Month: November 2008

90 Days with Jesus Bible Study

Day Seventy-Five

A. Knight

Luke 22:7-13

In these verses we find something similar to what we found on day 73. Jesus told them what to look for—and what to do with the findings. Clear instructions. AGAIN. Over and over He does the same with us.

Okay, let’s get on with today. If there was a lesson written for me, I suppose today would be it. With the very first question Beth poses, she hits me in the head. “What task has Christ called you to lately, even though you’re not crazy about doing it?” My answer? Speaking to a group. Why? Nerves.

Well, before you say it I will for you! “If Christ can calm a hurricane slamed sea, can He not calm the nerves on one 46 1/2 year old girl from Florida?” Answer, Yes He can!

AND as I faithfully follow His directive—obedient heart beating in my chest—He calms the sea of my mind. And my faith explodes!

Ephesians 2:10 NIV “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God has a purpose and plan for each of our lives! He had one planned from the beginning! The circumstances that happen in our day-to-day is preparation for what He has planned. Peter and John were chosen to perform certain tasks—for a reason. God had a plan. He knew in advance the pen and ink would flow from their hands onto the parchment…He knew they would share the LIFE of the Redeeming Lamb!

I like what Beth said in the 4th paragraph, “While every part of the meal was highly symbolic, it had no meaning at all without the lamb. The most important preparation Peter and John made was the procuring and preparing of the Passover lamb…..They may not have grasped the significance of it at the time, but eventually they “got it.”

Do you “get it?” Do you know that the day-to-day is part of His divine plan for you and me? The problems and trials we face today—are working in us a greater —stronger faith for days to come? His word says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV (emphasis mine)

I love how He speaks to our hearts! Beth shared at the end, “Christ’s ultimate goal in any work He assigns to us is to reveal Himself, either through us or to us…..Beloved, the tasks God gives you are never trivial.” AMEN!

As we close today, I want you to get into a posture of worship. Michael W. Smith has a song that has such an anointing all over it! Every time I hear it or sing it–I feel the power in those words!
Agnus Dei—Latin for “Lamb of God”….hear it and worship Him. The LAMB OF GOD!

Keeping the Faith,

Angie

Lamb picture obtained from hedweb.com

Missions

Prayer is Key

A. Knight

Girls, I just popped over to Lori—my dear friend who I have YET to hug—and she had this link on her blog and invited me to visit another “Angie”. Go over to Bring the Rain and read…soak it in….but above all—pray. There is much to be done—many lives to be touched—reached for God in these last days….and we must pray.

Read her post entitled, “Seven Prayers a Day”. YOU will be blessed!

90 Days with Jesus Bible Study

Day Seventy-Four

A. Knight

Read Luke 22:1-6
Daily we fight spiritual warfare. Some we actually see and feel the heat of the battle, and others we may never know what happened. The Lord wants us to be covered in His armour every day to be able to stand “against the wiles of the devil.” According to Ephesians 6:10-17, He tells us to “Put on the whole armor of God…” We can be “strong in the Lord,” and we have life in Christ that the devil does not understand and Christ wants us to live in that liberty. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:14 – “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things…” Now I can actually say it because I found it in His word! He wants us to grow up! Have you ever felt like telling someone that? Their comes a time, as the old saying goes, “to part the whiskers and get rid of the bottle.” (Yikes! I don’t know that this was on the docket, but I already typed it now, so I was thinking it, might as well- just share, huh?)

I’m supposed to be talking about Judas, well I’ll get to him in a minute- this is good stuff! (*Think I need to give my husband some notes for a sermon or something- just kidding!) Well, the facts are, Judas apparently hadn’t had armour on in a long time, if He ever did have any on. He gave the devil an open door. And guess what? Satan took him up on the invite. I do not believe the devil can possess a Christian, because he won’t go through the blood, or he would be a saved devil, however Judas was not following Christ. Somewhere in there, Judas, turned against Christ and listened to the lies of satan. But “what satan meant for evil, God meant it for good” and turned it around and got the glory. The death, and resurrection of His Son meant- eternal life given for all who would receive Him! (Praise-the-Lord!)

