Week of May 31-June 6
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. " [Lamentations 3:22-23]
NOTE: Lamentations describes the funeral of a city. It is a tear-stained portrait of a once-proud Jerusalem, now reduced to a pile of rubble by the invading Babylonian hordes.
Jeremiah (traditionally acclaimed as the author of this book) lays bare his emotions. A death has occurred; Jerusalem lies barren.
In the midst of this terrible tragedy, Jeremiah triumphantly cries out, "Great is [the Lord's] faithfulness" (3:23)! In the face of death and destruction, with life seeming to come apart at the seams, Jeremiah turns tragedy into a triumph of faith.
God has never failed him in the past. God has promised to remain faithful in the future.
In the light of the God he knows and loves, Jeremiah finds hope and comfort.
INSIGHT: Jeremiah's Two Glimpses of Jerusalem's Fall
Book of Jeremiah- Looking AHEAD to the fall of Jerusalem [WARNING]
Book of Lamentations- Looking BACK at the fall of Jerusalem [MOURNING]
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Coffee Time!
Hey friends!
One last "coffee time" before the kids are out of school!
Please join me Tuesday, June 2nd from 12:00 noon to 1:00 at Starbucks (Park Row and Bowen)
We will plan to meet during the summer at a "kid-friendly" location :)
See ya then!
Tiffany
PS- Thanks to Laura for the great scripture memory resources!
One last "coffee time" before the kids are out of school!
Please join me Tuesday, June 2nd from 12:00 noon to 1:00 at Starbucks (Park Row and Bowen)
We will plan to meet during the summer at a "kid-friendly" location :)
See ya then!
Tiffany
PS- Thanks to Laura for the great scripture memory resources!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Week #21: Jeremiah 29:11
Week of May 24-30
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." [Jeremiah 29:11]
NOTE: Here is a brief overview of Jeremiah:
In chapter one the LORD called Jeremiah to be a prophet to Judah. The LORD immediately says what will happen to Judah (1:13-16) and why (1:16 and 2:13). He also promises to protect Jeremiah from the unbelieving and rebellious kings, princes, priest, and people (1:17-19).
Jeremiah’s message was that Judah has forsaken the Lord and turned to idols (2:11-13), and she is worse than Israel was 125 years ago (3:6-11). God, through Babylon, will severely discipline her (19; 20:1-6). If Judah will submit to Babylon, God will allow her to remain in the land; but if Judah resists, he will bring catastrophic destruction upon her (27:1-11). Judah did not repent, nor did she submit to Babylon. Therefore, God kept his word. He catastrophically judged Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and sent his people into slavery (32:17-36; 39; 52). The book of Lamentations (we will memorize from Lamentations next week) is Jeremiah’s sorrowful poem describing the results of Judah’s choice for idolatry instead of God.
Along with the prophecy of judgment, God also promised to restore Israel to her land sometime in the future. That promise is the New Covenant (31:31-34 , through the blood of Christ). At that time the Hebrew people will know and love God’s word; they will have eternal salvation and relationship with the Lord; and the Lord will have forgiven all their sins.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." [Jeremiah 29:11]
NOTE: Here is a brief overview of Jeremiah:
In chapter one the LORD called Jeremiah to be a prophet to Judah. The LORD immediately says what will happen to Judah (1:13-16) and why (1:16 and 2:13). He also promises to protect Jeremiah from the unbelieving and rebellious kings, princes, priest, and people (1:17-19).
Jeremiah’s message was that Judah has forsaken the Lord and turned to idols (2:11-13), and she is worse than Israel was 125 years ago (3:6-11). God, through Babylon, will severely discipline her (19; 20:1-6). If Judah will submit to Babylon, God will allow her to remain in the land; but if Judah resists, he will bring catastrophic destruction upon her (27:1-11). Judah did not repent, nor did she submit to Babylon. Therefore, God kept his word. He catastrophically judged Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and sent his people into slavery (32:17-36; 39; 52). The book of Lamentations (we will memorize from Lamentations next week) is Jeremiah’s sorrowful poem describing the results of Judah’s choice for idolatry instead of God.
Along with the prophecy of judgment, God also promised to restore Israel to her land sometime in the future. That promise is the New Covenant (31:31-34 , through the blood of Christ). At that time the Hebrew people will know and love God’s word; they will have eternal salvation and relationship with the Lord; and the Lord will have forgiven all their sins.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Count 'em kids!
When my boys were little, their shelves were full of trophies from T-ball, soccer, football, etc. Many nights they took great delight in counting their "awards"! "Look Mom, I have eight trophies!"
There was a certain fulfillment and pride in the physical statue that sat on their shelves.
As we memorize our scripture week to week, we are accumulating "trophies" of a different kind. These treasures are eternal truths that surpass any award or prize we could gain on this earth!
COUNT 'EM!
We are on WEEK #20 of our scripture memory!
Press on friends!
Tiffany
There was a certain fulfillment and pride in the physical statue that sat on their shelves.
As we memorize our scripture week to week, we are accumulating "trophies" of a different kind. These treasures are eternal truths that surpass any award or prize we could gain on this earth!
COUNT 'EM!
We are on WEEK #20 of our scripture memory!
Press on friends!
