Surviving Your Serengeti

Surviving Your Serengeti conjured up wonderful pictures in my mind. The vastness of the desert has always intrigued me, and I was anxious to see if this played into the story. The Seven Questions it promised to tackle made me hopeful. Who wouldn’t want to know how to overcome a challenge, discover hidden survival skills, reach unmet goals, discover my instinctive strengths, learn problem-solving thinking, excel to my potential, and have a positive message to share?

Sadly, Surviving Your Serengeti promised more than it delivered. The fable had a stilted story line, and didn’t really hold my interest. The protagonists didn’t hold my attention, and I couldn’t empathize with them. They were too predictable. I should have expected this—it was billed as a fable, after all.

I looked forward to what I could learn from the seven beasts that survive in the wild. There must be lessons to be learned from these animals that have survived the ravages of nature for centuries. The summary at the end of each chapter did offer practical applications, and I found this beneficial. Who doesn’t struggle with some of the traits discussed—endurance, strategy, enterprise, efficiency, grace, risk-taking, and communication. I didn’t find anything I hadn’t read before, though, and my goal is always at least one new thought.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Jesus, my Father, the CIA, and Me

Intrigued by the title, I decided to read this memoir, a genre I don’t often read. So glad I did. What great insights I gleaned from being inside the head of the child of an alcoholic narcissist.

In Jesus, my Father, the CIA, and Me, I was able to explore the longing of a person to gain the love and acceptance of his father. The story was honest, funny, sad and poignant as I traveled with the author from being a child to a grown man, finally able to reconcile his past, and forgive his father in spite of it all. With candor, the author told of how this quest to connect with his father colored and had the potential to warp every other relationship in his life. Without preaching, or really explaining, I was able to take this trek with him, and understand his viewpoint in a way I had never experienced.


Yet even in the end, there is that unfilled longing in the heart of the author to truly connect. This spaciousness of his soul is something I believe we all experience, as we wait to finally be united with our heavenly Father. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand a little more of the depth of the pain alcoholism can inflict on anyone who touches it.

Ten Great Questions

People who achieve their dreams stand out. You cannot be a part of the crowd and achieve your dream at the same time. This was just one of the many truths I gleaned from “Put Your Dream to the Test,” Maxwell’s best book, in my opinion. I am a long-time reader of his books, and have learned many things by the easy-to-understand way he writes. However, after a few, they all begin to sound alike. Not so with “Put Your Dream to the Test”. While many of his previous principles shine through, this book gave me a bricks and mortar way to put these principles to the test.

No matter the size of your dream, the ten questions posed and the way they were presented will give the reader a good indicator of what is required of the dream, and a way to gauge the cost. The chapters covered a broad spectrum of considerations to think through when starting out. From “Ownership” to “Passion” to “Significance” to “People”, this book was more of a workbook than just a read. This helped me see a dream from many different facets. The Dream Map helped to further take ownership of the dream and lay out a general plan to make it happen.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a dream to pursue, and is willing to view it from all angles to help count the cost.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Final Summit

I enjoyed the use of historical figures in the story of The Final Summit, to solve a problem in the present. Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless by circumstances , David Ponder regained value by being used of Gabriel, the archangel, to help find a solution to set the world back on track.

The task is daunting--to find a way to set civilization back on target for its own preservation—and David will have the help of Travelers from a previous time to find the key that will do this. Drawing on wisdom and insight from the past, their job is to find the one key that will set the earth back on the course to do all that is right and good.

Although the answers that are offered (and rejected), are good principles to live by, and will make for a more successful life, they were very predictable. I did enjoy the insights I gained into some historical figures, especially Churchill’s comments on depression. I was disappointed by the “right answer”, but did enjoy the read, and it gave me cause to reconsider some things.

The Final Sprint

Hebrews It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off. (Jesus) is there (Heaven) from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God, thru Him, always on the job to speak up for (me)!

Do you see what this means? It means we better get on with it! Strip down, start running & never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where was headed--that exhilarating finish in & with God--He could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever.

It's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. So don't sit around on your hands! Help each other out. And run for it! Work at getting along with each other and God.

James Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.

I & II Peter Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick.

Don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our master, Jesus. Hold your minds in a state of undistracted attention.

I, II, & III John Here's how we can be sure we know God in the right way--keep His commandments.

Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. God is greater than our worried hearts & knows more about us than we do ourselves. The commandment we have from Christ is blunt---loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.

Jude Fight with everything you have in you, for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish.

Revelation John turned and saw the voice (?) What does it mean to see the voice?

I've opened a door before you that no one can slam shut. You don't have much strength, I know that; you used what you had to keep My Word. You didn't deny me when things were rough. I'm A to Z. I'm the Beginning. I'm the Conclusion. From the Water of Life Well I give freely to the thirsty.

I have loved this journey through the Bible. Intensive most of the time, but keeping me focused on the One Priority of my life. This disciplined reading of the Word came at a time when many things were swirling around me, and it was truly my anchor. I finished Sunday, March 27, and started a 5 day journey preparing me for the next step in my walk with Jesus. With man it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible!

Learning From Paul

Acts This is what happened to the first Christians: They agreed they were in for good-no quitting. They agreed in prayer. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and received supernatural power. They followed a daily discipline. They couldn't keep quiet about what they knew to be true. They prayed for fearless confidence in preaching The Message. They all shared with each other. Ananias and Sapphire are proof that secrets will kill you. The followers were 'promptly obedient'. Paul and Barnabas encouraged the believers wherever they went--putting muscle and sinew into their lives, encouraging them to stick with what they had begun and not quit. Making it clear that being a follower wouldn't be easy.

Songs of praise and worship break open the prison doors. Praise and thanksgiving will set me free from any bondage in my mind, too.

Paul gave constant encouragement, lifting the believers' spirits and charging them with fresh hope. When warned of trouble in Jerusalem, Paul told the believers that the issue was not what the Jews might do to him, but rather, what the Master, Jesus, does through Paul's obedience. Awesome reminder of the importance of immediate obedience.

