Fun Friday!

Hi ladies! 

Just want to let you know that on Friday's I have will have a fun blog posts!  Something a littler lighter than our Bible discussions through the week.  There will be no blogs on Sat. or Sun. by the way. 

Do you have a phantom woman living with you?  A phantom is an illusion or resemblance of reality. Do you know that each of us can have a phantom within us?    You have a geat idea of how you want to be as a woman and you strive so hard to be her!  Chances are this image is so perfect, and far fetched that you will exhaust yourself in one day trying to be her.   So, with that, you have to admit that you can't be her and sometimes that can be tough on us gals.
Here are a few characteristics of the phantom woman you have lurking around.
1.  Her children drop whatever they are doing and obey her command. 
2.  Her hair is always perfect. 
3. She is energetic and never tired.
4.  She is well- organized, She always has it all together!
5.  She is always loving and happy. Never lonely, mad or frustrated.
 Can you think of anymore?  We get such perfectionists thoughts that stress us out just trying to be that phantom woman.   I say, "SLAY THE PHANTOM WOMAN!!"  DO NOT LET HER CONTROL YOU ANY LONGER.

Take a nice break this weekend and realize that you are a real woman with real issues. You are not perfect and you never will be until Jesus comes back.  Give your soul a vacation and let the Spirit of God take over.
He will give you rest and help you to catch your breath.  You can relax and be you- Enjoy life!!!

Slay the Phantom woman today!  Let God lead you the right way!

Psalm 23:2-3 (MSG)

You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.

Happy Friday,
Lesia

Women's Retreat Reminder

Hi Ladies,

The Women's Connections Retreat will be April 22-24,2010. Registration is open now. You must register by Feb. 10 with a $25 deposit.  After that date no space is guaranteed. Contact Cathy Smith for information.

Thanks,
Lesia

The new friend

Today we meet a new friend of Job, Elihu.  He seems to be very tuned in to God. He states that he has been quiet becuase he is young.  He has been listening to all the foolish talk and has had enough.  I believe he is speaking the truth. 

1. Something old but new:  This friend gets a little angry and sets them all straight. Never despise the youth or think that they may not know something.  Timothy reminds us of that.  This young guy is on the scene to offer truth and correction.

2. Something new:  This new friend straightforwardly tells Job he is wrong.  No flattery!   He tells Job, "But you are wrong and I will show you why. For God is greater than any human being. God speaks again and again, but people do not recognize it!"   Job 33: 12:14   Job needs to quit whining that he has no answers  and start looking.

3.  Value application for today:   We want answers to questions and we think God is ignoring us, but if we will be attentive, God is answering.  He speaks. We just need to look for Him speaking!


Sweet blessings,
Lesia

Oh... this hurt!

Today, Job is speaking in his anguish.  He voices his hurt of the friends and the pain he is experiencing. He voices that his " life seeps away depression haunts my days."  He is physically, and emotionally drained of all strength. His bones are filled with pain.  He is focusing on his afflication and questioning himself.  As if to say, I have tried so hard to live a life of integrity.  Job states all he has tried to do and then begins to question where he missed the mark.  He cries out to God confronting his actions saying,If I have done _________ please answer.  He ends his words crying out to God for an answer.

• 1.  Something old but new:" My honor was blown away in the wind, and my prosperity has vanished like a cloud.  Vs. 15 and now my life seeps away... Job is depressed to the MAX!  He is all in the "why me Lord" and begging for guidance from his afflictions.
• 2. Something new:  In Job's final protest for innonence he makes a simple statement of truth.  "Doesn't he see everything I do and every step I take?" Reality check-God does see, but in Job's depression he wonders if God sees any of the good he committed in his days.
• Value application for today:  God does see everything we do.  We need to do self-checks on our life daily and not wait until a crisis.  There are many things that we need to make sure we do daily. Job 31:5-33.  Examples: Have I lied or decieved anyone today?  Have I refused to help the poor? 

My disclaimer: I am in no way a Bible Scholar! I, however, do love to read and study the word. I pray for depth, insight, and understanding as I read. It is my passion to share the truth of His word with others. The comments on this blog are from my own reading and direction of the Holy Spirit.  I am also connected with another online reading group on this same Bible. You can visit http://www.wendypope.blogspot.com/ for more comments.

Sweet blessings,
Lesia

Live a life of integrity; accept no peer pressure

 I will never concede that you are right. I will defend my integrity until I die. I will maintain my innocence without wavering. My conscience is clear for as long as I live. Job 27:5-6


1. Something old but new today: Job is determined to speak no evil or no lies regardless of what his friends say. He will defend his integrity until the end. Job is NOT giving in to peer pressure at this point. No vessel on earth can convince him to speak against his integrity that he has lived all his life.

