued tinkering with the cell phone, but his heart and mind were elsewhere.

There was no “un-ringing the bell” here: what’s done was done, and the only question worth addressing was what to do next.

“If it were me,” the sister offered, “I’d go in and throw myself on Dad’s mercy.” By now she had settled into the armchair and slung her legs over one arm, sitting sideways. “That always worked for me: admit you made a mistake, promise that you won’t do it again and that you’ll do better in the future.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, yeah, but there’s one catch.”

“I KNEW it!” he declared triumphantly. “I knew there’d be one. That sounds WAY too easy! So, what is it?” A smirk had appeared on his face, as if he had uncovered a secret hidden truth.

“You have to mean it.”

The boy snorted his disbelief.

“It’s true,” his sister continued. “He knows when you’re just saying the words. Believe me, I tried just going through the motions a couple times. I still got lashed with the belt.”

“YOU? Miss Goody-Goody got a beating?” He found this even more incredible, that his apparently angelic sister had ever done anything meriting punishment.

“Yep. That was a long time ago, before I learned that is was good to be honest when you mess up, but even better to not do bad things in the first place. Believe me, I am not perfect, by any stretch, but I do try to be better every day.”

Now the boy contemplated his own situation: if he waited for Dad to come out of the bedroom into the living room, chances were he’d be carrying a strap of leather, and not for decoration, either. On the other hand, a heartfelt pre-emptive apology just might turn aside his father’s wrath.

“Maybe I should try that. It sounds a lot less painful that Dad’s belt.”

“Yes, it does work out better most of the time. But remember, you can’t just mouth the words. When I did that, it didn’t just make him a little angrier, but also very sad. The belt hurt, to be sure, but what I remember most is the look of disappointment on his face. That stung more than the belt did.”

Tears started to well up in the boy’s eyes. “I don’t want Daddy and Mommy to be disappointed in me!”

“I’m sure they don’t want that, either. But you need to tell them the truth about what happened, that you got too excited and forgot to wait for everyone else to get up before opening your presents. They deserve a sincere apology — remember, you gotta mean it. Think you can do that?”

The boy nodded in silence.

“Come on. Let’s go wish Mom and Dad a Merry Christmas.”

With that, they set out for the master bedroom. With a knock on the closed door met by a shouted “Come in!” the children burst into the room and leaped on the bed, squeezing and snuggling in the space between their parents, just as they used to do long ago. Their bodies may now be bigger, but, inside, a part of each was still the small child who felt safe, loved and secure when curling up with Mommy and Daddy.

The business of opening the gifts without the family present was handled gracefully. Heartfelt phrases were exchanged: “Thank you.” “I’m sorry.” “We forgive you.” The parents decided upon a fair nonphysical punishment.

With that out of the way, there was nothing left to do but to enjoy the moment on the bed, together, as a family.

==============================

What It All Means

The story is an allegory developed around the situation we as Christians face when confronted with an adherent of the “Good Without God” philosophy.

The brother is the obvious (and oblivious!) sinner who thinks he’s already pretty good, at least compared to other people, and does not need additional boundaries on his behavior. The parents represent the dual nature of God, with the father holding honest indignation over his wayward child’s “me first” rush to playtime, along with the desire to inflict punishment, and the mother tempering that judgment with patience.

Stuck in the middle of all this is the sister, who is clearly somehow enlightened to there being more to life than the self-centered focus her brother has, and is trying to get him to put their situation into a larger context. Twice she fails, but does not give up, finally finding an “in” when confronting him about how his actions probably made his parents feel. In the end, she leads him into the parents’ bedroom, where he honestly confess his “sin” and asks for forgiveness, which is immediately and lovingly granted.

In short… she evangelizes him!

In the ideal, our earthly parents mirror and model God’s love for us, but also His judgment and righteous anger when warranted. In the end, it is far more preferable to “come clean” and admit our transgressions to a God who made us, already knows our weaknesses and mistakes, and stands ready to forgive us in His Son’s name.

Have you given your life over to Jesus Christ? If you have, were you genuinely sorry for the sins you committed, or did you simply make a vain confession devoid of feeling? If you have not, there is still an opportunity to turn aside the eminently justifiable anger a holy God has against you, and exchange it for forgiveness and a place in His kingdom forever.

The Rest of the Story

At that moment, in a realm far away, the Creator was, in fact, looking in on this family.  He smiled, as things were progressing exactly how He had intended.

“This is how I roll!” He smiled to Himself, in ways far beyond our understanding.

Two more miracles were needed to tear the lid off this family’s godless paradigm once and for all, in a way which none of them could deny. The groundwork for each had already been laid, here and elsewhere, and in the fullness of time those happenings will point to the Source of All Things.

The Creator already knew whether and how each member of the family would eventually respond, for it had been ordained since the beginning of time.

The only thing left to do… was wait.

==============================

What is God waiting for each of us to do? Reach out to someone? Respond to Him in some way? Are there people around us who believe they are “good without God?”

Whatever it may be, we should be honored that we have been appointed to be part of His eternal plan to bring rightful glory to Himself, and share His love for His beloved children the world over.

Prayer:

Father, let those who believe life is “good” without You be awakened from their slumber to all which is possible with You. Open their eyes, Lord, and their hearts to You and Your endless grace, and show them unmistakably that life is indeed “better WITH God”. You have a storehouse for each of us, filled with Your gifts and mercies, only a small fraction of which is ever claimed during our lifetimes. Help us receive what You have already set aside for us. I ask in the holy and precious name of your Son Jesus. Amen.

Bible Verses:

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Genesis 1:26

” The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

Psalm 14:1

“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”

Genesis 6:5

“Without Me, you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

James 1:17 (NLT)

“I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’”

Psalm 16:2

Bible verses are from the New International Version (NIV) unless stated otherwise.

Credit:©Lightstock/KevinCarden116894

Dear God Letters: Communicating with God

I have been writing Dear God letters for many decades. A few letters are penmanship perfect, but most of the time they are a jumbled long-hand script of thoughts to God.

Communicating with God

What a privilege it is to be able to look back and see how my prayers and communications with my heavenly Father are so raw and honest!

As I’ve learned more about God and His ways, I know it’s not popular to say, “God told me . . .” so I rarely say that. I am human and I know that, in my humanness, I can easily be mistaken in messages I perceive to be from God. Therefore, I prefer to say, “I feel impressed that. . .” We are imperfect beings and prone to interpret things incorrectly. I can accept that.

But what I can’t accept is that some people say God does not have the power to reveal Himself to us. With me, God most often uses the Bible to show me His will, His desires, and His love. I love spending time studying and meditating upon words, phrases, or chapters in the Bible seeking His wisdom and direction. The Bible is God’s love letter to us. Through His Word, He shares Himself with us.

