Isaiah 53 to Remember This Day!

Isaiah 53

 ¹Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

 ²For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

 ³He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 ⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 ⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 ⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 ⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

 ⁸He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

 ⁹And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

 ¹⁰Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

 ¹¹He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

 ¹²Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

May you all have a family filled day of love and reflection on the gift Jesus gave us – salvation through His love and grace, and rejoice in the fact that He is indeed risen!  

The Passion of the Christ

Last evening we were sitting down and ended up watching The Passion of the Christ.  It was then that I realized where my Bible teaching has fallen way short.  My children know of Christ’s death on the cross and that He died for our sins, but they don’t really know the Biblical account of the week leading up to the cross.  We are going to remedy that this week.  I’ll be reading from the 4 Gospels so they can see/hear it from God’s Word.  Not story books, nothing like that.

Now I do not agree with everything in this movie, but I thought it was a really good depiction of the Biblical account of Christ’s Crucifixion.  It put an image, in my mind, of the beatings Christ suffered and what He went through for my sins that day.  He did it because He wanted to and it is something that I’ve known, but haven’t sat and really considered.

Thankfully it didn’t stop with the beatings and with His death on the cross!  Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead  – just as He said He would do!

Bible Study Planet has a great breakdown of the Biblical events of the Passion Week.
Blessings!

Something I need to do! :)

Guess I should add that I am doing that HERE. A blog I follow mentioned TheHomeschoolLounge, so I joined the group. Seems like a wonderful place from what I have seen so far. I haven’t been able to dig too deep into it yet.

Questions, lots of them!

My children have been keeping me very busy with questions. Lots of questions! They have been learning and reviewing Bible stories through their schooling, through devotions and through Bible stories in the evening (if it’s not too late at bed time).

Ryan, my middle child, especially loves to ask the questions. “Well, why did Eve have to sin?” “Why didn’t Adam stop her?” Why, why, why?? “What if they didn’t sin?” “Didn’t the people around Noah know they were sinners?” The story of Noah is fascinating to all 3 of my kids. It’s hard to wrap my head around the story if I think about it. God was so mad at the sin in the world that He destroyed it by a Flood.

I can’t even really remember what ALL the question were. I just know I didn’t and don’t have answers for all of them. They are overwhelming at times. I think I’m going to make a list of the next batch of questions from him (and the others) and post them.

My explanation as to why Eve chose to sin is that God gave us a free will and she chose to sin. The same thing with Adam. Because they chose to sin, we are born sinners, all of us. That is why God sent Jesus to die on the cross. He paid the price for our sins. What a price He paid!

Children are a such blessing! They make you think about the Bible, God’s Word, His plan.

These questions make me think of another situation I am dealing with. It’s about a friend who is living in serious sin and, yet, justifies it. We can justify any sin, especially if it’s something we WANT to hang on to. God’s Word is very clear on sin. All have sinned, we are all sinners. There’s none that doeth good.

This entire conversation we’re having has been a plus for me. It makes me really take a good look at the sin I allow in my life (and there’s A LOT there). It’s those sins we don’t think will hurt others. Well, they may not hurt others, BUT they are wretched and ugly to a Holy and Pure God. They hurt Him. They nailed Him to a cross.

Gleanings from God’s Word

This week I have been faithful to have my daily devotions and am always amazed at the blessings I get from them.

Thursday morning I did my Our Daily Bread (it’s linked to the actual devotional), then I decided I better get started on my goal to finish my I Peter Bible study. What amazes me is how tied together they were for that day! God has a way of getting His message through my thick skull!

Here is the I Peter 2:1-3 passage:

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

In verse 3, we are to lay aside (put away or discard) these things. ALL of these things. All is used a number of times in this verse and when God repeats something, we better listen! This is where I took a personal inventory and really had to look closely and see if there are any of these things in my life that I need to get rid of. Of course there are some of these things in my own life (hypocrisies, envy, and evil speakings in particular) that need taken care of. It was eye opening to me after searching my heart to truly see what is in there.

