Random Little TidBits - March 2017

TidBit #1

"The person who commits sin and experiences no discipline is one who should be concerned with his spiritual state.  Hebrews 12:6 states, "For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines."

~ Dr. Dwayne Mercer, First Baptist Oviedo

TidBit #2

The Deborah Anointing is full of great information about how to step up and be a woman leader for God, and I absolutely loved this book. 

TidBit #3

I've heard that the Wilderness Tabernacle was the OT representation of Jesus.  I've heard many many people make this reference.  NONE quite explained it to my satisfaction.  Beth Moore you made my flesh tingle with the Holy Spirit when I went through this study.  You explained things in a way that made absolutely perfect sense, and I was so blessed going through this study!

Thank you so very much for the time you put into this work, and re-doing it!

TidBit #4

If you don't think you can get something wonderful out of a story that is 400 years old, then read this one.  This is an amazing journey straight from the Bible to print in a "modern" tale for even today!

TidBit #5

Am so glad a friend loned me this one, so that I didn't spend my money on it.  It had some good points, and worth a read, but I personally didn't care much for it.  

In Conclusion:

I realize this is a sort month this time, and quite honestly I'm late getting this one out.  I'm doing a couple of studies right now, that started the last week and today, and I've been so looking forward to them that I forget I didn't post this yet.

Sorry guys!

On a happy note, my 6th grandbaby said hi this morning at 5:55 AM.  Sebastian Ryan welcome to life!  I can't wait to see you!

Shalom and God Bless!

Random Little Tidbits - October 2016

TidBit #1

This book was a quick read, just a couple of hours. This one is full of information, but nothing I hadn't see already.  I felt a little disappointed after finishing, as though I expected something more from the reading of this text. 

TidBit #2

Joshua 23:12-13 speak so loud to me.  If you cleave to the remnant of these nations and make marriages witth them, I (HE) will no longer drive them out, and they will be scourges, and traps, and thorns...

I am SO applying this to sin, my inability to control my temper, my lack of progress in losing weight...  I read something this morning by Joyce Meyer that talked about our 'want to' and this just all came together for me just now.  

I will never succeed at accomplishing my desires until I first let go of the old habits, the old hang ups, the old desserts, the old self and put on the new self, the self that I am in HIM the self that HE will make me.  

At the Joyce Meyer LoveLife Women's Conference this past weekend, Christine Caine said that HE won't do what we can do, HE will only do what we can't do.  And HE won't do what we can't, until we do do what we can do!  And what that basically says is HE is waiting for us to do our part!

TidBit #3

Good Morning Girls

An online community.  Do your daily SOAK's and reflect on one chapter each day.  Then join one of their many facebook groups and discuss with other ladies in your area or around the globe. 

I started with James, now have completed Joshua.  Started Judges on October 17th.  So looking forward to it!  Love what the Holy Spirit has shared with me, and what He has shared with the other ladies in the group.  Am thankful for having someone to talk about each chapter with!

Update:  I studied James with the U.K. group, great ladies, very talkative and supportive!  I joined two others (closer to my time zone), thinking I would get more out of the study of Joshua.  They are not so talkative.  So glad I have the U.K. ladies!

TidBit #4

I really got a lot out of this study!  Even though I was a little overwhelmed by the amount of homework in each session.  The book is the size of all of Ms. Moore's studies, but only 5 weeks instead of the normal 8-10 sessions.  

Moore takes her time with 2 Timothy and for that I am glad!  Really diving in and digging out the Word from the text.  And Melissa's additional pages, I love, love, love that Moore is letting her take us even deeper into the studies.  

TidBit #5

God At The Center

He built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him. Genesis 35:7

After Jacob’s first memorable encounter with God in the wilderness, he called the place Beth-el, which means “the house of God.” Many years later, after he had suffered and sinned and repented, and discovered the worthlessness of all earthly things, he renamed the place, El-beth-el; literally “the God of the house of God.”

Thus Jacob had shifted his emphasis from the sacred place to the God he had met there. God Himself now took the center of his interest.

