Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in our ongoing series for Sunday Scripture!  You may recall me mentioning that back in 2018, I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called 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 then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm going to attempt 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.]  The passage for this week is Matthew 26:6-13.

S= "Now, when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon, the leper,
"There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He was eating.
"But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
"For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
"When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?  For she hath wrought a good work upon Me.
"For ye have the poor always with you, but Me ye have not always.
"For in that she hath poured this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial.
"Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."  (Matthew 26:6-13)

O= In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles this section "Jesus anointed for His burial by Mary of Bethany."  This incident is also recorded in Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8.  

John 12:1-3 gives us a clearer picture of the scene:

"Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom He raised from the dead.
"There they made Him a supper, and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him.
"Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment."

Scofield writes of these verses: "As Martha served the Lord, and Lazarus had communion with Him, so Mary offered the worship of a grateful heart.  Others before Mary had come to the Lord's feet to have their need met; she came to give Him His due.  Although the two other evangelists, Matthew and Mark, record Mary's act, John alone gives her name."

I was curious about Simon the leper, so looked him up in a Bible dictionary.  Here's what I found:

"A former leper in whose house Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointed Jesus' feet [and head] with a precious ointment.  Martha and Lazarus were present when this happened, and Martha took an active part in serving the dinner.  This has led to speculation that Simon was a member of the family or at least was a very close friend." -- Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Cross-references for "leper"(v.6) -- "And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean."  (Matthew 8:2)

"And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."  (Luke 15:2)

A marginal note tells us that "a woman" (v.7) was Mary of Bethany.

Cross-reference for "ye have the poor always with you" (v.11) -- "For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor,  and to thy needy, in thy land."  (Deuteronomy 15:11)

Cross-references for "Me ye have not always" (v.11) -- "And He said unto them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."  (Luke 5:34-35)

"Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me.  Because I live, ye shall live also."  (John 14:19)

"I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father."  (John 16:28)

The phrase "for My burial" (v.12) literally means "to prepare Me for My burial".  

Cross-references for "burial" -- "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him."  (Mark 16:1)

"And there came also Nicodemus, who at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 
"Then took they [Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, referenced in v. 38] the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
"Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulcher, in which was never man yet laid.  There laid they Jesus ...".  (John 19:39-42)

Cross-references for "gospel" (v.13) -- "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people."  (Revelation 14:6)

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come."  (Matthew 24:14)

"The word 'gospel' means good news.  As used in the NT, the word deals with different aspects of divine revelation.  Absolutely essential to man's salvation is the Gospel of the grace of God.  This is the good news that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, that He was raised from the dead ... and that by Him all who believe are justified from all things." -- Scofield

A cross-reference for "memorial" (v.13) is Acts 10:4, where an angel tells Cornelius, "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."

This leads us to Hebrews 6:10 -- "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shows toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." 

A = Warren Wiersbe notes in With the Word: "Life presents us with many opportunities; how we respond to them depends on what we love and what we look for in life.  Mary used the opportunity she had for expressing her devotion to Christ, but Judas used that same opportunity to criticize her.  Nothing given in love to Jesus is ever wasted.  Judas was the one who ended up wasting his life."

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

"True beauty is often misunderstood." -- Rachel Wojo

The above quote from Rachel makes me think.  The beauty and symbolism of Mary's loving, heartfelt act was misunderstood by the disciples, who thought it was a waste of expensive ointment that could have been sold and the money distributed to the poor.  In the same way, I might think that a time of rest is a waste of time, when actually there is potential beauty in such a time.

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

My response in 2018: Any of my words that involve doubt and discouragement.  This recovery time is very slow indeed.  I'm just trying to rest and see God's hand in it all.

Answering this same question in 2024:

 Any inaccurate words that cause me to doubt that God is in control or that He doesn't know what's happening in our lives and in our world.  He absolutely does.

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 sang in church the song "Abba, Father" -- a favorite of mine.  In this category I also heard a male cardinal singing at the bird feeder.

For the places I go, I mentioned a drive to a beautiful lake on a sunny spring day.  I also noticed my blue and yellow primroses blooming near the front walkway to our house.

 
For the rest I receive, I noted it was such a blessing how God provided rest after a tiring day of work.