That’s where the Daily Bread devotional passage came in for me:

I John 1:5-10

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8I f we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Even as a Christian I have to confess my sins daily. Sin builds up in my life and it needs confessed and taken care of each and every day. God forgives me of these sins and cleanses them away. Then I can better live my life for Him!

I Peter 3:2 says that we should desire God’s Word like a baby desires to have milk. Why? So we can grow. What is my desire for God’s Word? Lately it has been strong and I pray it continues to stay that way. If that desire seems to go away some, I will still force-feed myself. God blesses us when we aren’t even expecting it – that has been my experience.

All this to say that God has so much work to do in my life. I am thankful for the reminders that are in His Word:
1. How He wants me to live my life
2. The plan in His Word to get me started on the right path (AGAIN)
3. His reminder that I need to confess my sins daily
4. The desire of His Word daily
5. Living my life so that it honors and glorifies Him

Thank God that His compassion’s do not fail and are new EVERY morning!

I Peter 1:3-9

Today is actually my 2nd day of the study. The first lesson was on the greeting in verses 1 and 2. The letter is addressed to strangers or pilgrims in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Another term Peter called the readers was Elect. To me, his greeting is a refreshing reminder that as God’s child, I can have peace and grace in every situation.

Peace – God gives us this at just the right time. It’s also rest.
Grace – God gives us favor, no matter what the situation or occasion is. Peter prays God’s grace would be multiplied. As a believer, I need to pray for God’s grace – the key is to pray. Be in contact with God, daily.

1 Peter 1:3-9 (King James Version)
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Verse 4: These strangers were promised an inheritance in heaven and here is how it’s described: 1. incorruptible 2. undefiled 3. doesn’t fade away 4. reserved for believers

Verse 5: God was keeping the believers by His power, to be revealed in the last time.

Verse 7: Peter describes the believers faith as more precious than gold.

Verse 8: This is quoted directly out of the book “I have not seen Him, yet I love Him.” “I do not see Him now, yet I believe Him.” “Therefore, I believe with joy and glory.”

What I learned about God in these verses: God knows the trials and tests we go through and He is always with us. We can go through these times with joy because He is with us.

“God has settled in heaven certain trials of our faith,

which will as surely befall us as the crown of glory be given us at

Christ’s appearing. God’s purposes of grace are a golden chain; not a link must be missing.

When the devil tries our faith it is that he may crush it or diminish it;

but when God tries our faith it is to establish and increase it.

Persecution will be to us as the deluge to the ark – a flood to lift us toward Heaven”

— D. L. Moody

Bible Study and other things

Today I am beginning a Bible Study on I Peter. It’s “Putting On a Gentle & Quiet Spirit” by Elizabeth George. My secret sister at church gave me a gift card to the Christian Bookstore in Cranberry, so I went there and decided on getting the study.

There are many things in life I need to learn, and being gentle and quiet are just a couple of them. I will be writing about the things I’m learning. I’m going to try to do 2-3 lessons each week – there are 25 lessons total.

Lately I’ve been thinking about my priorities and how they truly need to be rearranged and put in the proper order. Funny, I start to do this earlier in the year and then get totally side tracked and forget about it.

The thing that got me startled into doing this was nothing really to do with priorities. I stood on my bathroom scale and realized that I had gained 6 pounds in 2 weeks!! Yikes!! What happened?? I really don’t know, but have decided to keep a journal with what I’m eating and what I’m doing as far as exercise goes.

Then thinking about things last night I realized that I am getting myself on track to lose weight, but what about other priorities? What about my time with God? What about my time with husband and children? How are these things going? Then I realized they are not good.

My time with God is a Daily Bread each day, which is good. My prayer time is needing much work. I need to remember to pray always. I remember talking to God throughout the day when I was younger. Scripture memorization – needs work as well. I’m learning some of the verses that I don’t know when I help the kids with their Awana books. Figured it was good for them, and good for me as well!

My time with my husband is usually really good! How I LOVE that man!! Speaking of my husband, today is his birthday! He’d rather not talk about it since he’s closer to 40 (he’s 36). The kids and I are coming up with ideas for dinner and a birthday snack for him. Should be fun anyway! Eric is such a blessing to me!! God’s plans are truly the best and I am thankful every day for Eric!

