The Bible, God’s Word of Life

Do you have a Bible?

If so, how old is your Bible?

Do know where your Bible is?

Is to your Bible dusty?

Are the pages still crisp and pristine?

Or are the pages a bit limp, a bit frayed?

Are the words underlined,
verses dated or marked with a star?

Are there notes and definitions in the margins?

How does it fit in your hand?

Does it feel comfortable or a little strange?

In church one evening not long ago,
as I bent my head in prayer,
I saw on the pew in front of me, this Bible.

Later I asked, “How long have you had this Bible?”
She laughed, “About 25 years.”
Many times I’ve seen this sister reading her Bible
before service started while those around her chatted,
greeting one another.

My Bible is well used,
but it does not have the print of my thumb worn
in the cover from holding the Word of God – – –
For long periods of time
Tightly – without wavering
Daily, many times during the day
In good times,
Hard times,
Fearful times,
Times of sickness,
Times of death
Times of joy and victory.

Only with our closest friends
do we have long, intense, soul searching conversations,
receiving and giving encouragement,
comfort, direction, and yes, even correction.

Is Jesus our closest friend?
How much time do we spend holding on to Him?

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105

Published in: on September 12, 2018 at 4:16 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Three on Thursday – Favorite Scriptures

For over 50 years,
God’s Word has been a light upon my path,
a comfort in the dark night,
a towel in the raging storm,
a restorer of my soul,
and a rock on which to build.
I would not be the person I am today
without the influence of the Word of God.
So today I chose my three favorite scriptures.
Each one became part of me
just when I needed another proof of God’s Love.

I love this picture of stacked Bibles,
the New Testament on has ridden in my purse since 2002,
the red one is 20 years old,
given to me by my children; and goes with me to church.
The black Bible supporting all the rest,
belongs to the Farmer,
a birthday present, May, 1979.

1.
Psalm 91:14-16
Because he (she) hath set his (her) love upon me (God),
therefore will I (God) deliver him (her):
I (God) will set him (her) on high,
because he (she) hath known my name.
He (She) shall call upon me (God),
and I (God) will answer him (her):
I (God) will be with him (her) in trouble;
I (God) will deliver him (her), and honour him (her).
With long life will I (God) satisfy him (her),
and shew him (her) my salvation.

This is how I read these verses.
I own them, they are mine.

1968
I was 19 year old.
I celebrated my first wedding anniversary 3 months earlier.
I had 12 days before given birth to our first daughter,
3 pounds 6 ounces, 9 weeks premature.
I was very ill.
The Doctors gave me a week to live.

I had set my heart on the Lord.
I knew His name, He is my Father.
I needed God’s Deliverance.
I needed God’s Answer.
I needed God’s Presence.
I needed Life from God.

God gave me everything I needed.

2.
Psalm 18:30-32
As for God,
his way is perfect:
the word of the LORD is tried (or sure):
he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
For who is God save the LORD?
or who is a rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength,
and maketh my way perfect.

1987-88?
I am home from the hospital.
I have endured my 6th miscarriage.
I am lying on the couch,
again in tears,
again asking ‘Why?’
again watching my dreams
‘fall through my fingers as grains of sand’.
again holding my Bible.

And once more God gave me everything I needed.
God’s comfort.
God’s strength.
God’s way and plan perfect in my life.

3.
Malachi 3:6
For I am the LORD,
I change not;
therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

1996
Our second daughter leaves her home.
Times were troubled.
I did not think she was ready.
I knew I was not ready.

Along with this verse, I was given a song.

Yesterday by Ernie Haase
[Chorus]
Yesterday things were different
Today they’re different again
Jesus will never change
Jesus is always the same

The sparrow will find a new dwelling
The eagle will change its nest
But I’m holding on the changeless One
And I’m leaning on His breast

The river will change, change its course
The mountains may crumble and fall
Time will leave its mark, they say
Upon us one and all
[Chorus]

My relationship with my daughter has been restored.
God’s Comfort.
God’s Presence.
God’s Reliability
God’s Strength.
God’s Way and Plan perfect in my life has not changed.

