IN THE BEGINNING...

In an earlier post, I talked about how I fell into the habit of reading Bible commentaries and books about the Bible, rather than the Bible itself.

I know it's not New Year's, but my resolution is to commit to reading one chapter of the Bible a day until I am through it.

I"m already thinking about how I want to read the chronological Bible next, which sounds cool--the books are in the order of when the events in them actually happened.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. :-)

I"ve gone cold-turkey on books about the Bible, except for one, which is turning out to be fantastic: What The Bible Is All About by Henrietta Mears, which I believe was written in 1953.

The author was born in 1890! That's around the time my great-granny was born, and I think that was a generation where everyone had a deep love and knowledge of Scripture. Even as a little kid, I remember my great-granny praying and reading the Bible to me. A few years ago, my mom gave me granny's tattered old King James Bible, and I started crying as I thumbed through the well-worn pages and saw all her little notes in the margins.

She had also stuffed every note and drawing that I had given her into it, and many were in the pages of Isaiah, her favorite book.

I want a well-worn Bible. I want more of a love of Scripture. And I want to be able to call to mind verses that apply to any problem I am facing in life.

I hope that you do, too, and I hope that you are joining me in reading through the Bible!

We started on July 1st with Genesis 1, so there is still plenty o' time to catch up.

If you are reading Genesis now (or have in the past), what jumps out at you in the early chapters?

For me, it's how Jesus is all over Genesis! I never really got this before, but now I see it very clearly.

Let me share some specific places, as pointed out by Dr. Mears on page 26 of her book:

1. Seed of woman (3:15)

2. The entrance into the ark of safety (7:17)

3. The offering up of Isaac (22:1-24)

4. Jacob's ladder (28:12)

5. Judah's scepter (49:10)

6. Joseph lifted from pit to throne (37:28; 41:41-44)

Most of these will be coming up in our reading in the next few weeks, so I hope you are as excited as I am to read over some familiar stories with a fresh eye as we look for hints of Jesus. Yay!

Don't you love that Genesis is a book of beginnings? Moses, guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote a book containing truths that "all the future revelation of God to people is built." (Mears, p. 25)

Maybe you are looking for a new beginning. Know that I am praying for you (and for me!) as we read, that God would open our eyes and hearts and reveal Himself to us in the pages of His beautiful Word.

One thing I must confess, though: I am so easily distracted! A bird flying by the window...someone coughing in the distance...Dallas breathing....they can all make me lost my train of thought. And I also have questions about random things that I read.

For example: If Adam and Eve were the first man and woman, and Cain and Abel were their sons (Chapter 4), where did Cain's wife come from?

My friend Tracey Tiernan is really smart, loves God, and really knows Scripture, so I present her answer:

All humans are descendants of Adam and Eve. According to Genesis 5:4, " After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters."


So Cain married one of his sisters. Obviously, not something that's ok in our culture today, but there were no other options for them to be fruitful and multiply back in Adam and Eve's day. The issue of genetic defects wouldn't have been a problem because there weren't alot of generations yet for them to develop. People lived a lot longer and did a lot of mulitplying:)

Well, now.

Happy reading! I can't wait to hear your thoughts via email or the comments.
Btw, you can read the whole Bible in any translation at http://www.crosswalk.com/. 

THE ONE YOU LOVE

Angie Smith has written an incredible book on grief and joy called I Will Carry You. Please, please, please read this book.




Angie lost her baby daughter just a few hours after she was born.



She and her familiy prayed for healing from the moment baby Audrey was diagnosed in the womb with "conditions that made her incompatible with life."



Angie carried Audrey as long as she could, to 32 weeks, and then loved her a lifetime in just a few short hours.



She writes about how their prayers were answered, and Audrey was healed, just not on this earth.



And that even though she knows Audrey is with the Lord, that she has moments where she screams at God that she wants her daughter back.



Angie's faith is amazing, and reading this book made me want a closer relationship with Him. I don't want to pretend that, since I'm a Christian, I have all the answers, because the truth is that I will never understand why children die, or people get sick, or families end up on the street after working hard all their lives. I want to be able to pour out my pain and heartache and fury to Someone who can take it, and to find Him in the midst of all the craziness of life.



Even though I don't understand why things are the way they are most of the time, I do trust that God is good, and that He understands our pain better than anyone, and that somehow...some way...everything we have lost will be redeemed.



Angie also brought Scripture to life in a new way for me, and I want to share something with you that has changed the way I pray.



In a chapter called The One You Love (I named this post after it), she talks about the letter that Mary and Martha sent to Jesus that told Him their brother Lazarus was sick (you can read the story in John 11). The letter simply says, "Lord, the one you love is sick."



Angie points out that the Greek word translated Lord in this passage is kyrios and denotes sovereignty.



She also notes that they don't refer to Lazarus by name, and they don't ask Jesus to heal their brother.



They convey a need for help, but they don't ask Him to do anything specific.



Angie started to pray for her daughter in this way: Recognize who He is, tell Him the problem, and leave the rest to Him.



How hard this is to do when we are facing something where we want a specific outcome! We need to get the job, or we need the house to sell, or the diagnosis to be that we are healthy.