Our children are precious and sweet and I love them so very much!! I’m thankful God gave them to us, I don’t deserve them. There are days where I am a complete and total failure as a parent. I mean I fail them each day at some point, but some days are just way worse than others. This is where the Gentle and Quiet spirit lessons are going to come into play. I am not always gentle with them, sometimes I am very short tempered with them and then comes the non-quiet part. It’s an awful thing and I want to change, for God and for them.

Homeschooling the kiddos isn’t easy and some days it’s just downright hard and frustrating. Other days are wonderful! I love seeing when they learn something and how excited they are when they grasp a concept! It has been an interesting journey so far and I’m thankful for the opportunity to homeschool them!

All this to say that I am working on my priorities (again). I’m sure I’ll fail (again), but thank God He doesn’t give up on me and gives me the chance to get things on the right track again!

A new week!

Here we are, Monday! This is going to be a short week of school for the boys. Well, short by one day. 🙂 They have much work to do this short week, but they’ll be fine. Just getting them going after the weekend is the hard part. They have done well in their math since we really concentrated on it the week before last. That is so exciting!

Now we have to work on writing. Ryan is just sloppy, but he can put sentences together ok for the most part. Nathan needs a lot of work in both areas. He CAN be neat, but he isn’t and doesn’t seem to want to listen lately either. He does struggle with putting sentences together that make sense though. This is also becoming a struggle for me to. I’m at a loss of what to do for him in this. He has pictures in his Literature & Creative Writing and has to write sentences from them and it is really difficult for him. Guess he’ll need some one on one time for this.

I got his CAT test last Friday. We will do these tests some time this month. My nephew will need one too, so my sister in law and I will trade kids and do the tests. This is a whole new experience for me. Nathan will get evaluated in June some time. Thankfully my sister in law has been doing this a while and knows what I need to have and what needs to get done for that. I’m a little nervous, but I think we’ll be ok.

Last week’s Awana went well. It was quite busy since it was talent night. There are quite a few talented girls in the class! I didn’t know so many of them played musical instruments! How fun!

After prayer and talking things over with Eric I will be taking on a Sunday school class this June. I figured we’d see how it goes. If it’s too much, I will give it up. I don’t want to be so overwhelmed by things that I don’t enjoy serving God.

The bulletin board will be a family project. I thought as homeschoolers it would be a great opportunity for them to have a Christian service project! I am quite excited about this. I’ll need to shop around for ideas and I also love the site http://www.boardsgalore.com/ There are a lot of great ideas on there as well! I need to get good measurements of the bulletin board so I can do some of the designing stuff at home with the kid’s help. 🙂 This will be so much fun!

This coming weekend will be sooo busy! I have to finish memorizing my lines for the play we’re doing at Sunrise service. I’m excited and nervous all at the same time! Saturday we’ll rehearse the play, then go to the Awana Easter egg hunt. Friday we are planning to go to Roger’s in Ohio – a HUGE flea market. We went with Eric’s family last year and are doing it again this year.

Saturday we went to the Pittsburgh Mills (a mall). It was ok there. A lot of places have closed up though. Kind of a ghost mall, but not quite as bad as the Clearview Mall in Butler.

Church was awesome yesterday! There were hymnologies about different hymns we sing each Easter. The stories behind the author’s of the hymns are so amazing! It’s neat to see how God worked in their lives and how these hymns came to be. Another thing we learned about was the meanings behind different things during the Easter holiday. The holy week, lent, Good Friday – all that stuff. It was very interesting! I’ll write more on this tomorrow if I get the chance.

My list of thankfulness for today: 1. thankful for a good church where there are opportunities to serve Him and to hear the Word of God! 2. thankful for my huband and children! 3. thankful for a little extra money – I love my new vacuum! 🙂

II Chronicles 20:15b Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your’s, but God’s. This was an excellent verse I read in my devotions this morning and had to share it!