Tiffany
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Week #20: Isaiah 55:8-9
Week of May 17-23
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." [Isaiah 55:8-9]
For a CHALLENGE add verses 10-12:
10 "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. "
NOTE : About the author: Isaiah
He served the Lord from about 740-680 BC. We could call Isaiah the "evangelist of the Old Testament" because of his clear presentations of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ (Isaiah 53). We could also call him the "Paul of the Old Testament" because of his apparent aristocracy, training, writing ability, and theological statements. He served in and around Jerusalem.
His main ministry was with Judah, but he prophesied judgment upon both Israel and Judah because of their apostasy. Along with judgment he also prophesied their future restoration and blessing because of God’s covenants with His people—the united nation of Israel.
Isaiah is a book that contains much warning and judgment, but also great messages of blessing. He repeated these two basic messages over and over again.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." [Isaiah 55:8-9]
For a CHALLENGE add verses 10-12:
10 "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. "
NOTE : About the author: Isaiah
He served the Lord from about 740-680 BC. We could call Isaiah the "evangelist of the Old Testament" because of his clear presentations of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ (Isaiah 53). We could also call him the "Paul of the Old Testament" because of his apparent aristocracy, training, writing ability, and theological statements. He served in and around Jerusalem.
His main ministry was with Judah, but he prophesied judgment upon both Israel and Judah because of their apostasy. Along with judgment he also prophesied their future restoration and blessing because of God’s covenants with His people—the united nation of Israel.
Isaiah is a book that contains much warning and judgment, but also great messages of blessing. He repeated these two basic messages over and over again.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
"Add on" to Ecclesiastes
We had a great "coffee time" today!
Thanks everyone for all of the wonderful insight and for sharing what the Lord is teaching you through these verses.
We decided to add the first part of verse 13 to our scripture memory for this week.
So, here's how we are memorizing it:
"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." [Ecclesiates 12:13]
Press on friends!
Tiffany
Thanks everyone for all of the wonderful insight and for sharing what the Lord is teaching you through these verses.
We decided to add the first part of verse 13 to our scripture memory for this week.
So, here's how we are memorizing it:
"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." [Ecclesiates 12:13]
Press on friends!
Tiffany
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Week #19: Ecclesiastes 12:13b
Week of May 10-16
"Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." [Ecclesiastes 12:13b]
NOTE: Solomon demonstrates from his observations that life lived without God as the central person and God’s word as the controlling viewpoint has no satisfactory answers or lasting meaning.
The theme of Ecclesiastes is developed from chapter to chapter. Each human acquisition of material wealth, every human success, all his thinking and study, every new philosophy of life—whatever he examined and experimented with came up short of giving him lasting meaning and happiness in life.
God is infinite and therefore his wisdom and his acts are infinite; God’s word is the product of his perfect character and infiniteness.
Mankind, on the other hand, is limited and therefore his wisdom is limited, his knowledge of life is limited, and his acts are limited.
Man, alone, cannot figure out life. Human knowledge, human wisdom, human accomplishments, and human relationships by themselves cannot make sense out of life. Neither, money, learning, wisdom, wealth, possessions, reputation, or family can give permanent meaning, accomplishment, and happiness to life without relationship and fellowship with God and God’s word.
"Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." [Ecclesiastes 12:13b]
NOTE: Solomon demonstrates from his observations that life lived without God as the central person and God’s word as the controlling viewpoint has no satisfactory answers or lasting meaning.
The theme of Ecclesiastes is developed from chapter to chapter. Each human acquisition of material wealth, every human success, all his thinking and study, every new philosophy of life—whatever he examined and experimented with came up short of giving him lasting meaning and happiness in life.
God is infinite and therefore his wisdom and his acts are infinite; God’s word is the product of his perfect character and infiniteness.
Mankind, on the other hand, is limited and therefore his wisdom is limited, his knowledge of life is limited, and his acts are limited.
Man, alone, cannot figure out life. Human knowledge, human wisdom, human accomplishments, and human relationships by themselves cannot make sense out of life. Neither, money, learning, wisdom, wealth, possessions, reputation, or family can give permanent meaning, accomplishment, and happiness to life without relationship and fellowship with God and God’s word.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Coffee Time !
It's been too long!
Join me on Wednesday, May 13th from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm at Starbucks (Bowen and Park Row)
Let's continue to spur each other on in this amazing journey!
Hope you can make it!
Tiffany
Join me on Wednesday, May 13th from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm at Starbucks (Bowen and Park Row)
Let's continue to spur each other on in this amazing journey!
Hope you can make it!
Tiffany
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Week #18: Proverbs 3:5-6
Week of May 3-May 9
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." [Proverbs 3:5-6]
NOTE: The book of Proverbs doesn't read like any other book in the Bible. It is a series of "catchy" sayings that are intended to be easily remembered. So, if you feel like the author is jumping from one idea to the next, that's exactly what's happening! There are several major themes that are repeated in the Proverbs: wisdom, speech, work, purity and righteousness.
Here's a trivia question: what book in the New Testament is most like the book of Proverbs? It is a book with a variety of principles for practical Christian living.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." [Proverbs 3:5-6]
NOTE: The book of Proverbs doesn't read like any other book in the Bible. It is a series of "catchy" sayings that are intended to be easily remembered. So, if you feel like the author is jumping from one idea to the next, that's exactly what's happening! There are several major themes that are repeated in the Proverbs: wisdom, speech, work, purity and righteousness.
Here's a trivia question: what book in the New Testament is most like the book of Proverbs? It is a book with a variety of principles for practical Christian living.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)