ROAD TO VALOR

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Gino Bartali is best known as a cycling legend who holds the record for the longest time span between victories at the Tour de France – ten years – a feat made all the more impressive by the Tour’s status as one of most grueling endurance competitions in the world and the fact that Bartali was an old man (by cycling standards) when he made his comeback in 1948. Looking beyond the marvel of his athletic stamina, Bartali’s life provides a powerful lesson in how moral endurance can empower from within.

Born in a poor town near Florence in 1914, Bartali grew up in a world of grinding poverty. Day laborers like his father earned the modern equivalent of about a dollar an hour, and the average male life expectancy was forty years, due to diseases like malaria and pneumonia. With few career options, Bartali dedicated himself to cycling: from sunrise to sunset, he rode around the Tuscan hills and built up his physical endurance – his capacity to confront painful fatigue and pedal through it. Bartali’s relentless training paid off, and he made a meteoric rise in the cycling world, turning professional only a few years after his first race.

Then cycling took the one person dearest to him.

Bartali’s younger brother Giulio, also a gifted cyclist, was killed in a racing accident. This loss devastated Bartali, as he had encouraged Giulio to begin racing in the first place, and led him to quit the sport. Bartali, a devout Christian, turned to prayer as he wrestled with grief. When he finally made the difficult decision to return, Bartali funneled his sorrow and guilt into a new motivation to cycle: he would race to honor the memory of his brother.

With his innate ability to tire out rivals, particularly in the mountains, Bartali started winning races again. By his early twenties, his face had become a mainstay of newspapers. Fans hounded him for autographs everywhere, and writers penned long sonnets about him, hailing him as the king of cycling. In 1938, at the age of twenty-four, he won the Tour de France, his triumph heralded as the beginning of what was expected to be a long reign at the top of the most popular summer sport in Europe.

And then it all fell apart again.

Relations between Italy and France deteriorated, and Bartali was barred from returning to defend his title at the 1939 Tour. When war broke out in Europe, Bartali could no longer compete in the lucrative calendar of foreign races and was conscripted into military service, where he worked as a military bike messenger in Tuscany and Umbria.

When the German army took control of Italy in the fall of 1943 and Jews began to experience the full terror of the Holocaust, Bartali was asked by a friend to join a secret initiative to help save them. Few requests could have carried a heavier burden. With the collapse of his career as a top cyclist and the transformation of his beloved country into a nightmarish and dangerous place, he feared for his wife and two-year-old son. It would have been easier – and safer – not to get involved.

But he chose differently.

Risking his own life, he sheltered a local Jewish family in an apartment purchased with his cycling winnings. He also began to smuggle counterfeit identity documents around Tuscany and Umbria, enabling numerous Jews to conceal their true identities and avoid deportation to a concentration camp.

Bartali’s decision to act was heroic not because he felt no fear but rather because he did not let his fear prevent him from doing what he felt was ethically right. He demonstrated moral endurance, forged in a moment of danger that few of us could ever hope to fully understand.

Bartali returned to the Tour after the war and found that physical endurance alone would not bring him success in an event where most of his competitors were now ten years younger than he. It was his mental resilience that would power him through snow, sleet, and rain, to win not only for himself but for all of his Italian countrymen who still were reeling from the aftermath of WWII.

In the end, even as Bartali reached the peak of his sport, he never lost sight of the fact that it was his inner strength that carried him through the most difficult moments of his life. As he would tell his son Andrea, “If you’re good at a sport, they attach the medals to your shirts and then they shine in some museum. That which is earned by doing good deeds is attached to the soul and shines elsewhere.”

This essay is based on the book Road to Valor: A True Story of WWII Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation by Aili McConnon and Andres McConnon.

AILI McCONNON is a Canadian journalist living in New York who has been a staff writer for BusinessWeek and has also written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Guardian. She has appeared as a commentator on ABC, MSNBC, and CNN.

ANDRES McCONNON has been a historical researcher for several books. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University. Aili and Andres are siblings, born in Toronto.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/gino-bartali-italian-cycl_n_1597004.html?utm_campaign=061812&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-religion&utm_content=FullStory#slide=1098869

SMALL THINGS

They say that small things never hurt. But they are not being honest When they say such frivolous things. A bee is something small, But when it stings, it is a great hurt. Words are small things, But when they are shot, like bullets, From the hot muzzles of angry mouths They hurt so bad they can kill a fragile spirit Before it has had time to grow strong.
Some sins, they say, are too small To worry over, that they bear no weight On one's fame or character. But such sins, Done repeatedly over long years, Become, rather, the familiar habits Of a turgid and tumultuous life, And when the body is sloughed off At Death's arrival, the immortal part Sinks like a dark stone into a Profound oblivion Where it is forgotten by all that lives--- Forever.
It is said that once the God of Creation, Who made all things, seen and unseen, Let go of Greatness and became a single cell, Conceived in a virginal womb, Became a child, and then an adult, Who died a terrible death At the hands of men who thought themselves Great in the sweeping scheme of things. For love. For a love so pure Even light could not contain it, Greatness allowed itself to be crushed.
Because of this love for all things, great and small, Magnanimity beyond comprehension, Let go of Everything, shrank to almost nothing, And redeemed us, once and for all.


- Dan Doyle

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GETTING OVER IT (WHATEVER IT IS)

Acts 28:5-6a

But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead...


Several years ago my older sister and her husband came down from their home in Fresno to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with my family. We planned to have the dinner at 2:00 pm. If you know my wife, then you know when she says 2:00, she means precisely at 2:00, not 2:05, 2:30, or 3:00. She means two o'clock on the nose. We usually have 30 to 35 people for Thanksgiving (it's a big deal), and believe it or not everyone knows this (sons, daughters, in-laws, mothers, fathers, friends, boyfriends and girlfriends). So everyone gets there early -- that is except my sister -- she showed up at a quarter to three.
By itself her late arrival wouldn't have mattered (normally we would have gone ahead and served dinner), except she had my mother with her so I asked we hold the meal until they arrived. When my sister finally walked through the door I have to admit I was a bit perturbed. 30 people were waiting for dinner and my wife had spent forty-five minutes frantically trying to keep the food warm. I asked my sister, "Nancy why couldn't you have been on time?" She answered, "You know how Mom is, it takes her a while to get ready and do everything." My sister continued, "Well we're here now, and I'm starving!"
At this point I had two choices: 1 -- be angry, grumpy, make a big stink about it and ruin the day for myself and everyone else; or 2 -- get over it. I chose option two. I smiled, gave her a big hug, told her I loved her, and said, "We're glad you're here; let's eat!" Which would you have chosen? The big stink or shake it off?
In our passage today, Paul too was stung and he had a choice to make. He could have done what everyone expected or something different. That difference is Jesus. Just as the Lord protected Paul from the snake's venom, He also quelled my irritation that Thanksgiving Day and overcame it with His love.

Later that day, my sister approached my wife and I to thank us for the meal and apologize for being late. She didn't realize that everyone would be waiting, or it would take so long to get our mother ready. Fortunately, I had already let it go. Sometimes little things can turn into really big problems, if we let them. Is there something in your past that you have allowed to turn into a really big deal? Do you just need to get over, in other words shake it off into the fire and be done with it (whether or not the other person apologizes)? Mathew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." The choice ours: swell up and die in anger and resentment, or shake it off into the fire? Which will you choose?

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ALWAYS SERVING

Acts 28:1-3a

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire...