Open your Bible, today.
Oh, the treasures you will find.

Linking with Carole’s Three Things

Link to Yesterday     Goosebumps

When Thou Prayest

from my Bible reading:

Matthew 6:5-8
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues
and in the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen of men.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,
and when thou hast shut thy door,
pray to thy Father which is in secret;
and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them:
for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of,
before ye ask him.

A proper idea of prayer is,
pouring out of the soul unto God,
as a free-will offering,
solemnly and eternally dedicated to him,
accompanied with the most earnest desire
that it may know, love, and serve him alone.
Clarke’s Commentary

What is Prayer?
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast:
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward gleaming of an eye,
When none but God is near
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high:
Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watch-word at the gates of death,
He enters heaven by prayer
Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And say, Behold he prays!
The saints in prayer appear as one,
In word, in deed, in mind,
When with the Father and the Son
Their fellowship they find
Nor prayer is made on earth alone:
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus, on th’ eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes
“O Thou, by whom we come to God!
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer thyself hast trod,
Lord, teach us how to pray!”
Montgomery

Pray . . . . Today

Published in: on January 30, 2018 at 1:29 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

In Times Like These . . .Yet I Will Rejoice

Our fig tree, taken January, 2011

I am so thankful for hope and confidence in a Living Lord.
Many times our way looks bleak and with little to inspire hope.
But we are not looking to our way for our assurance,
but to the God who directs our steps,
one step, one pause at a time.

Habakkuk 3:17-18
Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines;
the labour of the olive shall fail,
and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk saw that evil was at hand, and unavoidable,
he submitted to the dispensation of God,
whose Spirit enabled him to paint it
in all its calamitous circumstances.
He knew that God was merciful and gracious.
He trusted to his promise,
though all appearances were against its fulfillment;
for he knew that the word of Jehovah could not fail,
and therefore his confidence is unshaken.
Clarke’s Commentary

Sunday Bible Reading


Colossians 4:2-6

Continue in prayer,
and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Withal praying also for us,
that God would open unto us a door of utterance,
to speak the mystery of Christ,
for which I am also in bonds:
That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without,
redeeming the time.
Let your speech be alway with grace,
seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Colossians 4:2,5-6

2 Be earnest
and unwearied
and steadfast in your prayer [life],
being [both] alert and intent
in [your praying] with thanksgiving.

5 Behave yourselves wisely
[living prudently and with discretion]
in your relations with those of the outside world
(the non-Christians),
making the very most of the time
and seizing (buying up) the opportunity.

6 Let your speech at all times be gracious
(pleasant and winsome),
seasoned [as it were] with salt,
[so that you may never be at a loss]
to know how you ought to answer anyone
[who puts a question to you].

Amplified Bible, Standard Edition

Establish, Strengthen, Settle You

Cozy Acres has California Poppy blooming everywhere.

1 Peter 5:10
But the God of all grace,
who hath called us unto his eternal glory
by Christ Jesus,
after that ye have suffered a while,
make you perfect,
stablish,
strengthen,
settle you.

Notes from Clarke’s Comentary

But the God of all grace
The Fountain of infinite compassion, mercy, and goodness.
In the name of the God of all grace; the God who is the most merciful and the most compassionate, who is an exuberant Fountain of love and compassion to all his intelligent offspring.

Who hath called us
By the preaching of the Gospel.

Unto his eternal glory
To the infinite felicity of the heavenly state.

By Christ Jesus
Through the merit of his passion and death, by the influence of his Holy Spirit, by the precepts of his Gospel, and by the splendor of his own example.

After that ye have suffered a while
Having suffered a little time; that is, while ye are enduring these persecutions, God will cause all to work together for your good.

Make you perfect
He will make you perfect. – Put you in complete joint as the timbers of a building.

Stablish
Make you firm in every part; adapt you strongly to each other, so that you may be mutual supports, the whole building being one in the Lord.