Equally important, there are the special times when His sweet words calmly enter my mind and the holy presence of God is impressed upon me.  The joy and peace I feel foreshadow a breath-taking encounter between God and me. Just sitting and spending time with my Lord—reveling in His love towards me—is sweeter than a cool glass of water on a hot summer day!

When we bask in His love and get into His presence, we are placing ourselves in a position where God can “speak to us” or shall I say “impress Himself on us”. The beauty of wallowing in His rest and glory will astound us every time. Moreover, we leave that place of sweet and satisfying fellowship with a spark in our eyes, a love in our heart, and a desire to give Him all of ourselves. It is in these moments the Holy Spirit may impart and reveal His thoughts to us. Interconnecting with our Lord and Savior at these times fosters our faith and develops our spiritual growth.

The Challenge

I challenge you this week to ask God to let you see EVERYTHING through the eyes of His precious son Jesus.

When we let God be God and listen to Him through prayer or the Bible, the peace which passes all understanding falls upon us (see Philippians 4:7). It’s like what I imagine Heaven on Earth to be like.

Find What Works for You

Below is just a sampling of a “Letter to God.” You may not like to express yourself in words and writing as I do, but the Lord wants to communicate with you. By the same token, there is no right or wrong way to communicate with the Lord. Find out what works for you and just love being loved by Him.

Dear God Letter and God’s Reply

Dear God,

We’ve been together for a long time. Over the years, we have been learning more and more about each other—or should I say, I’ve been learning so much about You! As the years have gone by, my love for You is getting stronger and stronger. You are my everything. Sometimes, I don’t know why You love me so much. All those times I have left You behind You have stayed alongside of me. I want to love You as much as You love me. You listen to me—even answering me even when I don’t want an answer. Open my ears to hear Your wisdom. Let me have an increasing understand of Your ways every day. Thank you, Lord.

Me

=====================================

My Dear Loved One,

Oh, how I cherish My time with you, but today I want you to listen to Me.

I know your thoughts and I am right here with you. All healing comes from My sovereignty. I keep secrets and I don’t share my thoughts about you with others—just as I don’t share other people’s thoughts with you unless I need to. I am God. Therefore, I can do with you and others as I please, but it’s all for your protection and growth.

The waiting—the being patient—is so you will trust in My will more and more. Whenever I am ready to share with you, I will. And, I do the same for others. I hold on to what you aren’t ready to accept until My perfect timing is complete.

Be strong; be enlightened; confess sins. Ask and continue to ask for My help. I know you are confused about your thoughts and your future.  Again, I say, “Be strong,” Follow my commandments. Love Me. I want you “to want to want what I want.” ¹ That’s the goal. I love you. My hand and My Spirit are upon you. I know what you are going through, and I am with you every step of the way—safeguarding you and others until the day where you can rejoice either in heaven or on Earth. Let My will be done in My timing.

God

Different and Unique

It’s so simple to converse with God. Use your words, your colloquialisms, and your expressions. Be yourself. Also, be honest. Don’t be concerned if you don’t pray as others pray. God created us—we are different and unique. We pray differently. Furthermore, we write, listen and read differently. Our uniqueness is what makes us who we are. Embrace it. Just be yourself.

The important thing is to just start communicating with your heavenly Father and let Him communicate with you. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines communication as:

  • A personal rapport
  • Information transmitted or conveyed [through] a verbal or written message, or
  • A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior. ²

Whether you are talking to God in prayer or writing to God, He desires our hearts to be open to Him.

Whenever I write my Dear God letters, I am cognizant of the fact that writing a letter to God is a very personal experience. Sometimes I write to praise Him; other times I write to thank Him; and even other times, I write to address an issue. No matter why one writes a letter to the Lord, we should approach our communication with an honest and sincere heart.  God desires all our communication to be more than eloquent words, a penmanship-perfect letter, a jumbled note, or a conglomerate of misplaced typing errors on a piece of computer paper! He wants us to come as we are, with all the honesty and sincerity we can muster.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

Bible Gateway Blogger Member – Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²) is an international network of independent bloggers who meaningfully blog—and who are serious—about matters relating to the Bible. Follow the members on Twitter using the BG² List; Inspirational Writers Alive Member (IWA) – Central Houston Location; Baylor University, B.A.

Bible Verses:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. (Nehemiah 8:8)

Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord. (Psalm 104:34)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. (1 John 5:1)

Prayer:

God, thank You for all the love You have bestowed upon me. In addition, I thank You with my whole heart that You have made known to me Christ’s love and for filling me with the fullness of You. May my prayers, meditations and reading always guide me into the spirit of truth. Likewise, challenge me to be dwell in Your presence every single day. I love You.

Works Cited

¹ In a recent sermon, my pastor used the expression, “I want to want what God wants.” I added one more want here.

² “Communication.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2019. Web. 5 Feb 2019.

Bible verses are taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

.@PattiGreene13

Test Your Knowledge [Major and Minor Prophets Trivia Quiz]

When I sat down to write a blog today, I already had a few intriguing topics running through my mind. These topics will make awfully good blogs someday, but not today!

There was a fight going on between MY INNER-SELF that said, “Write a blog!” and my ENJOY YOURSELF persona that shouted, “Make up a test!”

I love testing people’s knowledge.  Making up tests was my favorite activity when I taught school. It never mattered whether I prepared True/False, Fill in the Blank, Multiple Choice, or Essay Questions. I LOVED and still LOVE writing exams that assess one’s knowledge.

So, my ENJOY YOURSELF me won out and I have written a multiple-choice quiz relating to the major and minor prophets of the Bible and the Old Testament books where they make their appearance.

Best of luck as you give your best shot on this “Test Your Knowledge” multiple-choice quiz. Give yourself 5 points for each question you get right. Answers and explanations follow the quiz. Just scroll all the way down.

And as I would tell my students, “Grab a piece of paper. Put your name on your paper. Number from 1-20. No cheating. And, start your quiz!”

Questions

1. Bible prophets were?

a. Descendants from the temple servants who returned from exile with Nehemiah;

b. God’s messengers in the Old Testament;

c Mercenaries for the Philistines during King David’s reign;

d. Managers of Herod’s household.

2. Who is Elijah?

a. Phoenician princess;

b. Moses’ spokesperson;

c. A man whose miracles called many in Israel back to faith in God;

d. One of the leaders of the tribe of Manasseh who defected to David at Ziklag.

3. The terms Major Prophets and Minor Prophets are simply ways to divide

a. The Old Testament prophetic books;

b. The good prophets from the bad prophets;

c. The descendants of King David from those who were not descendants of his;

d. Those who were good archers from those who weren’t.

