Bible 365: Week 32

No late posting this week. LOL.  These last few books of the Bible have been all about God trying to get the Israelites to live right and follow His commandments.  However, they just couldn't seem to get with the program.  So, in the end He kind of has to turn a deaf ear to them and punish them.  Not only that but He punishes those evil nations around them.

If I lived back then and saw some of the miracles and wondrous acts that are documented in the Bible, I don't think I'd have a hard time following God's commands.  I mean He was going to give them a land flowing with milk and honey and make them undefeatable!  They had the ultimate protection.  Can you imagine if we could live a land flowing with milk and honey and we didn't have to want for anything-food, clothing, safety, etc?!  I just don't know how none of the generations of the Israelites couldn't have gotten their acts together, but I wish they had because I can't help but wonder if our world would be a better place in today's society.  I'm almost certain that things would be a lot better over there in the Middle East.  Anyways, here's what I learned in Week 32.

1-"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not." (Lamentations 3:22)  A lot of us are hanging on by a thread because of God's mercy and His compassion.  I feel so blessed to know that God has compassion for us.  It's comforting because it means that when we're going through our rough times, He feels for us.  It reassures me that He's not relishing in our pain, but instead is working to help us get through it and come out wiser and more victorious.

2-"For He does not afflict willingly, not grieve the children of men.  We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not pardoned." (Lamentations 3:33, 42)  God never causes bad things to happen to us just because.  He just doesn't work that way.  After all He created us to be His children so that He could love us and nurture us the way we do our children.  When we step outside of the will of God, we are bringing hard times on ourselves.  It's like the devotional I was reading this weekend said, sometimes instead of asking 'Why God? Why me?,' we need to ask ourselves 'Why not me?'  None of us walks perfectly in our faith and it's only right we get punished or chastised in some way when we do wrong.

3-"...I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations." (Ezekiel 7:3) Wasn't it Justin Timberlake who sang "What goes around, goes around, comes all the way back around?"  You reap what you sow people.  Karma is indeed real and you will be repaid for your actions whether they are good or bad.

4-"It (the seedling) took root there and grew into a low spreading vine.  Its branches turned up toward the eagle, and its roots grew down into the ground.  It produced strong branches and put our shoots.  But then another great eagle came with broad wings and full plumage.  So the vine now sent its roots and branches toward him for water, even though it was already planted in good soil and had plenty of water so it could grow into a splendid vine and produce rich leaves and luscious fruit." (Ezekiel 17:6-8) Some of us are like the seedling in this parable.  We already have a winning environment for success in all aspects of our lives, but our eyes get the best of us and trick us into thinking the grass is greener on the other side.  It's not though.  The Israelites couldn't get right because they were always getting caught up in the grass appearing to be greener on the other side.  We have to learn sometimes to just be content and appreciate what we have.  Remember that if He can trust us with a little, He can trust us with a lot but we can't jump ship before we build up that trust.

5-"The soul who sins shall die.  The son shall not bear the guilt of the father; nor the father bear the guilt of the son.  The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself." (Ezekiel 18:20).  As parents we can only do our best to make sure we are putting good morals and ethics into them.  However, just like we had to find our own way and often strayed from the things our parents taught us, so will they.  That doesn't necessarily mean that you are responsible for their bad choices. So, don't always take it personal when they mess up.  If you've done your best then you have not failed them.  Parenting is hard enough without any added mommy or daddy guilt for things we can't control.

Week 33 Readings 

8/12: Ezekiel 33-39

8/13:  Ezekiel 40-48

8/14:  Daniel 1-3

 8/15: Daniel 4-6 

8/16: Daniel 7-12 

8/17: Hosea 1-3 

8/18: Hosea 4-5

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Bible 365: Week 31

I am beyond late with my Bible 365 post this week.  If you've been following the blog, you know that I moved last week and that we've been without Internet until this past Thursday.  And yesterday and today we've been running errands plus dealing with other stuff.  Being without the Internet has just given more time to get my Bible study done, unpack and entertain the kids.  So, here's what I learned in Week 31.

1-"Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?  Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil." (Jeremiah 13:23)  A wolf is still a wolf whether it dresses up like a sheep or not.  A lot of times we get fooled by evil people or our enemies because we see them do a good deed and think they've changed.  So, we allow them into our lives and then we want to act surprised or shocked when we get burned again.  Now, people can change, but people who have evil in their hearts usually continue to be evil.  That one act of kindness is a trick and part of their plan to wiggle their way into our lives.  Stop falling for these tricks.  If you've been burned by someone keep it moving.

2-"I will deliver you from the land of the wicked and I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible." (Jeremiah 15:21)  We have to be patient and suffer through hard times.   To keep our sanity and survive, we need to remember that our rainbow is coming.  God hasn't forgotten about those of us who are faithful and obey His word.  He will deliver us and save us.  Whatever we are going through, He will bring us out of it.