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

My response in 2018:  Looking out the windows -- it continues to snow.  Sort of annoying for mid-March, but undeniably beautiful.  Go out and walk on the porch; I've not done that for a couple of days.  Understand that a season of rest can be beautiful (like the earth and plants under this blanket of snow) -- preparing for a season of greater productivity.

For my response in 2024, I added:  Now, in late April, noticing spring bulbs, shrubs, and wildflowers beginning to bloom.  Listening to the songs of birds and seeing if I can identify each singer.

*I wanted to note also that the alabaster box and spikenard in the graphic at top are treasures of mine.  They were given to me by my dear friend Pam.  Such thoughtful and meaningful gifts, they have taken on new beauty and luster for me, as Pam was tragically murdered several years ago.*

P= "Lord, I thank You for giving us seasonal insights.  I'm thankful for rest, although sometimes (as in 2018) it may involve physical pain and discomfort.  Although that would not be the type of rest I would choose for myself, sometimes it is the sort of rest that I need. 

Thank You for reminding me that a rest may well be preparing me for a season of productivity.  I praise You for all You are doing, in Jesus' name , Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some more input on this series so far.  I hope more of you will share your thoughts with me!  

Some goals for May

 

How can it be May already?

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
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering
* Prepare a devotional for the church ladies gathering (LOG -- Ladies of Grace)
* 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
* Celebrate a May birthday
* Hopefully get together with friends on Memorial Day
* 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
* Spend extended time at our volunteer jobs
* 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

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

WORD FOR 2024: Continue

Sunday Scripture

 

It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  As I've mentioned, back in 2018 I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called Everything Beautiful.  You can read about it here: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm going to attempt to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. The passage for this week is James 1:11-17.  Here we go!

S=  "For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and its flower falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth; so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man;
"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
"Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
"Do not err, my beloved brethren.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."  (James 1:11-17)

O=  Warren Wiersbe says, "The epistle of James is a practical book that discusses living the faith.  It contains echoes of the Sermon on the Mount and the book of Proverbs, both of which are practical."

I love what C.I. Scofield wrote about the book of James:  "With its stress upon practical Christian living, the Epistle of James reflects, in its style and in its frequent references to the Sermon on the Mount, the mind and teaching of its writer's divine Brother." 

Yes, as most of us know, James, who wrote this epistle, was the half-brother of Jesus, being the son of Mary and Joseph.  It's striking that James doesn't mention that fact, but instead introduces himself as "the bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" in verse 1.  Many years ago when teaching either Sunday School or Vacation Bible School, I was using curriculum which erroneously identified the writer of the book of James as a different James -- the son of Zebedee, brother of John.  Ever since then, I've made sure that when I teach from the book of James I mention who the writer really was, realizing I can't make assumptions that people have understood this correctly.

Now for my observations on these verses 11-17:

Verse 11 begins our passage with a word picture: No sooner has the sun risen than its burning heat:
🌿 withers the grass
🌿 causes the flowers to fall
🌿 causes the beautiful appearance of the grass and flowers to perish.  

The rich man's pursuits will fade away in a similar fashion.

The man who endures temptation (v.12) will be blessed, for he will  one day receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.

Verses 13-16 deal with the facts about temptation to do evil, and how important it is not to deceive ourselves about that.  

🔍 When we are tempted, don't claim we are tempted by God.  That's impossible!
🔍 God cannot be tempted by evil.
🔍 God does not tempt anyone.

We are tempted when:

🔍 We are drawn away and enticed by our own lust.
🔍 Lust conceives and brings forth sin.
🔍 Sin, in the end, brings forth death.

Every good and perfect gift, though, is from above.  These gifts come down from God, the Father of lights, with whom:

1) There is no variableness;
2) There is not even a shadow of turning.

Cross-references for "endureth" (v.12) -- "For ye have need of patience that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."  (Hebrews 10:36)

"Behold, we count them happy who endure.  Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy."  (James 5:11)

Cross-references for "crown of life" (v.12) -- "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (1 Peter 5:4)

"And they that be wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever."  (Daniel 12:3)

Scofield comments: "God, in the New Testament Scriptures, offers to the lost, salvation, and for the faithful service of the saved, He offers rewards."

