Tiffany's Story

Update on my miraculous journey with God!

2009-11-15T16:39:00.001-08:00

Hi, to all of my prayer warriors! I want you to know that I am crying as I type this e-mail. So, forgive me if I babble or have a ton of misspelled words! This is just such amazing news and I am so excited to share it with you! I should have sent this last night, but it was my first night of real rest in over a week. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally!
So, this whole week of drama began the last week when I had a CT scan @ duke. It was a routine scan, and I was feeling great. Therefore, I didn't expect anything but good news to come. As many of you know, good news did not come. We received a phone call from the doctor that night telling us that the cancer in my brain was growing larger and we were going to have to look at different treatment options to see if we could control it.

For some reason, I withdrew into a shell this time. I have to admit that I was scared, and all I wanted to do was spend time with my family and God. My heart was weary, and I felt overwhelmed by this fight. Brian stayed home with me all day Wednesday and held me as I cried. I have to say that I wasn't a soldier for God that day. I felt defeated! Each day, I dealt with it a little better. I listened to healing scriptures and started back on the more strict form of my healing diet. By the end of the week I was becoming a little stronger, but still only wanted to be with family. So, thank you for all of your prayers and love because I felt it as I grew stronger and dealt with all this through the week.

So, my oncologist (our beloved Dr. Peppercorn) made an appt for me to meet with Dr. Kirkpatrick at Duke. Dr. Kirkpatrick is the only Dr. that offers the surgery that I needed for the growth in my brain. The biggest obstacle we were facing was the amount of cancer that was there. If there were over six spots, I would not be a candidate for the surgery. Tuesday morning we went for my MRI at 6:30 in the morning....yuck! While we were in the waiting room, we met a man battling brain mets from melanoma. He was a patient of Dr, Kirkpatrick's and only had wonderful things to tell us about him. He told us that Dr. Kirkpatrick was a very humanistic doctor and believed in doing everything he could to save a life. So that really encouraged me! I went back for my MRI, and I wish I could describe the peace that came over me during that test. When she asked me to lie down, I began to cry. I usually recite the Lord's prayer over and over while I am in those scans. This time was different. As I put my head down, I just cried and said, "God I trust you, but I love you even more than I trust you. Your will be done." Can you believe I actually went to sleep in that scan?

After we left the scan, I kept reminding myself of Psalm 112: 7..."he will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." I knew I had to come to a point where that verse represented my attitude as I walked into the doctors office. If I told you that I was completely "there", I would be lying to you. So, please be patient with my human side!!! We sat in that office for almost an hour before they came in...so you can imagine the tension!

Then God took over! Dr. Kirkpatrick has a resident working with him, and he came in to speak to us first. He explained that they had been looking over my scans. He did a physical on me and asked me a battery of questions. Are you experiencing headaches? Do you have blurry vision? Are you dizzy? Is your balance hindered? Every answer was no, no, no!!! He proceeded to say, well we are glad to hear that because we just cannot located the increase in size that the ct apparently suggests. He went on to explain that disease progression just wasn't something they felt like they were dealing with. He and Dr. Kirkpatrick just could not find any reason why I needed further treatment at this point. I looked at my mom and Brian and tears were just streaming down my mom's face. Brian looked puzzled and asked him to repeat what he just said. When he did, I wish you could have seen the joy that came over my husband's face as he began to cry. In that moment, I felt so loved by my mom and Brian. So, everything went great from that moment on. Dr. Kirkpatrick came in to talk to us, and he was truly as amazing as we heard he was. He was this precious man that just seemed full of joy as he shared his opinion with us. He told me that he had compared every scan I had from January to now and could only note a remarkable recovery. He explained that there are still three places in my brain (we thought we had gone down to one), but he doesn't know if the spots are residual scar tissue or if it is actually living cancer. He is having me come in December 8 for another MRI and if my cancer has grown....AT ALL....he is going to perform the surgery. He told me that I am definitely a candidate for the surgery....Praise God! He also told me that Duke has one of only ten of these machines in THE WORLD!!! I don't even want to see my bill after this! Here is the best news though. His nurse/direct assistant came in to talk to us about the surgery in case we need it next month. She explained to us that it will kill the cancer. She said the amazing thing is, now that I am under Dr. Kirkpatrick's care, he will keep a constant eye on my disease. This surgery can be done as many times as I need it because it does not harm any healthy brain tissue around the cancer. It only destroys the cancer. That is so much better than whole brain radiation! She actually told me that they consider it their job to keep my brain as healthy as they can, and they will do everything to make that happen.

I felt so encouraged about my overall prognosis when I left Duke yesterday! Honestly, I have been going to a chiropractor that has been working on my healing through my nervous system and spinal cord for several months now. He has told me over and over that God designed our bodies to heal on their own. We just have to give our body everything it needs to do that. So, far he has been right. I believe with all of my heart that yesterday's news came from God as answer to these prayers. I believe that I am going to be healed and I am going to raise my children. Sometimes God just has to reassure us when man confuses us! I honestly don't know how anyone could follow my story and not believe in God. God is alive and well! He is an active part of the world we are living in....it is our job to allow him to be an active part of our individual lives. If God were not part of this journey, I would not be here today sending this e-mail. We have all done this together through our belief in Him and our prayers. Let's continue to pray that I never need that surgery. I know that I serve a capable and willing God! I just have to learn how to really trust Him.
Thank you for standing in the gap for me this week. You will never know the purpose you are serving in all of this....but it is a mighty one!
I love you all

Day 5/Week 2 - Stepping Up

2009-07-10T05:13:00.001-07:00

Praise the Lord

Psalm 124
If the Lord had not been on our side - let Israel say -
If the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us.
Then the waters would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us.
the raging waters would have swept over us.
Praise the Lord,
who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird from the hunter's net; the net is torn, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

We left off yesterday considering what our lives would be like if God were not fighting the powers of darkness on our behalf.
Now, lets consider how God is saving us from ourselves. When we allow God to save us from a pit of sin, we also avoid the outcome of
bitterness, coldness and mean-spiritedness.
Has satan effectively tempted you to oppose your own best interest? If so, did you get fed up with being your own worst enemy and decide
to let God bring you some healing?
In our introductory session, we talked about three historical associations with the Psalms of Ascent. What are they?
1. They are associated with the 15 steps of the temple
2. They were the songs sung on the pilgrimage to the Three Great Feasts
3. They were the songs sung by the exiles returning to Jerusalem from captivity
Psalm 124 focuses on a specific kind of help from God. Many of the Psalms center around help from God, but 124 is distinct.
Verse 2 states, "If the Lord had not been on our side..."
This Psalm is speaking of God's help in battle against the spiritual realm. He doesn't just promise us we will be conquerors. He promises we will be more than conquerors.
What does Joshua 23:10 say?
"One of you routs a thousand because the Lord your God fights for you just as He promised."
Beth states, "Regardless of how long we've been Christians and how deeply we've studied God's Word, most of us do not really believe down in the marrow of our bones that God is entirely, wholeheartedly, and unwaveringly on our side."
We spend much of our lives never believing that God really is on our side. We tend to think that God just tolerates us...our actions, anxieties, fears and insecurities prove that.
Estimate the position you tend to picture God taking with you
1. God is against me
2. God tolerates me
3. God is for me
Think back over your history with God. Regardless of where you estimated your relationship with God, name a couple of things that helped shape that conclusion.
Despite how we feel much of the time, can the rest of us think of a few times when we'd have to admit that God seemed to be on our side? Describe one of those times.
We tend to have a test for when we think God is for us or the other guy. For example, we say, "well, if God doesn't give me the raise I need then He doesn't want me to have this."
Please write John 13: 7:
Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand".
Beth suggests when things don't always go our way to think of this verse. Then think of your relationship with your children. When you make decisions for them, very often they tell you that you are the meanest person they know. You know why you made the decision, and it will benefit your children in the future. They are just to immature and inexperienced to see it for themselves. She goes further to say that God knows when something glorious in our future necessitates something difficult in our present. He is willing to risk being misunderstood in order to bring joy to our lives.
Read Romans 8: 28 - 39. Let God tell you what He will do for you.
God is on our side.