This is a really great picture for me: Paul has just spent two weeks being thrown about on a ship which finally wrecks on the shore of Malta; he's had very little to eat over that same time so he must be feeling a little weak; however, following the swim to shore in the rain and the cold, Paul somehow finds the energy and desire to help the islanders gather firewood. You can be sure most of the men who came off that ship didn't move a muscle away from that fire. They had been through a lot, so they deserved a rest - right? It is interesting to me how in spite of what he had been through, Paul set aside his personal needs to serve the group. How much better would our world be if each of us followed Paul's example? What gets in our way?

I'm sure you remember an equally vivid picture from John 13. Before the Passover Feast, Jesus got up from the meal, removed His outer garment, tied a towel around His waist, and began to wash the Disciples' feet. John 13:6-7, "He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.'" Did Peter? I think so because later Peter would write (1 Peter 5:5-6), "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." I think Paul not only understood this concept of humility, but modeled it in the most severe of circumstances: He got up from the warmth of the fire to serve others.


When was the last time you got up from your own misfortune (set aside your own pain) to help someone else? It's hard to do especially when we are in a difficult time or have just come through a challenging period. We feel entitled to be served. But that is not the example we see modeled by Jesus, Peter, or Paul in our passage today. How can you today demonstrate humility? How can you serve another's needs? Will you set aside your own?

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THE GOD OF SCARS

By James Emery White

One of the first things that happens at a violent crime scene, after evidence has been collected, is the removal of any and all signs that violence has taken place. Broken glass is swept up, blood is wiped away, bodies are covered up and removed. Everyone wants to do everything possible to keep the memory of the event from lingering in their minds. Not God. In the Book of Revelation, John comes face to face with a scroll, sealed with seven seals, that no one is worthy to open. Weeping that no one could open the scroll, and that the very heart of the revelation would be kept from him, John is told that there is one who can open it—the Lion of the tribe of Judah. When John looks for the Lion, he instead sees a Lamb in the center of the throne. The Lamb is alive but bears all the marks of having been slain, suggesting that its death is somehow part of its power (Revelation 5). Why is a previously slain lamb at the center of John’s heavenly vision? Why is a unique word used for lamb found 29 times in Revelation, but only once in the rest of the New Testament? (John 21:15). How can a lion of power be found in a lamb? To understand all of this involves understanding the Passover. During the time when the Jewish people were enslaved by the Egyptians, God sent the deliverer Moses and unleashed 10 plagues before the stubborn hearts of the Egyptians would allow the release of the Jewish slaves. The tenth and decisive plague was the death of the firstborn of Egypt. The sacrifice of an animal was a common way for people of that culture to make amends for their sins. It sounds strange to us today, but there was a very important idea behind it. They saw sin as something serious, deadly and gruesome, something that could cost them their life before a holy God. So it was only through some type of atoning, sacrificial death—something equally serious, deadly and gruesome—that the sin could be addressed. God told the Israelites that if they would sacrifice an unblemished lamb—one without defect, perfect in every way—and then take the blood from the lamb and spread it on their doorposts, the angel of death that was being sent to deliver the tenth and final plague would pass over them, hence the term Passover. The Israelites did as God said. The angel of death came, the firstborn of Egypt were killed, and the Israelites who had covered their homes with the blood of the lamb were saved. It had such an impact on the leaders of Egypt that they released the Israelites from slavery. Jews have been celebrating the festival of Passover ever since as a reminder of God’s deliverance from death, and the freedom that came from that deliverance, through the blood of a lamb. The festival came to be marked each year with the slaughter of a lamb that would then be eaten, along with unleavened bread, in remembrance of the quick departure from captivity in Egypt that did not afford them time to add yeast. But even more important, the taste would remind them of the bitterness of the slavery that the blood had released them from. Just before His death, Jesus gathered His disciples together to celebrate the Passover, but with a twist: “[Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you’” (Luke 22:19-20). Jesus gave the bread and wine new meaning. It would now represent Him as the unblemished Lamb that was sacrificed. Those marked by His blood would be freed from the slavery of their sin and would be passed over from the spiritual death that comes from sin. Through Jesus, God was calling His people out of a deeper slavery than ever existed under the Egyptians—the very slavery of sin—into a new community in relationship with the living God. This was one death that was not to be airbrushed from the world’s consciousness. Instead, it was to stand at the center of human history, for we worship, as theologian Jurgen Moltmann once wrote, a crucified God. Any other God is false. Even when facing a doubting Thomas, Jesus relied on one mark of authenticity: See my hands, see my feet, look at my side. I am the One that was crucified. And that led Thomas to exclaim, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). It reminds me of the controversy surrounding the violence portrayed in Mel Gibson’s film on the passion of Jesus. There was a great deal of conversation about the brutality, the torture, the blood in the movie. “It’s so violent,” people said. I wanted to say, “Yes, because it was.” The film was rated R, and it deserved that rating—but I would argue that the R stood for Realistic. I would have been more offended if the film had tried to water it down, sanitize it or make what Jesus went through something less than it really was. Scars matter. When you pray to a Lamb that was slain, a crucified God, you pray to One who is able to understand your scars. I once read of a little boy who went shopping for a puppy. He went into the pet store and asked how much the dogs were. The owner said that they sold for anywhere from $30 to $50. The little boy pulled out $2.37, all that he had. “Here is all of my money. I don’t know how much it is, but it’s worth it.” The store owner knew it wasn’t enough, but he let the little boy look at the puppies anyway. He looked at all of them, but at one in particular: the runt of the litter, which had a limp. The boy asked the owner what was wrong with that dog, and the owner said that he was born without a hip socket. “That’s the puppy I want!” “Son,” the owner said, “I can’t sell you that dog. He’s not worth it. I’ll just give him to you for free.” Tears filled the little boy’s eyes. “Mister,” he said, “that dog is worth as much as any other animal in this store. You take my money.” The owner did, and only as the boy walked out did he notice that the boy had an artificial leg. Let us now and always worship the Lamb that was slain, the crucified God. But remember that you get to pray to Him, too. And when you do, you can trust that He understands whatever is making you limp. ?©2012 James Emery White Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version.

James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church, in Charlotte, N.C., and is the ranked adjunct professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also served as its fourth president. His latest book is “A Traveler’s Guide to the Kingdom.” Subscribe to his free Church and Culture blog at churchandculture.org; follow him on Twitter@JamesEmeryWhite.

Join James Emery White Oct. 24-25 at The Cove for a seminar “Living as the People of God in Turbulent Times.” For more information, go to TheCove.org.

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THE BIBLE CONTINUED

26-29 Parable of the growing seed

30-32 Parable of the mustard seed

33-41 Wind and waves obey the Master



Chapter 5

1-20 Demons driven out by the Master

21-43 Girl restored and woman healed





Chapter 6

1-6a Rejection at Nazareth

6b-13 Commissioning the twelve

14-29 John the Baptist beheaded

30-44 Feeding Five thousand

45-52 Jesus walks on water

53-56 Miraculous healing



Chapter 7

1-27 Traditions of the elders

24-30 Gentile Mother’s faith

31-37 Jesus does everything well



Part 2 will continue tomorrow.

BLESSINGS,
Recj/LJG

THE PURPOSE OF FOOD

Acts 27:33-34

Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food -- you haven't eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head."


In today's passage, Paul makes a comment about food, "Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive." Somehow we Americans have moved away from Paul's perspective of eating food for its nutritional and sustenance value to simply consuming food for entertainment purposes. This got me to thinking about what God says about food: What we should eat and why. There have been a number of good books written over the years related to Biblical principles of diet and nutrition, but one in particular caught my attention, Rex Russell's book titled "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living." Russell offers three basic principles for healthy living:
1. Only eat food God made to be eaten. A lot of animals (fish and fowl included) are scavengers. As a result their bodies can contain all kinds of toxins that may or may not make us sick in the short term, but over a lifetime probably lead to various diseases.
2. Eat food the way God made it. Eat unprocessed foods, without all the sugar, additives and preservatives. You probably already know it is better to eat an apple rather than an apple flavored fruit roll-up, whole grain bread rather than white bread, or steak rather than hot dogs. Basically, eat like your grandparents did when they were kids -- fresh grown fruits and vegetables without pesticides, water rather than four caffeinated beverages each day, and meat as more of a special occasion meal rather than the norm.
3. Don't let any food or drink become your god. Fasting is beneficial for many reasons. One of which is to prove to yourself that no food or drink has quietly turned into an addiction.


