Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is part of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from 1 Samuel 16:1-7.  

S= "And the LORD said unto Samuel,  How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?  fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided Me a king from among his sons.
"And Samuel said, how can I go?  if Saul hear it, he will kill me.  And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
"And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto Me him whom I name unto thee.
"And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem.  And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
"And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.  And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
"And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before Him.
"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."  (1 Samuel 16:1-7)

O= In the Scofield Study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles verses 1-11 "Samuel sent to Bethlehem."

The background to this passage is found in 1 Samuel 15, verses 23 and 26.  Because Saul had rejected God's Word and disobeyed Him, God rejected Saul from being king over Israel.

Here in 1 Samuel 16:1, God tells Samuel to fill his horn with oil (for use in anointing a successor to Saul) and go to Jesse, the Bethlehemite.  God had chosen one of Jesse's sons to be the next king.

Samuel questioned God: "How can I go?  If Saul hears of it, he will kill me."  (Probably not an inaccurate conclusion to draw.)

The Lord's instruction to Samuel was to take a heifer with him to Bethlehem and to say he had come there to sacrifice to the LORD.  He was to call Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.  God would then show Samuel what to do and whom to anoint.  

Samuel obeyed the Lord's instructions, but his coming filled the elders of the town with fear, and they asked him, "Comest thou peaceably?"

Samuel replied, "Peaceably.  I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD.  Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice."  He then sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.  

When they arrived, Samuel looked at Eliab, Jesse's oldest son, and said, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before Him."

But the LORD said ... [and don't forget that "but" always indicates a change of direction!]
* Look not on his countenance
* Look not on his stature
-- because I have refused him.

The LORD sees not as man sees:
* Man looks on the outward appearance,
BUT
* The LORD looks on the heart.

Cross-reference for "rejected" (v.1) -- "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king."  (1 Samuel 15:23)

Cross-reference for "oil" (v.1) -- "Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon [Saul's] head, and kissed him, and said, "Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee king over His inheritance?"  (1 Samuel 10:1) 

Cross-references for "Jesse" (v.1) -- "And the women, [Naomi's] neighbors, gave him a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi, and they called his name Obed; he is the father of Jesse, the father of David."  (Ruth 4:17)

"Now David was the son of that Ephrathite at Bethlehem-Judah, whose name was Jesse, who had eight sons, and the man went among men as an old man in the days of Saul."  (1 Samuel 17:12)

Cross-references for  "king" (v.1) -- "And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?  And the LORD said unto him, Go up.  And David said, Where shall I go up?  And He said, Unto Hebron.  So David went up there .... And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Israel."  (2 Samuel 2:1-4)

Cross-references for "sanctify yourselves" (v.5) -- "Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments."  (Genesis 35:2)

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them, today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes."  (Exodus 19:10)

Crosss-references for "Eliab" (v.6) -- "And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle, and the names of his three sons, who went to the battle were Eliab, the firstborn, and next unto him, Abinadab, the third, Shammah."  (1 Samuel 17:13)

"And Eliab, his eldest brother, heard when [David] spoke unto the men, and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down here?  And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou are come down that thou mightest see the battle."  (1 Samuel 17:28)

Cross-reference for "look not" (v.7) -- "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD,  For as the heavens are high above the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Cross-references for "outward appearance" (v. 7) -- "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?"  (1 Corinthians 10:7a)

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."  (1 Peter 3:4)

Cross-reference for "heart" (v.7) -- "Then hear Thou in heaven, Thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou knowest; (for Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men)."  (1 Kings 8:39)

A= For this Scripture, there were also a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"I want my eyes to develop a heart viewing pattern." -- Rachel Wojo

This thought of course echoes verse 7, which tells us, "The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

 
Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  For this lesson the focus word is "looks". 

 

Remember to look at circumstances through the lens of God's Word and character.  Remember too that God alone sees the heart and God alone knows the truth of every situation. 