In reading through Acts, and all the things that happened to Paul, I am reminded again that we modern, Western Christians have a very unrealistic view of how the will of God plays out in the circumstances of our lives. Even though Jesus taught that we would have trouble, we somehow think living in God's will for us means everything just works out good. That is so wrong. Paul had joy, contentment, and great productivity for Kingdom work, but hardly anything went the way he thought it should. Let that be a reminder to me again, Lord, that Your ways are so different from mine; Your perspective full and complete, and mine limited.

Romans Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgemental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors.

Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting Him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade.

Offer yourself to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God, and the freedom never quits!

God's gifts and God's call are all under full warranty--never canceled, never rescinded.

So, here's want I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings out the best in you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Love from the center of who you are--don't fake it. Be good friends who live deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

A final word of counsel--Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. I want you to be smart, making sure every good thing is the real thing.

I & II Corinthians God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of His purposes. You won't find it lying around on the surface. Also, see Isaiah 45:3.

Stand your ground, and don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort.

Enter this wide open, spacious life. (We) didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively.

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in your faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular check-ups.

Galatians The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God does for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Make a careful exploration of who you are, and the work you have been given & sink yourselves into it.

Ephesians Long before we first heard of Christ, and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.

Philipians My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. Live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ.

There's more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for Him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting.

I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward-- to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.

Colossians Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Radical, exuberant praise & thanksgiving!

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

I & II Thessalonians God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life, but into something holy and beautiful. Look for the best in each other and always do your best to bring it out. Check out everything, and keep only what's good.

I & II Timothy Exercise daily in God--no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gym are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. Run hard and fast in the faith. Don't ever quit. Just keep it simple. This is the only race worth running. I've run hard right to the finish, believed all the way.

Titus God's people should be big-hearted and courteous.

Philemon I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it.

The Gospels-Walking with Jesus

Matthew 15-28 Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant...if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty. Staying with it--that's what God requires. Stay with it to the end.

Mark The Diligent Servant. Jesus lost no time. He didn't fritter His time away. Everything He did was intentional and purposeful.

Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.

Jesus was never without a story when He spoke.

Love the Lord God with all your passion & prayer & intelligence & energy. And here is the second commandment. Love others as well as you love yourself. There is no other commandment that ranks with these.

Part of (Peter) is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire. Help me not to become tired, and then lazy as an old dog, Lord.

Luke Just like the Devil played upon Jesus' hunger in the wilderness, he will always play on my weakness. Whether it's a habit or a temporary situation. Just like the Devil only retreated temporarily, and lay in wait for another opportunity, he will do that to me. I must always be on guard.

Even though Jesus was doing a very successful ministry & there were still plenty to be healed, Jesus knew that God was sending Him to other villages to do the work of God. I believe I am being sent to another 'village' in PA, even though there is plenty of work to do in TN.

Jesus prayed all night before choosing His disciples. How long do I pray before making a decision?

Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier.

Jesus continued according to plan. Altho what He was doing might not have made sense to others, He knew He was doing the Father's business. He knew this because He was in constant communication with Him. Prayer is the primary source of direction. God's view, not man's.

Even though people were being healed, the people asked Him to leave--too much change, too fast, and they were scared. (Never be afraid of the change Jesus is working in my life.)

Life is not defined by what you have done, even when you have done a lot. We must watch carefully to not be consumed by our possessions. The way to life--to God!--is vigorous and requires your total attention.

If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get a life on God's terms.

John You're tied to the mundane; I'm in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I'm living on other terms.

Anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal. If any of your wants to serve Me, then follow Me.

This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in My name, according to My will & He'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks.

Thru the Old, on to the New--Hallelujah!

Hosea 1-14 I'm after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.

If you want to live well, make sure your understand all of this. If you know what's good for you, you'll learn this inside and out. God's paths get you where you want to go. Right-living people walk them easily; wrong-living people are always tripping and stumbling. Everything you need to know is found in God.

Joel Each soldier does what he is told--so disciplined, so determined. Each one knows his job--and does it! What is my job? Am I doing it? When I am following hard after God, He is my safe hiding place, no matter what goes on all around.

Amos God, the Master, does nothing without first telling His prophets the whole story. Seek God and live! You don't want to end up with nothing to show for your life.

Obediah-Nahum Jonah didn't turn to God until he was sure he was so deep in trouble he saw no way out. Not until his life 'was slipping away' did he remember God. My prayer, Lord, is that I always run to You, no matter what & never try to hide and fix my own problems.

God has made it plain how to live and what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love. And don't take yourself too seriously--take God seriously!

From the Nathan Intro: God's characteristic way of working is in quietness and through prayer. If we are conditioned to respond to noise and size, we will miss God's work and action.

God is serious business. He won't be trifled with. No one gets by with anything.

God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, no matter how desperate the trouble.

Habakkuk No matter what, I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God's rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain!

Zephaniah Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people who live by God's justice. Seek God's right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life.

Haggai A vivid reminder: God is living and breathing among us right now. Don't be timid. Don't hold back---think ahead. From now on, we can count on a blessing!

Zechariah God's charge to Joshua, the priest: If you live the way I tell you and remain obedient in my service, then you'll make the decisions around here & oversee my affairs. And all my attendants standing here will be at your service. This is my directive and warning as we head back home. This is our day of 'small beginnings'. All of this will follow as we put our minds to a life of responsive obedience to the voice of God.

Malachi I honor and worship God when I bring the very best of me to Him, as a daily, living sacrifice.

Matthew 1-14 Every day I wake up in the middle of something that is already going on, and has been going on for a long time. Why should I be concerned about the outcome of a single day, since I walk with God, & He already knows what will happen? Remember, just like the Wise Men, my life is a pilgrimage to worship Him!

Jesus was prepared for His test by fasting. Should fasting become a more regular part of my walk with Jesus?

The way to life--to God!--is vigorous and requires total attention. What is required is serious obedience--doing what my Father wills.

A command of Jesus--Become what you believe!

I have Chapter 10 marked in my Bible as the Disciples' Manual for Ministry. Here is what I am taking away from that today:

1) Go to the lost and confused right in my neighborhood.
2) When you start, you don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment.
3) Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you.
4) People will turn on you, but don't quit!
5) Don't be intimidated.
6) Don't think the life of a disciple is cozy.
7) If you first concern is to look after yourself, you'll NEVER find yourself. If you forget
yourself, and look to Jesus, you'll find both yourself and Jesus.
8) We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Accepting someone's help is as good as giving
someone help.