Cross-reference for "life" (v.12) -- "Narrow is the gate, and hard is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."  (Matthew 7:14)

It is eternal life that's being spoken of here.

Concerning "tempted" (v.14), Scofield writes: "The concept of testing or temptation is expressed [in the Bible] not only by the words translated 'test' or 'tempt' but also by the words rendered 'provoke', 'entice', 'snare', etc.  The primary meaning is usually that of proving by testing, or testing under trial.  Less frequently the sense is that of enticement or solicitation to evil [as here]."

Cross-reference for "conceived' (v.15) -- "Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood."  (Psalm 7:14)

Note concerning "sin" (v.15) -- "Sin may be summarized as threefold: 1) an act, the violation of or want of obedience to, the revealed will of God; 2) a state, absence of righteousness; and 3) a nature, enmity toward God." -- C.I. Scofield

Cross-references for "death" (v. 15) -- "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life.  And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Revelation 20:12)

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."  (Genesis 2:17)

It is spiritual death being referred to in James 1:15: "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.  Prolonged beyond the death of the body, spiritual death is a state of eternal separation from God in conscious suffering." -- Scofield

Note concerning "gift" (v.17) -- Scofield explains that "Two words are used in the Greek for "gift"; the first in v. 17 is dosis, denoting the act of giving; the second, dorema, meaning the thing given, the gift."

Variableness (v.17) = "variation."

Regarding "Father of lights" (v. 17) -- "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (John 1:5)

Believer's Bible Commentary notes, "In the Bible the word Father sometimes has the meaning of Creator or Source.  [Job 38:28 is given as an example of this: "Hath the rain a father?  or who hath begotten the drops of dew?"]  Therefore God is the Creator or Source of lights.  But what is meant by lights?  Certainly it includes the heavenly bodies -- the sun, moon, and stars.  But God is also the Source of all spiritual light as well.  So we should think of Him as the Source of every form of light in the universe."

A = Warren Wiersbe explains in With the Word: "When you realize how good God is to you, you will have no interest in the temptations the enemy puts before you.  When you are tempted, count your blessings, and you will soon have strength to say no."

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

"This world is temporary but His promises are forever." -- Rachel Wojo

The question was asked: What one thought can I surrender to create room for seeing moments of grace?

My response in 2018:The thought that somehow I deserve what has happened to me, that God has punished me for something.  I'm not dwelling on this, but it's at the back of my mind and not helpful.

Answering this same question in 2024:

  I had a hard time thinking of an answer this time.  One thought was that things are going downhill fast in our country and they just don't look good for us.  But God is not bound by how things look and feel and is able to give moments of grace even in the darkest times.

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 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 people I encounter, two people were baptized recently.  They were glowing at having taken this step of obedience to God.

For the food I eat, I noticed how pretty green peppers and butternut squash cubes are roasted together.

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: In the colors of a salad -- spring greens, cucumber, and grape tomatoes.  In the falling (and newly fallen) snow.  In the cross-stitch scene I'm working on.  In the brilliant colors of a crochet project.  In the loving, prayerful concern of blog friends.

For my response in 2024, I added: In a gorgeous pink and red sunrise one morning.  In the kindness of those who planned a simple time of encouragement for our pastor after prayer meeting.  In colorful goldfinches and purple finches (which are actually red) at our bird feeder and in our trees.

P= "Lord, I praise You that this world is temporary and Your promises are forever, and that You have promised a crown of life to those who love You.  

"Help me to remember that Your promises are much more true and real than any of my thoughts and emotions, and that Your loving care of me is a reality every day.   I thank and praise You for these things in Jesus' name , Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some more input on this series so far.  I hope more of you will share your thoughts with me!  

Hadn't planned on the Hodgepodge ...

 

 ... but I can't resist this week's main topic and simply have to join Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.   Planning is the key to me accomplishing anything in life these days.  So here we go ...

1. When did you last have cancelled plans? Were you happy about that or disappointed? 

Last Thursday we had planned to attend a potluck supper and a movie being sponsored by a local group.  Then on Friday we had planned to go out to breakfast with our friend Terry.  Both plans got cancelled because my hubby was entertaining a stomach bug.  We were disappointed on both counts but there was absolutely no way around cancelling.