The question was asked: What season or circumstance in life challenges me to see God's gifts of beauty?

My response in 2018: Mud season!  It is hideously ugly.  I detest mud.  Yet this ugly season has to happen before spring can come to New Hampshire.

Answering this same question in 2024:  Uncertainty.  Our country is in a mess.  But God is in control, and He never changes.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the people I encounter; the food I eat;  the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the words I read, I had in mind a line from a hymn: "Thy justice like mountains, high soaring above."  I think that's from the hymn "Immortal, Invisible".

 For the places I go, I mentioned the Blue Ridge Parkway and the seemingly endless mountain views.

For the music I hear,  I thought of the Appalachian style fiddle and banjo music we heard in many places in North Carolina and Tennessee -- just in downtown areas, for example.  We loved it!

For the people I encounter, I noted how that there in the mountains of North Carolina, people in general seemed more kind and thoughtful than they are in the northeast.

For the food I eat, I thought of some beautiful heirloom tomatoes we bought at a farmstand.

For the weather I experience, I mentioned mist over the mountaintops in the mornings.

A journaling prompt was this:  List one or more ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

My response in 2018: Walk outside if possible.  Take deep breaths, and listen for birdsong.  Pay attention to the moon (full in 2 more days) if the sky is clear enough to do so.  Enjoy any available warmth and sunshine. 

For my response in 2024, I added: Notice flowers.  So many beautiful flowers here in North Carolina.  Yesterday we stopped at a gift shop in Maggie Valley with the loveliest plantings of brilliantly colored impatiens.  Plan to have my quiet time outdoors whenever possible.

P= "Lord,  I do thank You that You don't see as man sees.  With our limited, finite vision, we look on the outward appearance, but You look on the hearts of people.  Help me to look beyond any ugliness and to see with eyes of faith. Mud season is indeed ugly, but it does carry the promise of spring -- flowers, green grass, birds, and more.  Uncertainty is a huge challenge, but it gives us the opportunity to trust You and to remember that You don't see as we do.  Help me to look beyond the circumstances to the good things that lie ahead.  I thank You for all You'll do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture!  I pray it's a blessing to someone.

 

 

August 21 Hodgepodge

 

Again this week, I'm joining in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.   Today's questions weren't as easy as they appeared at first, but here we go ...

1. What's the last thing you completely overreacted to? 

You know, I really can't think.   I'm sure there was something, but I can't think right now.  Over time I think I am learning bit by bit to go with the flow and be flexible about smallish stuff.

Lovely graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

2. Your top five snacks? 

Oh boy.  I don't know how to answer this as I don't snack a lot. This time of year it would be homemade ice cream at the top of the list.  We have probably a half dozen seasonal ice cream places within an hour of our home, with most of them being within a half hour, and all but one serve locally made ice cream.  My hubby LOVES ice cream.  These days we always get a 2-scoop serving (in a dish) and share it.  

Four other snacks I enjoy, but only occasionally: homemade cheese log with crackers; chex party mix; trail mix with peanuts, almonds, and M&Ms; Almond Joy candy bars.  Can't even remember the last time I tasted one of those!

3. What smell always brings back some type of memory? Elaborate. 

Windex.   It always, always brings back memories  of the summers I helped my sister-in-law get summer homes (on a nearby lake) ready for the season.  Such beautiful views mean lots of windows.  One of the homes was older and had diamond-paned windows.

4. What's something you learned from the last book you read? 

That Margery Williams, the author of The Velveteen Rabbit also wrote at least one wonderful book for teens, one of them being Winterbound, which I just finished. 

5. What's the next thing on your to-buy list? Will you make that purchase before the end of the year? 

A new Kindle.  I hope I can hold out until Black Friday deals.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

What a summer it has been!  Last Saturday we had our regular monthly Ladies of Grace meeting,  Rather than a devotional, we opted to have a more extended testimony time where ladies could share blessings, answers to prayer, instances of God's provision and more from their summer so far.  It was absolutely wonderful to hear how God had worked in each of our lives in various ways -- some small, others bigger and actually life-changing. 

