Goodness...

God is so good and provides in so many cool ways.

I've been deliquent in posting. Thankfully, I've been reading and shown some great things. I just haven't been making it here to post them.

So, the day after I posted my last note, I went to the final session of a women's Bible study. It was just a short one while the other was on winter hiatus. It was on worship. She did an excellent job. She went through discussion of the tabernacle and it's parts and their symbolism. For example, the bronze basin the priests used to wash was a mirror so they could see themselves- we need to come face to face with ourselves. The lampstand that was to be kept burning at all times- Jesus is the light of the world. Another cool point she brought out was how God had prepared for it. The skillful craftmanship required- there were Israelites with those skills. God knew before he put them in the desert. There was much much more. One of the greatest parts was it gave me passages that I wanted to know more about.

I've been drawn to James. So, that's the next book I'll study. I was crossing James 4:8 and came across a few Psalms. The recurring theme was "return to me and I'll return to you."

I also crossed Hebrews 10:26-27:
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

I followed the cross reference all the way through and appreciated 1 Timothy 2:14 where it basically says that God's desire for everyone is to be saved and know truth.

Ok, last little bit here...On days I didn't know what to read, I would read Proverbs. Somehow, on the 9th, I was looking for something else and Romans 16:17-18 about jumped off the page at me:
17I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

Feeling encouraged

I'm finally feeling pretty good health wise- aside from a little fatigue. Children sleeping would really solve that though.

I've been reviewing and doing a lot of cross referencing. Building off my last post/subject, I decided to go all the way through Colossians.

Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

The Message:
2-4Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don't forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I'm locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I'll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.

The verse pretty much jumped off the page at me. I smiled to myself as I looked at the cross ref's. Went to Luke 18:1, which was a memory verse for the class I took.

Colossians 4:5-6
5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

The Message:
5-6Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

This was a good reminder. Clearly, one to memorize. It crossed to:

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The Message:
1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

What amazing timing. The way things flow...