Hebrews 4:12 says, for the word if God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
This verse talks about the Bible and it’s very interesting as it explains what it does. One of the things I did as a homeschool mother was categorizing things with my children. Two categories are living versus nonliving material. We recognize that a rock is nonliving whereas a bug is living. The scripture said the word of God is alive even though it’s words on paper. However, I have learned that at times, especially times of crisis. The word of God would leap off the page. I understood it before, but at those moments I had a deeper understanding. Plus at those moments the word ministered to me more deeply that I thought possible. God’s word will show you where you need to change. I have to say I’ve seen the Bible be what this verse describes: living and active.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
The words Jesus said tell us the value of words from God’s mouth. We need them more than food. Because even if we die, we still have God. He’s what we need. The origin of this came from the time when Moses explained to the Israelites what God was doing when he tested them. He wanted them to realize the felt need they had for food wasn’t their biggest need. Their biggest need was God. He could provide food from heaven, if he chose. And he did. So far from saying our physical life has no value, the spiritual trumps the physical. We require the words from God to survive in this life and the next.
Spiritual Warfare: Persevere with the Armor of God
We are in the midst of a war, how can we find the stamina to keep going? Let me tell you a story.
Let me tell you a story. I have a disabled child and I homeschooled. I took him in for evaluation and the person I used recommended I take him to professionals several days a week for therapy. Leaving that lady’s office, I wondered how I could follow her instructions with my four other kids. I chuckled to myself that I would have to put somebody up for adoption, something I’d never do.
This child’s issues broke my heart every day. When I tried teaching him the simplest jobs, he collapsed into brought blood-curdling screams. “I’m stupid. I’m stupid, I’m stupid.” For instance, teaching a child to count is easy. You pick up blocks and say one for the first, two for the second.The only problem was my son couldn’t do that. Picking up a block required he use his fingers with the right amount of pressure. It took too much concentration. Saying the numbers in the right order, sequencing was also terribly hard. He could never do the two things at once. I never did do what the lady recommended.
I hired part-time therapists and worked on their goals until we met again. However, it was an inch by inch proposition whenever I taught him anything. He had neurological issues due to his seizures, and he could not concentrate. I had three seconds if I held my face to his, almost touching his nose. That makes teaching really tough. Many mornings I prayed fervently in my bedroom before I went downstairs to work with him.
As wives and mothers, we will face challenges. Where and how will we find the courage and perseverance to stick to the task? Katy Kauffman is my guest today. She has written a Bible study based on 2 Timothy, and it’s about perseverance.
2:50 What does God have to say about not giving up?
3:50 Describe perseverance for Jesus.
5:00 What do you think of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion?
6:10 How can we deal with those who reject Christ without being preachy?
If you are like me, you like to get results. I set goals for the day and take great pleasure in checking off my list. When we turn to God with our prayers, we tend to expect the same thing. How frustrating. We know from scripture God wants us to pray and to bring him our needs and petitions. Here’s a quote from Matthew 7:71a“Ask, and bit shall be given to you; 2seek, and you shall find; 3knock, and it shall be opened to you.
When you read that, you see God’s promise to answer and you expect him to. As Americans, we’d see it like placing an online order. We type in what we want and set up delivery. However, God doesn’t always work like we think he should. I can recall praying for my parents to get carpet downstairs in their living room. At the time, they had hardwood, which we value more highly now. But they wanted carpet. I saw no way God could answer that, but they worked in a church
Let me tell you a story. I can recall praying for my parents to get carpet downstairs in their living room. At the time, they had hardwood, which we value more highly now. But they wanted carpet. I saw no way God could answer that, but they worked in a church ministry and won a contest. Someone had donated carpet to the winner. So God answered my prayer. My parents were impressed and told me to keep praying.
However, many times I have prayed don’t get an answer. Or at least you think that’s true cause lots of time passes. Nothing happens.
So what is God doing? And why did he make such an open and shut promise like that one I read?
You can read about people in the Bible who prayed like Hannah prayed for a son, but God did NOT have promises at that time.