We need to consider that many Christians never get beyond Beth-el. God is in their thoughts but He has not been given first place. Faithfulness to the local church is a good thing; but when the church becomes so large and important that it hides God from our eyes, it may become a good thing wrongly used.

Always God must be first—and we ought never forget that the church was never intended to substitute for God! What is our primary interest? Is it Beth-el or El-beth-el? Is it my church or my Lord? Is it my creed or my Christ?

Father God, I want You to have first place in my life and in the lives of the people in my local church. Help us to focus on You so that we can enjoy Your presence wherever we are—at church, at home, in the office or on vacation.

Mornings with Tozer, by A. W. Tozer.

TidBit #6

Atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning. C. S. Lewis

The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career.  C. S. Lewis

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. C. S. Lewis

TidBit #7

I purchased this book over a year ago, from Sondra Baras, when she came to visit our church.  I can't say I agree with everything she had to say, but she certainly shared information with us that I didn't have, and open my eyes to things of a Jewish nature.  I wish there were more people of Jewish descent that would sit with us and teach us the old ways!

This book, walks through the Torah, one Parsha portion each week.  And gives us even more information, from her perspective, that really was enlightening to me.  

I fully recommend this book!

TidBit #8

"Good works are not a means of salvation because we are saved by grace through faith. We are saved only on the grounds of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But, our good works are an evidence of salvation; and if we fail to do all the good we can, to all the people we can, at any time we can, by any means we can, we will be condemned at the judgment bar of God. Make no mistake about that."

Billy Graham

TidBit #9

Men and women who are out of fellowship with God, the Creator, still have an instinct towards some practice of worship. In most of our “civilized” circles, the practice of picking out what we like to worship and rejecting what we do not like is widespread.

This has opened up an entire new field for applied psychology and humanism under a variety of religious disguises. Thus, men and women set themselves as judges of what the Lord has said—and so they stand with pride and judge the Lord.

In the Bible, God takes the matter of worship out of the hands of men and puts it in the hands of the Holy Spirit.

It is impossible to worship God without the impartation of the Holy Spirit!

A. W. Tozer

TidBit #10

Postponing Obedience

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.Acts 16:31

A notable heresy has come into being throughout our evangelical Christian circles—the widely accepted concept that we humans can choose to accept Christ only because we need Him as Savior, and that we have the right to postpone our obedience to Him as long as we want to!

The truth is that salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred Scriptures. Peter makes it plain that we are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience” (1 Peter 1:2).

It seems most important to me that Peter speaks of his fellow Christians as “obedient children” (vs. 14). He knew their spirituality—he was not just giving them an exhortation to be obedient.

The entire Bible teaches that true obedience to God and His Christ is one of the toughest requirements in the Christian life. Actually, salvation without obedience is a self-contradicting impossibility!

Humans do not want to admit it, but the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans long ago that “by one man’s disobedience” came the downfall of the human race (see Romans 5:19).

Dear Lord, I pray today for all the “nominal” Christians in our churches who are straddling the fence of faith. I pray that Your Spirit will impress upon them the need to become fully devoted followers of Christ who will become actively engaged in the battle for men’s souls.

A. W. Tozer

TidBit #11

John Wesley’s Advice on How to Vote in an Election

“October 6, 1774
I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them
1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy
2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against, and
3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”

― John Wesley, The Journal of John Wesley

  

I'm putting this pic here, because I want you to know, that even though I think it might be a waste of time, I did my civic duty and cast my vote for the most qualified candidate!  Now it's up to God, do we get a leader that will lead us UP to HIM, or one that will sink us farther down?  Either way, I intend to follow Wesley's advice.  

TidBit #12

Opens November 2nd!  You wouldn't know it by what I have listed here that I've spent most of my month of October working on the Studio so that we can get it open.  There were a few set backs, with a procedure that I had to have.  But we open this week!  

Y'all come see us!

Meme Corner

 Some of these I designed myself, so be forgiving of the colors!

Random Little TidBits - September 2016

TidBit #1

"A man in the Bible named Asaph struggled with this concept -- the "unpleasantness" of being treated by God as a son or daughter.