In Constant Prayer, by Robert Benson

"In Constant Prayer" by Robert Benson was a delightful introduction to the ancient practice of the daily office. I had not heard of this practice, which consists of praying specific prayers three times daily at set times. I did not grow up in a liturgical church, and it appears I may have missed some meaningful traditions.

The author uses his experiences with this ancient practice to examine the command to pray without ceasing. He says that since the beginning of the Jewish nation, these types of prayers have been offered to God. They continued on through the Gentile Christians of the first century, through the Reformation and into the 20th century. He believes our post-modern generation is the first to break this tradition, and we have lost because of it.

I thoroughly enjoyed his story of the impact of praying the office on his life. His self-deprecating honesty touched my heart and made me want to incorporate this into my life. I strongly agree with him when he said that communion with God is several things--and predictable is not one of them.

Disclaimer: I have been given a free copy of this book by BookSneeze to review. I am not obligated to give a positive review to fulfill this obligation.

Major Prophets-DONE

Jeremiah 37-47 There is a theme running through these chapters--God's prophet is hardly ever listened to, even by those who should know better. Also, God is very long suffering towards His people, who are greedy, selfish, stubborn & evil. He gives them so much warning & chance to repent, but they are so busy living in the NOW, they don't care about the future. Like a T-shirt I saw the other day, Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now. God has great promises for His children who want to do the 'hard work' of Kingdom building. Most often, tho, we don't see it nearly as quick as we want.

Jeremiah 48- Lamentations 2 A picture of how my sins can be woven into a rope that harnesses me into captivity. I am especially mindful of Pastor Ralph's statement that 'what I starve dies, but what I feed grows'. Thank You, Lord, for a pastor that doesn't court his church with sweet talk, but helps us face our sin, so we can repent.

Lamentations 3- Ezekiel 12 God proves to be good...to the woman who diligently seeks. Don't be afraid of living among the people to whom we are sent. Our job is to speak to them, whether they listen is not our concern. Just like Ezekiel, we must 'eat the Book & make a full meal of it. Don't dabble, and immerse ourselves in it. Get all the words that God is giving inside of us. Listen obediently. Make them your own. And then, go. Ezekiel didn't want to go where God was taking--like I didn't want to go at first.

Ezekiel 13-23 God acts out of who He is, not how He feels. He acts in a way that evokes honor.

Ezekiel 24-35 Always remember that we are watchmen, waiting to proclaim God's word to our dying generation.

Ezekiel 36-48 I finished Ezekiel, reminded of the 'river of life' in 47, where the Lord had shown me almost 15 years ago, that He wanted me to jump in over my head, not just dabble around the edges, like I had for so long. This week, changes in my life have felt like a tsunami, and I am carried along. But I have felt that this is the will of God & it's right where I want to be! Thank You, Lord, for this reminder today. Your will for me, whatever it may be, is my 'River of Life".

Daniel The three in the furnace KNEW that God could do whatever He wanted. But even if He didn't save them from the fire, they would still worship Him. Like the quote from JK Dean that has helped me see faith more clearly. "My faith is not in an outcome: it is in a Person--no matter the outcome."

This is what Gabriel said about Daniel's fast: 'from the moment you decided to humble yourself to receive understanding...your prayer was heard.' Persistence in prayer is so important. And sometimes so hard.

Great Words from the Prophets

Isaiah 14-29 People with their minds set on You, You keep completely whole, steady on their feet, because they keep at it, and don’t quit. Depend on God & keep at it, because in the Lord God you have a sure thing.

Isaiah 30-41 ...I’ve been behind this all along. This is a long-standing plan of mine, and I’m just now making it happen.

Hezekiah was one of the good kings, and when he became sick, God heard his prayer for healing & added 15 years to his life. But, sometime later, he became prideful & tried to impress other rulers, not giving God the glory. Note to self: ALWAYS give God the glory!

God doesn’t come and go. God LASTS! I’ll give you strength and I‘ll help you. I’ll hold you steady and keep a firm grip on you…I’m telling you, “Don’t panic I’m right here to help you.”

Isaiah 42-54 (God’s servant) won’t tire out and quit. He won’t be stopped until he’s finished his work—-to set things right on earth.

God says He’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way, who can’t see where they’re going. He’ll be a personal guide to (me), directing (me) in unknown country. He’ll show me what roads to take, always being right with me, making sure I don’t fall into a ditch. He’s sticking with me, not leaving me for a minute! When I’m in rough waters, I won’t go down. When I’m between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end! God paid a huge price for me. So I should never be afraid, God is with me!

Remember, God can build a road right through an ocean & carve a path through pounding waves. So…

…forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out, don’t you see it? God backs up the word of His servant & confirms the counsel of His messengers. No one who hopes in God ever regrets it.

Isaiah 55-55 If you…quit gossiping about other peoples’ sins, if you are generous with the hungry & start giving yourselves to the down and out, I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places. You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew.

Look ahead with joy! Anticipate what I’m creating. –Before they call out, I will answer. Before they’ve finished speaking, I’ll have heard.

Here is something God is looking for: a person simple and plain, and reverently responsive to what He says.

Jeremiah 1-10 Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you. I’ve put my words in your mouth. I’ve given you a job to do….to pull up & tear down, take apart and demolish, and then start over, building and planting.

Circumcise your lives for God’s sake. What do I need to cut away from my life, Lord? This takes me to Hebrews 12:1-3 where it tells me to get on with it. Strip down, start running--& never quit! No extra spiritual fat; no parasitic sins. I need to always remember to keep the main thing the main thing.

“If you brag, brag of this and this alone: That you understand and know Me. I’m God & I act in loyal love. I do what’s right & set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things. These are my trademarks.” God’s Decree.

I know, God, that mere mortals can’t run their own lives. That men and women don’t have what it takes to take charge of life. So, correct us, Lord, as You see best.

Jeremiah 11-23 To Jeremiah, from God: Obey what I tell you. Do exactly what I command you. Your obedience will close the deal. You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours. I, God, search the heart & examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.