Day 4/ Week 2 - Stepping Up

2009-07-09T09:24:00.001-07:00

I am trying to "catch up" to where our Bible study group is at this point in Stepping Up. So, please bear with me and just keep doing one day at a time. It is just easier for me if I can stay caught up. If you continue to do one day at a time, it will keep you for a little while during our Summer/Fall Bible study break!!!

If the Lord Had Not

Psalm 124: 1 - 8
If the Lord had not been on our side- let Israel say -
If the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us.
Then the waters would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us;
the raging waters would have swept over us.
Praise the Lord, who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird from the hunters net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Pay attention to the first verse. Can you sense the psalmist encouraging his people to sing with all of their hearts. Why is it that we have to be coaxed by our worship leaders to sing louder? Beth points out that we should praise with all of our hearts every opportunity we have. We should consider all of the times that God has been good to us and how often He has rescued us!
Psalm 124 has a two-fold meaning. It is a song of hazard and of help. Beth found this perspective for our study from Eugene Peterson. She wants to focus on the hazards today, and then we will focus on the help tomorrow!
Compare the metaphors in the following Scripture:
Psalm 124: 4 to Psalm 18: 16 - 17
Psalm 124: 6 to Psalm 57: 4
Psalm 124: 7 to Psalm 55: 6 - 8

The Psalmist describes the attacks of men to be like jaws that seek to swallow us, raging waters that seek to drown us and teeth that try to rip us to shreds.
When was the last time you felt like someone or something was going to eat you alive? Describe the situation without naming any names.
When was the last time you felt like a situation was honestly going to drown you?
Remember, we are not in battle with flesh and blood. We are in battle with the powers of darkness. Very often people can be our toughest challenges because it is more difficult to get over personal situations. Satan absolutely hates us, and he looks for any way he can tear us apart. He uses the people in our lives to hurt us and make us feel desperate.
Have you ever felt like another person despised you?
If so, describe some of your feelings when you realized it.
I am a person that loves people!!! I love being around people, and I take comfort in company. When I was little, we use to go to the beach a lot. We would stay in this home that was right on the beach that was somewhat of a boarding house. The owner had thirteen rooms, one central living room and one large dining room. Most of the rooms had their own bathroom, but some had to share a large bathroom in the center of the upstairs. The owners, my precious Willie and Margie Everhart, cooked homemade breakfast and dinner every single day and you came to meals by the sound of a dinner bell. Then, on Sundays, we had an amazing lunch that I could never describe to you in words. At any one time, there could be as many as seven or eight different families staying together. We all ate together, played games together and spent our time on the beach together. Over time, we all became a large family. If she didn't have room for us one week, we knew someone would be there that would let us bunk up with them. The owners charged 20.00 per night per person, including meals. Can you believe that? It is truly where I learned to experience life with people and learned to cherish relationships. I also started to expect everyone to be my friend. So, I didn't do very well in the "real world" when I came up against harsh people. If someone was not open to my friendship, it devastated me. At first I would allow it to just tear me apart, but then I learned to try to please the person to make them like me. I soon found out that you can be taken advantage of when you long for everyone to like you.
Now that I am older (and I feel a little wiser), I have learned that not all relationships in your life are healthy. Sometimes you become friends with people that just expect too much of you, and you can never meet their expectations. These relationships are dangerous to your self esteem when you begin to question what is "wrong" with you. Now, if you do not get along with someone, I definitely feel like you should question yourself and examine your attitude in the situation. If you are not behaving in a godly manner, it is your responsibility to "buck up" and try to make the relationship right. However, if you are constantly questioning yourself and feeling as though you just cannot make a friendship work no matter how hard you try, then you may need to reexamine the health of having that relationship in your life. If it causes you to spend more time doubting yourself than enjoying the friendship, then you need to consider how much time you spend with that person. I am not telling you to disrespect the person in any way. It is okay to agree that you make better friends from a distance than on a close, personal basis. You can honor one another and remain respectful!!!
Wow! I just chased a rabbit for about a mile!!! We need to get back on track!!!

When you feel attacked, how convinced are you that God is taking it personally and that you can trust Him to handle it as you seek and submit to Him?
Take a moment to think about this question. Consider all of the things that you may not realize God is saving you from and you don't even know could have happened. Satan is on a mission to destroy us at all times, and yet, we are sitting here doing a Bible study together. Do you think God is fighting him for you? Don't you think He is protecting you from way more than you could ever imagine?
Describe one time you were most aware of satan's harmful intent. As much as he may have stolen from you, think of something you believe in retrospect he wanted that he didn't get. This Psalm challenges you to consider some what if scenarios.
What might have been in your life if God had not rescued you and saved you? What would your life be like if Jesus Christ had not allowed Himself to be tortured and humiliated for your sin? Do you ever think about that?
What might have happened with your life "if the Lord had not been on your side"?
If you have chosen for God to be a part of your life, then you have given Him permission and invited Him into your life to intercede on your behalf. Isn't that reason to praise like the psalmist wants us to praise in the beginning of this Psalm? When you go to worship this weekend, consider all of these things and praise with all of your heart!!!
Love you all
Tiffany

Day 3/ Week 2 - Stepping Up

2009-07-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

Psalm 123:
I lift my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.
Like a servant's eyes on His master's hand, like a servant girl's eyes on her mistress's hand,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God until He show us favor.
Show us favor, Lord, show us favor, for we've had more than enough contempt
We've had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.

Day 3 - Much Contempt
As we zero in on the second half of the psalm, what specific reason did the psalmist give for requesting mercy?
They had endured much contempt
The Hebrew term translated "contempt" comes from a root that means "to disrespect". Everyone knows what it is like to be treated disrespectfully. Write a general definition of disrespect; then give two examples.
My definition is: To disregard the worthiness of another individual. I don't know if that is correct, but that is what I wrote.
My examples: My children - their disobedience - It portrays the attitude that I am not worthy of being their parent
My attitude towards service to God and allowing other things to have my focus/attention. God is truly worthy of my foremost attention and affection.