I cringe when I think of how easily I have tossed out Bible verses to friends that were suffering, hoping to make a painful event better by reminding them that all things work together for good, and then going on about my day and feeling like I had done my part.



From here on out, I will still be sharing verses, but I want my friends (and you, if you have shared a prayer request with me or listen to this station or read this blog, are my friend) to know that I rejoice with them, and I also grieve with them. And I don't want to try to rush anyone through what they are processing.



I want to invite you today to join me in presenting these requests to the Lord, and surrendering to Him. There aren't easy answers or quick fixes for any of these requests, so I ask you to simply stand with me before Him and wait and watch to see what He does. I have taken everyone's name out to protect their privacy, since most people ask me to share them but to take their name out. Thank you so much for praying, and for sharing your heart with me.



1. I was just listening to your show, and well, you said what can I pray for you... so here I'm, please pray for my son that find his way, he loves the Lord, he has epilepsy, doing better now, just going to church (which is good) but doing nothing else, it's like school does not make sense to him, afraid to look for a job, I wish he could see the immense possibilities that he has, even with his condition, I understand his lack of confidence but he need to improve his way of life, I know the medication is strong and make him tire, but he can try something little at the beginning and grow up one step at time. Thank you for your prayers.



2. I am 13 years old. My dad is battling a life threating disease hepititis c. In 2007 this disease almost took his life. Praise god in 2007 he got a liver transplant! But there is one issue. The disease has not gone away. He still struggles with the hepitiatis C and it has put alot of stress on our family. Because it is almost impossible for him to work my mom took on a second job. This is extremely stressful and alot of work for her. Please pray for our family especially my dad, who is struggling everyday.



3. Hi Lara...I am still looking to the Lord to meet our financial needs...it's scary but my hope and faith is resting on His promises...the light may be tiny at the end of my tunnel, but I am pressing forward with God's help.


FYI: just last Tuesday my daughter announced to us she is getting married...I know everything will work out fine..so many people are offering to help..almost everything is covered and free except for the reception stuff.....My father n law will marry them, her friend is buying the cake, my cousin will be the photographer-minimal fee, her friend is doing the video for free, a few of her friends want to give her cash to help out..praise God!! Flowers at cost and done by church friend, centerpieces made by my sis n law...whew...so much, huh??? Please keep us in prayer..

My Freedom Cost Others Their Very Lives

Have you seen this beautiful 4th of July prayer? It was written by a woman named Mary Fairchild.


Dear Lord,


There is no greater feeling of liberation than to experience this freedom from sin and death that you have provided for me through Jesus Christ. Today my heart and my soul are free to praise you. For this I am very thankful.


On this Independence Day I am reminded of all those who have sacrificed for my freedom, following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ. Let me not take my freedom, both physical and spiritual, for granted. May I always remember that my freedom was purchased with a very high price. My freedom cost others their very lives.


Lord, today, bless those who have served and continue to give their lives for my freedom. With favor and bounty meet their needs and watch over their families.


Help me to live my life in a way that glorifies you, Lord. Give me the strength to be a blessing in someone else's life today, and grant me the opportunity to lead others into the freedom that can be found in knowing Christ.


Amen

WOW!

She really captures what's in my heart, but says it so much better than I ever could.

Baby Dallas has this awesome CD called Dance Baby Dance! It's nursery rhymes set to dance beats (think Stevie B, circa 1989) and funky grooves. For example, Pop Goes The Weasel features an electric guitar and a piano solo. D starts to smile now as soon as he hears the first note, as he knows a dance party is coming. Mama knows that she will soon be losing her breath, as jumping around while holding an almost 20 pound baby is one of the best workouts there is.

Yankee Doodle is on this CD, and it always brings tears to my eyes when I hear it. It's a strange picture, as the beat is thumping, Baby D is giggling, and I am holding back tears while doing a cross between the chicken dance and the electric slide. Did I mention that I am an AMAZING dancer? :-) This has always been a song that makes feel so patriotic and just burst with pride for my country.

It also makes me realize that I MUST do a better job praying for our troops and their families.

Will you join me in this?

Pray for our troops that are maybe enjoying a last weekend with their families before they leave.

Pray for safety for our brave men and women that are fighting now.

Pray for our soldiers that are in a military hospital, maybe feeling utterly alone and totally forgotten.

Pray for those who are returning from overseas, and transitioning back into life at home.

Pray for those who are missing a mom or dad or a son or a daughter that they won't see for another year.

Pray for the families that will never again see their loved ones around the BBQ, sharing hot dogs and hugs.

I heard someone say recently that the toughest job in the military is done by the families that are left behind. If you know a military family, what could you do to bless them this weekend? Maybe bring a dish over, or mow the grass, or babysit for a young mom that is handling everything on her own.

Is there anything we could ever do, though, to properly thank a family that has made the ultimate sacrifice?

My son can grow up to be anything he wants to be and enjoy all of the wonderful freedoms we have in this country because someone gave their life for him.

My son can grow up to find freedom in Christ and eternal life because Someone gave Their life for him.

John 15:13 (New International Version)

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

We are Praying you have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend surrounded by family and friends!