Jeremiah 24-33 While in exile, God told His people to thrive where they were & not waste away. That has been my goal as I have waited these three years for the house to sell. Most of the time, it worked, but there were times when I longed forhome. God has the plans to give me the future I hope for. I have watched Him change the plan I hoped for over this time. And I know that has happened only because I “got serious about finding (Him) & wanted that more than anything else.” His Word says He’ll make sure I won’t be disappointed! PTL!

Jeremiah bought land even though he was in exile. I am packing, even thought we have a contingency. And God says, “Call to me & I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous & wondrous things you could never figure out on your own.” I’m calling out, Lord….

"Couples Who Pray" SQuire Rushnell, Louise DuArt

“Couples Who Pray” includes a 40-day challenge that promises to infuse your marriage with a deeper intimacy. It uses episodes from the lives of celebrity couples as examples of how prayer has enriched their relationships. The book includes a survey for each spouse to take before the “Challenge”, and then again at completion to gauge their success.

Although the book was very readable and gave biblical advice on principles to improve marital relationships, I was somewhat disappointed. Prayer is communication with God, and its purpose is to come to know Him better, not have a better marriage. I almost felt like this was a kind of gimmick for having a better marriage, not learning more about the Lord and how He wants to communicate with us.

Prayer is the subject of many books, and lots of us want to know what the “secret” to a good prayer life is. I have read many of them, and they have enriched my understanding of this most important communication. One important truth I have gleaned from all this reading is that prayer is not about a form, or a pattern, or a “right” way to pray. One author said that you can hardly do it wrong, and that has opened up my dialogue with God more than any book I have read about prayer, outside of the Bible.

I was able to read this book at no cost, thanks to BookSneeze, and I like that. However, I will not recommend it to anyone who is looking for study on prayer.

Seven

Psalms 91-108 All of you, set free by God, tell the world! Tell how He freed you from oppression. He led you out of your dark, dark cell, broke open the jail and led you out. So, thank God for His marvelous love!

Psalms 109-135 O God, here I am; Your servant, Your faithful servant: set me free for Your service! …..I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do.

Psalm 119 You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow His directions, doing your best to find Him. That’s right, you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road He set.---I’m single-minded in pursuit of You; don’t let me miss the road signs You’ve posted. I’ll run the course You lay out for me if You’ll just show me how!—God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way! You’re my place of quiet retreat; I wait for Your Word to renew me. I’m Your servant—help me understand what that means, the inner meaning of Your instructions.

I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. He does as He pleases----however, wherever, whenever.

Psalms 136 – Proverbs 6 Thank the miracle-working God, His love never changes. Finish what You started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now! The days of my life are all prepared before I’d ever lived one day.

Teach me how to live to please You, because You’re my God. Lead me by Your blessed Spirit into the cleared & level pastureland. Lord, I believe You are leading us to “cleared and level pastureland” as You go before us to PA & prepare the people and site for Your ministry.From the Proverbs Intro: Wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen to God’s voice in EVERYTHING you do, EVERYWHERE you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.

Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all the sideshow distractions. Watch your step & the road will stretch out smooth before you.

Proverbs 7-20 Mark a life of discipline & live wisely; don’t squander your precious life! Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Leave your impoverished confusion and live!

…..love pulls a quilt over bickering.

The world of the generous gets larger and larger, the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

….the prudent quietly shrug off insults.

A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.

Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place. This is another way of saying that if I daily surrender everything to the Lord, His plan will be advanced.

Proverbs 21- Ecclesiastes 2 Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.

Simpletons only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening.—While experience (both mine and others) is a teacher, if I am wise, I don’t have to make all the mistakes of others.

Give yourselves to disciplined instruction; open your ears to tested knowledge. If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place.

God has no use for the prayers of the people who won’t listen to Him.

A good woman…always faces tomorrow (& today) with a smile. When she speaks, she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.

Ecclesiastes 3- Song of Songs 8 Wisdom energizes its owner. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it.

God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.

Remember: The duller the ax, the harder the work. (When I rush and begin my day without quality time with the Lord, I am a dull ax, and make my own life harder than God intends.)

The Final Word: Fear God. Do what He tells you.

Isaiah 1-13 From the Intro: Everyone more or less believes in God. But most of us do our best to keep God on the margins of our lives, or we refashion Him to suit our convenience. Prophets insist that God is the sovereign center, not off in the wings, awaiting our beck and call. And prophets insist that we deal with God as He reveals Himself, not as we imagine Him to be.

This reminds me of JI Packer teaching about our immutable God, whom we should come to know not as we ‘like to think of Him as_____(fill in the blank)' but as He truly is, as revealed in the Bible.

If you don’t take your stand in faith, you won’t have a leg to stand on. Without a growing, vibrant faith in God, I won’t have the foundation required of me to do what God has called me to do.

Halfway Home...

Esther-Job 7 Esther lived a life so much different than she could have ever planned or dreamed, yet she took courage in unthinkable circumstances & lived in a manner that brought glory and honor to God.

Job said, “God gives. God takes. God’s name be ever blessed. We take the good days from God-why not also the bad days? He raises up the down and out, He gives firm footing to those sinking in grief.” Then, amid all his pain & suffering, Job says, “What future do I have to keep me going?”

My days come and go swifter than the click of knitting needles & then the yarn runs out—an unfinished life! This ties in with Jan Silvious’ new book, Same Life, New Story, about remembering every day is a page on the story of my life, & I don’t want to have any blank pages. So, what’s the answer when I feel overwhelmed by life? I think it’s found in what JI Packer says.

What am I made for? To know God.
What aim should I set meyself in life? To know God.
What is the eternal life Jesus gives? Knowledge of God.
What is the best thing in life? To know God.
What in man gives God most pleasure? Knowledge of Himself.

So, while I might have lofty God-Dreams, & I do, the most important thing I can do in any and every day is to know God.

Job 8-25 God, unlike us, You’re not working against a deadline; You have all eternity to work things out. God is not concerned about my circumstances, He’s concerned about my character.