Disrespect devalues an individual. Think about how it makes you feel when you sense disrespect from individuals in your life. It is important to remember that disrespect does not mean the same thing as disagreement. You have to be careful to be able to disagree with someone but not disrespect them. Every person in our lives comes from different environments and different backgrounds. This, in turn, creates different perspectives!!! Three people can be in the same room, at the same time, witness the same situation and have three different perspectives. Consider that when you disagree with someone. We always need to remember that our opinions are ours. We cannot force them on anyone else. If someone disagrees with our opinions, it is important to respect that individual and listen to their side. Always keep in mind that you can show disrespect through the tone of your voice, the expressions on your face and your mannerism. As Christians, we should stand firm in our belief in Jesus Christ and all of the things He stands for; however, we are not to disrespect individuals when standing for what we believe. That is the fastest way to drive someone away!!!!
Ongoing disrespect can cause individuals to say, "We are up to here with it!" Do you ever feel that way?
That is basically what the psalmist is saying in the second portion of Psalm 123. He is saying, "I haven't just had enough...I have had more than enough"!
Disrespect and ridicule can become very oppressive. When individuals are oppressed by disrespect, it eventually wears on their self esteem.
Poor self esteem can lead to many problems, most of which are sinful. We actually discuss the sin that can come from poor self esteem in a future study. So, I don't want to dive into it today, but it is food for thought.
I have to be honest with you, this was a Bible study day that was kind of difficult for me. Disrespect is a pet peeve of mine, and I have made a conscious effort to treat others with respect so that my children will see me model that in life. However, I have to tell you that there are many days when I wonder if their eyes and ears are watching/listening. It is just the one thing I cannot tolerate from them, and it seems like the thing I am hit with the most. Brian and I deal with back talk and fit pitching more than we care to, and we feel like we are fighting a brick wall some days!!! We explain, we try to model, we discipline and we still deal with it. It's funny that when others have our children, they always compliment their behavior (unless my dear friends are lying to me!!!). So apparently, my children realize they need to respect the people they spend the least amount of time with!!! That makes sense doesn't it? While I want them to respect EVERYONE they come in contact with, I would also love a little when they are home. I am so proud of Landon in public (most of the time) because he often remembers to hold the door for people coming behind them and tends to show others a lot of consideration. Yet, I have had the door closed in my face numerous times. Who knows??? Maybe I am not a "person" to them...I am mom!!! Ridge is still kind of oblivious to the world around him. It's not that he is inconsiderate. I just don't think it has dawned on him yet. I just have to pray that one day I will see the fruits of my labor in the all that they do. Let's just pray that all of our children and grandchildren one day sense the Holy Spirit guiding them in their ways when dealing with others. I would definitely love to know that mine would choose to listen to the Holy Spirit over me anytime!!!
Okay...difficult subject for me...where is tomorrow's Bible study!!!
love you guys
tiff

Day 2/ Week 2 - Stepping Up

2009-07-08T05:56:00.000-07:00

Psalm 123:
I lift my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.
Like a servant's eyes on His master's hand, like a servant girl's eyes on her mistress's hand,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God until He shows us favor.
Show us favor, Lord, Show us favor
for we've had more than enough contempt
We've had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.

This is a Psalm of lament with the focus on God Himself. Are your attentions focused on God Himself? Who ultimately wins your focus when you have to stare at your circumstances face to face? That focus from your eyes begins a chain reaction that affects every part of your body: heart, soul and mind.
Have you discovered a strong relationship in the concept of the statement Where I look impacts How I feel? Be specific in your answer.
I have noticed that when I stay focused on God and all of the promises I find in His word, it is very difficult for me to become depressed about this cancer or any other
circumstance in my life. When my focus leaves God, I can feel myself becoming depressed, and I have to put my eyes back on God!!!
Read Acts 3: 1 - 7 and describe where the encounter between Peter, John and the beggar took place.
Inside the walls, but outside the Gate Beautiful
Now, look carefully at Acts 3: 4. What did Peter say to the beggar? He said, "Look at us!"
Complete Acts 3: 5
"So the man gave them his attention expecting to get something from them."
At first the man was looking at them with half of his attention and half of his heart. He had done this day in and day out. Until Peter demanded his full attention, he was just going along with his daily business of feeling invisible. Once he looked at them, he also listened to them. This changed his expectation of them because it affected his entire being. With this example, Beth wants us to realize that Where we look and What we hear impacts What we feel and What we expect.
If you stay focused on your circumstances, you cannot focus on the promises of God. You listen to yourself focus on your circumstances; therefore, you do not feel the expectations of His promises. If you stay focused on the promises of God rather than your circumstances and you listen to the promises of God, then you begin to hope for and expect the promises of God to be fulfilled in your life.
In Psalm 123: 1, God is described as the One Enthroned in Heaven. This is the chief reason we are to fix our eyes on Him and stay focused.
Psalm 22: 3 - 4 tells us that God is enthroned as the Holy One
Psalm 29: 10 tells us that the Lord is enthroned as King forever
Psalm 99: 1 tells us that He sits enthroned between the cherubim
Psalm 113: 4 - 6 says the Lord our God is enthroned on High
We will all bow down to the enthroned One some day and worship Him forever.
List your foremost concerns that trouble you in this moment. Now, complete the following sentence.
Lord, You are the Holy One and You are alertly and lovingly enthroned over (now, write your concerns in this space)
Doesn't that put them in perspective?
Eugene Peterson states:
"We are not presented with a functional god who will help us out of jams or an entertainment god who will lighten our tedious hours. We are presented
with the God of exodus and Easter, the God of Sinai and Calvary. If we want to understand God, we must do it on His terms. If we want to see God the
way He really is, we must look to the place of authority - to Scripture and to Jesus Christ.
And do we really want it any other way? I don't think so. We would very soon become contemptuous of a god whom we could figure out like a puzzle or learn
to use like a tool. No, if God is worth our attention at all, He must be a God we can look up to - a God we must look up to....The moment we look up to God
(and not over Him, or down on Him) we are in the posture of servitude."
God deserves our full attention and our entire focus. The joy is that when we give it to Him, we are the ones that receive the rewards!!! No, I do not want to serve
a God that I can figure out. I would much rather live my life in the security of knowing He has already figured it all out for us!!!!
Have a wonderful and blessed day
Tiff

Day 1/ Week 2 - Stepping Up

2009-07-07T11:00:00.001-07:00

Hi, everyone! I hope you did not feel too overwhelmed when I sent seven days at one time!!! Carol is out of town for a month and is unable to send e-mails. So, they accumulated on me. Anyway, I was hoping they would last you throughout the week of the fourth until we could all get settled back into our routines....not that anything about summer is "routine". I don't know about you, but the chaos of summer can often be a little exhausting!!!
I ask you to pray for me today because I am struggling with a "parenting day". I am just having one of those days when I feel like the worst mother ever entrusted to raise children!!! After a lot of praying and soul searching, Brian and I had to come to the realization that Gaston Christian was becoming out of our reach financially and we needed to look at other options....talk about a breaking heart! We have loved Gaston Christian since the day we first set foot on the campus. With the reality of lifelong medical bills for me looming over us, there is only so much one man can do for his family. I have watched my husband work himself to death over the past nine years to give us a wonderful life that allowed me to stay home with our children. Then, it moved into me staying home with one in private school. I planned to go back to work when Ridge entered private school to help cover the cost. Yet, life planned otherwise and here we are. Watching Brian doing everything he could to make ends meet while staying paid up on medical bills and footing the bill for private school was just too much for me to bear. So, I asked him to pray about taking them out and making some changes in our lives. I have never felt that the education in public school was not up to par. As a matter of fact, I often found myself worrying about the opposite (which isn't true either). I just wanted our kids to be in a Christ centered environment when I couldn't be with them!!! Wow! The transition just seems to be hanging over me way more than I expected. The decision is made though, and it is time to move forward!!! God is good all of the time, and He will be good in this situation. My heart just aches for my boys and all of the adjustments they have had to make in their lives because of me. As a mom, I always expected it to be the other way around. I am watching two amazing little boys deal with their mom living with a chronic, life-threatening disease and now having to adjust to a new environment. Please, please, please keep them in your prayers!!! I know we will all be okay....it is just this transition period that is so tough!!!