Ever feel like the devil set a trap and there’s no way around it? God will make a way and He’ll pave it in gold if He has to! There is coming a day the devil will get his ultimate defeat, but until then we must “fight the good fight of faith!” I read the end again and again, the score has not changed- we still win– in the end and the devil is defeated in Jesus’ name! Not to say we won’t have to sweat a little, but we must remember “the battle is not ours, it is the Lords”, and He gives us the victory!! He fights our giants- whatever they may be. Just like Beth said, we do need to wise-up to the “devil’s schemes” and realize like the old song says: “My God specializes in things thought impossible and He can do what no other pow’r can do.”

Thank you Lord for being our place of refuge and shelter from the storms of life. Thank you for the hope you give us to keep holding on. Thank you for sending your only begotten son to die for our sins and allowing him to rise again so we can have this hope today of eternal life. We honor and praise your holy name. Touch all the sweet sisters reading with us in this study. Help them. Hold them. Strengthen them in their battles. Especially touch Regina today. She needs your strong arms upholding her, be with her and grant her your wisdom. I pray you will be her anchor in the storm she is facing. Thank you for all our new sisters and I ask you to bless them all bountifully. May you be with Angie today as she speaks what you’ve laid on her heart at the Ladies Tea tonight. Speak through her as she follows your leading and minister to them all. In Christ Jesus’ name–Amen.

Keeping the Faith,

Aimee

By the way, we are going to have a give-away at the end of our Bible Study. I was going to let it just be a surprise, but Angie couldn’t wait and she “let the cat out of the bag!” (Now Angie, just don’t tell them what it is!)
Thankful Thursdays

Thankful Thursday EVERYDAY!

A. Knight

I am thankful that the LORD has given me life! EVERLASTING! I had written this before I saw what Iris’ Scripture was for today! That very verse has been on my mind for two days! He wants us to really KNOW how much He loves us!

In the past 73 days I have been on a deeper journey with Him. I can tell you that through this time, there have been the battles, the trials, and yes, even flesh issues that I have dealt with. I can say with all honesty though, that the LORD has given me extra strength and peace to go on. READ ON—WALK ON! FOR HIM.

I just left our ladies Bible Study group and we are involved in a Joyce Meyer study on prayer…and boy howdee is it ever POWERFUL! She shared some of the VERY things that I had been reading this week 🙂 Isn’t that like GOD!

One thing that came to my mind as I was listening to her speak and thinking in the back of my mind—circumstances that so many are facing—we need to move our focus on what the enemy is trying to do in our lives—distracting us from the FATHER and the goal of our lives—and we need to FOCUS on what GOD is doing in our lives! Girls, the best way I can say this…”SUIT UP AND DEAL WITH IT!” By that I mean put on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD! Partial clothing is not going to cut it!

I am thankful that Grandbuddy’s procedure went well this week and his blood pressure is DOWN!

I am thankful for all He is teaching me! I am thankful He is patient! I am thankful for YOU! I am thankful for the Bible Study on the Sisters of Faith site! If you haven’t been reading along, you have missed a blessing! My baby sister Aimee has been blessing my heart and life with every tap of her keys! I am thankful for my family!

Girls, if I haven’t told you, I love and appreciate you! God’s love is real and it is for you and for me! If you don’t have anything else to pray about on Thursday, I would TOTALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS! I will be speaking at Carmel A/G at the Women’s Ministry Tea Thursday night. PRAY SISTERS PRAY!!! I cannot do anything without the anointing of Jesus Christ! I don’t plan to go without HIM!

Go on over to Grace Alone for many more thankful hearts!

90 Days with Jesus Bible Study

Day Seventy-Three

A. Knight

Beginning of the End…

Read Luke 19:28-48

I feel compelled to share Beth’s questions:

1) Try to describe the emotions that flood your soul–after having spent these first seventy days getting to know our One and Only–now seeing Him marked for a torturous death?
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2) What could you do to keep the reality of His suffering and the high cost of your atonement from ever becoming old hat and unmoving to you?
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Many years ago, probably more than 15 years, I read the book “The Messiah” by Marjorie Holmes. A powerful read. I stayed in anguish—pretty much the whole time. I had just read the previous books in the trilogy by the same author, so I was completely caught up in the whirlwind ministry of Jesus. The days before the Crucifixion, I kept this sick feeling. I knew what was coming. I had no power to change things. I remember how I cried when I read the account of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ —all—for—me. And YOU.