Job 26-42 I’m holding fast to my integrity, and not loosening my grip---& believe me, I’ll never regret it! God alone knows the way to Wisdom, He knows the exact place to find it. This is it-—Fear-Of-The-Lord—-that’s wisdom, and insight means shunning evil.

God’s answer to Job---Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about? God answered Job when he was in the eye of a violent storm. (Even in the storms of life, we must be still and listen for God’s voice.)

Job’s Answer—I’m convinced You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset Your plans. (Even tho Job never knew why all this happened.) I admit, I once lived by rumors of You; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears!

After all this, God called Job His friend, and had Job pray & intercede for the 3 that gave him bad advice. When Job did this (prayed for his tormentors), God restored and doubled his fortune!

Psalms 1-24 …thrill to God’s Word, chew on Scripture day and night. This is the secret to being blessed. And not with nice things and a well ordered life, but with a deep and intimate friendship with the King of Kings!

Worship God in adoring embrace. If you make a run for God, you won’t regret it! You, God, have put my life back together.

Early in the morning, I lay out the pieces of my life on Your altar & watch for fire to descend. Here I am, waiting for directions to get me safely through enemy lines.

God’s business is putting things right; He loves getting the lines straight, setting us straight! God takes the side of victims.

Psalm 15 Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You’ll never get black listed if you live like this. My choice is You, God! First and only.

Psalm 18 God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before Him. When I got my act together, He gave me a fresh start. Now I’m alert to God’s ways; I don’t take God for granted. Every day I review the way He works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together & I’m watching my step. God re-wrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes.

What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward Him makes it! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work.

Psalms 25-45 I’m looking to You, God; show me how You work. School me in Your ways. If I keep my eyes on You, God, I won’t trip over my own feet!

I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: to live with Him in His house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate His beauty; I’ll study at His feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world. The perfect getaway far from the buzz of traffic.

Yesterday, we signed a contract on the sale of our house—contingent on the sale of the buyers’ home. After almost 3 years, it seems we are taking another step back to PA. More uncertainly & mixed feelings, but as I read Psalms today, I am again reminded of God’s grace & love, and my daily determination to put my faith & trust in Him. Not in the outcome of this contract, but in Him. My reading today concluded in Psalm 45, which has 2 verses the Lord used in my journey greatly three years ago when this whole walk started. “Listen to Me, O royal daughter, and take to heart what I say—forget your people and your family far away, for your Royal Husband delights in you. Honor Him, for He is your King.” What a comforting, confirming reminder of how to keep the first thing—my personal relationship with Jesus—first.

Psalms 46-70 Spread for Me a banner of praise. Serve High God a feast of kept promises (obedience). And call fro help when you’re in trouble. I’ll help you and you’ll honor Me. (Again, radical, extravagant, praise & thanksgiving in all that is going on.)

It’s the praising life that honors Me. As soon as you set your foot on the Way, I’ll show you My salvation.

Give me a job teaching rebels Your ways so the lost can find their way home. (WATW of Western PA)

I’ve worked up such a hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. It’s the dry times & the hard times that have made me truly understand that God, and God alone, is my everything.

Psalms 71-90 Still, when I tried to figure it out, all I got was a splitting headache….Until I entered the Sanctuary of God. Then I saw the whole picture. Lord, always remind me that trying to figure You out gives me a splitting headache. When the questsions & obstacles come, remind me to enter Your sanctuary with praise & thanksgiving, no matter what I may see around me.

The beginning of a journey 3 years ago started with this—“What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.” (Ps. 84:5 NLT) Today, when the journey is pecking up momentum , this—“And how blessed all those in whom You live, whose lives become roads You travel” Ps. 84:5 MSG. Lord, I want my life to always be a road You travel.

Train me God, to walk straight…put me together, one heart, one mind. Lord, thank you for letting my heart and mind come together in the pursuit of this plan of Yours that You have given me.

Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! …And the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh yes, affirm the work that we do! Hallelujah! Praise Your Name, Lord!

Same Life, New Story

My days come and go swifter than the click of knitting needles, and then the yarn runs out—an unfinished life! For me, this verse from Job this morning capsulizes the theme of Same Life, New Story. The book grabbed me in the intro with this—“stop and think for a moment: today you lived a page in your story. Was it a good day, a bad day, or a ho-hum day?” and didn’t let me go until the last page, when I was reminded that God’s plans for me are GOOD.

With her gift of storytelling, Jan Silvious uses the lives of 10 women in the Bible to give us a way to break out of the attitudes, bondages and mindsets that seem to keep us paralyzed.

She offered ways to break free of living in our backstory, and tools for us to use as we forge ahead with our new story. She challenged us to know and believe the truth, and then use that as a catalyst for writing our new story.

Sometimes I quickly read, and don’t let things settle into my heart. Because of this, I greatly appreciate the Journal Entry section at the end of each chapter. It gave me a practical and useful way to integrate the concept I just read about into my New Story. I would recommend this to anyone who is determined to break out of her mold, and finish strong in her walk with the Lord.

Finished with the History!

I Chronicles 1-10 The lineage of Israel was so long, & yet it was said of very few that they obeyed God. Only in one group of “begets” was the note that they carried out their work and followed the instructions given to them. Obedience is so important, yet so very rare.

I Chronicles 11-23 Study God and His strength, seek His presence day and night. God is serious business, take Him seriously. We can’t dabble in being a disciple; we must be 100% sold out!

I Chronicles 24-II Chronicles 7 Serve God with my whole heart and eager mind, for God examines every heart & sees through every motive. If you seek Him, He’ll make sure you find Him. But if you abandon Him, He’ll leave you for good. Look sharp now! God has chosen you to build His holy house. Be brave, determined! And do it! -- The Lord pulled me up short here, as I had decided to not go to work and face an issue that had been given to me. Instead, I was sitting home, “being spiritual”, reading my Bible! So I closed my Bible, and went to work, praying all the way for the right heart, mind and motive to do whatever was ahead. He “made sure” I found Him, and although it was not a pleasant afternoon, it was a godly one & He taught me some more leadership skills. When I go up North and start a WATW, I’ll need the experience He provides in these current issues. I praise You, Lord, for teaching & growing me through it all.