Enough about me!!! Let's get on with our Bible study so we can be reminded of WHO is in control!!!
Believe it or not, today's lesson goes along with my dilemma of the moment!!! It is entitled, Our Own House, Our Own City. I loved it!!! We are still in Psalm 122, and the lesson draws parallels between this Psalm and our daily lives. Please read Psalm 122 over again, and imagine yourself of the trek to your church as the pilgrims are on a trek to Jerusalem.
Read Philipians 1: 3-8. What were Paul's feelings towards the believers in Philippi? He longed to be with them because he loved them and felt joy for them. This is exactly the way we should feel about the people we worship with. No fellowship of believers is perfect, but list a few things that you love about your church. Name some people that you look forward to seeing each time you go and explain why you look forward to seeing them. Describe a few relationships you have at church that you wouldn't have anywhere else.
While few people are enthusiastically anxious to roll out of bed every Sunday after an exhausting week, do you ordinarily look forward to going to church? Circle on of the following answers. Almost never, sometimes, usually, almost always
Church should be as important as any other place you spend your time. Note in this Psalm how the psalmist began with a focus on the temple or "house of the Lord". The bottom line is: Are you glad when someone says to you, "Let's go to the house of the Lord"?
Once you have taken care of your place of worship and your home, it is important to focus on what you can do for the community around you. As Christians, we should want to live out loud for our God.
Read Jeremiah 29: 4 - 7. What was God's essential point to the exiles in Babylon?
He wanted them to prosper in their new land even though it wasn't there home. He wanted them to be careful and not fall prey to the way they worshipped because He would be back for them.
We are in somewhat of an exile waiting here on earth until God returns for us. God wants us to prosper and show those around us what God is capable of in our lives.
How is God using your town or city to equip you to be a humble servant?
How is God using you in your town or city to speak to others?
I am reminded that this may be an opportunity to move outside of our "protected" gates and teach our children how to live for God in the real world. Gaston Christian has been such a blessing to us, and I am confident seeds have been planted in my children that are starting to take root in their lives. I will never know what lives they will touch because of the few years of preparation they had in a Christian school. My prayer is that they become godly boys that others who share the same beliefs will feel blessed to be around. Then, they can be examples to the children who do not necessarily share those beliefs. It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children the ways of the Lord. We must take care of focusing on the temple first. Now, I have to believe all that we have taught them in our home, in our churches and in their school will be a way for them to serve their town or city!
Isn't it amazing how God works...I began this e-mail with tears of sadness streaming down my face and now they are tears of hope!!!
love you all!!
Tiffany

Day 1 of Week 2

2009-06-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

June 27, 2009
Stepping Up – The Psalms of Ascent
Day 1 of Week 2

Our Own House, Our Own City

As we ended last week’s study, we focused on the literal meaning of the city of Jerusalem in Psalm 122. It is important to take note of the personal meaning of Scripture as well. Psalm 122 speaks to us as we take joy in where our feet are planted. For many of us, a trip to Israel is just not an option right now. So, does that mean that we cannot find the same joy the psalmist found as his feet were planted within the city’s gates? No, it does not.
As a matter of fact, Beth points out the fact that many exiles were taken to Babylon and died there. They never knew the joy of literally standing within the gates of the city of Jerusalem again. In Jeremiah 29, we find instructions that God gave the exiles while they were in Babylon. We, too, are much like those exiles. We are bound here on earth, while our hearts long to be in heaven. Use these Scriptures to encourage you as you make your journey through earth.
Jeremiah 29: 4 – 7
“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because it prospers, you too will prosper.”
You may feel like you are stuck in Babylon at times, but there is a reason God has planted you where you are. He longs to prosper you, and when He does, it is our responsibility to be a witness to everyone watching us.
That is why it is so important to take these Scripture to heart. We are to be all that we can be within the gates of our own cities. We are to seek peace and prosperity.
How is God using your town or city to equip you to be a humble servant?
How is God using you in your own town or city?
It is so important that believers are part of a church where they can be encouraged to be all they can be to their community. It is as important, if not more so, for you to be in a great church where you feel you can serve as it is for you to be in a good neighborhood or work place.
In Psalm 122, you will notice that the psalmists’ first focus is on the temple then it moves out into the city. We are to take this as an example in our own lives. We are to first focus on the temple, our home churches and even our physical homes. When we find the peace of God within our temple, we are to share that joy with our “city”.
Accepting that no fellowship is perfect, what are a few things you really love about yours?
Name some people that you look forward to seeing each time you go to worship. Write down what you love about those people.

Describe a few relationships that you have at church that you wouldn’t have anywhere else.
I want to share my answer to this question. I am very funny about male companionship/friendship because I never want to disrespect my husband in any way or leave question to whether a relationship is what it should be. I love my husband and long to be faithful to him in all that I do. When I am around males, I almost always have my husband with me. Since I have been diagnosed, the Lord has brought several men to e witness to and encourage me. Each of these men has been so gracious in affording me the distance and trust that is appropriate when you are married and faithful to your commitment in Christ. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could never have allowed myself to take comfort in the encouragement they have to offer me through their e-mails, cards and phone calls if they were not men of the church and very respectful. They have never made me feel uncomfortable or allowed any interaction that was not in an appropriate place or time. I know their intentions towards me is to be what God wants them to be in my life. If they were not men of the church, I know I would not have allowed those relationships to even form. I think more men need to be respectful of never visiting a wife/mother while she is alone in her home or calling her with information that cannot be fully disclosed to her spouse.

Are you happy when someone says to you, “let us go into the house of the Lord?”
If not, you should prayerfully consider moving to another ministry within the church or moving to another church if that is not an option. It is so very important that you stay alive and willing to serve in Christ.

Read through this Psalm and write a prayer to God to show your connection to Psalm 122!

Day 5 of Week 1

2009-06-29T07:21:00.002-07:00

June 27, 2009
Stepping Up – The Psalms of Ascent
Day 5 of Week 1

The Peace of Jerusalem

Psalm 122
“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’
Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem –
Jerusalem, built as a city (should be), solidly joined together,
Where the tribes, the tribes of the Lord, go up to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
(This is an ordinance of Israel)
There, thrones for judgment are placed, thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you prosper;
May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your fortresses.’
Because of my brothers and friends, I will say, ‘Peace be with you.’
Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

Please take time to read this Psalm aloud
Did you catch the progression of the pilgrimage? Where is the psalmist when these words fall from his lips?
In the first Psalm, the pilgrim is discouraged in an alien land.
In the second, he wonders where his help comes from and is reminded of how God protects.
Now, in this 3rd Psalm of Ascent, his feet are standing on his destination. He cries out to the Lord with joy.
Psalm 122 is about the city of Jerusalem itself. Jerusalem can be broken down to mean the city of peace. “jeru”/”yeru” means “city” and “salem” means “peace”.
How does the psalmist describe Jerusalem?
Beth says that the city of Jerusalem gives its visitors a sense of “home”, even if they are aliens there. She says that the more you go to Jerusalem, the more you want to go. It is a city that is “closely compacted together”.
The New Living Translation says that Jerusalem is “knit together as a single unit”.
Ironically, today, peace is a rarity in the “city of peace”. Jews, Muslims and Christians are closely compacted in a small area. The ancient words of the psalmist are haunting to us as he beckons us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem!”
We have actually been doing the study, “What in the world is going on?” by David Jeremiah on Sunday evenings. That is one of the important focuses of this study…to pray for Jerusalem.