Let’s back up a bit though. Go back to verses 29-34. Did you notice what I noticed? Jesus gave them instructions and then told them “what” they would encounter and how to deal with it. “Go into that village over there,” he told them, “and as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, `The Lord needs it.’ ” Luke 19:30-31 NLT

You know…He does that for us. He leads us in the way of “trusting Him.”

What strikes me as so sad in this passage, the very people that were shouting Hosannas to the King, were among the very ones days later, shouting “Crucify Him!” Along with that you have the religious leaders who were constantly laying verbal traps in the form of seemingly innocent questions! When that didn’t work, they began to seek a way to kill Him, but they could not…for the people hung on His very word. His Word. He was the Word. Before all of time. He is the Word and remains steadfast and strong today!

As I re-read the passages so familiar, and even those we have covered just days ago, my gut is already clenching. For I know what’s coming. It is painful even today. It was for my sins He laid down His life. I don’t want to jump ahead in the study, but I can’t seem to help myself here.

His love is so far reaching–beyond the beloved disciples that followed His every footstep, it is far reaching to the present day…even to you and me.

Sisters, do you feel you are knowing Him more? Do you find yourself talking with Him more? On a continual basis? I do. I find that I am considering what He feels about my every action. My words. I find myself almost in a constant state of prayer when I am alone…mercy and grace is ours.

Father in heaven, I cannot begin to fathom what YOU must have endured. Watching the very scenes that we are now studying unfold. I can only know from my own experience when my own children have suffered, sometimes by the actions of another. Your heart must have ached so much more. I am so thankful for the mercy and grace You have so lovingly given. Freely. Free to us—for Your Son Jesus paid the price for our sin. Thank You Lord. For life. Everlasting. Embed Your Holy Word into our very hearts and lives as never before! May we be forever changed through these next days of study. May Your heart be revealed to our hearts. In the most precious name of Jesus~Amen.

Keeping the Faith,
Angie
Photo from Art.com (City on a Mountain – Israel, Jerusalem, Valley of Kidron, Garden of Gethsemane)
90 Days with Jesus Bible Study

Day Seventy-Two

A. Knight

Read Luke 17:20-36

I say a hardy “Amen!” to today’s devotion. He is coming soon! Angie hit the nail on the head yesterday, and those songs Angie chose, gave me such a stronger longing to go. Heaven is real.

The beginning of today’s scripture talks about a pushy little Pharisee that was demanding an answer from Jesus. Christ made it clear, we won’t know the exact time, for He said, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation…” His word also tells us in Matt. 25:13, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day not the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” First Thessalonians 5:2 reads: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”

We are seeing a Noah age or Lot day of wickedness, I agree with Beth. People are seemingly more concerned about what they can get out of life and the pleasures that can fulfill them. I keep thinking about, “where’s the servant’s heart in all of this?” This weekend the Lord led my husband to preach about end times, also. He was preaching from Daniel. He talked about the stage being set for the rapture of the church and then the anti-Christ to come on the scene. I’m so glad I’m not looking for the anti-Christ.

I want to go in the first load! And I want my family to make it to Heaven, too. I’m sure you have lost loved ones, as well. We must keep praying for them. You may be the only one praying for them. God hears every prayer. He listens. He answers in His timing.

I often think about vs. 32: “Remember Lot’s wife.” As wicked as a place as Sodom was somewhere in her heart she had a longing to go back. She looked back and became a “pillar of salt.” How did Lot’s family feel knowing that had happened to her? As Lot was ahead of her walking, the daughters may have been behind her and had to walk past her and leave her. What a sad thought! She died as a memorial to all who look back to sin. Vs. 33-36 talk about when the rapture takes place, the regular day-to-day activities will be taking place, but some will be taken from their places in society. What a day that will be! Where do you think you will be? I may be at work and I’ll go up with all the pediatric patients, or I might be standing at a graveside with my husband doing a funeral and the coffin pops open with a saint of God rising first for us all to see and then we can join them in sky! According to 1 Thess. 4:16 & 17. It will happen, we must be ready! I pray the Lord will give us all a stronger burden for the lost sheep.