I hope to blog about some of my mental snapshots from summer, in a couple weeks or so.

And there's the Wednesday Hodgepodge for this week!

Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is part of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from Psalm 27:1-6.  

S= "The LORD is my light and salvation: whom shall I fear?   the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
"When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 
"Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.
"For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.
"And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD."  (Psalm 27:1-6)

O= Psalm 27 is a Psalm of David.  In the Scofield Study Bible, C.I. Scofield hast titled this Psalm "Triumphant faith."

I have a title scribbled in my Bible that the theme of this psalm is "Confidence in God."  And confidence in God is surely what we see David describing and exhibiting here.

He says: "The LORD is my light and my salvation."
THEREFORE,
"Whom shall I fear?"

He says: "The LORD is the strength of my life."
THEREFORE,
"Of whom shall I be afraid?"

 
God deflected the wicked intentions of David's enemies and foes to destroy him.  God caused them to stumble and fall.

David says: Even if a host encamps against me, my heart shall not fear.
                    Even if war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

David says he has desired one thing of the LORD and will seek after that one thing:
* To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of his life
-- to behold the beauty of the LORD
-- to inquire in God's temple.

To me this suggests both worship and instruction in the house of the LORD.  I've read that David's "one thing" is essentially the same as Mary of Bethany's "one thing" described in Luke 10:

"But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."  (Luke 10:42)

In the time of trouble, David says God ...

* shall hide me in His pavilion.
* shall hide me in the secret of His tabernacle.
* shall set me up upon a rock.
* shall lift mine head above mine enemies round about me.

All those "shalls"!  David is confident indeed!

Therefore, David says he will offer sacrifices of joy in God's tabernacle:
* he will sing
* he will sing praises unto the LORD.

Cross-references for "light" (v.1) -- "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory.  No good thing will He withhold from them who walk uprightly."  (Psalm 84:11)

"The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God, thy glory.
"Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended."  (Isaiah 60:19-20)

"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me."  (Micah 7:8)

Cross-references for "the LORD is the strength of my life" (v.1) --"He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved ... He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved."  (Psalm 62:2,6) 

"The LORD is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation ... I will praise Thee, for Thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation."  (Psalm 118:14, 21)

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the LORD, even the LORD, is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation."  (Isaiah 12:2)

Cross-reference for "though an host" (v.3) -- "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, who have set themselves against me round about."  (Psalm 3:6)

Cross-references for "dwell in the house of the LORD" (v.4) -- "LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth."  (Psalm 26:8)

"Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts; we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple."  (Psalm 65:8)

"And [Anna] was a widow of about fourscore and four years, who departed not from the temple, but serve God with fastings and prayer night and day."  (Luke 2:37)

Cross-references for "hide me" (v.5) -- "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man; Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."  (Psalm 31:20)

"He who dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."  (Psalm 91:1)

A= For this Scripture, there were also a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"I long to see God's beauty and crave it." -- Rachel Wojo

This thought of course fits with verse 4, which declares, "One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple."

 
Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  For this lesson the focus word is "desire". 

 

Our own desire should be to see the beauty of the Lord and to worship and learn of Him.

The question was asked: How can I realign the eyes of my heart to see the Father's gift of everyday elegance?

My response in 2018: It can be hard.  Sometimes I think the only real way to do this is to tear our eyes away from ourselves and our circumstances -- and to stay our minds on God instead.

Answering this same question in 2024:  Purpose to see God in every situation and learn to look at circumstances through Him.

I have had this quote by F.B. Meyer in my quote journal for many years:

"Unbelief sees God through circumstances, as we sometimes see the sun shorn of his rays through smoky air; but faith puts God between itself and circumstances, and looks at them through Him."