What is the ultimate reason peace eludes the holy city according to Luke 19: 41 – 44?
“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘if you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

What is Christ called in Ephesians 2: 14?
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.”

Write a prayer today for the peace of Jerusalem.
Remember, Psalm 122: 6
“May those who love you (Jerusalem) prosper.”

We will jump into Psalm 122 in our next week of study. For now, it is just important to understand the concept of the Psalm.

Day 4 of Week 1

2009-06-29T07:21:00.001-07:00

June 27, 2009
Stepping Up – The Psalms of Ascent
Day 4 of Week 1

The Lord is Your Shelter

We will be focusing on Psalm 121, again, for today’s study. Please take a moment to read the Psalm aloud once more to refresh your mind.
Where does our help come from?
The Maker of heaven and earth
Now let’s think of help in terms of human help. We need to support one another as we are on this journey through earth. When the Jews would make their pilgrimage for the feasts, other Jews would travel with them. They knew they needed the help of their fellow believers to make the difficult journey. They ate together, bunked together and 1
What do the following Scriptures say about ways people can be of authentic help to one another?
Ecclesiastes 4: 9 – 10
“Two are better than one because they have good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”
2 Corinthians 1: 10 – 11
These verses refer to helping our fellow believers through prayer

Write down a few names of people who are a tremendous help to you in your journey.
Be sure to write them down so you focus on their importance. Maybe you should send them a card or note, reminding them of how important they are to you.

Now, name specific ways that God can help you that other people simply cannot.
Often things happen to us that cannot be helped by humans. Think of the Jews as they would journey. If an army rose up against them or the weather became too much to bear, their human companions were very limited in what they could do to help. Isn’t it nice to know that God is not limited AT ALL. He is capable of things that our fellow humans could never do.
Jude 1: 24 says:
“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy…”

Our God will not slumber during our journey!!!
What did Elijah suggest Baal, the pagan god of the enemies of Israel, might have been doing rather than coming to their rescue?
Now all of you that did the Elijah study with me should know this one!!!
1 Kings 18: 27 –
“At noon Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened!’ “

Doesn’t it give you cold chills to think of worshiping a God that could be too busy to care for you? Ancient pagan people commonly held the notion that gods slept during the winter months. We are assured in Psalm 121 that our God does not slumber or sleep.

Psalm 121: 5 says, “the Lord is a shelter right by your side”. How does Psalm 91: 4 depict the closeness of God’s shelter?
“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

I love imagining myself snuggled up against the warm body of God with the feathers of His wings covering me in protection! Think about it for a moment! Wouldn’t you love to kiss all the cares of this world good-bye for just one minute for this kind of peace? It will be ours one day!!!
Now, imagine the biggest battle of your life! Imagine the size of God’s faithfulness to us! Imagine Him racing you through this battle with His faithfulness acting as your shield. Arrows are flying all around you. Bombs are exploding at the edge of your feet. You don’t know how you are going to survive, but you look up to see your God holding you behind His shield as He allows the arrows of this war to penetrate His flesh. That is what Christ did for us on the cross!!! That is what our God watched as His son took every battle for us!!! Take heart in these Scripture! Know that the battle was fought for you a long time ago. Any battle this world has to offer us is small in comparison to what He took for us!!!

With this in mind, write a prayer to God using Psalm 121 as your guide!
You will feel so amazing once you have done it! Read it to yourself over and over again as you need to be reminded of what God is capable of!!!

Day 3 of Week 1

2009-06-29T07:20:00.002-07:00

June 27, 2009
Stepping Up – The Psalms of Ascent
Day 3 of Week 1

The Lord is Your Keeper

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep
The Lord watches over You – the Lord is your shade at your right hand
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life;
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Please read this Psalm aloud.
Now look over the verses and write each reference that suggests a literal journey.
Some scholars believe that the first two Psalms of Ascent depict the pilgrimage of the dispersed Jews back to Jerusalem, either from their conclusion of captivity or the pilgrimage they would make for the feasts. Psalms 120 represents their misery of still being in a remote location, longing to be near the house of God. Psalm 121 immediately follows with the traveler on his journey home, believing in the protection of God. It is also believed they used these Psalms to sing on their journey home.
In verse 2, what did the pilgrims call the Lord?
The Maker of heaven and earth
What connection do you see between making an uncertain journey and needing to be reminded that our Lord is the Maker of heaven and earth?
Go through these verses and circle all of the references to protection from God.
Do you have any current need to have those truths hammered into your head, whether concerning your own life or another of God’s children?
What is God saying to you through this Psalm today?
What two purposes did God give man in the garden of Eden, according to Genesis 2: 15?
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

God made Adam the caretaker of the garden, but God was the caretaker of Adam. As carefully as Adam cared for the ground, God cares for the man he created with His own hands. He cares for us and watches over us. At no time does God abdicate your guardianship to an angel alone, regardless how mighty.
We are pilgrims on a journey with God. When we are afraid, we can use these verses to remind us that God is our protector.

Day 2 of Week 1

2009-06-29T07:20:00.001-07:00

June 27, 2009
Stepping Up – The Psalms of Ascent
Day 2 of Week 1

Woe to Me

During this study, we will use a study method suggested by Beth that uses three approaches to each Psalm.
1. Say It – Read the Psalm aloud to become aware of the rhythm and flow of the song
2. Work It –
a. Circle every reference to God or title given to God
b. Underline any word or phrase that stands out to you or speaks to you
c. Write in the margins when a psalm reminds you of an experience in your life
d. Compare writing styles in different translations
e. Share your own ideas with your small group
f. Do whatever it takes to increase your learning and comprehension

3. Pray It – You will write a rendition of each Psalm as a personal prayer to God

Let’s put this technique to practice.
Read all of Psalm 120 aloud:
“In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me:
‘The Lord delivers me from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.’
What will He give you, and what will He do to you, you deceitful tongue?
A warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning charcoal!
What misery that I have stayed in Meshech, that I have lived among the tents of Kedar!
I have lived too long with those who hate peace.
I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 120 includes,
“Misery to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!”

The Psalmist began this Psalm with a “woe is me” attitude. The Psalmist is a long way away from home. He felt like an alien. Think of a situation in your life where you feel like an alien, you feel as though no one around you believes in or stands for the things you do.
You may have to deal with authentically difficult people on a regular basis. Do you tend to return difficult for difficult?
What does Psalm 142: 1 – 2 give you permission to do?
“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.”

Read through this Psalm over and over. Circle the references to God. Write in the margins how you have experienced these feelings in your own life.

Now, take some time to write your own personal version of Psalm 120. Use it as your prayer to God.
I will not make this an everyday practice, but I just want you to see how I did mine. I don’t know if it is right or wrong, but it’s the way this Psalm made me feel. These are very personal, and I do not think they are meant to be shared. So, please excuse this one time.
My God, I cry out to you!
I am saddened, Father, I reach for you!
This cancer is so deceptive.
It is of the earth, not of You!
You are pure, cancer is not!
It wants to fill my body with toxins
You can cleanse me
I believe in You and I count on You daily!
Praise You, Father
I will praise You as I dance through this storm!

Day one – week one

2009-06-29T07:18:00.001-07:00

June 27, 2009

Stepping Up – The Psalms of Ascent
Day one – week one

Worship on the Way

The three goals for this Bible study:
1. To dramatically change our outlook on daily life
2. To be raised to a higher plain of worship and service by God
3. To move to the next step in our personal journey with God, even if we have to press through the thickest forest to get to it.