Join in Beth’s prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I assure You– as Paul instructed us– that I am “encouraged” by the fact that You Yourself will one day descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise. Then those who are alive will be caught up together with them to meet You in the air; and so we will always be with You– all of us(1 Thess. 4:16-18). Lord, even though we haven’t yet seen that great day, we know we are already safe within Your covenant love. Even so–come, Lord Jesus.”

Keeping the Faith,

Aimee

90 Days with Jesus Bible Study

Day Seventy-One

A. Knight

Luke 21:5-28

I cannot begin to tell you how I feel about this devotion for today. On Sunday at our church, both services dealt with this very subject! How God like is that!! I can’t hardly sit here without crying! The message of this song goes with the devotion for us today! Take a moment and click here and listen…

Let me ask you a question….”If you knew the exact day and time Christ would come for His spotless Bride, how would you spend the remaining days?”

We don’t know. He gave us all the information we need to live our lives…in faith and trust. Faith and Trust. Each day, expecting that day, the very one we are breathing in at this moment, to be THE moment.

The headlines of the papers have shown us that we are indeed “in line” with the end time events. Yet we don’t know the exact day.

I remember many years ago, back in the early 80’s a book was written by somebody that thought he had pinpointed the year! Almost to the very season! Can you imagine the boldness? Well, I thought it was pretty bold, especially when the word clearly says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Luke 12:40. Well, that’s pretty clear, don’t you think?

I spend a lot of time looking at the clouds and the sky every time I am outside. I speculate a great deal on what heaven must be like. I like to imagine that the Lord God is looking down at me as I am looking up for Him. There will be a day when the clouds will roll back and Christ will appear and we will be caught up to join Him in the heavens!

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV

I cannot tell you how much my heart longs for that day! But until that day arrives, sisters, we must work as hard as we can, living our lives daily to please the Father, making certain our wedding garment is without spot or blemish. Abstaining from every appearance of evil. Sharing the love of Jesus Christ with those around us.

Father, I first want to thank You for Your awesomeness that we are privileged to feel and experience on a daily basis! I thank You for allowing us access to the very throne through Your precious Son! I praise You name today! Show us areas in our lives that needs to be repaired, show us things we need to leave off, direct us to the place closest to You. My life is in Your hands. Use me however You see fit. I give it up to You. In the powerful name of Jesus~Amen.

Keeping the Faith,

Angie

One more video clip…carry this song as you go about your day…


Have a blessed day! Aimee may give you a reminder of a giveaway we will have for our participants at the end of this study!

90 Days with Jesus Bible Study

Day Sixty-Eight

A. Knight

Read Luke 18:22-30

Beth’s devotion was short today, but she gave us a lot of meat to chew on. Whoever said our walk with Christ was a “bed of roses,” were right. There are times of “stem and thorns,” but it leads to beautiful flowers. Any inconveniences for the cause of Christ is worth it. Christ has not changed, He still requires our all for Him. He is the one that has blessed us anyway, why not ask Him what He would like for us to do with those blessings. Chances are He will want us to continue to bless others. I have found out many times over, you cannot out give God. He will always be the one who has given most!

This story of the “Rich young ruler” is definitely a sad one. Those of us that have been brought up in church sometimes may take for granted others may not have that background. I thank God for my heritage, but I don’t want to ever forget His goodness that I become haughty and hoard it up and not share it with everyone around me.

I remember when I was a young teenager I heard a preacher preach about being “Sold Out” to Christ. Can we sell out to Christ today- this day and time? Maybe some may say, “If you are a preacher you should.” Well sister, I believe He wants a “Sold Out” attitude from all of us today, from all Christians. Either we are “serving God or mammon.” This heartfelt gratitude-attitude says, “All that I am and have, I give to you.” Sounds like a wedding vow. . . it is. . . and we are His bride.

We wouldn’t let material possessions keep us from eternal life, because we know that will all fade away some day. The things we hold as treasureable possessions will not last forever, but our treasures in Heaven will. Now, I love beautiful things, as much as, the next girl, but my love for Him is the most important. It is deeper, He has been with me through every storm, He has carried me through every valley, He has been my dearest friend. I love my Lord and saviour!