Asaph was a music leader in the Temple that was designed by David and constructed by Solomon. But Asaph was becoming a bitter man. He confessed, "I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Psalm 73:3). It seemed to Asaph that the wicked in Israel were wealthy and healthy, "free from the burdens common to man" (verse 5). Asaph was also aware of the character of those who "had everything." They were proud and callous, scoffers who were filled with malice, men who clothed themselves in voilence. Bitterly Asaph concluded, "This is what the wicked are like -- always careferee, they increase in wealth" (verse 12).

What ate at Asaph was that he had none of the seeming blessings that the wicked possessed. Asaph could not help feeling that "surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning" (Verses 13-14).

Asaph's feelings of being treated unfairly by God ran deep. But he was a worship leader at the Temple. To share his feelings, Asaph decided, would be to betray God's children (see verse 15). Yet the more Asaph struggled to understand, the more oppressive the situation seemed. "Why them, Lord?" and "Why me?" were the cries of Asaphs heart.

Then one day, as Asaph was entering the santuary of God it all came together. "Then," he wrote, "I understood their final destiny" (verse 17). The apparenlty blessed life of those who reject God's discipline has placed them on "slippery ground." They feel no need of God, and so He has no place in their lives. In the end God will "cast them down to ruin" (verse 18).

At this realization, Asaph saw his complaint as senseless and ignorant. Asaph lived in the presence of a God who was always with him, a God who held his hand and provided counsel. A God who afterward "will take me into glory" (verse 24).

Realizing that despite his trials and his troubles God was with him, Asaph concluded, "As for me, it is good to be near God" (verse 28)."

Taken from Satan Exposed by Larry Richards

TidBit #2

"The discipline of disaster was never a raw display of divine anger, but rather a call to the community to come back to its roots in a loyal and obedient relationship with the Lord." Larry Richards in reference to Amos 4:6,9

TidBit #3

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.

C. S. Lewis

TidBit #4

I found this book to contain a LOT of good information for practical application into our daily lives.  There may be a nugget or two that I don't necessary agree with theologically.  But the practical application is amazing.  This is in the series with The Full Armor of God: Defending Your Life from Satan's Schemes, which I absolutely love!!  

Going to be a short month this month!  Sorry guys!  I absolutely have been spending all of my time working on GG's... prospective opening October 15th.  Will keep you posted.  

Am posting this early because of the Joyce Meyer Conference in St. Louis this weekend!  I will be there!  Looking forward to Beth Moore, Lauren Daigle, and Kari Jobe!!!!

Random Little TidBits - July 2016

I am so saddened by so many things today.  The world is fighting with itself, the people of the world are fighting with each other, people in this country are fighting with each other.  Even dear friends are fighting with each other.  Lord, please open up the hearts of everyone soon, so they can see their sin, so they can repent, me included, and we can all clean up this mess.  We need your help Father, without you, it can't be done.  

I know it's early in July, the month is not done, but I've got a lot in this one, and I'm going to go ahead and put it out there. 

Our vacation to the Smokies, Chattanooga, Nashville and Virginia was amazing.  Great memories!

The second part to New Orleans, not so much.  I can say I have been there now.  For that I am glad.

Hope you guys are well and I love you all!

TidBit #1

"Whoever wants to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy." James 4:4

Well that certainly isn't worth it! I'd rather be the world's enemy!

TidBit #2

Started this study in June... will work on it this month, and will probably not finish it up until August.

Not that it's that long.  Seven weeks in all.  But I've got vacations in there, and HomeSchooling, and just summer time.  Also, by taking my time, I absorb so much more of it!

I am loving James.  Everyone I talk to absolutely hates this book in the Bible.  And Ms. Moore alludes to it not fitting in with the rest of the Gospels and Pauls Letters.  But honestly, I must say, I LOVE it!  James is so... to the point, blunt, matter of fact, and lacks any form of tact.  I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HIM.  THAT IS ME 100%.  

I'll make sure to expand on this one when I'm done.  BUT I'm loving it!

Update:   I took this one with me on vacation, and managed to finish it this month.  I took it with me on vacation, because I couldn't put it down.  I have learned so much from this one book of the Bible, that I ordered another book on James so that I could keep going with him.  