Beth would like for us to get into the habit of putting our faces to the floor on a daily basis in worship to our Lord. The idea of this is to demonstrate reverence and a surrendered attitude. It has a tremendous advantage to setting the tone for the day. The reason for this is because “the way up is down” in God’s economy.
Humility is the natural posture of anyone who grasps the greatness of God, according to Beth. This is a prayer example that Beth gives us:
“Lord, I thank You again this morning that You are still God upon the throne of all creation. You are holy. Mighty beyond comprehension. So worthy of my praise and the out pouring of my life’s energies. Today I gladly give myself to You. I am convinced that You are always for me. Obedience to You will always mean Your very best for me. I’m so grateful that I can come boldly and without shame before Your throne because I pray all these things in Jesus’ name.”

This prayer will probably take no more than a minute. It is not about the time, it is about your heart.
1 Peter 5: 6
“Humble yourselves; therefore, under God’s mighty hand so that He may lift you up in due time.”
In order to grow up in Christ, we must learn to get down in reverence to God. Sometimes it takes miles of a journey to know why we are on a certain road with God.
Take a moment to determine how you could benefit from a study like this.
About how long has your journey with God been thus far in your life?
How did it begin?
Based on all you have experienced with God, what excites you most about the next adventure you are going to have with Him?
What scares you the most about your next adventure with Him?

The Psalms of Ascent are made up of Psalms 120 – 134. That will be the basis of this study. However, here are some facts about the Psalms as a whole.
1. There are 150 Psalms
2. 73 of the Psalms were written by David
3. 12 are attributed to Asaph, a Levite musician David appointed to lead worship with singers under Asaph’s tutelage.
4. 10 are attributed to the sons of Korah who were also temple singers. The psalms designated by the names of Asaph or the sons of Korah could also refer to a hymnbook from which they commonly sang.
5. 2 are believed to be written by Solomon
6. 1 was written by Moses
7. 1 was written by another singer named Heman
8. 1 was written by a singer named Ethan
9. The remainder are anonymous. Many of the undesignated songs probably fell from the pen of David. The entire book of 150 Psalms is associated with him for good reason. Surely he more than any other person in Scripture is used of God to teach us how to materialize our worship.

The Psalms were divided into five books which are believed to correspond to the five books of Moses:
Book One: Psalms 1 – 41 (Genesis)
Book Two: Psalms 42 – 72 (Exodus)
Book Three: Psalms 73 – 89 (Leviticus)
Book Four: Psalms 90 – 106 (Numbers)
Book Five: Psalms 107 – 150 (Deuteronomy)

What do all of the Psalms have in common? Praise

The Psalms are a showing of true emotion where the Psalmist is able to be honest with God about his feelings. Therefore, we can say that honesty with God is consistent with worship.

The Psalms of Ascent

2009-06-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

June 27, 2009
Stepping Up by Beth Moore
The Psalms of Ascent
Session One

Why should we study the Psalms?

1. Song originated with God and accompanied creation
Job 38: 4 – 7 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone- while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.”

2. Emotions and experiences can be expressed through songs in ways spoken words can never satisfy. A song can help us voice something that we dare not say otherwise. Think of how difficult it must have been for all the disciples after sharing the Lord’s Supper. They knew their Lord would be sacrificed. In Matthew 26: 30, it says they sang Psalms then went to the Mt. of Olives. It was tradition to sing the Psalms
together once the Passover Meal was completed. They knew, however, that this
would be no ordinary Passover Meal.

3. A song greatly enhances the ability of the human mind to memorize. Memorizing Scripture was an important part of Jewish heritage. At a very young age, young Jewish children would have memorized Scripture to a tune to make them easier to memorize. How many of us can still remember a song we sang in elementary school, but we cannot remember where we put our keys?

4. We can think a song is beautiful and memorize its words yet remain completely unaffected by what it says. Consider the relevance of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 14: 15 in our present context: “I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”
When you sing praises to God, if you do not mean what you are singing, it is not worship. Ezekiel 33: 31 – 32
“My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice."

5. A song can change our entire perspective.
Acts 16: 24 – 26
“Upon receiving such orders, the guard put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet to their stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake, that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once, all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.”

Can you imagine? We don’t have to literally be behind prison walls for this to speak to you. Everyone has some type of prison that we need to praise God through. He will break the chains of that prison if we just learn to praise Him in the bad times!!!
A song can also greatly affect the heart of God.

6. Revelation 5: 13
“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
‘To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!’ “
Robert Mounce describes this scene as “the adoration of the entire created world.” In ways beyond our comprehension, the gift of song is not limited to humans and angels.
Isaiah 55: 12
“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.”

Elijah - Chapter 10

2009-06-12T04:41:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It is 6:30 in the morning, and I couldn't sleep any longer knowing we needed to finish this study before I go to the beach! I am the BIGGEST procrastinator you will ever meet. I don't do anything unless it is last minute!!! My sister has been packed for weeks and she even has all of her meals planned out for the week! I call her a big nerd to her face, but I really wish I were more like her!!! I am the one cleaning the house and packing three hours before we walk out the door! I try to never let anyone down, but things are always in the last minute!!! I hate the example I am being to my kids. My husband is also very organized, and I am praying he is the one that rubs off on them!!!
Anyway, enough about me! I don't want to ever make this about me. I just felt like if I didn't start my day off with God, things will probably go down hill all day. So, let's finish up our study on Elijah!!!

The author, Chuck Swindoll, begins his commentary on this Scripture with the recollection of his relationship with his grandfather. He was very close to his grandfather, and they spent a lot of time in conversation. One day, they began talking about death, and his grandfather told him that he wanted "the full load". He wanted to experience death so that he could experience resurrection. He did not want to think about his grandfather dying, but it helped him face his fears to know that resurrection would soon follow! When his grandfather died, he praised God by shouting back his grandfather 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 - 18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another in these words!

God's plan for Elijah was completely different!!! God used Elijah in so many amazing ways! Elijah was heroic, humble and obedient beyond belief. Now God would bless him with the very ability to dodge death!!! He is one of only two men in the Bible that escaped the jaws of death. Enoch (Genesis 5: 21 - 24) was the first, and Elijah was the second. He was immediately ushered into the presence of God!!! Those who are alive when Christ comes will also bypass death! Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15: 51 - 54 :

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when the perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory!!!

Elijah must have been aware that he would be taken up in a whirlwind. He gives us a wonderful example of how we should live in anticipation of Christ's return. Please note that "the sons of the prophets" also knew of Elijah upcoming departure because they made it known to Elisha. God also revealed where Elijah would be taken up because we see Elijah moving swiftly in Scripture towards the Jordan. Yet, we wonder why Elijah didn't go directly to the Jordan, rather than traveling to Gilgal, Bethel and Jericho first. Remember, I sent the meaning these cities represent to you in last nights Scripture. These cities were also the locations of "seminaries" during this time. Samuel founded these places so that young men could learn how to live the disciplined life of a prophet. Many Historians believe that Elijah made the journey through these cities in order to meet one last time with "the sons of the prophets". Swindoll also believes that Elijah made this journey as a time of reflection over his life and interactions with God. He believes this is why Elisha tells "the sons of the prophets" to "be still or be quiet". He thinks Elisha was trying to protect Elijah from being bombarded with questions that would surely arise from these young prophets.
See, that tells you how much I know. I have always felt like Elisha was telling them to be quiet because he did not want to be reminded of the fact that his mentor would be leaving him soon. It just takes a little commentary to remind me that I still have so much to learn.
Over and over again, we see Elijah try to make the separation from Elisha that was necessary for his departure. Over and over, Elisha refused. Elisha was relentless. He was not going to leave his master....no matter what! Elijah could have been testing his commitment. I do not believe he was trying to get rid of Elisha. That can be one of our questions when we get to heaven!!! Either way, Elisha committed himself to standing by Elijah until he no longer could! If you have an Elisha in your life, take time to thank them for their commitment to you because these friends are a rare breed.
Now let's focus on Elisha request to Elijah to receive a double dose of Elijah's spirit! Wow! What a request, but we are reminded here to always seek bigger things in God. As long as our focus is on God and not our own glory, God wants us to strive for bigger things!!!
Then, it happens!
2 Kings 2: 11
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind!!!