4. How many major prophets are there?

a. Two;

b. Five;

c. Eight;

d. Twelve.

5. How many minor prophets are there?

a. Four;

b. Ten;

c. Eleven;

d. Twelve.

6. Which person is considered a minor prophet?

a. Jeremiah;

b. Isaiah;

c. Jonah;

d. Ezekiel.

7. Jeremiah was plagued by feelings of

a. Inadequacy;

b. Depression;

c. Despair;

d. All the above.

8. The Book of Ezekiel starts with

a. King Jehoiakim describing his intelligence and wisdom;

b. How God called him to preach at Israel’s royal sanctuary at Bethel;

c. The LORD telling him to arise and go to Nineveh;

d. A clear description and his call and commission.

9. What book of the Bible says, “The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places”?

a. Zephaniah;

b. Daniel;

c. Habakkuk;

d. Joel.

10. When Ezekiel spoke of the Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, the bones were referring to

a. The angel Gabriel;

b. The temple;

c. The whole house of Israel;

d. The death of Babylon.

11. What book of the Bible says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”?

a. Hosea;

b. Zechariah;

c. Malachi;

d. Isaiah.

12. The Book of Daniel is quoted or alluded to in what other book of the Bible?

a. Psalms;

b. 2 Kings;

c. Revelation;

d. Ephesians.

13. The angel of the LORD was speaking to whom when he said, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”

a. Zechariah;

b. Haggai;

c. Daniel;

d. Obadiah.

14. What book of the Bible says, “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”

a. Lamentations;

b. Amos;

c. Micah;

d. Jeremiah.

15. The shortest book of the Old Testament is

a. Micah;

b. Malachi;

c. Lamentations;

d. Obadiah.

16. Jeremiah was told to do what?

a. Take a scroll and write on it all the words which God had spoken to him concerning Israel and Judah;

b. Get a brick and place it before him and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem;

c. Go to Nineveh and proclaim the proclamation God was going to tell him.

d. Love an adulteress.

17. The Book of Malachi is known for the verse?

a. “The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”

b. “From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, welts, and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil.”

c. “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

d. “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings.”

18. Who wrote the Book of Lamentations?

a. King Belshazzar;

b. Jeremiah;

c. King Solomon;

d. Isaiah.

19. What is the last book of the Old Testament?

a. Zechariah;

b. Malachi;

c. Zephaniah;

d. Nahum.

20. Jonah said,

a. “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

b. “Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment.”

c. “If you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will look after you; but if you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, never mind.”

d. “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Bible Gateway Blogger Member – Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²) is an international network of independent bloggers who meaningfully blog—and who are serious—about matters relating to the Bible. Follow the members on Twitter using the BG² List

Inspirational Writers Alive Member (IWA)  – Central Houston Location.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You so much for Your word. It guides me. It searches my heart. It points me to You. It shows me my sins. Without Your word, where would I be? I love You so much and I also love Your word and how it speaks to me. In Your precious and holy Name. Amen.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

To see more “Test Your Knowledge” Quizzes, click on . . .

Test Your Knowledge [Thanksgiving]

Test Your Knowledge [Women in the Bible]

Test Your Knowledge [Old Testament Trivia]

Your Knowledge [Men in the Bible]

Test Your Knowledge [Easter Quiz]

 

 

 

 

 

===================

Answers

 

 

 

 

  1. b
  2. c
  3. a; Some commentaries say the major and minor prophetic books are divided by their size.
  4. b; The major prophetic books are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
  5. d; The minor prophetic books are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
  6. c
  7. d; Jeremiah showed strength in his devotion to the Lord, but he also was a man with deep inner struggles.
  8. d; Ezekiel 2-3 gives a clear description of Ezekiel’s call and commission.
  9. c; Habakkuk 3:9
  10. c
  11. a; Hosea 4:6
  12. c; Material from every chapter in Daniel is either quoted or alluded to in Revelation, and only two chapters are without some background in Daniel. [Hebrew-Greek Study Bible.]
  13. a; Zechariah 4:6
  14. d; Jeremiah 29:11; You might like to read Jeremiah 29:12-13 as well.
  15. d; Obadiah was written for the encouragement of the Israelites. It is only one chapter with 21 verses.
  16. a – correct answerJeremiah 36:2; b-Ezekiel 4:1; c-Jonah 1-3; d-Hosea 3:1.
  17. d;
  18. b; Lamentations is the work of one who had a broken heart. [Hebrew-Greek Study Bible]
  19. b
  20. a – correct answerJonah 4:3; b-Amos 3:3; c-Jeremiah 40:4; c-Isaiah 40:31.

 

Abortion Outrage

Yes, I’m outraged by the barbaric cruelty with which some human beings want to treat innocent little babies. I usually don’t express my outrage and disgust. I usually try to avoid conflict and confrontation by just keeping quiet while possibly seething inside.

My lack of expression does not mean I have no opinions. In fact, I am a very opinionated person and this week I’m going to express my opinion about what has upset people all around the country about the abortion issue.

Let me begin by expressing my sincere sympathy to all the women and men that have been affected by abortion, either personally or within your circle of influence.

Abortion

Abortion touches lives. No matter what, abortion touches a person’s soul. Abortion may harden some hearts. Or it might bring great mental anguish to others. It may even cause death or suicide.

On Tuesday of this week, first-term Virginia lawmaker Delegate Kathy Tran proposed a bill which would allow abortions up until the moment of birth. A video of her comments spanned the Internet provoking both accolades for women’s rights and a frenzy for supporting human rights. Tran admitted that her proposed bill would allow for abortions up until the birth of the baby. The House of Delegates then erupted with Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, giving a rare speech vowing to defend “precious human life” if the Republicans were in power. ¹

This news item dominated late-night talk shows on Fox News. Many topics hit the airways such as . . .

– The right to life should not be up to the physician;

– Should Catholic politicians who support abortion be excommunicated from the church?

– Do babies have an inalienable right to life?

– These are the socialist policies of the left!

– Dogs’ rights are more important than human rights; and

– Dan Bongino, the host of The Dan Bongino Show, called this new push for 40th-week abortions “savage brutality.”

My Opinion

I’m not unaware of what is occurring, just appalled.

When I was in college in the 70s, I worked as an intern at Planned Parenthood for my social work class. While I wasn’t involved in any abortions, the thinking then was that pregnancy in the early stages was not equal to a real baby: thus an abortion was not killing a baby. An abortion was thought of as just removing a blob of tissue. This was before the days of ultrasounds where one could see a baby grow from an embryo to a fetus to a “human being.” Many unaware patients who had abortions then became devastated when new technological advances became available and they realized what they had done.

But today is different. We have technologies and are more educated on pregnancy and human development.