Today we have the promise that whatever happens, God will turn it into something for our good.
Perhaps your problem isn’t about prayer. You are in transition much longer than you think you should be. Why does God make us wait?
Today my guest is Marlo Shalesky. She wrote Waiting for Wonder. The book is about Sarah and Abraham waiting for a child.
2:10 Why did you write a book on this topic?
3:00 How was Sarah supposed to know she did the wrong thing? Her choice was okay in her culture.
8:00 You say we pray too small. Explain that.
9:00 Isn’t it possible we will see the outcome of our prayers in eternity?
I don’t know if you have an itch to be perfect, but I do. I was a straight a student in school, and I worked so hard not to make any mistakes. That tendency to long for good grades has snuck into my everyday life. I cannot bear to err. And I know I fail all the time. The older I get, the more I am aware of the wickedness that resides in me. I wish it was not there.
Romans 3:23 says “For All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Everyone agrees none of us are perfect, but some have a leaning toward different sins. Sin separates us from God, but the consequences of some sins are more extreme than others.
Either way, we can become snared in sin and be unable to free ourselves.
In 2 Peter, the apostle speaks of false teachers when he writes: “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” This verse makes it clear that a person can become a slave of sin. Fortunately, the Apostle John shares “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Bob Fife was enslaved by homosexuality for twenty years. His book, Out, tells his story of breaking free.
Women like clothing. That’s a part of who we are. I think about the story of Adam and Eve in the garden, if they had been there long, (I don’t think they were) I suspect Eve would have found a way to decorate and dress up. Maybe it would have been as simple as a flower in her hair, or maybe a necklace of four leaf clovers. Eve was a woman like we are, and we love to enhance our appearance. I have this longing inside to live in the Victorian era when dresses were lush and elegant. But today there’s a trend toward torn and ragged. Not my style!
Unfortunately, we have to watch what we wear because men are attracted by the visual. Job talked about making a covenant with his eyes, and he lived a long time ago. Scholars think Job was one of the first books penned, and yet he knew to watch where his eyes landed.
Look at what Paul wrote to his mentee, Timothy: “ Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness.” (I Timothy 2:9)
How can we obey this passage and not look frumpy? When I was pregnant with my fifth child, I said I would never dress blah. People would say I was worn out. I like to sizzle with an outfit that coordinates. Many of you ladies feel the same way.
Today my guest is Allie Shirley. Allie teaches about modest clothing and clothing website where you can buy your next outfit.
2:00 What is modest?
4:20 What are some things you can think of when you go shopping?
Lasting Love: A Story from History with Angela Breidenbach
Doesn’t everyone want lasting love?
We have just celebrated Valentine’s Day. Now everyone is either eating candy or watching their flowers wilt or wishing someone gave them candy and roses. Our society suffers from an obsession with love, and yet we can’t even define it. We love our homes, our cars, our pets, and our spouses. Whenever this emotion takes hold of us we must obey its bidding. We can fall in love and out of love quickly. Using Scripture, we can define love. (Of course, we have to go back to 30 a.d. to the time when the church began. the disciples wrote what they learned from Jesus.) The love God has for us is called agape. It’s a love that impacts the will, seeking the best for the one loved. Agape not based primarily
Using Scripture, however, we can define love. (Of course, we have to go back to 30 a.d. to the time when the church began. The disciples wrote what they learned from Jesus.) The love God has for us is called agape. It’s a love that impacts the will, seeking the best for the one loved. Agape is not based primarily in the emotions, although emotion comes along with it. Jesus demonstrated agape when he came to earth. He left his glory behind and came to die for our sins.
Agape love does unselfish acts of service regardless of what the emotions appear to dictate. This is the kind of love that lasts. Ladies, you and I know our emotions ride a roller coaster depending on the state of our hormones and the amount of sleep we get. If we truly care about someone, we will agape love them whether we feel the emotion or not. Many times, we choose to act, and those emotions come later.
Today Angela Breidenbach shares a story of love from the history of her family:
3:50 Your grandfather married your grandmother to keep her reputation?