II Chronicles 8-24 Solomon built a house especially for his wife who was Pharaoh’s daughter, because the house where King David lived was sacred. So, it sounds like all the time he was involved in doing “God’s Work” he knew his private life didn’t please God. He kept a “regular schedule” of worship, but must have been living a double life.

II Chronicles 25-36 There is one thing that God desires—requires—of us, and that is to love Him and put Him first in our lives. The history of the kings of Israel & Judah seems to always say 2 things about their reign. 1) Whether they were good or evil in God’s sight, and 2) whether or not the got rid of all the idol worship. There is a lesson for me in all this—is God #1 in my life, and am I ruthless in continually weeding out any idols that try to set themselves up in my life?

Ezra Even thought the returning Jews were afraid of what their neighbors might think, they did what God had called them to do anyway. Sometimes it’s a fearful thing to follow the Lord.

They praised God while they were laying the foundation to the temple. Foundation work is hard and not showy, but without it, what is built upon it doesn’t have stability and security.

Found my life goal in there—again. Ezra had committed himself to studying the Revelation of God, to living it, and to teaching Israel to live its truth and ways. Can’t have a better goal than that. Don’t cultivate the good opinion of others—please God, not onlookers.

Nehemiah Nehemiah knew what he wanted when the king asked. He had prayed & had a plan from the Lord. He also knew that his strength was found in the joy of the Lord. Radical, exuberant praise is what God deserves—always!

A Third of the Way!

I Samuel 29 –II Samuel 12 David strengthened himself with trust in his God. Not plans, or past victories, or even godly friends—with the Lord. May that always be the first place I go, Lord.

Just noticed that while David was ruling from Hebron for 7 ½ years, he had six children—each born to a different woman! It looks like he had a problem with women long before Bathsheba. I wonder if he ever sensed that they were his Achilles tendon. Do I have a sin in my life that I think I can ‘handle’? History shows me that’s not likely. I need to deal harshly with the enemies of my soul and not let them be my ruin.

II Samuel 13-22 What treachery and wickedness and dysfunction comes when we hold grudges & don’t deal honorably with others. Lack of integrity at every turn. Makes me think of a quote I heard at Teen Challenge—Integrity—If you have it, nothing else matters. If you don’t have it, nothing else matters. Lord, show me how to live before You with integrity in every facet of my life.

II Samuel 23- I Kings 8 Another example of attacking your enemies and not being passive is Benaiah, of The Thirty. On a snowy day (not the best of conditions), he climbed down into a pit & killed a lion. Another time, he took on a formidable Egyptian, when all he had was a walking stick. He took the enemy’s own spear, and used it against him. Something else. Uriah the Hittite was one of The Thirty. David apparently had no regard for his loyalty, when he decided Bathsheba was worth it. The depth to which our sin can take us should make us want to totally annihilate any besetting sin we see in our own life.

David was wrong to have a census taken, because he replaced trust in God with statistics. I need to always be careful not to replace my trust in God with plans & strategies.

From Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple. May He keep us centered and devoted to Him, following the life path He has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace & rhythms He laid down for our ancestors…May our lives be totally obedient to God, our personal God, following the life path He has cleared, alert and attentive to everything He has made plain this day.

I Kings 9-16 King Solomon was obsessed with women, even though God warned him foreign women that would draw him away from God. And they did. He openly defied God. Two things I see: we can’t see our own weaknesses, and we need accountability partners in our lives.

I Kings 17- II Kings 5 Time is always such a huge element in our lives. It was for Elijah too. He would be told something, but would have to wait a L-O-N-G time for it to happen. But after the wait, things happened fast. The way I would do things is to just go along at a nice even pace. But that never appears to be God’s way. Elijah did what seemed good to him—he walked 40 days and nights to the mountain of God. When he finally got there, God said to him, “So, what are you doing here?” Notice that God didn’t try to stop him along the way.

Both Elijah and Elisha dealt with women who were down to their last meal, and yet they gave it to the man of God. Sometimes, when I get down to my ‘last meal’, I get stingy and forget God gave me what I have in the first place, and He will provide what I need but not until I need it. When I hoard things, I stop the flow of God’s blessing on my life and endeavors.

II Kings 6-15 Naaman was asked to do something simple and unglamorous to be healed, and it made him mad. He already had this elaborate plan in his head & that’s how he wanted it to happen. It took the words of a servant to help him see through this & convince him to do it God’s way. Do I sometimes want an elaborate plan that glorifies me, when God demands simple obedience to His direction? There is healing in doing the plain and simple things God calls me to do. There is peace, too, because I don’t have to be thinking up elaborate plans and schemes.

II Kings 16-25 Hezekiah held fast to God-- never loosened his grip—and obeyed to the letter what God had commanded. And God, for His part, held fast to him through all his adventures. I like the concept of my life being an adventure. I firmly believe that my life is only boring if I let it be. God has called me to adventurous, abundant living. My part is to hold tight to Him!

First Quarter Down!

Deuteronomy 24-34 Remember where you came from. Remember your deliverance, and don’t swerve an inch to the right or the left from the words I command you. This journey He has me on isn’t too much for me. It’s not out of my reach. Love God. Walk in His ways. Keep His commandments so that we will live—really live—exuberantly and blessed by God in the land I am about to possess.

Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought b/c God is striding ahead of you. He won’t let you down. He won’t leave you. Awesome words of comfort and courage.

Joshua 1-14 Ponder & meditate on God’s Word day & night, making sure you practice EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God is with you every step.

When they crossed the Jordan, they had to get their feet wet before the water receded. They had to STEP OUT in faith.

Joshua, Moses protégé, also had a time when he was to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. As we follow God, He gives us our own personal experiences with Him. We don’t’ have to live off the experiences of others.

Joshua used common sense when fighting some battles & didn’t consult God. He was defeated. How often do I use my common sense in a situation, and then wonder what went wrong?

I love Caleb. He was 85 & felt as strong as ever. His 40 years in the desert hadn’t taken their toll on his spirit. He was looking forward to the next conquest, not bemoaning the effects of the unbelievers in his life. He wanted to take the high country, and not settle for less. What an example.