Nowadays, people think killing babies is okay even up until the time of birth or thereafter. This thinking is widespread, and not just in Virginia: many states are trying to pass bills for full-term abortion availability because they are fearful that Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision which legalized abortion nationwide, might be overturned by the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court.

Recently, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation allowing women to abort their babies at any time up until birth.

God is Not Pleased!

God made human life. He values human life. He loves human life. He also forgives those who may have devalued life at some point in their lives.

While the Bible does not specifically use the term abortion, the Bible is filled with verses about how God feels about the human form and human attributes before birth, during birth, and during our lifetime.

Four Biblical Verses Regarding How God Views His Children

  • Children are known by God even before they are formed in the womb. He even knows our future.

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,
And before you were born, I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5

  • Children are made by God.

Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 100:3

  • Children are born in the image of God.

Whoever sheds man’s blood,
By man his blood shall be shed,
For in the image of God
He made man.

Genesis 9:6

  • Children are the work of God’s hand.

But now, O Lord, You are our Father,
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the work of Your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

Videos

Virginia Lawmaker Kathy Tran

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam on Abortion

[Note: The following day Northam’s office issued a clarification stating that his offices’ comments were “limited to the actions physicians would take in the event that a woman facing nonviable pregnancy or severe fetal abnormalities went into labor . . . “] ²

Conclusion

Many of us have become very silent on moral issues including abortion. Let’s not keep our heads in the sand. Let’s shed our passive nature, our insecurities, our shyness, and our fear. We must be heard. With love, let our heart guide us to become outspoken on behalf of all the babies who can’t speak for themselves.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Prayer

O Jesus, save the hearts of the people who are not valuing life. I pray the Holy Spirit touches their hearts unto salvation. Without You, it is impossible for them to see abortion or any moral issue without knowing You. I lift up Your will on what is going on around our nation and the world. Give us peace. Give us power. Give us the prayers to pray for the unborn children and politicians who make our nation’s laws. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Works Cited

¹ Moomaw, Graham. Trump reacts after Va. Republicans share video of lawmaker backing late-term abortions; Democrats call it an orchestrated ambush. Richmond Times-Dispatch. 30 Jan 2019. www.richmond.com/news.

² Mandel, Bethany. Ralph Northam just gave a huge boost to Trump’s reelection campaign. The Washington Post. 31 Jan 2019. www.washingtonpost.com.

Twitter Link: Above

YouTube Link: Above.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

The Book of Ezekiel: An Obedient Prophet, Reprobate Sinners and Disobedient Overseers

Who’s Who?

An obedient prophet—Ezekiel

Reprobate sinners—sinful people of Judah;

Disobedient overseers—shepherds/leaders of Israel who were not properly leading their sheep;

====================

Three Sisters

The story has been told of three sisters who lived together.

Three sisters, ages 92, 94, and 96, live in a house together. One night the 96-year-old draws a bath. She puts one foot in and pauses. She yells down the stairs, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?” The 94-year-old yells back, “I don’t know. I’ll come up and see.” She starts up the stairs and pauses. Then she yells out, “Was I going up the stairs or down?” The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea and listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, “I sure hope I never get that forgetful.” She knocks on wood for good measure. She then replies, “I’ll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who’s at the door.” ¹

While these three sisters can’t remember very well, they still want to help each other. They want to live in peace and harmony with each other. They want to serve each other.

In the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, we see three people groups mingling and occupying the banks of the Chebar River during the Babylonian captivity: an obedient prophet, reprobate sinners and disobedient leaders. Unfortunately, they were NOT attempting to live harmoniously at all, like the sisters were above.

Historical Fact: The Babylonian Empire exerted influence over Judah. In 586 BC, they destroyed Jerusalem.

Ezekiel tries to lead the people in a godly manner. The sinners are living in the depths of depravity. Likewise, the disobedient leaders are living merely for themselves and for their pleasures.

Ezekiel: An Obedient Prophet

Wouldn’t it be nice to be so attuned to God that we would hear the word of the LORD come to us daily? Many leaders in the Bible were obedient to the voice of God; others not so. Some obeyed for a while and then retreated into sin.

The prophet Ezekiel was an obedient leader! Over and over in the Book of Ezekiel, we read, “And the word of the LORD came to me” or “The word of the LORD came again to me saying.” And he obeyed every time God told him to do something, no matter how bizarre it seemed.

In Ezekiel 33:7, Ezekiel is appointed to be a watchman for the house of Israel to give the people a warning. Ezekiel, as a spiritual leader, proceeds to warn the people of their sin and the upcoming prophecy of Jerusalem’s capture.

He lays out what happens when a group of people are not being led in the way of righteousness, like what was happening in Judah at the time: Babylonian leaders were threatening to overtake the people of Judah.

Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem during the second deportation of the Jews in 597 B.C.—one year before Jerusalem was conquered by the Chaldeans. This important time period occurred when many Jews were taken captive and similarly exiled by King Nebuchadnezzar II.

While the nation of Judah had sunk deep into sin, Ezekiel was called and commissioned by God to prophesize to an ungodly people about their many sins—idolatry, apostasy, and wickedness. Ezekiel’s boldness and dedication to the LORD gave him the power to predict the siege of Jerusalem, denounce idolatrous worship, lament over cities, and predict judgment. He was the instrument God chose to declare His verdict and reaffirm an individual’s responsibility to obey the Lord. Towards the end of the book, he joyfully shares about Israel’s eventual restoration and the glory which will fill God’s temple.

Historical Trivia: Sometimes the term “Chaldeans” is used to refer to Babylonians in general, but normally it refers to a specific semi-nomadic tribe that lived in the southern part of Babylon. ²

Historical Trivia: The House of Israel and The House of Judah are NOT the same people. Both are parts of the nation of Israel but reflect the division of the country into two different Kingdoms. Bible prophecies tell us that [the] Messiah will rule over a restored Kingdom during His millennial reign, as King David ruled over both Houses during his own tenure. ³

I’ve always thought of Ezekiel as my kind of prophet—he’s flamboyant and colorful. He wails, slaps his thighs, and has visions of dry bones. But his obedience to God’s call and willingness to do whatever God asks of him is what impresses me the most.

Sinners: Reprobates from the House of Judah, Including the Capital City of Jerusalem; 

Ezekiel 16 catalogues the sins of the people of Jerusalem. Many of the people were trusting in their personal beauty, and out of this hubris became prostitutes. They had sex with everyone who walked by. They took the gold and silver that the LORD had given them and out of it made idols for themselves. They covered their idols with embroidered clothes and offered God’s olive oil and incense in their presence. They similarly pledged all the fragrances and food that God had given them as well. They sacrificed their sons and daughters to their idols as sustenance. They had sex with the Assyrians, but they still weren’t satisfied, so they had sex with land merchants and the Babylonians (Ezekiel 16:15-34).