My point in offering this information to you today is simply -- God, the one who created us and intricately designed our bodies, must have also designed the foods that would make us the healthiest as well as look and feel the best. Scripture points to them in Genesis 1:29 (plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds) and Leviticus 11 (certain meat, poultry and fish). Perhaps it would be wise for each of us to pay attention to what the One who created us says about what we should eat.


I'm not 100% certain of why I'm on this topic of food today but it's probably because my wife recently dragged me to the doctor recently for a physical, only to find out I have extraordinarily high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. I won't profess to know exactly what that implies (my wife says it means we're going to change my diet and exercise regime -- right now); what I do know is I will turn to the Bible to first listen to what God says about my problem. From a spiritual perspective, most people (myself included) struggle with food idolatry: putting food and food choices in front of our relationship with God. That's what my eating struggles are all about. For example, someone who can't imagine living without ______ (fill in the blank -- Starbucks, chocolate, ice cream, etc), and it's painful to even think about giving it up, might want to do a little self-analysis. Take a moment right now and prayerfully consider your personal food idolatry. Will you place God first?

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A SON HONORS HIS FATHER

The appointment I was on my way to was very important; I was very late and very lost. With my male ego in check, I began to look for a place to ask directions, preferably a gas station. Since I had been crisscrossing the city, my gas gauge was perilously low and time was of the essence.
I spotted the amber glow of light outside the local fire station. What better place to ask directions?
I quickly stepped from my car and crossed t he street to the station. All three overhead doors were open and I could see red fire engines with their doors ajar, chrome shining, waiting in anticipation for the bell to ring.
As I stepped inside, the aroma of the station assaulted me. It was the smell of the hoses drying in the tower, the oversized rubber boots, jackets and helmets. These smells, mixed in with the freshly washed floors and polished trucks, created that mysterious scent associated with all fire stations. Slowing down, I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and was transported back to my youth, to the fire station where my father worked for 35 years as head of fire maintenance.
I looked down to the end of the fire station and there it stood, sparkling gold to the sky, the fire pole. One day my dad let me and my older brother Jay slide down the pole, twice. In the corner of the station was the "creeper" used to slide under trucks when repairing them. Dad would say, "H old on" and he would spin me around until I was dizzy as a drunken sailor. It was better than any Tilt-A-Whirl ride I have ever been on.
Next to the creeper was an old soda machine that had the classic Coca-Cola logo on it. It still dispensed the original green 10-ounce bottles, but they were now 35 cents compared with the 10 cents they were back then. A trip to the soda machine was always the highlight of the visit with Dad to the station, my very own bottle of soda.
When I was 10 years old, I took two of my friends by the station to show off my dad and see if we could weasel some sodas out of him. After showing them around the station, I asked Dad if we could each have a soda before we went home for lunch.
I detected just the slightest hesitation in my father's voice that day, but he said "Sure" and gave us each a dime. We raced the soda machine to see if our bottle had a cap with the illustrious star on the in side.
What a lucky day! My cap had a star. I was only two caps away from sending for my very own Davy Crockett hat.
We all thanked my father and headed home for lunch and a summer afternoon of swimming.
I came home early that day from the lake, and as I walked down the hall I heard my parents talking. Mom seemed upset with Dad, and then I heard my name mentioned: "You should have just said you didn't have the money for sodas. Brian would have understood. That money was for your lunch. The kids have to understand that we don't have any extra money and you need to have your lunch."
My dad, in his usual way, just shrugged it off.
Before my mother knew I had overheard the conversation, I hurried up the stairs to the room I shared with my four brothers.
As I emptied my pockets, the bottle cap that had caused so many problems fell to the floor. I picked i t up and was ready to put it with the other seven when I realized how great a sacrifice my father had made for that bottle cap.
That night I made a promise of repayment. Someday I would be able to tell my father that I knew of the sacrifice he made that afternoon and so many other days, and I would never forget him for it.
My father had his first heart attack at the young age of 47. I guess his lifestyle of working three jobs to support the nine of us finally caught up to him. On the evening of my parents' 25th anniversary, surrounded by all his family, the biggest, loudest, strongest of us all showed the first crack in the armor we as children thought would always be impenetrable.
Over the next eight years, my father battled back and forth, suffering another three heart attacks until he ended up with a pacemaker.
One afternoon my dad's old blue Plymouth wagon broke down, and he called me for a ride to take him to the doctor for his annual checkup. As I pulled into the station, I saw my dad outside with all the other firemen crowded around a brand-new pickup truck. It was a deep blue Ford pickup, and it was a beauty. I mentioned to my dad how nice it was, and he commented that someday he would down a truck like that.
We both laughed. This was always his dream - and it always seemed so unattainable.
At this point in my personal life, I was doing quite well in business, as were all my brothers. We offered to buy him a truck, but as he so aptly put it, "If I don't buy it, I won't feel like it's mine."
As my dad stepped out of the doctor's office I figured the gray pasty look on his face was from being poked, prodded and pricked with needles.
"Let's go," was all he said.
As we got into the car, I knew something was wrong. We drove off in silence and I kn ew Dad would tell me what was wrong in his own way.
I took the long way back to the station. As we drove by our old house, the ball field, lake and corner store, my dad started talking about the past and the memories each place held.
That's when I knew he was dying.
He looked at me and nodded.
I understood.
We stopped at Cabot's Ice Cream and had an ice cream together for the first time alone in 15 years. We talked, really talked that day. He told me how proud he was of all of us and that he wasn't afraid of dying. His fear was that he was going to be away from my mother.
I chuckled at him; never had a man been more in love with a woman than my dad.
He made me promise that day that I would never tell anyone of his impending death. As I agreed to his wishes, I knew that it was one of the toughest secrets I would ever have to keep.
At the time, my wife and I were looking for a new car or truck. My father knew the salesman at Cochituate Motors in Wayland, so I asked him if he would go with me to see what I could get for a trade-in toward a new car or truck.
As we entered the showroom, and I started talking with the salesman, I spotted Dad looking at the most beautiful, fully loaded chocolate-brown metal flake pickup truck he or I had ever seen. I saw my dad run his hand over the truck like a sculptor checking his work.
"Dad, I think I should buy a truck. I want to look at something small that is good on gas mileage."
As the salesman left the showroom to get the dealer plate, I suggested that we take the brown truck out for a ride.
"You can't afford this," he said.
"I know that, and you know that, but the salesman doesn't," I said.
As we pulled o ut onto Route 27, with my father behind the wheel, we both laughed like a couple of kids at the fast one we had pulled off. He drove for 10 minutes, commenting about how beautifully it rode while I played with all the bells and whistles.
When we returned to the showroom, we took out a small blue Sundowner truck. My dad commented that this was a better truck for commuting because of gas and all the miles I would be driving. I agreed with him and we returned and finalized the deal with the salesman.
I called my dad a few nights later and asked him if he would come with me to pick up the truck. I think he agreed so quickly just to get one final look at "his brown truck," as he called it.
When we pulled into the dealer's yard, there was my little blue Sundowner with a sold sticker on it. Next to it was the brown pickup, all washed and shiny, with a big SOLD sign on the window.
I glanced over at my father and saw the disappointment register on his face as he said, "Someone bought himself a beautiful truck."
I just nodded and said, "Dad, would you go inside and tell the salesman I'll be right in as soon as I park the car?" As my father walked past the brown truck, he ran his hand along it and I could see the look of disappointment pass over him again.
I pulled my car around to the far side of the building and looked out the window at the man who had given up everything for his family. I watched as the salesman sat him down, handed him a set of keys to his truck - the brown one - and explained that it was for him from me and this was our secret.
My dad looked out the window, our eyes met, and we both nodded and laughed at each other.
I was waiting outside my house when my dad pulled up that night. As he stepped out of his truck, I gave him a big hug and a kiss and told him how m uch I loved him, and reminded him this was our secret.
We went for a drive that evening. Dad said he understood the truck, but what was the significance of the Coca-Cola bottle cap with the star in the center taped to the steering wheel?