Strengthen
Cramp and bind every part, so that there shall be no danger of warping, splitting, or falling.

Settle
Cause all to rest so evenly and firmly
upon the best and surest foundation,
that ye may grow together to a holy temple in the Lord:
in a word,
that ye may be complete in all the mind that was in Christ;
supported in all your trials and difficulties;
strengthened to resist and overcome all your enemies;
and after all abide, firmly founded, in the truth of grace.

The Gospel, The Rod of thy Strength

b

The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion:
rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Psalm 110:2

The rod of thy strength – The Gospel –
the doctrine of Christ crucified;
which is the powerful scepter of the Lord that bought us,
is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword;
and is the power of God to salvation to all them that believe.
The kingdom of our Lord was to be founded in Zion,
and thence, by gradual conquests,
to be extended over the whole earth.
It was in Zion the preaching of the Gospel first began;
and it is by the Gospel that Christ rules,
even in the midst of his enemies;
for the Gospel extends a moralizing influence over multitudes who do not receive it to their salvation.
Clarke’s Commentary

Christ is the Word, the Gospel,
the same yesterday, today and forever.

The power of the Gospel,
who can describe the power of the Gospel.

The Gospel brings comfort, Psalm 23:4,
. . . thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The Gospel brings peace, Romams 10:15
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The Gospel brings help, Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

The Gospel brings salvation, Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The Gospel brings everlasting life, 2Timothy 1:10
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

These scriptures show the power of the Gospel to those who believe.

I was stirred by Clarke’s statement, ‘for the Gospel extends a moralizing influence over multitudes who do not receive it to their salvation’. We surely have seen the effect of removing the Gospel from our schools and our government.
JUST the reading of the Gospel to children,
JUST being thankful for all things,
JUST knowing the Gospel is sitting on the shelf,
JUST honoring our God has a power we do not comprehend.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good;
and what doth the LORD require of thee,
but to do justly, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with thy God?
Micah 6:8

Solid Ground and a New Song

Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD;
and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit,
out of the miry clay,
and set my feet upon a rock,
and established my goings.

young-woman-walking-park-6853281

And he hath put a new song in my mouth,
even praise unto our God:
many shall see it, and fear,
and shall trust in the LORD.