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the people I encounter;  the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 for the words I read, I can take note of Psalm 119 and its amazing structure, along with its variety of terms extolling God's Word.

For the places I go, I would have to say the incredible beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

For the music I hear,  I mentioned the singing of familiar and unfamiliar birds.  There were several in North Carolina whose song I couldn't identify.

For the weather I experience, I noted the gentle summer rain we were experiencing as I worked on this study.

A journaling prompt was this:  Everything God made is beautiful.  Where have I noticed God's beauty in the last 24 hours?

My response in 2018: The beauty of God's Word, especially the poetic imagery of the Psalms; the gorgeous beauty of blue skies; the warmth of sunshine and hot water.

For my response in 2024, I added: In the refreshing scents of lavender and lemon in handmade soap.  Also, here in the North Carolina mountains on vacation, there is so much beauty everywhere we look.

P= "Lord,  I thank and praise You today for the beauty that can be found if we will open our eyes to look.  Thank Yu for the beauty of Your Word which confirms to us that we can count our trials as joy.  I pray that You will help me to offer the sacrifice of joy to You when I undergo trials, and that You will help me to count my blessings and thank You for them in the good times.  I thank You for how You will help me, in Jesus' name, Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture!  I pray it's a blessing to someone.

August 14 Hodgepodge

 

Again this week, I'm joining in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.   Today's questions have a fun, late-summer vibe.  And here we go ...

 1.What was the best (or one of the best) summers of your life? Tell us why. 

Oh, my.  This is a difficult question.  I guess I might even say this summer we're currently in, because we have done some traveling, spent some precious time with family, met up with some of my cousins, visited friends, hosted a cottage prayer meeting at our camp, done some volunteer work, consumed lots of quality ice cream, attended a beautiful wedding ... 

Above is a view from one of the overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

2. When you have a trip coming up do you make a list and check it twice to ensure you don't forget anything? Or are you a 'throw whatever you can think of into the suitcase at the last minute' kind of packer? When returning from a trip do you unpack immediately or leave the suitcase right where it lands? 

It depends on what I am packing and how long of a trip.   If it requires packing food for meals, as it often does, then yes, I make detailed lists and check them twice.  

 
I used to always make lists for clothing to pack for a trip, and at one time I even used Flylady's Packing Control Journal ideas, but I've done it so much now that a mental list seems to suffice.  I think, though, that I need to get back into the habit, because I'm sure my memory isn't going to improve with time.

As far as unpacking, it really depends on what time of day or evening we arrive home.  I will usually start laundry right away no matter what time it is.  Sometimes I won't finish unpacking suitcases or tote bags until the next day.

3. What's your favorite food or beverage made with lemons? Is that a flavor you enjoy? 

Lemon is definitely a flavor I enjoy.   I would be hard pressed to say what my favorite food made with lemons is.  Probably pound cake with lemon curd and real whipped cream.  Or these lemon-filled shortbread cookies which are a favorite in our family.

As for a beverage, I have fond, fond memories of my mother's homemade iced tea which always began with slicing lemons and steeping them along with the tea bags.

4. When was the last time you had to make lemonade out of lemons, figuratively speaking I mean? 

Oh, let me think.   You know, I just can't think of when that might have been right now.

5. Did you like school growing up? Why or why not? 

I hated school for probably the first four years.   I was bullied a lot and felt very unconfident, though I did fine academically.

That began to turn around in 5th and 6th grade, when I had a teacher I really liked who inspired me.  I began to enjoy school and that continued right through high school.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Summer flowers are so gorgeous.  A friend brings bouquets to church services to beautify the sanctuary and then gives them away to random people afterwards.  I was the recipient of one this week and oh -- those zinnias and sunflowers just shouted "Summer!"

And so do the colors in the seed packet below.

And that's the Hodgepodge for this week!  Thankful I could participate!

Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is part of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from Ephesians 2:4-10.  

