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 - August 2016

Random Little TidBits #1

We are made in the image of God.

Through our lifetimes, sin and choices change us.

The person we are today, is NOT the person that God made us to be.

God loves us no matter what. He will accept us back to Him no matter what. You just have to ask for it.

He also loves us enough to make sure we don't stay who we are today. He loves us enough to help us work towards what He intended for us in the first place.

Random Little TidBits #2

Joyce Meyer said in Battlefield of the Mind "remember that Satan has really never had an original idea. He takes what belongs to the Kingdom of Light and perverts it for the kingdom of darkness".

So before you decide that "meditating" is bad because it's pagan, or admiring the stars is bad because it's pagan, or even your Christmas tree is bad because it's pagan, you need to ask yourself one thing:

Are you going to let Satan steal everything that God created from you? God created mysteries in the sky and in the earth for us to find, because He created us with a curious mind, and need to explore and expand. God gave us the means for understanding Him, and one of those things is meditating on His Word. And our crosses, and Christmas trees, and angel figurines, may very well be idols... but I think what makes something an idol, is the intention behind it's creation. If it's created to replace God, it's very bad.

Am so glad, that when something is bothering me, and I ask God to help me with it, that He always ALWAYS gives me an answer!

Random Little TidBits #3

Jonah is the only prophet to tell God no.

Why did he tell God no? Because God wanted him to go to Ninevah (the enemy) and give them the Word to repent.  He knew that God would forgive them, because that is what God does.  And my Bible says that he knew that would make him a false prophet.  

Jonah fled God, tried to escape God, suffered a storm and thought he would die when thrown into the sea, just to avoid doing what God wanted.

But God had a plan for Jonah, and God did not take no for an answer. And when they threw Jonah in the sea, God used a big fish to save Jonah from an otherwise certain death.

All so that Jonah could go to the Ninevites and deliver to them a Word of repentence.

What storm is in your life, because you have told God no?

God will never give up on you, what you see as trials and tribulations, may very well be God's way of trying to get your attention... Have you given up on Him?

Something to think about!

Random Little TidBits #4

And that includes how you talk to them and treat them on Facebook. And how you roll your eyes when they have something to say that is contrary to your beliefs.

Believe me when I say, it all comes across to the other person.

You can't just say you're a godly person. If it doesn't come across to others, then you really aren't.

Random Little TidBits  #5

This is my response to a friend that shared an Anti-Hillary article with me.  I am so very tired of this whole election, find it repulsive, and insulting to all of us!

Very well written article. I do not disagree with any of the first half. Sorry that's all I read, I was getting car sick. 

Let me explain something to everyone that reads this. 

This country has a Constitution, a Declaration of Independence and a Bill of Rights. In those documents it lines out the rights to free speech, the rights of religious freedom, and that all men are endowed by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. 

Although our country was founded on Christian values, it was founded as a "refuge" to all people escaping persecution. And thus became a melting pot of all. 

So at this point in time one has to separate religion from politics, while maintaining their beliefs. Hard to do. I know. 

That also means that not everyone will be engaging in those pursuits the same way. Just because I believe one way does not mean I can impose my beliefs on others. Or make their decisions for them. Or take away their rights to make those decisions. This is in reference to Abortion, LGBT, and any other controversial issue on the board. 

Pence is the only reason to vote for Trump. And the only reason I considered voting for Trump. However, I think God might have a problem if I vote for Pence and hope the Dems eliminate Trump. 

So although the Trump ticket might appeal to my conservative views. He does nothing for my liberal part. 

The Libertarian candidate is the only candidate that satisfies most of my beliefs. Balanced budget, reformed immigration, government out of individual liberties. The list goes on. 

"Therefore I feel the force of the words of James: “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17)." This is from your article. I know the right thing to do. And I intend to do it. And I do love James. He is so to the point, lacks tact (like me) and retained his Jewishness in Christianity which is how I believe we should all do. 

Shalom!

Ok, well I will say the article was worth a read. I must tell you something about myself. When you start throwing out “would likely”s and “could possibly”s and “will most probably”s I tend to tune out, because it’s all hypotheticals and suppositions. 

That being said, let’s look at some of the issues mentioned. 