Leaders: Disobedient Overseers

Ezekiel warned the leaders as to what will happen if the people continued in sin due to a lack of leadership. Those in charge have a responsibility to lead their flock ethically no matter where they find themselves—in the workplace or in ministry. The overseers of the people were all about themselves: they became a stumbling block of iniquity to the House of Israel. They followed their idols far from God, thereby rendering them unable to lead the people. God’s desire was for them to be ashamed of their transgressions, but they weren’t (Ezekiel 43:10).

The leaders at that time were going to be punished for their sins. Leaders have a great responsibility to their people, as do ministers have towards their “sheep”—those that they have been given responsibility to lead within their churches or ministries. In each case, there will come a time when God says, “enough of all your abominations, because judgment will come!” (See Ezekiel 44).

What Happens To The People When Leaders “Run Amok?” 

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, the [spiritual] shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat [the choicest of meat], and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the best of the livestock, but you do not feed the flock. You have not strengthened those who are weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bandaged the crippled, you have not brought back those gone astray, you have not looked for the lost; but you have ruled them with force and violence. They were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered, they became food for all the predators of the field. My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the face of the earth and no one searched or sought them.”’”

Therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: “As I live,” says the Lord God, “certainly because My flock has become prey, My flock has even become food for every predator of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock; therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My flock from them and make them stop tending the flock, so that the shepherds cannot feed themselves anymore. I will rescue My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them”’” (Ezekiel 34:1-10 AMP).

Application to Leaders Today

The Drudge Report posted an article on January 15th, 2019 titled, “Staff at a Chinese company are forced to CRAWL on the street after ‘failing to hit their annual targets’” The article mentioned that a group of  female beauty company employees were made to crawl on their hands and knees through busy afternoon traffic in Zengzhou, China for failing to meet their company sales target. ⁴ I would classify their boss/leader as an uncouth, mean person. His flock wasn’t being led, or, to use a Christian term “fed” in an appropriate way.

The word of the LORD came to Ezekiel saying, “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people, and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land, and he blows on the trumpet and warns the people, then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.’” (Ezekiel 33:2-4).

We can extend Ezekiel’s analogy to all venues where leadership is established. Leaders such as CEOs, political leaders, teachers, pastors, prophets, and evangelists are put in the position of either following the Lord’s guidance in this area, or suffering the consequences.

Conclusion

Whatever God does with wicked individuals, leaders or nations, He is always generous in extending grace. His final goal is always the same, both then and now: God declares twenty times in the Book of Ezekiel that “they will know that I am the Lord.”

When the leaders didn’t do “their job”, God eventually stepped in Himself to restore Israel.  God said, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out . . . I will feed My flock and lead them to rest . . . I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.” (Ezekiel 34:16)

No matter what kind of leader you are, obey God as Ezekiel did.

If you are in a leadership position, most likely you will not be carrying out a public humiliation upon your employees or congregants or forcing them to slap themselves in the face 100 times (which occurred recently in China), but you must remember you are accountable to God for how you treat people.

In the three sisters story above, the sisters were not fully able to remember each other’s call for help, but their love for each other was evident. That’s how God’s love for us is: let’s commit to obey Him and serve His people in whatever situation we find ourselves.

If you are not a believer, consider the love that Christ has for you and how you can be part of the Kingdom of God by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior.

Bible Verses:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22)

Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; (1 Peter 5:2)

So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

For the LORD will judge His people and will have compassion on His servants. (Psalm 135:14)

Prayer:

My heavenly Father, with all my heart, I desire to do Your will. Give me the courage of Ezekiel, the strength to remain strong in You, and to lead in a way that is honorable to You. Steer me away from all things which can send me astray. Prune me so I can serve You more and more each day.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Bible Links are from the NASB unless otherwise noted.

To read more about leadership, check out the following article.

https://greenepastures.org/leadership-part-1-nehemiah/  (From this blog, you can link to Leadership Part 2-Nehemiah)

Works Cited

¹ “Unjokes #1002.” Jan 17, 2019. Web. Unjokes.com.

² “Who were the Chaldeans in the Bible?” GotQuestions.org. Jan 17, 2019. Web: https://www.gotquestions.org/Chaldeans.html

³ “Are the House of Israel and The House of Judah the same people?” Blog Post WordPress. Bible Insights from Jerry. 17 Jan 2019. Web. https://bibleinsightsfromjerry.wordpress.com.

⁴ You, Tracy. “Staff at Chinese company are forced to CRAWL on the street after ‘failing to hit their annual targets.”Drudge Report: Daily Mail. 15 Jan 2019. Web. www.DrudgeReport.com.

Bibliography

“Ezekiel.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. Jan 16, 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezekiel.

Photo Credit: Lightstock.com

See Works Cited.

Edited by E. Johnson

Valentine's Day

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

Plan Your Bible Studies For 2019

Over the past 47 years, participation in various Bible studies was a no-brainer. Reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible has been one of the most rewarding adventures of my life. Whether the studies were from pastors, discipleship leaders or workbooks, the effect they have had on my life has been profound.

Ever since I accepted Jesus Christ, I have participated in various Bible studies

Being a reader, and one who enjoys any kind of paper-pen-pencil combination, Bible study workbooks became my favorite method of reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God. Through them, I have grown in my faith, learned Biblical principles and wrestled with spiritual issues. These studies grew me from a “baby believer”, who knew nothing about the Bible, Bible doctrine or theology, into a “baby believer” who became armed with the Word of God—ready to tackle whatever was in store for me in my faith journey.

Along with these Bible study workbooks, I have partaken in topical Bible studies, Bible-based book studies and personal Bible studies (those done solely on my own). Choosing which Bible study I utilize depends on my interests, the authors, what studies are going on at my church, and/or what the Lord leads me to study for purposes such as teaching me, teaching others, or pursuing ministries He has for me.

Shortly after becoming a believer, some profound Bible studies helped me in my early walk with the Lord. They were:

  • The Ten Basic Steps to Christian Maturity by Campus Crusade
  • The Be Series by Warren Wiersbe
  • The Joy of Living Bible study
  • David Wilkerson’s Jesus Person Maturity Manual, and later
  • Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

Searching for Good Bible Studies

While it is not popular to say this, I have been involved in Bible studies that I later realized contained false doctrine and flat-out false teaching. [And yes, they are in Christian bookstores.]

As I grew, the Lord began to give me His discernment into which studies honored Him and which studies did not. It has become a challenge for me to find studies when I browse through Amazon or bookstores. I am diligent to read the author’s background, what they believe, and what their ministry stands for. If it makes you feel better, I am a “certified Texas librarian” so this kind of research and analysis comes easy—even expected—for me!