By Brian Keefe

jesus-loves-you.org

WHEN WORRY BECOMES FEAR

Acts 27:27-32

On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away.


Our passage today really sounds a lot like me:
1. I get direction from the Lord about how to solve a problem (previously Paul had shared his vision that no lives would be lost);
2. But I start to get worried (the sailors sensed they were approaching land);
3. So I do some research that confirms my fears (the sailors take soundings and find the water depth is rising from 120 feet deep to 90);
4. I begin to take some defensive action (the sailors drop four anchors to slow the ships progress toward land);
5. I prepare to abandon the Lord's plan and go with mine, but don't tell anyone (the sailors pretend they are not abandoning ship, but let the lifeboats down in secret);
6. I get caught by someone I respect who holds me accountable (Paul tells them, "You've got to stay with the ship if you want to be saved");
7. Hopefully I ditch my plan and go back to God's (the sailors cut the ropes and let the life boats fall away).
It sure seems like a whole lot of wasted time and effort doesn't it? Especially when it would be so much easier to just "rest" in the Lord. I don't know about you, but I'm not so good at "resting" especially when I let worry begin to dominate my thoughts. In Luke 12:25-26, Jesus gives us His perspective on the uselessness of worry, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?"


Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Worry is the wellspring of fear, and fear is what causes us to take matters into our own hands instead of "resting" or continuing to "rest" in the Lord. Is there an area of your life that you need to rest in the Lord's provision? Has the Lord already spoken to you on a matter yet you continue to worry? Maybe you need to take a break from worry. Why not ditch your plans and go back to the Lord's?

pocketpower.org

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

MATTHEW continued two



Chapter 18

1-9 Jesus asked what is the greatest

10-14 Parable of faith over a demon

15-20 If a brother sins against you

21-33 Parable of the unforgiving slave




Chapter 19

1-12 Question of divorce

13-15 Blessing the children

16-22 The rich young man/To have eternal life

23-28 Possessions and the kingdom




Chapter 20

1-16 Parable of the vineyard and the workers

17-19 Third prediction of Jesus death

20-28 Mother of Zebedee’s sons/Suffering and service

29-34 Two blind men healed




Chapter 21

1-11 Triumphal entry on a colt

12-13 Jesus clears the temple complex

14-17 Children cheer Jesus

18-22 Jesus speaks to the fig tree

23-27 Jesus authority challenged

28-32 Parable of the two sons

33-46 Whose son is Jesus




Chapter 23

1-36 Religious hypocrites denounced

37-39 Jesus lamentation over Jerusalem




Chapter 24

1-2 Destruction of the temple predicted

3-8 Signs of the end of the age/Jesus coming

9-14 Presecutions predicted

15-28 The great tribulation

29-31 The coming of the Son of man

32-34 The parable of the fig tree

35-44 No one knows the day or the hour

45-51 Faithful service to the Messiah




Chapter 25

1-13 Parable of the ten virgins

14-30 Parable of the talents

31-46 The sheep and the goats

Chapter 26

1-5 The plot to kill Jesus

6-13 Anointing at Bethany/Alabaster jar

14-16 Betrayal/Judas Iscariot receives 30 pieces of silver

17-25 Betrayal at the Passover

26-30 The first Lord’s Supper

31-35 Peter’s denial predicted

36-46 The prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane

47-50 The Judas Kiss

51-55 High priest ear cut off

56 All the disciples desert Jesus

57-68 Jesus faces the Sanhedrin

69-75 Peter denies the Lord




Chapter 27

1-2 Jesus handed over to Pilate

3-10 Judas hangs himself

11-14 Jesus faces Pilate

15-26 Jesus or Barabbas

27-31 Mocked by the military

32-44 Crucified between two criminals

57-61 The burial of Jesus

62-66 The closely guarded tomb




Chapter 28

1-10 Resurrection morning

11-15 The soldiers are bribed to lie

16-20 The Great Commission




We believe as you use this outline that certain things will stand out to you and give you a better reflection of the book of Matthew. You might want to add your own notes to the outline.




Below are just a few scriptures that stood out to us:

1:5-6 woman are listed in the genealogy

1:25 Joseph knew Mary as his wife after the birth of Christ

2:1 There is no number listed of how many wise men

3:6, 11 John baptized with water for repentance of sins

6:7 Jesus said to not use vain repetitions in praying

10:1 Jesus gave all the disciples power over unclean spirits

12:46 Jesus did if fact have brothers and sisters



God Bless,

Recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

MATTHEW CONTINUED

Matthew

Chapter 8

1-4 Cleansing a leper

5-13 A Centurion’s faith

14-15 Peter’s mother-in-law healed

16-17 Capernaum healings

18-22 Follow Me-Let the dead bury their dead

23-27 Winds and sea obey Jesus

28-34 Demons driven into herd of pigs




Chapter 9

1-2 Man forgiven and healed

9-13 Matthew called to follow Jesus

14-17 Question about fasting

18-26 Girl restored-Woman healed by touching robe

27-31 Two blind men healed

32-34 Demon-possessed man healed

35-38 The Lord of the harvest




Chapter 10

1-15 Commissioning the twelve disciples

16-25 Persecution predicted

26-31 Fear God

32-39 Acknowledging Christ

40-42 A cup of cold water




Chapter 11

1-15 Jesus speaks of john the Baptist

16-24 Unresponsive generation

25-30 Weary and burdened- Jesus will give you rest




Chapter 12

1-8 Lord of the Sabbath

9-14 The man with the paralyzed hand

15-21 Servant of the Lord

22-32 A house divided

33-37 A tree and its fruit

38-42 Pharisees ask for a sign

43-45 Unclean spirits return

46-50 Who is my mother and brothers




Chapter 13

1-9 Parable of the sower

10-17 Why Jesus spoke in parables

18-22 Parable of sower is explained

24-30 Parable of the wheat and weeds

31-33 Parable of mustard seed and of yeast

34-35 Using parables fulfills prophecy

36-43 Jesus interprets the wheat and the weed

44-46 Parable of the hidden treasure and the priceless pearl

47-50 Parable of the net

51-53 Jesus asks ‘Have you understood all these things?’

54-58 Jesus rejected at Nazareth




Chapter 14

1-12 John the Baptist beheaded

13-21 Feeding the five thousand

22-33 Jesus walks on water

34-36 Miraculous healings




Chapter 15

1-9 Breaking God’s commandments because of traditions

10-20 Defilement is from within

21-28 Gentile Mother’s faith

29-31 Healing many people

32-39 Feeding the four thousand




Chapter 16

1-12 Pharisees and Sadducees asked for a sign from heaven

13-20 Jesus asks ‘Who do you say I am?’

21-23 Jesus death and resurrection predicted

24-28 Take up your cross and follow me




Chapter 17

1-13 The Transfiguration

14-21 The power of faith over a demon

22-23 Second prediction of Jesus death

24-27 Paying the temple tax




We will pick up here tomorrow with Chapter 18 and the conclusion of the Book of Matthew.

Recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

THE BOOK OF MATTHEW
The book of Matthew is attributed to Matthew, also called Levi, the apostle and tax collector for the Romans. Written between AD 50 and AD 100, we are not certain where in fact it was written. You will find once you read Mark that much of Matthew is similar.
With all the quotations from the Jewish Bible, Matthew connects Jesus with what the Old Testament tells us of the long-awaited Messiah. It was important for the first Christians to know that the new faith was rooted in Judaism. Matthew begins by looking back to the Old Testament but closes with Jesus’ great commission to make disciples of all nations.
We begin our outline with Chapter 1.
Matthew the Book
Chapter 1The genealogy of Jesus Christ
1-6a From Abraham to David
6b-11From David to the Babylonian Exile
12-17 From the Exile to the Messiah
18-24 The birth of the Messiah
Chapter 2
1-12 Wise Men seek the King
13-15 The flight into Egypt
16-18 The Massacre of the innocents
19-23 The Holy Family in Nazareth
Chapter 3
1-12 The Messiah’s herald John the Baptist
13-17 The Baptist of Jesus
Chapter 4
1-11 The temptation of Jesus
12-17 Ministry in Galilee
18-22 The first disciples
23-25 Teaching, preaching, and healing
Chapter 5 The Sermon on the Mount
1-12 The Beatitudes
13-16 Believers are salt and light
17-20 Christ fulfills the Law
21-26 Murder begins in the heart
27-30 Adultery in the heart
31-32 Divorced practices censured
33-37 Tell the truth
38-42 Turning the other cheek
43-48 Love your enemies
Chapter 6
1-4 How to give
5-8 How to pray
9-15 The model prayer
16-18 How to fast
19-24 Treasures in Heaven not earth
25-34 Do not worry for anything
Chapter 7
1-6 Do not judge
7-12 Ask, seek, and knock
13-23 Entering the kingdom
24-29 The two foundations
Tomorrow we with start with the outline of Chapter 8. We pray that this will help you in your walk through the New Testament.

Recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

WHAT IS THE NEW TESTAMENT


A collection of 27 books and letters, written over a period of 50 years by a number of different authors, The New Testament focuses on one special person belonging to the nation of Israel: Jesus Christ. The word testament means covenant or agreement. The Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, is about the covenant between God and the people of Israel [the Jews]. Many times the Jewish people failed to uphold the Laws of God and be faithful to Him.


Prophets began to talk of a new covenant that the people would keep, because it would be written on their hearts. Jesus was the new covenant and through His birth, life, death, and resurrection this was made possible. This offer was not only for just the Jews but also for all the people of this world. This new beginning will be completed when Christ returns again and all things are made new.


Very few writings outside the Bible include the Name of Jesus. Tacitus a Roman historian mentions Him in passing only as a ‘Christian’ put to death by Emperor Nero. Jewish historians offer little more except to say He practiced magic, beguiled the people, and He was hanged for heresy and misleading the people.

For all practical purposes, our only knowledge of Jesus comes from the New Testament. We are told very little of his life past His birth until He meets up with John the Baptist. The period covered after that is His Ministry, and what He taught, this covers a little over three years.


As we mentioned in our Introduction to the New Testament, the books following this cover the beginning of the Church, and letters to individuals and churches wrote afterwards.


Our goal here is to look deeper into the Books of the New Testament. Who wrote them, why they were wrote, and whom they were wrote to. We also will include scriptures that we believe have been questioned by different groups, and some that you might want to ponder on yourself.


As always, we ask that you pray and ask God to open your eyes to a deeper understanding of His Word.


Recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

THE NEW TESTAMENT

There are four main Era’s of the New Testament.




1. Gospels: The life of Jesus of Nazareth as told in the Gospels.

2. Church: The formation of the Christian Church.

3. Missions: The expansion of the Church into the Roman Empire through missions.

4. The Epistles




The Gospel Matthew-John




Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This portrait of Christ’s life places very little emphasis on His early life, showing great emphasis on the last week of His life. Nor do all the Gospels cover the same events in His life. In actuality, only about fifty days of Jesus’ active ministry are covered.




There are four main divisions in the Gospel Era




1. Early Life: Childhood to Baptism

2. Early Ministry: Initial acceptance

3. Later Ministry: Growing rejection

4. Death and Resurrection: Final rejection




The Church Era Acts1-12

There are four major subjects in the Church Era.




1. Creation: Birth of the Church Acts 1-5

2. Growth: Organization of the Church Acts 6

3. Persecution: The first Christian martyr Acts 7

4. Transition: A missionary to the Gentiles Acts 8-12

The Missions Era Acts 13-28




1. First Missionary Journey: Galatia for two years Acts 13-14

2. Second Missionary Journey: Greece for three years Acts 15-17

3. Third Missionary Journey: Asia for four years Acts 18-21

4. Trials and Imprisonment: Roman prison for two years Acts 22-28




The Epistles Romans-Revelation




The Epistles are letters to churches and to individuals to encourage them and instruct them in the Christian faith.




There are four main topics to be dealt with in studying the Epistles.




1. The Nature of the Epistles

2. Pauline Epistles to the Churches Romans -1and 2 Thessalonians

3. Pauline Epistles to individuals 1 and 2 Timothy-Philemon

4. General Epistles Hebrews- Revelation




This completes our outline of the Bible. We have not included a summary of any books. This outline is to serve you in your study of the Bible to better understand the individual books . We pray that it will be a blessing to you. Our goal has always and continues to be for you to read and study the Word of God .

May God Bless you as you read His Word.

Recj/LJG

SHARING SOME OF OUR LIFE WITH YOU

We were both raised in the Church. Our early memories go back to Sunday school and for one of us sitting on songbooks on a bench, as there were no pews. There are two Granny’s that raised us Granny Godwin and Granny Carter. Granny Godwin lead a WMU meeting at Macedonia Baptist Church, while Granny Carter attended Cedar Creek Baptist Church both in Jacksonville Florida.


Granny Godwin ran the Church and her husband was the Sunday School Super. Aunt Joyce played the piano while her husband Uncle Frank was the song leader.

Granny read her Bible and she fasted. I remember days when she would only eat saltine crackers and drink black sweetened coffee; the Lord revealed to me that she was in fact fasting. She also believed in tithing, now some say you do not have to tithe, they apparently were not reading the same Bible as Granny. When she said God said or Jesus said, you best believe it was in there.


About once a month, I would be bad enough to be put in the bathroom with my Bible and told to read a Book of HER choosing. Sometimes it was Psalms oh yes Psalms. Do you know just how BIG Psalms is? Then after I read it, I had to tell her what I read. You had best get most of it right OR you would do it again!


I can still hear her tell me, "birds of a feather flock together, you are judged by the company you keep, a man hates his child if he spares the rod and spoils the child," and yes, that was as she was applying the rod to my backside. My favorite two sayings are, you do NOT hang around with slothful people and if you want to eat, you will work.


After 66 years of studying, being in the Church and in the Bible there are things I am still learning today and I have missed for years.


Granny Carter had us in church rain or shine. We never missed Sunday school or church. By that I mean Sunday morning school and church , Sunday evening, Wednesday night Bible Study , and Thursday night Girls Auxiliary. If a revival was going on we did not miss a night of that either. Granny also had her weekly Bible study meetings, which included Granny Godwin's house.


There was no alcohol of any kind ever in the house and to say darn would get your mouth washed out with good old lava hand soap. As for tithing Granny did not work, Granddaddy though taught us the first 10% belongs to God. As for me and my house, we stand for the Lord. No meal was eaten without thanking the Lord first. God was the head.