2. On a scale of 1-10 how much of a planner are you? 

Since you didn't ask how well I do with carrying out my plans, I can say I'm probably an 8 or 9.  I have a number of plans going right now.  A menu plan of course, goes without saying.  I'm also planning menus and groceries for an upcoming event -- cooking for  a small group of volunteers at The Wilds of New England.  I'm planning a devotional for our church ladies' meeting in May.  Essentially very little happens in our house without a plan -- getaways, vacations, work trips, special events, projects at our cottage ... you get the idea.  A lot of my planning happens simply with pen and paper, though I have some other planning tools as well, that I have made.

 3. Do you have a menu plan for the week? If so tell us one or two things that are on it. If not, what's your plan for not having a plan lol? 

I've been planning menus my entire married life.  If you would like to know how and why I menu plan you can check this link.  I have an entire category of menu planning in the label cloud at right, so you may wish to check that out as well.  (ETA: I just remembered I was supposed to tell about a couple menu items on this list.  Well, tonight we're having spaghetti squash stuffed with feta and cherry tomatoes -- a super easy meal I've made a half dozen or so times since seeing it on Instagram.  So good.  Another item on my list is a Greek Pasta Salad which I'll be taking to a birthday party for two of my teen grands on Saturday evening.  It's a huge favorite of theirs.

4. The Hodgepodge lands on National Bucket List Day. Do you have a bucket list? Is it written down or just in your head? What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don't have a list, what is one thing you'd add to a list if you did? Yes I'm going to make you think about it. 

I don't have a written bucket list. The Grand Canyon and Zion were on my mental list, and we did get there.  Another thing is an Amtrak vacation to some national park or other out west.  It's just deciding where and when.

5. Rain buckets, a drop in the bucket, couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, sweat buckets, cry buckets...which 'bucket' idiom applies to your life in some way currently? 

I'll take the easiest way out and say rain buckets.  We've had a lot of rain this spring and it is raining as I write this. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

We are working on cleaning out my craft closet and the project is 3/4 completed.  We've generated three large bags full of trash, passed a few things on to grandchildren who enjoy crafting, and are working on our fourth thrift store donation box. I really have no idea how many things have left the house, but it's probably in the hundreds.

 
And there is the Hodgepodge for this week!  Even unplanned, it was still fun.

Sunday Scripture

 

 Here's another in our ongoing series for Sunday Scripture!  As you may recall, back in 2018, I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called Everything Beautiful.  You can read about it here: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm going to attempt 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.]  The passage for this week is Hosea 14:1-9.

S= "O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
"Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips.
"Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods; for in Thee the fatherless find mercy.
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for Mine anger is turned away from him.
"I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow like the lily, and cast forth his roots like Lebanon.
"His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.
"They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive like the grain, and grow like the vine; the scent of it shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
"Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with idols?  I have heard him, and observed him; I am like a green fir tree.  From Me is thy fruit found.
"Who is wise, and he shall understand these things?  Prudent, and he shall know them?  For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall in them."  (Hosea 14:1-9)

O= This last chapter of the book of Hosea is titled by Scofield: "Israel's future blessing, when God's anger is turned away."

Hosea is entreating Israel to return to the Lord.  They have fallen by their own iniquity.  Hosea encourages them to turn to the Lord with words of repentance:

🍃 Take away all iniquity
🍃 Receive us graciously
🍃 We will offer the sacrifices of our lips
🍃 Assyria will not save us
🍃 We will not make idols and worship them;
🍃 In You, the fatherless find mercy.

If they would do this, God said he would:

🍃 heal their backsliding
🍃 love them freely
🍃 turn away His anger.

God would be like the dew to Israel:

🍃 Israel would grow like the lily
🍃 his roots would lengthen
🍃 his branches would spread
🍃 his beauty would resemble an olive tree
🍃 he would be fragrant like Lebanon
🍃 Those who dwelt in the shelter of this tree would return, be revived, and grow like a vine.

God would observe Ephraim and hear them say: "What have I to do anymore with idols?"  Their fruit would now be found in Him.

There's a conclusion in verse 9:

Who is wise, and shall understand these things?
Who is prudent, and shall know these things?
The ways of the LORD are right.
The just shall walk in the ways of the LORD,
but transgressors will fall therein.