In January 2018, I walked into a Christian bookstore intending to find a Bible study to pursue at home. I looked and looked, but I couldn’t find one among the extensive shelves containing books from various authors from A-Z! I even looked at the $4.00 and under book carts. I’ve learned that some of the deeper books I enjoy end up on those carts. I’m not sure if it is because people like different studies than I do or if God is giving this retired gal a monetary break!

My Personal Journey

Because I own so many books, studies, literature, and Bibles, I periodically do some spring cleaning of my bookshelves—not so much to discard older ones but to make room for new selections. Since my books cover so many topics and authors, I even have a framed sign on my downstairs bookcases that say,

“Just because I own it and have read it, it doesn’t mean I believe it!”

Plan Your Bible Studies For 2019 by Patti Greene
Just because I own it and read it, does not mean I believe it!

You see, I keep some of my questionable books for comparison purposes for writing or speaking in ministry.

As I’ve grown in the Lord, I realize that reading the Bible semi-exclusively has become my forte (at least for now). While I enjoy other studies, I get more satisfaction out of studying God’s Word for myself than out of reading other people’s thoughts and their personal stories. Interestingly enough, the Bible resonates more with me now than when I first started my faith journey.

A Place for Bible Studies

Don’t get me wrong there is a place for Bible studies, but in all honesty, some stories or illustrations seem as if the author has stretched his imagination to make them fit a given verse and/or topic.

But hey, count me in that group! I am guilty of that myself. Many times, I have looked up topics in illustration books (usually ones written by well-known religious leaders or celebrities) when I am trying to write or speak to groups. Sometimes they work well—other times not.

But now in my journey, I love finding little nuggets about the lives of Biblical characters. I enjoy using them as my illustrations when writing or teaching. I have come to a point in my journey where I love God speaking to me directly from His Word.

13 Reasons to Read, Study and Meditate on the Bible

God’s Word . . .

  1. Convicts us of sin.

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. (John 16:8)

  1. Gives us His promises to depend on.

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (2 Peter 1:4)

  1. Gives us strength and peace.

The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

  1. Guides us in the moral and ethical decisions we face.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

  1. Guides us into wise thinking and behavior.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

  1. Is powerful and true.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

  1. Keeps us from being swayed by false teachings, teachers and incorrect doctrinal errors.

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2 Peter 2:1)

  1. Keeps us from temptations.

No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

  1. Leads us and others to salvation and eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

  1. Leads us to consistency in our walk with God.

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you? But, to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

  1. Remains close to our heart to guide and influence us.

Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; (Psalm 23:3)

  1. Shows us how Christ lives so we can emulate His lifestyle as we grow and minister to others.

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:  the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:4-6)

  1. Shows us how to minister to others.

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:31)

In all love I can give you, I want to encourage you to block out time for reading, studying and meditating on God’s Word, to commit to reading more of the Bible (as opposed to the writings of others),  to spend more time reading the unadulterated, pure Word of God, and find a plan that works for you.

Bible Study Plans

Bible study plans are a great way to keep your Bible study consistent. Plans will vary in . . .

  • Length;
  • Time duration;
  • The number of days per week; [I love the plans that give me the weekend off to pursue other things of importance to me.]
  • Topic;
  • Money; [For example, if you choose to read the Bible through chronologically, you might need to purchase a chronological Bible.]
  • Ease, and more.

While I could link you to various plans, I have decided to let you do your own search for a plan that will work for you. Many plans provide you will a scheduled list you can print out, download digitally or have emailed to you daily. Some plans want you to sign up for their emails before providing a plan. My suggestion is for you to make those kinds of decisions yourself and follow through. However, please take special caution to make sure your source comes from true Bible-centered organizations!

13 Types of Bible-Reading Plans Available for Studying, Reading and Meditating

  1. A read-through-the entire Bible plan (reading straight through from Genesis to Revelation);
  2. An Old Testament plan;
  3. A New Testament plan;
  4. A Bible chronological plan;
  5. A Bible historical plan;
  6. A Gospel plan;
  7. A 90-day challenge plan; a 180-day reading plan; a 365-day reading plan;
  8. A thematic Bible plan;
  9. A “Bible book at a time” plan;
  10. A blended plan—reading some Old Testament and some New Testament simultaneously;
  11. A Jesus’ Words plan;
  12. A short-term commitment plan;
  13. A personalized plan, and more.

As for me, my Bible study plan for 2019, so far, looks like this. It’s a personalized plan written down on plain old notebook paper!*

  • Finish the Bible study plan I am currently doing; [Okay—it’s the read-through-the-Bible plan I intended to finish in 2018 but didn’t quite finish!]
  • Read all the Words of Jesus in the KJV;
  • Read, study and meditate on the Old Testament Book of Habakkuk;
  • Read, study and meditate on the New Testament Book of John through the Joy of Living series;
  • Read, study and meditate on the New Testament Book of Mark;
  • Read, study and meditate on the Old Testament during my quiet time;
  • Read, study and meditate on the New Testament during my quiet time; then
  • Pursue whatever the Lord leads me to –  Maybe a quick study on the Old Testament prophet Nehemiah.

Conclusion

I’d love to hear from you to see how you decide to hear from God this year—be it a programmed study, scheduled Bible study plan, or a personal plan.

Back in January, as I left that Christian bookstore empty-handed after a vain search for a Bible study, I heard a voice within me saying, “Patti, don’t be discouraged.” I smiled, started my car, and drove home pondering what was my yearly plan to be. It came to me in a still, small voice. “Patti, read through the Bible in 2018.” And while I didn’t quite reach that goal, I’m almost there!

The important thing is to MAKE A PLAN AND GET STARTED!

Bible Verses:

Old Testament prophet Joshua said, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it . . . “ (Joshua 1:8)

New Testament prophet John said, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)

Prayer:

My gracious heavenly Father. I come to You as I start 2019 looking for ways to please You. I need You in my life for so many reasons. I am committing myself right now to be more immersed Your Word this year. I need Your Holy Spirit to guide me into a study that I can finish—one that I won’t give up on by the end of January. Being in Your presence is my desire for this new year. Thank You for always being by my side even when my faith is weak and my heart is faint. I truly love You.

In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.

God Bless,

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Bible Gateway Bloggers
Bible Gateway Bloggers

Edited by E. Johnson

*Commentaries are often used when studying the Bible.

Bible Links are from the NASB.

Valentine's Day

Books by Patti Greene

 

No More Christian Celebrity Quotes – Except Here!