We can never stress enough to take no Preacher, man or woman’s word on the Bible until you read it yourself. There are so-called preachers that are well –known around the world that are teaching things that are against what is in the Bible. When we see one doing this we stop listening to them.

As our Granny’s did before us, if it ain’t in the Bible, it has no part in our life’s.


God Bless

Recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

The Silence Era.




Yes, the period between the Old and the New Testaments is also an Era, which has four major subjects: The Changing Guard, Political Sects, Religious Sects, and The Messianic Hope.




The Changing Guard is the march of nations. Jerusalem is ruled by Persia. Alexander the Great defeats the Persians and brings Greek culture. Alexander dies and though the Greek culture remains dominant Roman influences comes in. The march of nations passes from Persia to Greece to Rome.




Political Sects: The Maccabeans and Zealots. The Silence Years last four hundred years, throughout this time there are militant Jews who attempt to revolt against foreign rule and make Jerusalem and the surrounding area an independent country. These include the Maccabeans and the Zealots.




Religious Sects: Pharisees and Sadducces. Pharisees promote legalism of religious law, they are orthodox and conservative, foster separation and what they feel is secular society. Sadducees are more liberal they use wealth and influence to keep political waters calm. There is a ruling board called the Sanhedrin made up of both groups. The groups have little in common except their desire for religious freedom and their antagonism for Jesus of Nazareth.




Messianic Hope: Expectation of a Savior. The Messiah the one prophesied throughout the Old Testament to come save the Jews. Events of the Silence Era seem to prepare the the coming of this Messiah. Common language and culture, military peace, a committed government and such religious persecution and political humiliation that widespread hope and expectection of a Savior exist.




With this, we close the Chapters of the Old Testament. Now we will open the doors to the answer to everything the Old Testament has led us toward.




God Bless,

recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

We have reached the last two Eras’. The Exile Era covers the books of Ezekiel through Daniel. The Return Era covers Ezra through Esther.

There are four mind divisions in the Exile Era.

1. Prophecy: Warning of impending captivity. Jeremiah

2. Prophets: Encouraging faithfulness of exiles. Ezekiel and Daniel

3. Exiles: Assimilated into the culture. Daniel

4. Power Change: Persian Empire expands. Daniel

You will see here that biblical references will include some Prophetical Books.

The Return Era has four main subjects.

1. Disrepair: Destruction from war and neglect. Nehemiah 1:1-3

2. Temple: Rebuilding the temple. Ezra 1-6

3. People: Spiritual rebuilding. Ezra 7-10

4. Walls: Restoration complete. Nehemiah

There are two more sections to the Old Testament. The Poetical Books and The Prophetical Books. These five Poetical follow the Historail Books and precede The Prophetical. Job was written during the time of the events of Genesis; Psalms during the life of David; Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and The Song of Solomon were written during the life of Solomon. There are three major types of poetry: Lyric, Instructional, and Dramatic.

The Five Poetical Books

1. Job: Suffering and God’s sovereignty.

2. Psalms: Praise in public worship.

3. Proverbs Wisdom, skill for living.

4. Ecclesiastes: Futility of temporal pursuits.

5. Song of Solomon: God’s marriage manual.

The Prophetical Books. From Isaiah to Malachi we have the writings of sixteen men who wrote down their messages in seventeen books. These books are divided into three periods. Pre-Exile, Exile, and Post-Exile.

Pre-Exile:

1. To Israel: Hosea, Amos

2. To Judah: Habakkuk, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Micah, Zephaniah, Lamentations

3. To Assyria: Jonah, Nahum

4. To Edom: Obadiah




Exile:

1. From Babylonia: Ezekiel , Daniel

Post-Exile

1. To Jerusalem: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

We have now come to the end of the Old Testament. We pray that this outline can be a study help to better understand why it is important to read and have knowledge of the Bible. We will continue starting with the Silence Period between the two books of the Testament.




God Bless,

recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

We will continue our look at the Era’s today starting with the Conquest Era.

Four main events happen in the Conquest Era:

1. Jordan: miraculous parting of the water. Joshua 1-5




2. Jericho: miraculous conquest of a city. Joshua 6




3. Conquest: the defeat of Canaan. Joshua 7-12




4. Dominion: finalizing dominion. Joshua 13-20

The Judges Era is from Judges thru Ruth. There are four main subjects in this Era. [Have you noticed the groups of four showing up? That is a completely different subject; we just wanted to see if you noticed.] Those four subjects are 1. Judges 2. Rebellion 3. Cycles 4.Ruth




1. Judges: The leaders of Israel. Books of Judges

Deborah, a women judge early in the Judges Era.

Gideon, who defeats an army of thousands with 300 men.

Samson, the most famous, whose strength has captured us for years.

Samuel both the last judge and the first prophet.




2. Rebellion: The Breaking of God’s Law. Books of Judges

Destroy all the inhabitants of Canaan.

Avoid intermarriage with the Canaanites

Shun worship of the Canaanite gods.




3. Cycles: Repetition of Israel’s misfortunes. Judges




4. Ruth: A model women. Ruth




The Kingdom Era ran from 1 Samuel to 2 Chronicles. It starts with David, the greatest king in the new monarchy, and is followed by a succession of mostly unrighteous kings. God eventually judges Israel for her sin, and sends her into exile. There are four main periods in the Kingdom Era.




United Kingdom: A new monarchy. I and 2 Samuel



2. Divided Kingdom: A civil war. 1 Kings




3. Northern Kingdom: The unrighteous kingdom. 2 Kings




4. Southern Kingdom: The inconsistent kingdom. 2 Kings




As we continue with this outline of the Books of the Bible, we pray that it is a help to you to understand better how the Books work together in showing the creation of earth up and through the birth of Christ and the church He left behind.




GOD BLESS,

recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

The Era’s



The Creation Era is Genesis chapters 1-11. We have four major events within Creation. They are Creation, Fall, Flood, and the Tower of Babel.



1. Creation is man created in the image of God. Adam, Genesis 1-2



2. Fall is sin entering the world. Genesis 3



3. Flood, which is the judgment for sin. Noah, Genesis 6-10



4. Tower the beginning of the nations.



The Patriarch Era runs from Genesis 12-50



1. Abraham the Father of the Hebrew people, Genesis 12-23



2. Isaac the second Father of promise. Genesis 27-35



3. Jacob the Father of the Nation of Israel. Genesis 27-35



4. Joseph the leader in Egypt. Genesis 37-50



The Exodus Era covers Exodus thru Deuteronomy. Again, we find four major events.



1. Deliverance, freedom from slavery in Egypt. Exodus 1-18



2. The Law, God’s commandments at Mount Sinai. Numbers 19-40



3. Kadesh Barnea the place of rebellion against God. Numbers 10-14



4. Forty years of wandering, the consequences of rebelling again God. Numbers 20-36



Deuteronomy is Moses encouraging the people and giving them additional instructions before he dies.



Tomorrow we will be fresh and looking at the Conquest Era


recj/LJG

THE BIBLE CONTINUED

Today we are going to look at just the Old Testament. There are nine main era of the Old Testament. Each Era has a central figure.




1. Creation the creation of the world and man, and early events. Adam




2. Patriarch the birth of the Hebrew people through a family of patriarchs covering a period of two hundred years. Abraham




3. Exodus the story of the Hebrew people as they are delivered out of four hundred year of slavery in Egypt. Moses




4. Conquest of the Promised Land by the Hebrew people upon their return to Egypt. Joshua




5. Judges is a four hundred year period during which Israel becomes a nation ruled by a monarchy. Samson




6. Kingdom is an additional four hundred period, which Israel’s leaders live in exile, having been conquered by foreign countries. David




8. Return of exiled Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple. Ezra




9. Silence is the four hundred year period between the close of the Old Testament and the opening of the New Testament. Pharisees




As we break down what the Era has and see the main figure we can easily see how this beautiful story is coming together.