Cross-references for "return" (v.1) -- "Therefore turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and justice; and wait on thy God continually."  (Hosea 12:6)

"Therefore also, now, saith the LORD, turn even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning;
"And tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God; for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil."  (Joel 2:12-13)

"Calves of our lips" (v.2) means "praise of our lips."

Cross-references for this phrase: "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.  This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs."  (Psalm 69:30-31)

"By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually; that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."  (Hebrews 13:15)

Warren Wiersbe explains, "God does not want our material sacrifices so much as the 'sacrifices of our lips'.  He wants to hear words from our hearts that are honest and sincere, and He wants to see faith that depends on His mercy alone."

Cross-references for "not save us" (v.3) -- "Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart; they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria."  (Hosea 7:11)

"Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies; because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men."  (Hosea 10:13)

"Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians; and oil is carried into Egypt."  (Hosea 12:1)

Cross-reference for "backsliding" (v.4): "O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for Thy name's sake, for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against Thee."  (Jeremiah 14:7)

Cross-reference for "love them freely" (v.4) -- "To the praise of the glory of His grace, through which He has made us accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)

Note from Scofield concerning verses 4-8 -- "Hosea closes his book with the heartening word of forgiveness.  When Israel responds to the LORD's loving plea to return to Him (v.1-3), then will follow the gracious healing of their backsliding, the free bestowal of His love, the turning away of His anger, the future blessing of His restoration, and their final repudiation of idolatry (v.4-8)."

Cross-references for "dew" (v.5) -- "My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay at night upon my branch."  (Job 29:19)

"The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew upon the grass."  (Proverbs 19:12)

Cross-reference for "beauty shall be like the olive tree" -- "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever."  (Psalm 52:8)

Cross-reference for "from Me is thy fruit found" (v.8) -- "Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in Me."  (John 15:4)

A = Warren Wiersbe comments in With the Word: "We can always heed God's loving call to repentance.  If we return to Him, He will receive us (14:2-3), restore us (14:4) and revive us (14:5-9).  The desert will become a beautiful garden where the roots go deep.  Instead of ugliness, there will be beauty; instead of a stench, there will be fragrance.  What a difference it makes when we obey Him!"

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

"Abiding in the Lord is the way to live beautifully." -- Rachel Wojo

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

My response in 2018: I'm finding that physical pain, and issues with the everyday functions of physical life, really challenge me to see God's gifts of beauty.

Answering this same question in 2024

I added:  Mud season in New Hampshire is always a challenge for me.

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 air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that I've enjoyed reading some beautiful verses of poetry this week, all pointing to the beauty of God's creation.

For the places I go, I noted what a blessing it is to serve at The Wilds of New England.  Such a beautiful place!

This photo is from last spring at TWNE.

 For the music I hear,  and the people I see, I noted that I was listening to You Are God Alone by Mac Lynch.  A most encouraging recording.

For the weather I experience, I noted: We had two gorgeous sunny days this week!  One of them was in the 70s!!

That pink square closest to the bottom right of my temperature blanket in progress -- represents that one day it was 72º.

And for the rest I receive, I noted that we always sleep so well at our little camp.  And we're so grateful.

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:  Look out the window.  A big snowstorm is expected today, which will beautifully showcase God's power in creation, as well as illustrating salvation.  Go out and walk on the porch if possible, breathing deeply.  Enjoy the color and form of fruits and vegetables.

My response in 2024: Appreciate the colors and texture of yarn in a project I'm crocheting (that would be the temperature blanket above).  Take time (as we did) to view the recent solar eclipse.

P= "Lord, I pray that You will help me today to see Your beauty all around me.  I know that it is here all the time.  I'm so easily distracted by physical pain (and, in 2024, by perceived failures of the past)!  I pray that You will help me to see beyond these things and to appreciate your beauty and goodness instead.

I thank and praise You that Your grace is more than sufficient for every difficulty I face, as well as for every moment of my life that I may perceive as a failure. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some input on this series so far.  I hope more of you will share your thoughts with me!  

Italian Sweet Bread

 

I used to make this recipe a lot back in the day.  For most of my life I've liked to bake some type of yeast bread or quick bread (like biscuits or cornbread) to accompany soups.  For the past couple of years and trying to eat more low carb, I've gotten away from that.  