Wow, again!!! These two intimate friends were just walking together and probably trying to breathe in every ounce of their last moments together. Just like that, Elijah is brought up to heaven in a most powerful way!!! Elisha cried out to his companion and to our God. He saw him no more. Elisha immediately picked up is mantle of power and moved on to do God's work.
I love 2 Kings 2: 15
The company of prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

Can you imagine how this must have felt for Elisha. He was ready to take on the work of God because he knew that when a man of God dies nothing of God dies (which I am referring to Elijah being gone...not physically dying).

Thank you all so much for bearing with me through this study!!! Please overlook any typos this morning...it is early!!!
I love you all, and I am starting a new study the Tuesday after I get back from the beach. It is "Stepping Up" by Beth Moore! I can't wait to share it with you!!!!
Tiff

Elijah - Chapter 10 Scripture

2009-06-12T04:07:00.001-07:00

Chapter 10 will be based on the following Scripture!

2 Kings 2: 1 - 14

And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
And Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So, they went down to Bethel.
Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; be still."
And Elijah said to him, "Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So, they came to Jericho.
And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be still."
Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." And he said, "As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.
Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them as a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. Now it came about when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you."
And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." And he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."
Then it came about as they were going along and talking, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. And Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more.
Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters and said, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
As you read these Scriptures, consider the meaning of each place mentioned:
1. Gilgal - It was a place of beginning. If you can recall, this is where the the children of Israel began their camp before invading enemy territory. They stood on the verge of battle. They were near the place of battle, but still in their safety net.
2. Bethel - It was the place of prayer - "Beth-el" means "House of God". It is where Abraham built an altar to meet with the Lord.
3. Jericho - It was the place of battle - Jericho represents the place where the children of Israel drove into the opposition. In Elijah's mind, it represented the battle at Mount Carmel and the numerous other battles he had with Ahab and Jezebel.
4. Jordan - It was the place of death - The Jordan didn't just represent physical death in this Scripture. It also represents how Elijah gave up his own life to live according to God's will.

Tomorrow we will discuss the other applications of this Scripture!!!
Have an Amazing Day!!!
Tiffany

Elijah 6/11/09

2009-06-12T04:06:00.001-07:00

I owe all of you an apology that I have not gotten this to you sooner! I am so sorry! It has been a crazy couple of days!!! Some of the craziness from today is amazing news though! We celebrated the birth of a new baby boy this morning @ 7:30 am!!! My cousin, Denise, (that is more like my sister) gave birth to this beautiful baby!!! His name is Camden Zane Norman, and he will go by "Zane". Please pray for Zane because they did a scan on him this morning because of a spot they located on his liver during ultrasound. The doctor feel that it is not necessarily an emergency right now. However, they are sending him to a specialist to help determine what the spot is. The expected it to go away before he was born, but it has not. The entire family has a peace that he is okay, but prayers always increase that peace!!!

We were also invited to go down to the beach a day early. So, we have to get moving if we are going to finish this book. Let's finish up chapter nine, and I am going to go ahead and send you the Scripture for chapter ten. Then, I am going to do my very best to finish up that chapter tomorrow before I go!!! If we don't get it finished....please forgive me!!! I am going to try!!!

Chapter 9 discussion:
Elijah lived most of his life right in the very center of a bulls eye. He became a household name throughout the land once he prophesied the drought and it occurred. His heroic showdown on Mt. Carmel only made things more tense for Elijah, and God delivered Elijah from many traps that were laid for him. In the last chapter, Ahab and Jezebel went too far, and God predicted Ahab's death. This did not mean, however, that everything was now okay. The next ruler, Ahaziah (probably Ahab's oldest son), was just like his father. All we know about him is that he had an accident from which he never recovered.
2 Kings 1:2
And Ahaziah fell through some lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria and became ill.
We have no more details of his accident. We just know that it was serious and it led to an interesting series of events. Here we are introduced to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron. Ekron was on of the five major Philistine cities, and this god was housed there. The meaning of the name in Hebrew is "god of the fly". We really do not know why he was called this. All we know is the god's location. We know the greek form of this word is "Beelzebul", and in Matthew 12: 22- 24 we are told that Beelzebul is the ruler of the demons. This could be a direct reference to Satan or it could be a reference to a prince of the demonic world. Either way, we know this is a pagan deity, and Baal-zebub was directly related to the satanic world of the demons.
Ahaziah didn't care who this god was related to. He just wanted to know his future and if he would recover.
God had to intervene, and he quickly sent Elijah to keep Ahaziah's men from making the journey to the god of Ekron. He immediately responded to Ahaziah through Elijah, his servant. He told Elijah to let Ahaziah know that the very act of consulting this false god would lead to his death. Ahaziah had to have known Elijah at this point in his life. He had to know what Elijah stood for. Yet, he sent his army to intimidate the prophet. Do you think Elijah was intimidated? NOOOOOO! God honored his refusal to be intimidated by casting fire down from heaven and destroying the first two messengers.
The third captain of the army took a different approach to Elijah. He fell before his knees and begged for mercy on his life. He acknowledged Elijah as a man of God. God must have been moved by this because he told Elijah to go to Ahaziah with the captain to tell him of his future.
Here we go again!!! How courageous can one person be? Elijah immediately followed the Lord's command and went to Ahaziah. He has faced these kings, fearlessly, with the word of God and God was faithful to fulfill the word each time.
Ahaziah had to die because of his mistrust in the one and only God and his failure to acknowledge His ways.
We must learn from this that God is not pleased with occult involvement. I know many of us think, "what's the harm in reading my horoscope for fun?" But you are treading on enemy territory, and that is not tolerated by God. God's word is very clear:
Leviticus 19:31
Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 20: 6
I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.
These things may seem harmless to you at first, but they open doors that should never be opened. It is so easy to become trapped by the dealings of demonic forces.
Rather than focusing on the things of this world, let's remember that God is delighted when we trust Him only. When we trust in only God, He will strengthen us. We must believe in this strength, or we can fall prey to the lure of demonic thinking.

Elijah - Chapter 9

2009-06-09T06:03:00.001-07:00

Good Morning! We begin Chapter 9 today!!! I can't believe we only have one chapter left in this book!!! We are leaving for the beach on Saturday, and I want to finish before we leave!!! I have no internet access down there, Ugh!!! I may be able to send a few studies if we go get ice cream or something, but I am not counting on it. Sunset Beach has a hard time with internet. We'll see what happens!!!

As I said, we are beginning Chapter 9. There is a lot of Scripture again with this chapter. So, we will just do as we have done with the last two. We'll begin with the Scripture so we can think on it and discuss it tomorrow!!!