Tomorrow a look at the different Era’s.




recj/LJG

THE BIBLE

Read the Bible in one year. How many times have we heard or read something that was going to guide us to accomplish that goal? How many of us have actually read the entire Bible? Even better, for those who have read the Bible from ‘one end to the other’ has it been understood? Okay too many questions too early in the day. Many of us start reading the Bible as one unbroken story from beginning to end. We believe the following information can give you a deeper understanding of what you are reading.




The Bible can be one of the most confusing books you will ever read. We have thirty-nine books written by twenty-eight different authors written over a two thousand year span, which is just the Old Testament. The New is twenty-seven books written by nine men over a period a little less than one hundred years. Am I boring you yet? We have then sixty-six books written by 37 different men. We could state the fact that the book appears to have been put together out of order. We have the same story told differently by different men, which is not odd, but they seem to get the main point totally different. Exactly how many times do we need to read Adam begat Cain and Abel!




We hope that we can make it a little easier for you. There are different levels of reading. Some people want to just read a little and go. Others get a little deeper and compare scriptures. Then there are people like LJG and myself who enjoy studying one scripture for hours and days even. God did not create us alike. We believe that a few simple facts can help anyone in their study reading of the Bible.




There are three different kinds of Books in the Old Testament: Historical, Poetical, and Prophetical. Historical is about history, Poetical are poetry, and prophetical books are prophecy. If you know what kind of book you are reading, then you will know what kind of information to expect. The New Testament is also broken down into three: Historical, Pauline, and General. What is a Pauline, who is she? Pauline is books written to Churches and Individuals by Paul.

The Old Testament is the story of God and the Hebrew people, their poets, and prophets. The New Testament is the story of Jesus of Nazareth, the Church He founded, and its growth under the leadership of His Apostles after His death.




The Old Testament: the first 17 books are the history/story of the Hebrew nation. Poetry is the next five books, and the final 17 books are prophecy. Over simplified yes, but if you keep this is mind the Old Testament will begin to take shape for you. LJG and I would want to dig deep into the fact that Job was written during the time frame of Genesis. We are trying to keep it simple.




The New Testament: the first five books are Historical, the next 13 are Pauline, and the next nine are general. Pauline is in two parts those letters written to churches, and those written to individuals.




You might find it helpful to print out the following and place it in your Bible.




Tomorrow we will continue with this study.




Recj/LJG













Old Testament

Historical
•Genesis
•Exodus
•Leviticus
•Numbers
•Deuteronomy
•Joshua
•Judges
•Ruth
•1 Samuel
•2 Samuel
•1 Kings
•2 Kings
•1 Chronicles
•2 Chronicles
•Ezra
•Nehemiah
•Esther
•Job
•Psalm
•Proverbs
•Ecclesiastes
•Song of Solomon
•Isaiah
•Jeremiah
•Lamentations
•Ezekiel
•Daniel
•Hosea
•Joel
•Amos
•Obadiah
•Jonah
•Micah
•Nahum
•Habakkuk
•Zephaniah
•Haggai
•Zechariah
•Malachi




New Testament
•Matthew
•Mark
•Luke
•John
•Acts
•Romans
•1 Corinthians
•2 Corinthians
•Galatians
•Ephesians
•Philippians
•Colossians
•1 Thessalonians
•2 Thessalonians
•1 Timothy
•2 Timothy
•Titus
•Philemon
•Hebrews
•James
•1 Peter
•2 Peter
•1 John
•2 John
•3 John
•Jude
•Revelation

A SIMPLE PRAY...WITH SO MUCH MEANING

Heavenly Father ,I woke up this morning, and my walk is slower, I could lay down and rest, but that will not get things done. You know what I am able to do and will give me strength to do what needs to be done. Lord some of Your children are suffering this morning, children that I have come to know maybe just in passing on this page. Lord I love that You gave us so many promises, many that Your children are not aware of. Not having been taught the True Word of Yours, or by not being able to understand what we read. Unless our eyes be opened Lord. Oh Lord I pray this morning that eyes shall be opened , ears shall hear as they have not heard before. Lord lay it on Your children's heart to read the twenty -third Psalm. You Lord have laid this on my heart. Lord I ask that you encourage them in the Spirit to read it as the love letter You wrote to all Your children. Read it out loud with meaning to yourself.




My Father which are in Heaven... oh how those words ring in my soul. My Father-my perfect Daddy who created me before the womb, who lives in heavenly places watching over me, My Dad , who never fails me, always loves me, My Dad.




Lord I think you for this day that I might serve You in a way that You as my Father shall be proud of all that i do. amen So be It




God bless each and everyone of you, that God will have His way in your life's.




recj/LJG

WALK IN THE STEPS OF FATHER ABRAHAM

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And Melchizedek King of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abrahm of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the Most High God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (Genesis 14:18-20).

Abraham was the first person recorded in the Bible to give tithes. He gave tithes to Melchizedek over 430 years before the Law was given to the children of Israel, proving that tithing existed before the Law.

The Bible tells us Abraham is the father of faith, and that all those who are of faith are children of Abraham, and we belong to Christ Jesus! “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).

Abraham demonstrated his faith by giving tithes of all to Melchizedek, who was a manifestation of Christ to him. The Bible admonishes us to walk in the steps of the faith of father Abraham (Romans 4:12). When you give your tithes, you’re walking in his steps of faith. You’re affirming yourself as a child of faith and a seed of Abraham and you can expect the blessings of Abraham to be yours also.

Instead of giving your tithe just because you were commanded to do so, which is good, start giving it with understanding and by revelation. Begin to act by faith in giving your tithes. Rejoice and thank God every time you give it. Then you can enjoy the full benefits of it.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father! You have made me a partaker of the Abrahamic blessings through Our Lord Jesus Christ. I present my tithes to You as a token of my covenant relationship with You and the connection to the Abrahamic blessings. Therefore, the devourer is rebuked from my finances, every form of sickness is destroyed and failure is completely removed from my life, in Jesus Christ Name! Amen!

www.rhapsodyofrealities.org

http://bummyla.wordpress.com/2011/10/

WISDOM NOT TO SPEAK

On Newsweek’s website they have an article about public figures not knowing when they have said too much. (Click here to read article) Here is one example from the article:

“Oil was spewing into the ocean and floating toward fragile wetlands and out-of-work fishermen sat idle on the Gulf Coast while BP was trying, but failing, to stop the spill. Then Tony Hayward, the company’s CEO, tried to downplay the significance of the disaster, saying, “The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.” It turns out calling the largest accidental oil spill in history “tiny” was not the best choice of words. Nor was his later comment that he would “like his life back.” Hayward no longer has the CEO job, but he does have a $930,000 annual pension.”

Sometimes as humans we think we are smarter and wiser than we are. We think we know it all or that we are indestructible. We tend to speak before we really think through things. We think we can predict the future. So we end up saying a lot of unwise or stupid things. In Job 18 a lot of talking took place between Job and his “close” friends. At one point in their discussion one of the friends says to Job in chapter 18 verses 1 -3

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: 2 How long until you stop talking? Show some sense, and then we can talk. 3 Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight?”

Sometimes we just need to use some common sense and know when to stop speaking or not to even open our mouths. We need to have wisdom to know when not to speak. Only that come from spending time with God. James 1:19 states,

“My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,”

Proverbs 29: 20 says,

“Do you see a man who speaks too soon? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Spend more time in God’s Word, spend more time praying and listening to God, spend more time with wise fellows Christians and you will gain common sense or wisdom to know when to not speak.