TidBit #3

"Thus says Adonai, the LORD, When I have gathered the House of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered and I am sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob.  And they will dwell safely there and build houses and plant vineyards. Yes, they will dwell with confidence when I have executed judgments upon all those around them who despise them, and they will know that I AM the LORD their God."

Ezekiel 28:25-26

In reading this weeks Parsha Numbers 8:1-12:16 I take it a step further and have incorporated Sondra Baras' book Shabbat Shalom in my weekly study.  This week Ms Baras mentions the State of Israel being founded in 1948.  I don't know... I'm just wondering if God has brought the Hebrews back to Israel, then where is all the peace and safety that is mentioned in Ezekiel?  Where is the judgment to those that despise the Israelites?  The part 'and I am sanctified in them in the sight of the nations' maybe isn't done yet? I don't know, this is just very curious to me.  

TidBit #4

"And My people are bent on backsliding from Me." Hosea 11:7

In today's society, I think nothing more needs to be said.  

TidBit #5

Luke 15: the story of the Prodigal Son.

I've read a lot of stories that talk about the Prodigal Son. How he takes his inheritance and goes off and squanders it. And after a long time sucks it up and returns home. To not be scorned but welcomed with open arms.

Always the story focuses on this son, and compares it to us.

It hits me tonight. The other son. There's another son. There's another part to this story.

"And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours."

The other son didn't get a party. He didn't get any fanfare. He got no acknowledgement for staying and doing the right thing.

He was there, all along, with the Father, and he missed it. He completely missed the relationship, the love, the blessings, the knowledge of his inheritance.

And I wonder... How many of us, are stuck in our ruts, our traditions, our rituals, our "religion" and are missing out on the Fathers love?

Please ask yourself... Am I missing out on all that He is?

Lord, I pray that I and my friends don't miss out on the relationship that You want with each of us. I pray that you open the eyes of each of us to the love You so want to show us. And I pray that each of them, myself included, experience Your gift of joy and peace. Amen.

TidBit #6

"There are different kinds of abuse: sexual, emotional, verbal, physical. No matter the form, the results are always terrible. It will keep you from functioning properly and prevent you from receiving and experiencing the righteousness, peace, and joy of God's kingdom." ~Joyce Meyer

For everyone that reads this please take the time to bank in your memory a thing or two. Not every victim is open and forthright about it, you may never know that person you sit by and talk to at church is a recovering victim. Sometimes it takes forever, if at all, to overcome all of the side effects of abuse. PTSD is not just for soldiers. Have patience with people, you never know all the baggage people carry around, even if you know some of it. Be kind to one another!!!

TidBit #7

"But He (Jesus) did not use that fear (of consequences to our sin) to induce people to follow Him." ~ Wayne Jacobsen in "He Loves Me!"

He used love, acceptance and friendship.

Check out this book!  I'm loving it!

TidBit #8

Public Service Announcement

I will never understand why people that know they are going into a big crowd of people, i.e. an auditorium or performance hall insist on wearing cologne, perfume, and scented lotions.

Cause when they all sit together the scents mingle and are toxic to those of us with allergies.

TidBit #9

Today's Challenge

"A little child playing one day with a very valuable vase put his hand into it and could not withdraw it. The father, too, tried his best to get the little boys hand out, but all in vain. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, "Now, my son, make one more try. Open your hand and hold your fingers out straight as you see me doing and then pull."

To their astonishment the little boy said, "Oh no, Father, I couldn't put my fingers out like that because if I did I would drop my penny.""

~Billy Graham

What's your penny? What part of this world are you clinging to that keeps you from God's mercy, God's love and God's freedom?

TidBit #10

Joshua 24:32 (NIV)

32 And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver[a] from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

Why in Shechem?  Why not with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

TidBit #11

I did the twelve week study on this series a few months back, and absolutely loved it.  This version, is in novel form, with questions for self reflection at the end of each chapter.  I'll tell you right now, I absolutely loved this book.  It's a must read for everyone!  I plan on reading this book more than once!

It's more than worth it!!! Get this one!

Meme Corner