‘The Gospel is the stunning story of Christ
coming into the world to lift us from the mess,
to set us on solid ground with Him.
And when He raised us up,
He gave us somethingbto sing about.
He replaced the old songs of dispair
with new songs of praise–
songs for the One who makes us new.’
~~~~Louie Giglio

O Holy Night

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure,  1847

Being Christ’s Disciple

joy

If you want Joy be a disciple of Christ

What does it look like to be a disciple of Christ?

Romans 12:9-21 shows us
Let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honour preferring one another;
Not slothful in business;
fervent in spirit;
serving the Lord;
Rejoicing in hope;
patient in tribulation;
continuing instant in prayer;
Distributing to the necessity of saints;
given to hospitality.
Bless them which persecute you:
bless, and curse not.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice,
and weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind one toward another.
Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.
Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible,
as much as lieth in you,
live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves,
but rather give place unto wrath:
for it is written,
Vengeance is mine;
I will repay, saith the Lord.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger,
feed him;
if he thirst,
give him drink:
for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil,
but overcome evil with good.

Christ’s disciple puts others needs before their own desires.

John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give unto you,
That ye love one another;
as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.

Published in: on November 21, 2016 at 12:37 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Today’s thought – The Word of God

482012 001My HOPE is built on nothing less . . .

Good Morning

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away.

Priscilla Howe once described the Word of God as the Book that contains

the mind of God,
the state of man,
the way of salvation
the doom of sinners,
and the happiness of believers.
Its doctrines are holy,
its precepts are binding,
its histories are true,
and its decisions are immutable.

Therefore,
how can it ever fade from the grasp of man?
Read it to be wise,
believe it to be safe,
and practice it to be holy.
It contains
light to direct you,
food to support you,
and comfort to cheer you.
It is the traveler’s map,
the pilgrim’s staff,
the soldier’s sword,
and the Christian’s charter.
Here paradise is restored,
heaven opened,
and the gates of hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand object,
our good its design,
and the glory of God its end.
It should fill the memory,
rule the heart,
and guide the feet.
Read it slowly,
frequently,
and prayerfully.
It is a mine of wealth,
a paradise of glory,
and a river of pleasure.
It is given you in life,
will be opened in the judgment,
and be remembered forever.
It involves the highest responsibility,
will reward the greatest labor,
and will condemn all who trifle
with its sacred content.

Trust God’s Word . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on November 17, 2014 at 12:07 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Ten on Tuesday – Blessings

ToT-Button

On Tuesday’s Carole hosts ‘Ten on Tuesdays’.
She chooses a topic – we list ten items.

10 Times You Felt Grateful Last Week.

My ten ‘thankfuls’ as our family calls them are not in any order of importance.

1. My home and my stash shed on Cozy Acres,
why I call it Cozy Acres.
June 4 028

2. I strolled around our yard last week — I’m thankful for the Farmer’s hard work and the reward of flowers.

June 4 030 Coneflowers
June 4 041Hydrangeas
June 4 043Hydrangeas
June 4 030Coneflowers
My picture of red roses only wanted to load sideways,
boo wordpress.

3. the Farmer’s Garden
June 4 010Corn
June 4 008Squash with Sunflowers

June 4 012Cucumbers
June 4 013a Variety of Peppers
June 4 016Tomatoes

4.Grapes and Berries
June 4 004
June 4 025

5. A Mother’s day gift that enabled me to get needed clothes (underwear) and yarn I desired for me.

6. The Bible

7. Questions that caused me to search and answers that drew me nearer to God.

8. Grandsons rushing in asking for caramel apple suckers.

9. My dear Friend

10. Sunflowers
June 4 020

More things come to mind,  my family, my cats, cooler weather, homemade meatloaf, and an air-conditioned car.
I am so blest.

To enjoy others blessings, click here.

March 21, Today’s thought – The Bible

482012 001

Good Morning,

Now these are the commandments, the statutes,
and the judgments,
which the LORD your God commanded to teach you,
that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God,
to keep all his statutes and his commandments,
which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son,
all the days of thy life;
and that thy days may be prolonged.
Deuteronomy 6:1-2

The Bible is a beautiful palace,
built up out of sixty-six blocks of marble–its separate books.
In the first chapter of Genesis we enter the vestibule,
which is filled with the mighty acts of creation.
The vestibule gives access to the law courts,
the five books of Moses.
Passing through these we come to the picture gallery
of the historical books.
Here we find hung upon the walls scenes of battle fields,
representations of heroic deeds, and portraits of eminent men
belonging to the early days of the world’s history.
Beyond the picture gallery we find the philosopher’s chamber,
the Book of Job.
Passing on we enter the music room, the Book of Psalms,