S= "But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
"That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus:
"That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus;
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
"Not of works, lest any man should boast.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."  (Ephesians 2:4-10)

O= Scofield's study Bible titles Ephesians 1:1 through Ephesians 3:21 as "The Believer's Standing in Grace."  Verses 3-14 of chapter 1 he titles, "The believer in Christ in the heavenlies".  Verses 15-21 he titles "Prayer for knowledge and power."  Verses 22-23 he titles "Christ exalted as Head of His body, the Church".  And verses 1 through 10 of chapter 2, where we find ourselves today, Scofield titles "Method of salvation."

As we look at verse 4, we see that it begins with the words "But God".  Our pastor always taught us that the word "but" signals a change of direction -- and the words "but God" are even more meaningful -- so before tackling these verses we really need to look back to the ones before them. Verses   1-3 describe what believers used to be like: dead in trespasses and sins (v.1); walking according to the course of this world (v.2); walking according to the prince of the power of the air (v.2); having the same manner of life as unbelievers around us (v.2-3); fulfilling the desires of our flesh and mind (v.3); by nature the children of wrath (v.3).  So what a huge change of direction verse 4 is!

Cross-reference for "rich in mercy" (v.4) -- "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger forever.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him."  (Psalm 103:8-11)

Cross-references for "great love" (v.4) -- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  (John 3:16)

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."  (1 John 4:9-10)

Cross-reference for "even when" (v.5) -- "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)

Note for "dead in sins" (v.5) -- "Spiritual death is the state of the natural or unregenerate man as still in His sins, alienated from the life of God, and destitute of the Spirit."

Cross-reference for "grace" (v.5) -- "In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."  (Ephesians 1:7)

Note for "saved" (v.5) -- "The Hebrew and Greek words for 'salvation' imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness.  'Salvation' is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: justification, redemption, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification."

🌿 [Note from me: If you want some real encouragement in your devotions sometime, take a Bible dictionary and look up the last seven words (not counting 'and').  All of those spiritual blessings are ours in Christ!] 🌿

Cross-reference for "heavenly places" (v.6) -- "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ."

Note for "heavenly places" -- Literally "in the heavenlies".  It signifies that which is heavenly by contradistinction to that which is earthly.

Cross-reference for " faith" (v. 8) -- "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of " Him.". (Ephesians 3:12)

A note on Hebrews 11:39 states, "The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom he has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works."

Here are a few secondary definitions of faith:

1) For salvation, faith is personal trust in the Lord Jesus, apart from any good works.

2) As used in prayer, faith is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

3) In reference to unseen things spoken of in Scripture, faith gives substance to them, so that we act upon the conviction of their reality.

4) As a working principle in life, the uses of faith are illustrated in Hebrews 11.

Cross-reference for "gift of God" (v.8) -- "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."  (John 1:12-13)

Cross-reference for "works" (v.9) -- "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."  (Romans 4:4-5)

Cross-reference for "boast" (v.9) -- "Where is boasting then?  It is excluded.  By what law?  Of works?  Nay, but by the law of faith."  (Romans 8:27)

Verse 10 -- "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." -- is considered to be the key verse of the book of Romans.

Cross-reference for "created" (v.10) -- "And that ye put on the new man, which was created in righteousness and true holiness."  (Ephesians 4:24)

Note  for "created" -- "The new man is the regenerate man as distinguished from the old man, and is a new man having become a partaker of the divine nature and life, and in no sense the old man made over, or improved."

Note for "works" (v.10) -- "1) The necessity for the new birth grows out of the incapacity of the natural man to 'see' or 'enter into' the kingdom of God.  However gifted, moral, or refined he may be, the natural man is absolutely blind to spiritual truth and impotent to enter the kingdom, for he can neither obey, understand, nor please God.  2) The new birth is not a reformation of the old nature, but a creative act of the Holy Spirit."  -- C.I. Scofield

A= Believer's Bible Commentary points out, "The words 'But God' form one of the most significant, eloquent, and inspiring transitions in all literature.  They indicate that a stupendous change has taken place.  It is a change from the doom and despair of the valley of death to the unspeakable delights of the kingdom of the Son of God's love.  The Author of the change is God Himself.  No one else could have done it, and no one else would have done it."