3-"For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity hidden from My eyes." (Jeremiah 16:17)  Some of us are like the Israelites.  We think that God only sees the good deeds we do.  However, He sees it ALL!  Nothing we do is hidden from Him.  So, that lie you told last week, He heard it.  That candy bar you stole, He saw it.  That is why it's important to make doing the right thing a habit all of the time and not some of the time.  It's also important to ask forgiveness immediately after we have messed up.  It's only when we admit our wrongs to God that He will wipe our slates clean and give us another chance.

4-"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it." (Jeremiah 17:9)  Who can know what's truly in our hearts indeed?  Only God can.  If we could look into the hearts of some of the people who we think are good, upright people we'd probably be surprised.  Remember everything that glitters ain't gold.  Some of us are good actors because we have ulterior motives.

5-"And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to The Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace." (Jeremiah 29:7)  Tired of not having peace?  Well, we have to do like God commanded the Israelites and pray for our enemies when we're in their mist.  And I'm not talking about praying for their downfall, but instead pray for God to change their hearts and to give them peace.  They won't become your best friends but at least there will be some level of civility. 

Do you pray for your enemies?

Week 32 Readings

8/05:  Jeremiah 46-52

8/06: Lamentations 1-5

8/07:  Ezekiel 1-3

8/08:  Ezekiel 4-11

8/09:  Ezekiel 12-17

8/10:  Ezekiel 18-24

8/11: Ezekiel 25-32

Bible 365: Week 30

Pardon the late Bible 365 post this week.  If you haven't heard, the YUMMommy family had a recent crisis.  We're actually pulling off the most stressful move of our lives to date.  You can read all about it here.  Tomorrow is moving day and I couldn't be more happy to be free of this place, our landlord and the loud neighbors who rent the other side of the duplex.  I'm going to miss our neighbors across the yard though. They are truly the sweetest elderly couple and welcomed us into the neighborhood with open arms from day one.  Anyways, I'm sharing seven things that I learned from Week 30 below.

1-"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)  I definitely learned about waiting on the on the Lord to move in our lives over the past few days.  Really over the past year.  And tomorrow we're definitely mounting our eagles wings and flying out this situation.  God is an on time God for real because our new rental came through literally at almost the eleventh hour it seems.  Through it all I kept my hand in His hand because at the end of day He knows what's best for us.

2-"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you,.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you." (Isaiah 43:2)  His protection is always with us.  

3-"The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, 'Why, it's just a block of wood!  I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god?  Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?'" (Isaiah 44:19)  The Israelites still haven't learned their lesson several generations later.  Here God points out foolish it is that they worship an idol/god made of the same thing they use to cook their food with. He's trying to get them to see that these idols do nothing for them, but that it is Him who has been blessing them and delivering time and time again.

4-"I create the light and make the darkness.  I send good times and bad times.  I, the Lord, am the one who does these things." (Isaiah 45:7) This scripture came to mind because I while back I overheard someone saying that God never sends bad times upon us.  Of course, I wanted to but in and say yes He does.  Sometimes, it's to punish us when we act like the Israelites and stray from His will and other times it's to help us grow stronger in our faith. 

5-"But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole.  He was whipped so we could be healed." (Isaiah 53:5)  Isaiah tries to tell the people of Jesus' future coming and how he will suffer because our the world's wickedness.  My Bible refers to Jesus as the "sin-bearing servant."  And heaven knows Jesus had a lot of sin to bear from the Israelites and all the nations who were living outside of God's will then and today.  I often wonder why they couldn't get it right back them and why we can't get it right today?  Why is it so hard to be good to each other and live in positivity?

6-"Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time.  But no one seems to care or wonder why.  No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.  For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die." (Isaiah 57:1-2)  I've loss a lot of people who've meant a lot to me before what I considered was their time to depart this world. However, reading this scripture gives me peace finally.  I never looked at death as a type of protection but more of a curse or unfortunate part of life.  After it sounds like life in Heaven would be way better than living a life down here on Earth if you have to be surrounded but evilness 24/7.  I hope this verse gives others comfort.

7-"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?  No!  They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush.  Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down," says the Lord." (Isaiah 60:15)  People who do wrong always justify their actions by saying 'Ain't no shame in my game.'  In their minds if they don't feel shameful then that makes their bad habits and wrongdoing ok somehow.  No, my friends.  If you don't find shame in it, trust me God does!

Week 31 Readings

7/29:  Jeremiah 11-15

7/30:  Jeremiah 16-20

7/31:  Jeremiah 21-24

8/01:  Jeremiah 25-29

8/02:  Jeremiah 30-33

8/03:  Jeremiah 34-38

8/04:  Jeremiah 39-45