Joshua 15- Judges 4 Story and detail are important in the Bible. Thru these we can see how quickly we slip out of step with God, even though we say we won’t. And it always seems to start by disregarding a part of God’s plan. Partial obedience is disobedience.

You can’t ever put your enemies to work for you. You must get rid of them. No compromising.

Judges 5-15 I love the story of Deborah, the judge, but often wonder why a woman was called to bring peace and order back to Israel for a season. Was it because there was no man that could be found by God to do His bidding?

Gideon was openly afraid, but he still did what God commanded. THEN God’s Spirit came over him. Gideon was aware that it was God’s power doing the work—not him. But later on, he made a monument to commemorate his successes. And he became seduced by it. We must always be careful to give God all the glory for everything, and never believe our own press.

The whole story of Samson just shows how much I don’t understand the workings of God in so many areas. But one thing I am seeing through all these stories is how important it is to be open and honest with our families.

Judges 16- I Samuel 3 I am so thankful that I don’t have to live in a way that seems good to me. I would mess up every time. I have the revealed Word of God to show me how to live out my daily life. And if my life seems mundane and very ordinary, like Ruth must have seen her life, I can realize that I may never know what part I am playing by living in daily obedience to the much larger plan of God. I often become trapped in the Plan of Sharon, that doesn’t seem to go as I want. Lord, help me to never do what seems best to me, but to always seek Your face.

From the Intro to I & II Samuel: Our ego-bound experience is too small a context in which to understand & experience what it means to believe in God. My life becomes large as I live in the largeness of God. God is the country in which I should live. We should not see God in our stories, but see our story in God’s! God is the larger context & plot in which our stories find themselves.

I Samuel 4-15 Eli was very passive when told God’s judgment against his sons. Apparently, he did nothing to change their ways. History shows that God may have withdrawn His judgment on them if Eli had prayed and obeyed God’s direction. Instead, much time went by before they were killed, and Eli just sat around and got fat. When he received news of their death, he died. A sad commentary on his desire to plead before God for his sons—he didn’t. Lord, may it not be said of me that I didn’t bring my sons before Your throne to plead their case.

Saul wanted to be just like everybody else. He would also take things into his own hands. I don’t want to do that ever again.

God used Jonathan and his armor bearer to defeat the enemy in a very unusual way, because they stepped up and dared to try something for God. It wasn’t ‘normal’ or ‘battle as usual’. Saul always wanted things to look right, but Jonathan wanted to see God’s work done. Because of Jonathan’s faith (& his adventurous spirit!) he was successful in his fight.

I want to be a Jonathan, not a Saul. Saul always cared deeply about what people thought and how things looked. Jonathan wanted to do God’s business, even when it didn’t look normal.

I Samuel 16-28 Inexperience doesn’t mean you are not called to do a job. God used other experiences in his life to train David for his victory against Goliath. And David knew success could only come if God empowered him. David ran toward his problem, he didn’t wait for it to get to him. God’s ways are always different than our ways & it seems His time is always much later than mine. Shows me the importance of honoring God and living for Him in the dailiness of our lives. Day in, day out, obeying and loving Him, even when we don’t see Him at work. We can know He is.

Deuteronomy 24-34 Remember where you came from. Remember your deliverance, and don’t swerve an inch to the right or the left from the words I command you. This journey He has me on isn’t too much for me. It’s not out of my reach. Love God. Walk in His ways. Keep His commandments so that we will live—really live—exuberantly and blessed by God in the land I am about to possess.

Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought b/c God is striding ahead of you. He won’t let you down. He won’t leave you. Awesome words of comfort and courage.

Joshua 1-14 Ponder & meditate on God’s Word day & night, making sure you practice EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God is with you every step.

When they crossed the Jordan, they had to get their feet wet before the water receded. They had to STEP OUT in faith.

Joshua, Moses protégé, also had a time when he was to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. As we follow God, He gives us our own personal experiences with Him. We don’t’ have to live off the experiences of others.

Joshua used common sense when fighting some battles & didn’t consult God. He was defeated. How often do I use my common sense in a situation, and then wonder what went wrong?

I love Caleb. He was 85 & felt as strong as ever. His 40 years in the desert hadn’t taken their toll on his spirit. He was looking forward to the next conquest, not bemoaning the effects of the unbelievers in his life. He wanted to take the high country, and not settle for less. What an example.

Joshua 15- Judges 4 Story and detail are important in the Bible. Thru these we can see how quickly we slip out of step with God, even though we say we won’t. And it always seems to start by disregarding a part of God’s plan. Partial obedience is disobedience.

You can’t ever put your enemies to work for you. You must get rid of them. No compromising.

Judges 5-15 I love the story of Deborah, the judge, but often wonder why a woman was called to bring peace and order back to Israel for a season. Was it because there was no man that could be found by God to do His bidding?

Gideon was openly afraid, but he still did what God commanded. THEN God’s Spirit came over him. Gideon was aware that it was God’s power doing the work—not him. But later on, he made a monument to commemorate his successes. And he became seduced by it. We must always be careful to give God all the glory for everything, and never believe our own press.

The whole story of Samson just shows how much I don’t understand the workings of God in so many areas. But one thing I am seeing through all these stories is how important it is to be open and honest with our families.

Judges 16- I Samuel 3 I am so thankful that I don’t have to live in a way that seems good to me. I would mess up every time. I have the revealed Word of God to show me how to live out my daily life. And if my life seems mundane and very ordinary, like Ruth must have seen her life, I can realize that I may never know what part I am playing by living in daily obedience to the much larger plan of God. I often become trapped in the Plan of Sharon, that doesn’t seem to go as I want. Lord, help me to never do what seems best to me, but to always seek Your face.

From the Intro to I & II Samuel: Our ego-bound experience is too small a context in which to understand & experience what it means to believe in God. My life becomes large as I live in the largeness of God. God is the country in which I should live. We should not see God in our stories, but see our story in God’s! God is the larger context & plot in which our stories find themselves.

I Samuel 4-15 Eli was very passive when told God’s judgment against his sons. Apparently, he did nothing to change their ways. History shows that God may have withdrawn His judgment on them if Eli had prayed and obeyed God’s direction. Instead, much time went by before they were killed, and Eli just sat around and got fat. When he received news of their death, he died. A sad commentary on his desire to plead before God for his sons—he didn’t. Lord, may it not be said of me that I didn’t bring my sons before Your throne to plead their case.