Once upon a time, I wrote a devotional prayer journal titled, God, It’s Me. In the book, I put a quote from a “celebrity” Christian at the bottom of each page. I thought it was a reasonable thing to do and the publisher encouraged it. However, the book hadn’t been out long before I regretted my decision since a few of the “celebrities” had fallen from grace shortly after publication. I have since republished the book under the title of Anchor Me; Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer without using any quotes from anyone. Okay, I have quoted Jesus, maybe Paul too, but that is permissible. You get the drift.

I learned my lesson or, so I thought.

In this blog, I am taking some liberty and I have decided to do something different! The reason is that I have been super busy, and I have been reading a lot of good books and I would like to share some of the quotes I have read with you. Note that I usually read both sides of an issue and compare anything questionable to the Bible, so you might not like my chosen authors. Another reason is that if I find someone who is no longer in good Christian standing, I can delete the quote using one click on my computer. A blog is not a book that is FOREVER in print. As mentioned, you may not like or approve of the people I quote, but maybe their quotation, thought or illustration will give you room for thought.

So here goes!

Taking a creative approach to my blog and for time’s sake, I will be taking my quotes from pages 32, 34, or 36 from the books—only because those are the ages of our children. I could just use my age, but . . . Nah, that’s not any fun!

Enjoy!

Book Quotes

**********

“The ambassadors Satan prefers are chiefly of four sorts: persons of prominence and power; persons of superior intellect and diplomacy; persons of holiness, or at least reputed to be; and persons able to influence those in power.”

  • The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall; p.34.

**********

“Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is.

  • Adrianisms: The Collected Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers by Adrian Rogers; p. 32.

**********

“Now, our Lord Jesus Christ is a Counselor in a threefold sense. First, he is God’s Counselor; he sits in the cabinet council of the King of heaven; he has admittance into the privy chamber, and [he] is the Counselor with God. In the second place, Christ is a Counselor in the sense which the Septuagint translation appends to this term. Christ is said to be the angel of the great council. He is a Counselor in that he communicates to us, in God’s behalf, what has been done in the great council before the foundation of the world. And thirdly, Christ is a Counselor to us and with us, because we can consult with him, and he doth counsel and advise us as to the right way and the path of peace.”

  • Spurgeon’s Sermons by Charles Spurgeon, Volume 5; p. 32.

**********

“You are never too old to start again. My favorite people are those who have grown older biologically, but never stop growing spiritually.”

  • Principle Preaching by John R. Bisagno; p. 36.

**********

“God created the family to provide the framework for us to learn about relationships—how to relate to one another. Those first relationships often affect how we communicate and establish friendships for the remainder of our lives.”

  • Friendship: Iron Sharpening Iron by June Hunt; p. 32.

**********

“Doctors often say that persons who work seven days a week, only to spend months in the hospital trying to regain lost health, are really just catching up on their Sundays in arrears.”

  • Positive Obedience by John R. Bisagno; p. 34

**********

“Just because a brilliant mind can’t conceive of God does not mean that God doesn’t exist; it simply means that God’s reality exceeds the intellect and imagination of the human mind.”

  • Receiving and Giving by David A. Peterson; p. 34.

**********

“What biblical examples show the benefits of joint ministry? Who ministers alongside you? If no one, why not?”

  • Be Distinct: Standing Firmly Against the World’s Tides by Warren W. Wiersbe; p. 32.

**********

“It’s been a long time since I got a thank-you note for a Christmas present.” ‘Oh, that’s my training from my mother,’ she said. “We were always told that a written thank you was important and required for any material gift. And we couldn’t use the presents until the thank-you notes were written.”

  • A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life by John Kralik; p. 32.

**********

“I sleep with a BIPAP machine. Somehow, I lost the location of the store where I get my supplies. It was time for new supplies. For six weeks “it was time for new supplies. Three or four different times, I spent hours searching the part of our city where I just knew it was, trying to find the store. I know now why God blotted the memory of the place out of my mind. He wanted to show the great power of His hand. Sitting down to write this morning, out of nowhere (yes, I know where) came a thought. It was extremely clear and accompanied by a warm glow. ‘I wonder if I forgot to mention my presidency of the Southern Baptist Pastor’s Conference in the biographical sketch that I send to my speaking engagements?’ I walked over to my filing cabinet and pulled up the tab, BIO, for ‘biography’ to check it out. Guess what’s right next to ‘BIO’? BIPAP! I excitedly opened the file and there was the name, address, and phone number of the BIPAP store, complete with directions. What can I say, but ‘Hallelujah!’ I think that’s Latin for ‘YAHOO!’”

  • The Power of Positive Praying by John Bisagno – 50th Anniversary Edition; p. 36.

**********

“Obedience to Him is always the issue. Filling [water pots] may not have made sense to those servants, but they did it anyway. God’s command may not make sense to you, but don’t parade it by the judgment bar of your reason. Just obey. That’s the secret to a miracle.”

  • Believe in Miracles but Trust in Jesus by Adrian Rogers; p. 34.

**********

“Often the Enemy will put an easy solution in your way. He points to someone and whispers, ‘That woman over there, that man over there. If you want happiness, break free from your spouse and start again.’ Now I’m not denying that a marriage can end up in a heartbreaking mess, but if you put happiness before everything else, you will not only persuade yourself into a divorce, you will probably wreck your next relationship too. That’s how the Enemy works.”

  • Conquer Your Battle Plan for Spiritual Victory by Michael Youssef; p. 36.

**********

“When communicating with others, those of us who have Powerful personalities need to remember the ‘magic words’ and be especially careful of our tone of voice . . . a good verse for the Powerful personality to memorize is Proverbs 16:24: ‘Kind words are like honey—enjoyable and healthful.’”

  • Talking So People Will Listen: You Can Communicate with Confidence by Florence and Martha Littauer; p. 32.

**********

“So many of us feel like failures when we try to share our faith—all but the few who can really do it well. That may be the way we feel, but it’s not supposed to work that way. Somehow along the way we’ve become confused about what it means to represent Jesus to the lost world around us.”

  • Conspiracy of Kindness by Steve Sjogren; p. 34.

**********

“God employs anyone and anything to expose and extract the flaws that keep you from being established at the center of His will. Without haste, He deletes distractions. Thrashes those nearby crutches that provide alternative routes. Dispossesses your demigods secretly tucked away in your pockets. Strips you of all attractions. Shuts you in. And out. Beyond the reach and help of man. These and much more, God allows in order to make you absolutely dependent on Him. Completely surrendered to His will.”

  • Shekinah! Manifestation of the Sons of God! by Glory C. Odemene; p. 35. (I’m breaking my own rules on sticking to pages 32, 34, and 36! Oh well!)

**********

“And Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ So, the two of them walked on together.”

  • Hebrew-Greek Keyword Study Bible-NASB; p. 32.

**********

And how awesome is God!!! This quote from Genesis 22 (on page 32) is the exact key verse I am using for a “Hot Topic” class I am teaching at my church. God is so good in confirming I’m on the right track. I love how He works! Even in these blogs!