For this Scripture, there were also a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"Doing God's work is a beautiful thing." -- Rachel Wojo

This thought of course alludes to verse 10, where Paul teaches that believers are God's workmanship,  "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

 
Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  For this lesson the focus word is "fulfillment". I would see this as fulfilling God's purpose for us as believers -- to glorify Him with all that He has given us, to point others to Him and to help our Christian brothers and sisters to grow spiritually.

 

William MacDonald explains, "God has a blueprint for every life. Before our conversion He mapped out a spiritual career for us.  Our responsibility is to find His will for us and then obey it."

 

He continues by giving six practical steps we can take to do this:  1) Confess and forsake sin as soon as we are conscious of it in our lives; 2) Be continually and unconditionally yielded to Him; 3) Study the Word of God to discern His will and then do whatever He tells us to do; 4) Spend time in prayer every day; 5) Seize opportunities of service as they arise; 6) cultivate the fellowship and counsel of other Christians.

The question was asked: Which of my own words have blocked the beauty of God's Word?

My response in 2018:  Maybe not my words, but my heart attitude or thoughts that I'm limited at this time from doing all God has for me to do.  That's not really so ... He knows this season and has allowed it.  He knows my limitations.  If I'm faithful to keep looking to Him, He will guide me in this daily even in what looks like a hard season.

Answering this same question in 2024:  Any words of mine that do not please or honor God.  Complaining, to name just one.  I finally have come to realize that when I complain, even if it is non-verbal like a sigh or an eye-roll,  I am really complaining against God.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the people I encounter; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the music I hear,  we recently enjoyed the blessing of an evening service and fun night at the Wilds of New England.  From fun cowboy music to beautiful hymns, it was all well done and so enjoyable.

For the words I read, I mentioned the beautiful key verse of Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 10.

For the places I go, I listed the lovely flowers and plantings at The Wilds of New England.

For the air I breathe, I mentioned a drop in humidity and some cool breezes.

For the people I encounter -- we were able to get to visit with our cottage neighbors a little bit.  

For the rest I receive, I mentioned the restorative quality of excellent sleep.

A journaling prompt was this:  List one or more ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

My response in 2018:  Get out in the fresh air; breathe deeply and listen to birdsong.  Soak up as much sunshine and vitamin D as possible.  Enjoy the rich colors of foods and household items.

For my response in 2024, I added: Watch for the various colors of phlox to bloom at our cottage.  Enjoy the gorgeous, tranquil beauty of lakes in our region.

P= "Lord,  I thank  You that You have planned for us to do good works to glorify You.  I admit I've often felt limited and constrained in difficult seasons.  I've even felt at times rather frustrated that I can't accomplish all that's on my plate.  Yet I must remind myself that You know all about what's on my plate and You allow limitations and challenging seasons anyway.  I pray that You will meet me in my limitations and guide me in what good You would have me to accomplish each day.  I praise You for all You'll do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture!  I pray it's a blessing to someone. 

Friday five, vacation edition

 

 Today I thought it might be fun to do a quick Friday five just sharing a few blessings from our recent vacation.  So here goes!

1.  Time in God's creation.

We met up with friends at Table Rock State Park in South Carolina, which is where the two photos above were taken.

Sunrise from the wraparound porch of our Airbnb, above.

Both of the above photos are scenes from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

2.  Time with family.

 Scenes above from our Airbnb in North Carolina.  We were blessed to be able to have a farmhouse large enough for us, and our NH daughter's family, to all stay together comfortably.  We were even able to have Nevada granddaughter Emily with us for a short time.  Above you see cornhole on the porch on a rainy afternoon.