2. Something new: Wisdom: People do know where to find wisdom and where can they find understanding? People look in the wrong places for it and it is not among the living. (Job 28: 12-13, 20, 23,28) God knows where wisdom is. The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake all evil is real understanding. We can often forget to go to God and we seek counsel of man first. In going to God first. he will give wisdom or direct us to where wisdom is if he desires us to seek counsel from woman/man. He knows where the wisdom is.
3. Value application for today: Live a life of integrity and do not give in to peer pressure at any age. Seek wisdom and understanding from God. Fear the Lord , staying away from evil and true wisdom will come to you.

A sprinkle of truth in the frustration...

Happy Monday to all. I am glad you joined us! We are in deeply engulfed in the pain of Job in our Bible reading. This struggle has been going on for several days. When will it end? Stick with it there is great lessons to be learned from Job.

Past summary: The conversations with Job and his friends continue to boil. The friends are aggravated with Job and him with them as well. The friends are real sure Job has sinned greatly against God and it is time for him to come clean. The friends are determined to prove Job as guilty of something. Job, “a man of integrity" is still trying to understand the heavy hand of God on his life and deal with the accusing of his friends. Can you feel Job's frustration?
Today starts with Eliphaz's third response to Job. He reminds Job, "you must have done something, and it is your wickedness.” (Job 22:6-11). That sounds comforting coming from a friend huh? No, we hear lots of frustration seasoned with a little anger from this friend. They are getting real tired of Job. Amazingly, on over in verse 22 he sprinkles in a gentle touch of truth.

"Submit to God and you will have peace; then things will go well for you. Listen to his instructions and store them in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored- so clean up your life." Job 22: 21-22.

This is such a truth that we can glean from this text and apply to our life. It didn't seem to make Job feel better or see a way out. However, the truth for us to learn today is to:

1. Submit 2, Listen and 3. Store in our hearts
In the closing stages of our reading today Job is still in the same condition. His friends are really not helping and they are aggravating him greatly. His friends seem to think they have all the answers, but yet Job knows they are just searching for words. There is a lesson to learn in Job about being a friend. We do not have all the answers, we can say, “If I was you" or "you should do this" or "you need to clean up your act". However, unless we are truly sure that it is a word from God we need to be quiet. Sometimes a friend needs us to be at hand to travel the storm alongside them.


1. Something old but new today: I heard the frustrations with Job and the friends. They are both getting aggravated with this situation. The friends are losing heart. A few chapters back one friend called Job a “wind bag" - Not very kind in his times of trouble.

2. Something new: The sprinkle of truth the friend throws out for us: "Submit, Listen and store"

3. Value application for today: There is a time to be quiet as a friend, a time to submit to God, a time to listen to Him and a time to store His word in my heart. We never know the day or the time we will need His stored word in our heart.

Enjoy your day and your reading! Please don't forget to comment and leave your insight. This will help us all to grow and learn together. 
Sweet blessings,
Lesia

Online NKJV

Visit http://www.biblereferenceguide.com/  for online reading. It is a different versions but reads the same as my version.  This is a great tool if you can't purchase a Bible at this time. Go to this page and click on today's date and get started.  Mark it as a favorite or bookmark to keep the site in easy access.

Happy Reading!!
Lesia

P.S. I will have the first blog up tomorrow  by 10:00 a.m. After that each blog should post at about 4:00 a.m. for all of you early birds.

Bible Read Thru in 2010

Join us as we read through The Chronological Bible in 2010!  There will be daily posts about what we are reading for the day.  You are encouraged to add input and comments to the daily posts.  This will be like a big obline Bible study meeting and discussion.  The only thing is you never have to leave your home!!

It is recommended that we use the same Bible.  The one being used for this reading is The One Year Chronological Bible, New Living Translation.  You can also go to Biblegateway.com and access the Bible online. 

More details about the Bible:
A fascinating way to read through the Bible in one year—in only fifteen minutes per day!
Now you can gain a better understanding of the order of biblical events and the historical context in which they unfolded. The One Year Chronological Bible arranges the entire Bible text—books, chapters, and even verses—in the order the events actually happened.


In The One Year Chronological Bible, prophetic books are interwoven with the historical accounts they accompanied. Psalms follow the events about which they were written. Proverbs are placed in the time frame in which they were compiled. The life of Christ is woven into one moving story. And Paul’s letters to the young churches in the first century are integrated into the book of Acts.


You do not have to be a Bible historian to appreciate the fascinating new perspective waiting for you in The One Year Chronological Bible. It’s like reading some of your favorite passages again for the very first time.

Under Construction

This blog is under construction.  Check back soon!!
Join us for Read thru the Bible !