A couple of weeks ago, though, I was preparing a birthday meal for my daughter -- lasagna and salad, and wanted a homemade bread to accompany it.  I just wasn't in the mood to make focaccia bread, which might be my usual go-to.  But then I remembered this Italian Sweet Bread -- which isn't actually very sweet, as it contains only 1/4 cup of sugar.  I remembered it as being quite easy, and it makes two loaves, which is a definite plus when one is feeding teen grandchildren with hearty appetites!

The only problem was that this recipe uses a bread machine to make the dough, and I no longer own one.  So I decided to tweak it and see if I could make it work with a more traditional method.  Here's what I did, and thankfully it worked.

ITALIAN SWEET BREAD

3/4 cup warm water
1 Tblsp. active dry yeast
1 Tblsp. sugar
2 Tblsp. butter, softened
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tblsp. sugar
1/4 cup cream
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour

 In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 Tblsp. sugar.  Stir well and let stand 5 minutes until bubbly.  Stir in the butter.

In a large bowl, beat the egg.  Stir in the 3 Tblsp. sugar, the cream, and salt.  When well blended stir in the yeast mixture.  Stir well and then add the flour.  You may need a little more flour to make it less sticky.  Turn dough out on a floured surface.  Let rest while you clean the bowl and grease it. Knead the dough a few times and form into a ball.  Place in the greased bowl, turning to grease the top of the dough ball, then cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Then punch down the dough and return to the floured surface.  Cut the ball of dough in half and shape each half into a ball.  Flatten slightly and place each half into a greased 8-inch or 9-inch round pan.  Cover pans with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.  

Recipe calls for brushing an egg wash (1 beaten egg/1 Tblsp. water) on top of the loaves before sprinkling on some Italian seasoning and baking.  I didn't want to go to that trouble, so I brushed on some cream instead.   Then I sprinkled lightly with Italian seasoning.

Bake the loaves at 350º for 20-25 minutes or until loaves are golden brown.  Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.  Makes 2 loaves, 3/4 pound each.  Photo shows the loaf cut in slices, but we chose to cut ours in wedges.  

This bread went over big at the birthday dinner!

Answering just two

 

Vintage Thinking of You card sold in my Etsy shop

 No time for a long post today, and some of the Hodgepodge questions would have taken much more thought than I am capable of at the moment.  So I picked just two of the questions that I could answer quickly and easily.  Here goes:

2. Do you have a special place or organizational system for gift wrapping? Do you still buy 'real' cards to send for birthdays, anniversaries, get-well, etc? 

I keep most gift wrap, ribbon, tags, etc.  in two under-the-bed storage totes.  Everyday gift wrap for birthdays and such is in one tote. and Christmas gift wrap in the other, larger one.  I also have some smaller gift bags in each tote -- and the one with the Christmas wrappings also contains some packaging for kitchen gifts -- food-safe tissue paper, foldable cookie boxes, cookie bags, and the like.

Oh, and yes, I do still buy "real" greeting cards to send for birthdays and other occasions.  Often birthdays sneak up on me so I will resort to an e-card, but I try to keep get-well and thinking-of-you cards on hand at all times.  I will either buy them at the dollar store (where they are only 50¢!) , at Christianbook.com or sometimes at our local thrift store.  I also like to keep blank note cards on hand for writing notes of encouragement to folks.

3. It's National Banana Day...are you a fan? What's your favorite thing to make with bananas or, if you're not a cook, your favorite thing to eat that contains banana? 

I do like bananas but they need to be fairly green.  I've eaten very few bananas in the past 18 months or so, since I try to watch carbs quite carefully.  Probably my favorite way to eat bananas would be in a banana split.  

As for baking, I like to make banana coffeecakes or muffins more than banana bread.  I'll link to a couple of favorite recipes for you.

 This Banana Split Coffee Cake is from Jocelyn at Inside BruCrew Life.  I've never been disappointed in one of Jocelyn's recipes.  I leave the glaze off this one as it's sweet enough without it.

And this Banana Crunch Cake found in an old cookbook is really tasty too!

It's a gorgeous spring day here though just a little cool still.  Have a wonderful Wednesday, all!