Look at vs 27. This one is dear to my heart: “And He said, the things which are impossible with me are possible with God.” Write that one down sisters- As Paula Dean says, “Now that’s good!” It’s kinda cute in vs. 28, Peter was reminding Christ He had left all- like Jesus might have forgotten. And Christ reminded him that whoever does give all will receive “manifold blessings, now and in the world to come…” His word also says “He will not forget your labour of love.“
Let’s keep serving Him and “Let’s not grow weary in well doing!”

Join Beth in this prayer:

“Father, please help me guard against setting my hopes on the uncertainty of wealth, but rather on You, who richly provide us with all things to enjoy. Help me to be rich in ggod works, to be generous, willing to share storing up for myself a good foundation for the days to come, so that I may take hold of life that is real (1 Tim. 6:17-19).” In Jesus’ name–Amen!
Have a great weekend!

Keeping the Faith,

Aimee

Bible Study, Devotion

My Favorite Time of Year…

A. Knight

Fall, with all it’s gloriously vibrant colors is my favorite season. The vivid blue of the sky, the bright oranges and rusty reds as the trees change their garments is one of the most spectacular beauties in God’s creation.

I love it! As I drove to work this morning, a heavy cloud of smoke hung in the air over the fields on either side of the highway. Obscuring the brightness of the sun, it almost looked like a thick fog, but when I rolled down my window to get a picture of the field, the smell of the brownish-gray haze nearly choked me. I quickly rolled it back up and turned on the air. Unfortunately, that too, pulled in a bit of the smell. Or, had it embedded itself, that smokey smell, into my nose and head so that I couldn’t tell what I was inhaling. It looked like one thing….but smelled all together different.

Sin is like that. Appearances can be all too deceiving. We must stay alert and aware—at all times, for the tricks of the enemy will become ever more crafty. Just as we are growing closer to the Father, so the enemy of your heart, the saboteur of your own soul is seeking ways to stumble your running feet.

“Be self‑controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NIV

Let’s look at Job’s life. You’ve read the story, or heard the story probably many times in your life. But think about your life while you read it. What would the LORD GOD have to say about us? I thought of my own. I’ll tell you in a minute. Read on.

“One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan the Accuser came with them. “Where have you come from?” the LORD asked Satan. And Satan answered the LORD, “I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth–a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.” You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the LORD’s presence. Job 1:6-12

When I read this I thought to myself, “Is there anything in my life that the Lord could be proud of in me? Could He say I was totally sold-out-dedicated to Him? Could He say I was completely EVERY TIME obedient to Him? Could He say I was never distracted by the world and was devoted only to serving Him? It has really given me many areas to pray about in my heart.

I guess what got me started was remembering past sins. Last night I was working on the Bible Study for Sisters of Faith site that would post this morning. We prepare them day by day. Every single day. We have enjoyed it so much, and I told Aimee this week, “God has really been dealing with me and working on some areas in my life since we started this journey.

Yes, I admit, it has been hard at times juggling schedules. Difficult even. Time stretching. I have neglected watching TV. I am sure that my favorite shows stopped coming on since I have not watched them in the past 67 days. Surely they did.

But in the past 67 days, God has done 67 days worth of repair work. Needed repair. Necessary for growth repair. And growth is taking place. What about you? What if you turned off something and turned in you Bible more? Maybe a 90 study is too much. What about a 60 day study? A 30 day? What could you fast from? I tell you from my experience in this, the changes taking place in my heart and my vision is worth missing the TV. I want my eyes to view the world as He does. With the compassion needed to reach hungry hearts. There are so many out there. Hungry for God. Reaching out. Needing an ear or a shoulder. Some are hungry and they really don’t know what they hunger for…but we do. Don’t we.

Honey-pie, before you start thinking that I have got it so in control…think again. Remember me and traffic issues? Yeah. They happen everyday. But you know, I have discovered, if I am singing a song to Him, or talking to Him, the traffic issues in downtown, Hometown are not nearly as bothersome. When did I make this discovery? This morning. Do you know when I’ll need to be reminded of this? In the morning. I’m not perfect. But as my cousin Alice’s daughter Kristi, used to sing when she was wittle bitty, “He’s Still Working On Me”….to make me what I ought to be….it took Him just a week to make the Moon and the stars, the Sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars, how loving and patient He must be….’cause He’s still working on me.

What about you…what’s your favorite? What’s going on with you these days?

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