where we listen to the grandest strains
that ever fell on human ears.
Then we come to business office, the Book of Proverbs,
where right in the center of the room stands facing us the motto:

“Righteousness exalteth a nation:
but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34

From the business office we pass into the chapel of Ecclesiastes,
or the preacher in his pulpit,
and thence into the conservatory, the Song of Solomon,
with the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley,
and all manner of fine perfumes, fruits, and flowers.
Finally we reach the observatory, the prophets,
with their telescopes fixed on near and distant stars,
and all directed toward the bright and morning star
that was soon to arise.

Crossing the court
we come to the audience chamber of the King, the Gospels,
where we find four lifelike portraits of the King Himself.
Next we enter the workroom of the Holy Spirit,
the Acts of the Apostles,
and beyond that the correspondence room, the Epistles,
where we see Paul and Peter and James and Jude
busy at their desks.
If you would know what they are writing about
their Epistles are open for all to study.

Before leaving we stand for a moment in the outside gallery,
the Revelation, where we look upon some striking pictures
of the judgment to come and the glories to be revealed,
concluding with an awe-inspiring picture
of the throne room of the King. W. Duns

Enter His palace. . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on March 21, 2013 at 4:45 am  Leave a Comment  

Five Minute Friday on Monday April 9, 2012

On Friday I read the prompt ‘Light’ and couldn’t put my thoughts together. This scripture was read Sunday morning and my thoughts jelled.

 

 

 

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master    John 20:11-16

start:

how many times in my grief
in my busyness
in my discouragement

am I so involved in what I assume to be true
so sure of what I feel
so unbelieving in the power of the Father

that even when Jesus is standing right in front of me, saying
can I help? — I am blind and stumble along in my own weak way;
until He says my name

and my eyes are opened like Mary’s
and I can honor, accept and submit to Him.

stop.

Matthew 6:22-23 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Join others writing about light with Ginny here.

Published in: on April 9, 2012 at 1:23 am  Leave a Comment  

Scavenger Hunt Sunday — April 8, 2012

This week I hunted, searched and looked until I found every item.

 New

This blossom of wild strawberry and ladybug are new to Spring.

Life

  In the beginning was the Word,and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:1, 4

Fragrant

We have Chickens.                We have fresh Eggs.          We have Fragrance.

Nosy Grissabell!  All the chicks left their nests.
What a noisy disturbance occurred.

Pink

I took my camera to church this morning, thinking surely some little girl will be wearing Easter pink.  What I found was our pastor’s wife’s shoes!

Obvious

I collect Tom Clark figurines. Wilkes and Molly are my favorites.
It is obvious they are in love and have loved for a long time.
When the Farmer and I were going together, he would often play and sing while I finished my chores.  These hold a special place in my heart.  The Farmer hasn’t played in a long time.
Our love continues;  in June will be our 45th anniversary.

You’ll find more hunters and their photos here:

Scavenger Hunt Sunday items: New, Life, Fragrant, Pink and Obvious

Published in: on April 9, 2012 at 12:29 am  Comments (13)  

March Joy Dare — Part 1

One Thousand Gifts in 2012

March Joy Dare–capturing these gifts and joining Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience.

“Joy is always a function of gratitude — and gratitude is always a function of perspective. If we are going to change our lives, what we’re going to have to change is the way we see.”

March 1 — 3 gifts at 3pm

Watching the chickens run out of their pen for free-range eating
The quiet of nap time
Gathering fresh laid eggs

March 2   — 3 gifts green

I have started two knitting projects of the same pattern
both in green different size yarn
                                

but oh how different

New Spring green growth

March 3  —  3 gifts wore

A hair net to keep the bun in place
Tights, I love tights.
My shawls, knit, ripped, re knit by me, until I got it right.

March 4  –3 gifts HARD to give thanks for

Leaving our home
The illness of a daughter-in-law
The learning in this season of my life

March 5  — 3 gifts found

Primroses pushing up out of the barren looking soil
Knitting needles hiding in yarn dens being organized
A place for a dresser returned

March 6  —  gift bent, gift broken, gift beautiful

Our deck furniture is wrought iron –bent
My idea for my future is broken
God’ perfect plan for me is beautiful,
Psalm 18:30  As for God, his way is perfect:

March 7  –3 gifts in the kitchen

New pans from Brother Bob
Just enough storage space
A window over the sink

March 8 —  3 gifts  loud

This littlie is very loud

the Farmer’s tractor (sometimes the loud is a bit too much)
The singing at family night

March 9 — 3 gifts carved

A pair of knitting needles made from the walnut trees grown
at the farm where I purchased them
White washed wooden candlesticks
A bear from my Mom and Brother

March 10  3 gifts in Christ

Every need supplied
Job 23:10  But He knoweth the way that I take:
2Corinthians 1:3 -4 Blessed be God, . . . the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,

Gifts 296 — 326

Published in: on March 12, 2012 at 2:09 am  Leave a Comment