Conclusion

So now you have seen the last 15 books I have read plus what version of the Bible I am using, I would love to know what your repertoire of reading consists of. If you don’t mind, please comment, and let me know . . .

  • The last book you have read (Christian, non-Christian, fiction, non-fiction, biography, ebook, audiobook)
  • The author of the book
  • A  ‘cool’ quote, thought or illustration from the book, and
  • Don’t forget to share the page number if available

And one more thing . . . Next time I decide to do this, I might take the quotes from the page of my age. It seems the books get deeper and more interesting by the time I get to my age page!

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Bible Verses:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding. (Proverbs 2:3)

Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. (Romans 15:27)

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You so much for all the wisdom You provide to us—through ministers, Bible studies, and books. But, let us always remember that Your Word is the #1 go-to source for all our needs and desires. Give us discernment and understanding in all we read and hear knowing that many false prophets abound. I pray for Your Word to penetrate my heart, mind, and soul. I want to serve You. Keep me balanced and loving to all. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

____________________

Please share, forward, retweet, and/or comment if you liked this article or find it might help someone you know. Thanks.

In addition, I would love for you to join either my blog or newsletter. Just go to GreenePastures.org and look on the upper right-hand side of the blog to join!

Books by Patti Greene: Available on Amazon

Kindness: A Fruit of the Spirit

Many of us have no idea how to treat others with kindness. As a Christ-follower, following Jesus’ example in the New Testament demonstrates a worthwhile goal to pursue. When Christ’s love and His Holy Spirit indwells us, kindness begins to permeate our thoughts first and then our actions.

When I look back at most of the people I have known in ministry, it is the trait of kindness that sticks in my mind. Many times, I personally received a direct outcome of their kindness or I saw them showering kindness on others.

But, come to think of it, kindness is the trait I look for or it finds me in my relationships with others. (Okay, I value honesty too!)

The trait that you look for or find may be different. It may be another fruit of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

While not exhaustive, some of the pastoral kindnesses I have experienced are . . .

  • The pastor who preached the gospel when I turned from my sin and believed in my Lord Jesus Christ. [Bill Lawson/Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Houston]
  • The pastor who counseled me and baptized me. [Dr. James Harris/University Baptist Church, Fort Worth]
  • The pastor who gave me the best marriage advice ever. [Dr. John Bisango, First Baptist Church, Houston]
  • The pastor who filled in to marry us when our intended wedding pastor had to cancel marrying us two days before the wedding. [Dr. James Riley/Former pastor @ Second Baptist, Houston]
  • The interim pastor who loved our 6-year old daughter and led her to Christ and baptized her that very same day. [Bob Harris/Interim @ First Baptist, Humble]
  • The pastor I saw sweeping and cleaning up the kitchen after our daughter’s wedding shower which took place in his church. [Jerry Howe/Second Baptist Church, Levelland at the time]

And, I could go on and on! Fortunately, my husband and I have been recipients of being in wonderful churches all throughout our married life. Each unique in their own way. Praise God!

Kindness from Christ-Followers

But, it’s not the kindnesses I have received just from ministerial people that have impressed me. I have also been the recipient of individual Christ-followers’ kindnesses, like . . .

  • The ladies who brought meals to me after my children were born.
  • The college professor who gave me a passing grade when I shared difficulties I was having grasping the subject matter in his class.
  • The friend who consoled me after a horrendous breakup.
  • The elderly churchmen and churchwomen who mentored my husband and me when we were young adults by their examples and “invitations to have lunch with them.”
  • The friend who rejoiced with me when we bought a home while she lived in a small, rundown apartment with four young children.

Kindness was the trait that attracted me to my husband. When we dated, he was kind (and nice) to me. Need I say more after 39 years of marriage?

The Bible urges us to be kind to one another.

Honestly, I don’t think of myself as a particularly kind person. [Oh, I do not like saying that, but I desire to be a kind person.] When I see my rough and jagged edges, I don’t like what I see. That’s why it surprises me when I receive notes from my friends as I received recently.

One of my friends wrote,

You found me hiding pains and helped my healing: I am the vibrant woman I am today because you stopped where I was stuck, you became the step I needed to climb up and out: I am eternally grateful for your loving kindness.

I cherish comments like this. They encourage me to do better, to strive to be more kind and loving. And I appreciate those who refrain from telling me my bad characteristics until they are told with kind words—words that only the Holy Spirit can place in their hearts.

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro knew how to show grace and kindness when it came time to lead Moses to a better life when Moses was overloaded by all his pastoral duties.

Jethro said,

The thing you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.  Then he began to counsel him and teach him how to handle disputes by having the difficult decisions brought to him and having the minor decisions handled by the judges. (Exodus 18)

Now, that’s kindness in action!

Kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. When speaking about walking by the Spirit, Paul states the following, concluding with kindness being one of the fruits of the Spirit:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.  

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another (Read Galatians 5:16-26).

Why Should We Be Kind To Each Other?

  • As believers, we are commanded to be kind. (Colossians 3:21)
  • Be kind so that the word of God may not be criticized or attacked. (Titus 2:5)
  • Because the Lord is kind. Psalm 145:17. (Titus 3:4)
  • God tells us to be kind because he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Luke 6:35)
  • God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. (Romans 2:4)
  • If you are kind, you will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)
  • The Bible tells us that servants of God should be kind to everyone and not quarrelsome. (2 Timothy 2:24)
  • The Bible tells us to remember people kindly. (1 Thessalonians 3:6)
  • We should be kind to one another as God in Christ forgave us. (Ephesians 4:32)
  • You benefit yourself if you are kind while a cruel man hurts himself. (Proverbs 11:17)

Conclusion

As Christ-followers, no matter what we encounter in life, we are faced with many different situations and personalities. Obviously, sometimes we don’t feel like being kind. Fatigue, restlessness, and/or sin may cause our focus to shift away easily from God and His attributes.

Faced with our sometimes unkind attitudes, we should repent daily and pray that our lives will reflect the love of God in all we do—including being kind. Being kind involves loving others, being patient, and seeking God’s wisdom in all we say and do.

And, when we fail, let’s confess our harsh and callous hearts to God, and start over—even if it means addressing and apologizing to those whom we have hurt.

Bible Verses:

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. (Acts 9:36)

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. (Luke 6:35)

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, I so want to be kind. Help me each day to seek Your face and become more like You. Show me how to be kind to both my friends and enemies. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and guide me to situations where I need to shower others with kindness. Where I need to seek forgiveness, show me how to confess. You are holy and kind and I want to be like You in all I say, think, or do. In Christ. Amen.

God Bless,

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Edited by E. Johnson