W.I.S.H

http://wisejunction.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/wisdom-not-to-speak-3/

A FORMULA FOR DISASTER

Acts 27:14-15

Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.


Sin is like that gentle wind, it blows softly at first, luring us into believing that nothing is wrong and no one will find out; but before too long that gentle breeze so sweet and easy at first, turns into a wind of hurricane force. We're all susceptible, no matter how holy we think we are.
The next time you are caught in your own "northeaster" think back to how you got started on the wrong path. The story of David and Bathsheba gives us a pretty good road map of how we get into trouble (2 Samuel Chapter 11). Verse 1 begins, "David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army...but David remained in Jerusalem." So this one year, King David decided to stay home instead of joining his troops in battle. I have always found that interesting -- in other words, David was somewhere he shouldn't have been in the first place -- home rather than with his troops. Late one evening David goes out on the palace roof and sees a beautiful woman (Bathsheba) bathing on the roof of the next building. Why is David on the palace roof late at night? He's restless, bored and can't sleep so he's out roaming around looking for something to do. David sends for Bathsheba, and they begin an adulterous affair followed by pregnancy and the murder of her husband to cover it all up. I would say that David got himself caught in a pretty strong "northeaster."
Have you ever heard the old saying, "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop?" David was a man of action, it was in his DNA; the Lord engineered him to be a warrior and a leader. It was when he stopped being what God made him to be that he got off track. Because he was idle he became susceptible to sin's gentle wind of influence; and before long he was caught in a full "northeaster." I wonder how many times David lay awake in bed at night wishing he would have just gone with the troops like he supposed to?
In our passage today, I'll bet the sailors, as their ship was caught by winds of hurricane force weren't looking back at all the imperfections of the port they had just left. I'm sure boredom looked pretty good to them.


Are you caught in a "northeaster" right now? Are you being blown along with circumstances and consequences wildly out of control? How did you get here? Pause for a moment and stop doing (or covering up) whatever got you into this mess in the first place. Ask for the Lord's forgiveness, wisdom, provision and protection. Commit yourself to the right course today and go back to being who God made you to be.

ptl.org

FOLLOWING JESUS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MATERIAL GAIN

by Kevin Nunez





Following Jesus Is More Important than Material Gain


Every one of you who does not say good-bye to all his possessions cannot be My disciple

(Luke 14:33).

If we have made a relationship with Jesus a priority and have committed to His purpose for a lifetime, we must let go of material wealth. Jesus declared that nothing in life can take the place designed for Him. Things can become gods as easily as people can. If Jesus does not allow people to assume God’s place, neither will He allow material possessions to


"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money"

Matthew 6:24.

Scripture teaches that God is the owner of all possessions,


"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him"

Psalm 24:1.

and that humankind is only a steward charged with their care. Even the church’s teaching on tithing is sometimes misunderstood. Some believe that if they give a tithe of their income back to God, the remaining 90 percent is available to be used any way they choose. The reality is that all belongs to God, and a Christian is responsible for using all 100 percent in a way that glorifies God. The tithe is just the prompter.

Biblical discipleship involves following Jesus rather than adhering to a moral code. Although the task seems daunting, it is life at its very finest. Jesus said,


“A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance”

John 10:10.

Jesus is not just the giver of abundant life. He desires that all people experience it,


The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

2 Pet. 3:9.

However, it is found only in following Him. The good news is that Jesus enables even the following if someone in faith chooses to do so. That is the work of the Holy Spirit, who comes to indwell the believer at the moment of expressed trust in Jesus’ atoning death for him. God Himself is at work in the believer’s life to manifest His grace and goodness


For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Phil. 2:13.

He prompts someone and even arranges circumstances to enable the person to do what He desires, but He never forces or manipulates the person. He always allows the individual to make the decision to follow Him.

(Don’t miss tomorrow’s blog post as we will cover, Foundational Tenets of Christian Discipleship)

More to come on this topic, “Biblical Discipleship.”

Source: http://www.lifeway.com/

Picture:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfIFJPgXwy91UDWPSSXigZ1X8-sRlOCD_5oTiH71BQ6_nijQDnWP5Tp98jdZ6itWQ16ieQF6PcPfXlviFGeDmUvDIzo72-syIiBlOnozkdMhVrTeqB7iKpMAVCdM9UCY8Uh3Y0w/s1600/God+and+money.jpg


—

Always, for God’s glory and our joy in Him!

Kevin Nunez

http://wp.me/p1E9MM-GM

INSANITY TO SOME REVELATION TO OTHERS

Acts 26:23-25

"...that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles." At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane." "I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable."


It never ceases to amaze me at the different responses I receive from people when I share the Gospel with them. Some people look at me as if I'm a madman; while others melt emotionally in relief with tears running down their face as they recognize the truth: God loves us so much He died for us. Call me insane, but the idea that I need a Savior is true and reasonable to me.
One indication of the truth of God's plan for salvation is in the way Festus responded to Paul's words -- he interrupted, and then shouted "You are out of your mind, Paul!" I guess Festus didn't much like the idea that Paul might be right about God, therefore his only choice was to close his ears and turn Paul off.
I have a friend who has gone down to Dana Point Harbor virtually every Saturday for the last four years to pass out Gospel tracts and witness about Jesus. Guess how many people he has led to Christ over the years? Eleven. Praise God for the eleven souls who have been saved, but just think about how many have rejected the offer of eternal life. My friend has been physically threatened, cursed, cussed and shouted at, yet he has remained steadfast is his devotion toward saving lives for eternity. His courage reminds me of Paul.


Does it take courage to share the Gospel with others? I guess it depends on the strength of your conviction and faith. In my opinion if we are convinced of the consequences of sin we will overcome our inhibitions and "proclaim the light" of Jesus Christ; even if people consider us insane. The gift of eternal life is insanity to some yet revelation to others. I once asked my friend how he dealt with all the rejection he received from sharing the Gospel. He answered, "By the response of the few who saw the light." Are you denying those you meet the opportunity to receive Jesus Christ? Will you allow Christ to work in you to overcome your fear or inhibition?

POCKETPOWER.ORG

ONLY ONE SOURCE

I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10:1-3 (NIV)

Whom do you follow?

Whom do you trust?

All throughout history humanity has been deceived by one lie after another. Why do we look for something and expect it to be as promised when we can't verify the credibility of the source? There is only one source that is credible. There is only one source that knows us by name. There is only one source that enters through the gate.
Why must people make it so difficult? Why do people take a look at what Jesus teaches and tell themselves that it cannot be that simple? Why do they think that it will work for everyone else except them? Why do they listen to those who have come into their lives through something other than the "gate?" Why do we, as humanity, prefer to listen to the thief and the robber? Is this the same desire or gullibility that has allowed con men and the proverbial snake oil salesmen?
What is it about human nature that makes us want to look for an alternative when we are told that there is only one way? Why do we want to test the warning signs that boldly proclaim danger, yet ignore the wisdom and direction that leads to life?

Why do so many ignore the gift that God gave to His creation? Why do we look for alternatives to what God has given?

Perhaps it is due to the old saying, "It is too good to be true." Think about that. Our society has been telling us for a while that we must beware of things that are too good to be true, because they are not true. I honestly believe that our society has become jaded by this and now, too many apply this to faith in Jesus.
Jesus is not too good to be true! He is the truth.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:6-7 (NIV))

Jesus is the shepherd. He enters through the gate. He knows our names. He calls us out.
Do we listen to His voice?


…..Copyright 1998 - 2011 Dennis J. Smock, Daily Living Ministries, Inc. by way of Cup O'Cheer (cheer316@sc.rr.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)