More grandkids posing in Mount Airy, NC.

3.  Time with friends.

In addition to our meet-up with friends in SC, Mr. T and I  spent two nights near the end of our vacation in this guest cottage where we enjoyed a visit with our good friends Judy and Tom in Pennsylvania.

4.  Time for fun.

Looks like Mayberry!

In a little town in PA, we discovered this little free greenhouse, modeled on the little free library idea.

5.  Safety traveling hundreds of miles.

This is in Greencastle, PA.

 

Where would anyone feel safer than next to Andy's squad car?

So there you have it -- a very simple Friday five.  More about our vacation next week, I hope.

An unexpected Hodgepodge

 

 It feels like I haven't blogged in forever.  We've been out of town and although I have occasionally blogged from a tablet during past vacations, it's time-consuming.  So I feel like I simply have to join Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.   And here we go ..

1. What's a task you do on a regular (or semi-regular basis) that feels like it should be an Olympic event? 

Let's see. I will say cleaning the refrigerator. There is so much to it.

2. What's in the trunk of your car right now? 

We have just emptied it of coolers, suitcases, duffel bags, and other vacation paraphernalia.  I believe it is relatively empty at the moment, but my hubby's tools for his volunteer job will soon fill it up since our other car is not currently usable.

3. Summer foods vs. fall foods...which do you prefer? 

Would you rather-watermelon or caramel apple? iced coffee or pumpkin spiced latte? potato salad or sweet potato casserole? barbecued ribs or roast turkey? ice cream sandwich or apple pie? corn on the cob or candy corn? 

I was going to say fall foods until I looked at the choices below the first question.

So -- watermelon; iced coffee; potato salad, roast turkey, apple pie, and corn on the cob.  Four of my choices are summer foods and thus outweigh the fall foods I picked.

You might enjoy this post about Potato Salad the easy way.

4. August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. Have you visited any lighthouses? Do you have a favorite? Is a lighthouse something you seek out if you're visiting an area known for theirs? 

Yes, I have visited a number of lighthouses -- mostly in Maine and Prince Edward Island.  Nubble Light in York, Maine is the one I've visited most often, but Portland Head Light may be my favorite.

Above are several views of Pemaquid Point light in Bristol, Maine -- including one from inside!

5. Light at the end of the tunnel, out like a light, give the green light, a lightbulb moment, in a new light, in the limelight...of the 'light' idioms listed which applies in some way to your life lately? Explain. 

Out like a light describes how we felt sleeping in our own bed last night after a road trip in which we slept in four different beds in three states.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Not really random, but at the end of the vacation we enjoyed two nights visiting our good friends Judy and Tom in Pennsylvania.  Judy and I have been friends since 2007, when she discovered my blogs.  We have spent time together in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, but had never visited her in her home state.  So thankful it worked out at last!

Photo above is a garden in front of a bank (I think) in Greencastle, PA.  About 90 minutes from our friends' home; we stayed near there on Saturday night.

And there is my simple Hodgepodge for today!

Some goals for August

 

A new month means new goals (and with me, always some ongoing ones as well) -- so here goes!

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get back to working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Spend time with our friends who are younger believers
* Attend the wedding of two dear friends
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering
* Post in this blog as often as possible
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Use Charles Swindoll's devotional Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life for my quiet time daily
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday School lessons
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday Scripture blog posts
*Work on Even If, a study of Habakkuk from the Daily Grace Co.
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Touch base with teen grandchildren regarding the Stand Firm Bible study
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Continue to work on memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week
* Enjoy traveling for a family vacation
* Plan a trip to the Canadian Maritimes to visit friends the end of the month

HEALTHY HABITS FOR AUGUST:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/intermittent fasting/limit carbs

WORD FOR 2024: Continue 

And there you have it -- my goals for August!  We will see how I do!