Saul wanted to be just like everybody else. He would also take things into his own hands. I don’t want to do that ever again.

God used Jonathan and his armor bearer to defeat the enemy in a very unusual way, because they stepped up and dared to try something for God. It wasn’t ‘normal’ or ‘battle as usual’. Saul always wanted things to look right, but Jonathan wanted to see God’s work done. Because of Jonathan’s faith (& his adventurous spirit!) he was successful in his fight.

I want to be a Jonathan, not a Saul. Saul always cared deeply about what people thought and how things looked. Jonathan wanted to do God’s business, even when it didn’t look normal.

I Samuel 16-28 Inexperience doesn’t mean you are not called to do a job. God used other experiences in his life to train David for his victory against Goliath. And David knew success could only come if God empowered him. David ran toward his problem, he didn’t wait for it to get to him. God’s ways are always different than our ways & it seems His time is always much later than mine. Shows me the importance of honoring God and living for Him in the dailiness of our lives. Day in, day out, obeying and loving Him, even when we don’t see Him at work. We can know He is.

Week 2

Leviticus 16-26 Gad hates uncleanness, and He has a plan to get rid of it. Something that is holy is “set apart”. Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, b/c I am God, your God. DO what I tell you. I am the God who makes you holy.—Every action has a consequence. -- If I obey God’s decrees, He’ll set up residence in my neighborhood; He’ll stroll through my streets!

Leviticus 27-Numbers 8 God is very serious about how He should be worshiped. Every human circumstance is His concern & He has a way to deal with it. It seems harsh too me sometimes and that makes me realize that He takes holiness more seriously than I do. Time to adjust.

Numbers 9-21 I am(impatiently) waiting right now, and when I read about the Cloud, which was God’s presence, hovering over the Dwelling, it said it made no difference if the Cloud hovered 2 days or a month, or a year. They camped at God’s command, and the marched at God’s command. They lived obediently. A lesson right there...

Lord, I want You to speak to me like you did Moses---intimately…in plain talk without riddles.

When going to a new place, assess the people, observe the land, describe the towns. In other words, don’t do a lot of talking, pay attention to what’s going on around me.

God doesn’t like grumbling and complaining. He REALLY doesn’t like it!

Moses was called the most humble man on earth, and yet his anger (& stealing God’s glory) kept him from the Promised Land. Sobering thought. But even after this, God used him. What grace.

Numbers 22-36 If I don’t get rid of every last part of my enemy, it will always be giving me trouble. I can name some of them—laziness, gluttony, self-pity..

Deuteronomy 1-14 Just as God said to the Israelites, “I’ve given you this land. Now go and take it.” He has given me peace and freedom, but I need to go and take it. There is always my part to do in this life He has given me.

God said, “You’ve been going around in circles in these hills long enough; go north.” Lord, I’m tired of going in circles. Show me how to be effective and productive in what You have given me to do. And let me be relentless in the pursuit, Lord. Stay vigilant as long as you live. It’s always too soon to quit! Don’t ever forget that you were slaves. I want to remember what I’ve been delivered from.

Deuteronomy 15-23 Always be generous. God told them never to go back to Egypt again. (I want to remember this as I keep reading their history.) I must always be purging the evil from my life. Keep my “camp” holy; don’t permit anything indecent or offensive in God’s eyes. When you make a vow to God, don’t put off keeping it. You promised it, so do it.

First Week-Read the Bible in 90 Days

We see different things when we read through the Bible in various ways. As I'm reading about 14 chapters a day, I see trends a little better, and have generalized thoughts that impact my life today. Here's what I found this week:

I'm reading The Message, and this thought was in the intro: the most important ? we ask as we read is not, "what does it mean", but "how can I live it"? That's my goal for these 90 days.

Genesis 1-16: First diet for humans was whatever grows out of the ground. It wasn't until after Noah landed the ark, that God gave 'all living creatures' for food. (Not profound, but I'm considering being a vegetarian!) Enoch walked steadily with God. Noah did everything God told him. Abram followed God's direction even when he didn't know where he was going.

Genesis 17-28: Live entirely before Me. How can I learn to do that? Lot was saved and delivered from destruction, but he didn't want to go where the angels told him, and they were his deliverers! He settled for Smalltown. I don't want to settle, Lord!

Genesis 29-40: Women sure didn't have much value in the eyes of the men.

Genesis 40-50: God was working in everything that happened to Joseph, even tho to everyone else, it sure didn't look like it. All that time that passed in Joseph's life produced character & a deeper relationship with God. Family has the ability to hurt us deeply, but God can use that hurt to grow us. Even when we are not where we want to be, God is growing and molding us.

Exodus 1-15: Time is always a big factor. And God's time never seems to match mine. When Moses & Aaron were showing Pharoah signs from God, Pharoah's magicians could duplicate some of them. A reminder that the devil can come as an angel of light, and I must be on the alert! If we obey the Lord, we can leave our captivity with great riches.

Exodus 16-28: Two things: how quickly we complain. Straight from being miraculously delivered out of a life-long bondage to complaining about the food! (How often does food get us into trouble?) When I complain, that complaint is against God (not the situation), & how He's handling things. Like I could do so much better! A new thought as I was reading thru the instructions for the Tabernacle was that it seems like they used the gifts they had received as they came out of bondage to build a place to show honor and glory to God. Actually, God directed them to use these gifts in a way that brought honor and glory to Him. Application: as I am delivered from (my)bondage, I am taking precious truth and gifts with me, & I should use what I have learned to bring honor & glory to the One who delivers me!

Exodus 29-40: How much I can be like an Israelite. They couldn't wait to hear from God, so they made their own gods & paid a dear price for that. Once they were given clear and specific directions, they were all a part of the building process, but waiting was their downfall. Another thing, God sees importance in order and detail. He may lose patience with me & discipline me, but He will never throw up His hands & say "Whatever"!

Leviticus 1-15: God cares about EVERY DETAIL of my life.

Now, to "live it" in the coming week!