“In the history of American politics, candidates who have been elected president have occasionally changed their minds on one or another issue while in office, but no president has ever gone back on most of what he has promised to do, especially on issues that are crucially important in the election. And notice how Trump has changed his mind.” So we are seeing Trump change his mind over the course of this election, numerous times. What do you think will happen once elected, he will absolutely become who he really is then. In fact, let’s look at the fact that he was a Democrat, until when? Until he decided that he would have to steal the Democratic ticket away from Hillary, who was probably guaranteed it last time around, and knew he wouldn’t get it from her. I wouldn’t be surprised, that their long standing friendship (prior to this election primary period) didn’t result in a bet of some sort…

“Two of the deepest causes of poverty among minority groups and racial tensions in our country are failing public schools in our inner cities and lack of available jobs. Trump expressed a commitment to solve these problems at several points in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention.” HOW? I need to know HOW, and he has never given out any of the HOW’s. So seriously, this is just lip service, to tug at your heart strings. Yes we all want the failing schools fixed. The first thing you need to do is repeal “No Child Left Behind” and let those drop out that want to. Because being forced to go to school when they don’t want to, is setting those who want to up to fail. I am an ex-High School math teacher, who taught in the delta area at Helena, and yes I know what I’m talking about here. 

“We will rescue kids from failing schools by helping their parents send them to a safe school of their choice.” Again, how can you promise this? See the statement on the last item for more detail. 

Borders: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.

Borders totally and completely go against everything this country was founded on! There is not a single soul in this country that didn’t come from somewhere else. If you believe the validity of the Torah, then even my Cherokee ancestors did not originate here. Our country’s motto hasn’t changed, I’d like for it not to change now. And yes that includes the Muslim refugees. Does Jesus not tell us that if someone strikes our cheek, to turn the other one to him as well? You can't live in fear of others, you have to live in love. 

If for some reason, SCOTUS, decides to make it easy for everyone to start persecuting Christians, in any form, then that is what they do. I have no more control over that with my one vote than anyone else. I have faith in my Lord and Savior to protect me, and if I am to be persecuted for my faith, then so be it. I will look at that as an honor!

I have a lot more to say, but I’m going to leave it with that. You vote your conscience, and I’ll vote mine. And please don’t send me any more hypotheticals, or theories, or ‘what ifs’. That not only is counterproductive, but implies that I have no brain, and can’t think for myself. 

Shalom and have a blessed day!

Random Little TidBits #6

"The work God is trying to do in you requires your full participation. You will find the rewards when you subscribe completely to what He asks and do the tasks how and where He asks."

Priscilla Shirer - Jonah

Random Little TidBits #7

Relationship with our Lord is not a passive thing. He won't make you who He meant for you to be, without intentional interaction with Him on your part.

Random Little TidBits #8

This is a wonderful book.  And will change your perspective on how much He really loves you.  I've added this to my regular repeat shelf, and will revisit it again and again!

Random Little TidBits #9

I have to say this morning, that I am blessed, highly favored, and having a super day!

That being said, I'd like to talk about Bible stories for kids. Well, not really, but we will start there.

I just finished an indepth study on Jonah with Priscilla Shirer. Oh man, was it good. You hear the story when you're a kid. At least most people do. I heard it from my kids not too many years ago, when they learned about it in church.

I want to encourage you, as an adult, go back and revisit it. I've told my kids, to read it for themselves, because some of the stuff you learn as a kid, is (for lack of a better term) cleansed. It's "kid friendly" and you don't get the whole picture, and the whole message unless you read it for yourself. Jonah is one of these stories.

Jonah, I have to say, is probably now my favorite OT book. He is the only prophet that we know of to tell God no, and live (debatable here) to tell about it.

In the end, Jonah did what God wanted, even though he did NOT want to, and was mad about it the whole time, even afterword. This gives me so much hope, cause you have to admit, sometimes you just don't want to do what HE wants you too, and it doesn't matter really if you are mad about it while you do it, as long as you "DO IT". It's all about submission.

In Esther, Mordecai tells her, that someone else will rise up to do what she is supposed to do. There will be salvation through "someone". If not you, someone else. But Jonah tells us, that sometimes, "SOMETIMES", you have to, or no one will. And "SOMETIMES" God will not be told no, no matter how hard you object.

Most of us hate change. Most of us, have our little routines, that we like, and find security in. Most of us despise things we aren't sure of, and seldom live dangerously. (Especially those of us that are older). God's little Divine Interruptions are not welcome to most of us.

However, here is what I learned from Jonah, amongst many things, the most important is: When God opens a door in front of you, AND He pushes you to the threshold, it's best to accept the change and roll with it, rather than get rolled over!

(I'll share the door He's opened in front of me in the next week or so, stay tuned!!!)

Random Little TidBits #10

I re-did Battlefield this summer.  I incorporated the study guide, and got both of my children their own copies.  We went through each section together.  I RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE, FOR ALL OF YOUR CHILDREN.  

This one is a MUST for everyone.  You just have no idea how satan can mess with you, until you study that subject.  And Ms. Meyer absolutely helps you "see" and "combat" the destructive things we allow ourselves to do to ourselves!

This has been a busy busy month.  The kids are back in school.  And things are getting even busier with all the junior high activities going on.  I think I might need to do these more often than once a month.  Or maybe split some of it out in different posts.  If you have any preference here, please don't hesitate to let me know.  I love you all!