2 Kings 1: 1 - 18

After Ahab's death, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, "Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury." But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, the Tishbite, "Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?' Therefore this is what the Lord says: 'You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!' " So Elijah went. When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, "Why have you come back?"
"A man came to meet us," they replied. "And he said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, "This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending men to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!" ' "
The king asked them, "What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?"
They replied, "He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist." The king said, "That was Elijah, the Tishbite."
Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!' "
Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.
At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God, this is what the king says, 'Come down at once!' "
"If I am a man of God," Elijah replied, "may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. "Man of God," he begged, "please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!"
The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.
He told the king, "This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!" So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken.
Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram so of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. As for all the other events of Ahaziah's reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Wow! I can't wait to study what the author, Chuck Swindoll, has to share with us on this Scripture! Could you imagine being Elijah? Could you imagine hearing from the Lord and actually seeing it all happen right before you? Could you imagine being able to speak fire down from heaven on your behalf in order to show everyone that God is the one true God. Man, God could not give me that much power!! I would have Gastonia burned down in one afternoon!!!

You guys have an wonderful day!!! I am spending the day with my little men at the pool! We went to Carowinds yesterday (in the heat). I am still trying to bounce back from a rough day on Sunday with my stomach. It is amazing what those puppy dog eyes can talk you in to!!!
love you all,
Tiffany

Elijah - 6/3/09

2009-06-05T03:43:00.000-07:00

Happy day to all!!! It is already Wednesday, and we are about to complete two and a half weeks of our summer vacation! I pray it slows down some or we'll be headed back to school before I know it!!! I am enjoying my boys being at home so much!!! They make me smile from my head to my toes, and I miss them so much when they aren't with me. I plan on enjoying each and every moment God gives me this summer to spend with them!! I hope you do the same!!
My family received some very happy news this week! My older sister, Beth, just found out that she may be adopting a baby in September! She and her husband have been trying for years to have one of their own, and it just hasn't worked out for them to conceive. They have been approached by a young mother about adopting the child she is carrying. If all goes well, they will be parents in a few short months!!! Please lift them up in prayer! My sister's name is Beth, and her husband is Rick. Also, pray for this young girl and the little boy she is carrying.

We are already on Chapter Eight of our study on Elijah!!! Two chapters to go!!! Isn't that exciting!!! I love getting to know God's people on such an intimate level! This study has allowed us to enter into the heart and mind of Elijah as he endured situations that I could never dream of!!! Praise God for individuals with the strength that Elijah displayed during his journey with God!!!
The Scripture for this chapter is long. So I am going to do as I did for the last chapter and just share the Scripture with you first. Then, we can discuss the author's views on the Scripture once you have a chance to read through and digest everything.

1 Kings 21: 1 - 29
Now it came about after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria. And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the price of it in money." But Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers." So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food. But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, "How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating food?" So he said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, "Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place. But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.' " And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now reign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite." So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to the elders and the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. Now she wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth at the head of the people; and seat two worthless men before him, and let them testify against him saying, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them. They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned, and is dead." And it came about when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead." And it came about when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. Then, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying, "Arise, go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it. And you shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord, ..."In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, the dogs shall lick up your blood, even yours." ' " And Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin. And of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the districe of Jezreel.' The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs shall eat, and the one who dies in the field the bird of heaven shall eat." Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel, his wife, incited him. And he acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the sons of Israel. And it came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying "Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days."

You know, I don't even know how to respond to this Scripture because I am soooo human. I mean, I am thinking Ahab is just a spineless, spoiled little brat that went whining to his wife when he didn't get his way. If there is one thing I can't stand, it is a spineless, whiny man. So, then, this evil wife decides to take matters into her own hands, and she has a God fearing, innocent man killed over a piece of land because she can't bear to see her husband upset. I just think she was looking for an excuse to kill someone. Don't you wonder why Ahab didn't question Jezebel about this man's death. I mean, he was perfectly healthy just a few days ago. Wouldn't that just be toooooo big of a coincidence to you? This is a perfect example of why men should stand up and be the spiritual leaders in their households. Someone has to hold the people in their house accountable for their actions. There is a reason why God instructed men to love their wives as Christ loved the church and lead them in the way of the Lord. Come to think of it, didn't Adam act this way once? If he had stood up to Eve and been the spiritual leader in his home, maybe we would still be in the Garden of Eden!!! MEN!!! (Just kidding! All you men can write me on the scheming ways of women later.) Back to our stories from my human perspective!!
Does Ahab question her? NOOOO!!! He just runs down to claim his prize!!! But wait, who's that in the distance coming towards me? Yes, Ahab, it Elijah!!! Remember that man that kicked your behind on a mountain no too long ago!! If I were Ahab, I think I would have learned to run at the sight of Elijah by now. You can't tell me he wasn't shaking in his boots.
Now I have to give props to Elijah because he is one courageous man!!! (Kind of reminds me of my husband)!!! After being told the queen would have him killed, he still obeyed our God and went to Ahab! I have to say that I would have probably tucked tail and run in the other direction, but not Elijah!!! He was the faithful servant that God knew he would be. Could you imagine speaking these words to a king? Basically, he prophecied the death of Ahab and everyone in his house.
Ahab's response wasn't to lash out at Elijah! He became very mournful and clothed himself in sackcloth. Now, where was Jezebel? If she couldn't stand seeing her husband hurt, why wasn't she jumping to have God stoned to death? Not such a big girl now, are you Jezebel?
So, God is touched by Ahab's humble attitude and grants him mercy. I can't make light of this....let's say this again
SO, GOD IS TOUCHED BY AHAB"S HUMBLE ATTITUDE AND GRANTS HIM MERCY!!!!
See, my human nature wants to just fry Ahab and Jezebel!!! This is the reason why God doesn't trust me with justice. I am much better off if I just hand things to Him in prayer and let Him be the judge!!! I promise you He handles this situation....He always does.
Okay, so you have my take on this Scripture. Tomorrow I am going to share the spiritual and educated views of our author, Chuck Swindoll. I wouldn't take my opinions to the bank, but I can promise you his will be better!!!
Have a great day,
Tiff

Elijah 6/3/09

2009-06-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon! It is a beautiful day, and I pray you are all having a wonderful time!

Today, we will discuss the other part of this Scripture...the good part!!!
God met Elijah in his discouragement at his most desperate hour! Let me repeat that...GOD MET Elijah in his discouragement at his most desperate hour! This is God's mercy at its best! Remember to refer back to the Scripture to refresh your memory! Let's see the ways Chuck Swindoll feels this is true:
1. God allowed Elijah a time of rest and refreshment
God didn't lay into Elijah with a thousand questions about why he would doubt. He didn't blame him or try to shame him. He didn't expect him to immediately jump back to his feet and get back to work. God told him to rest and provided a good meal for him. God knew that exhaustion could make Elijah believe a lie. He knew how important rest/food were to Elijah's body. The food was so amazing that it provided strength to Elijah for forty days and forty nights.
2. God communicated wisely with Elijah
Like I said before, God didn't begin his meeting with Elijah with a lecture. He simply asked him why he was there. Elijah replied to him in a whine that he believed to be true because of all he had been through. God knew he just needed to remind Elijah that He was still with him. He listened to Elijah. Then He asked Elijah to go out of the cave and stand before the Lord. God loved Elijah so much that He came to Elijah in a gentle blowing. Can you imagine how it feels to experience the God physically passing by you in a gentle blowing? God didn't make Himself known in the wind, earthquake or the fire. That's not the kind of God we serve. We serve a God that can come to us in a gentle blowing when our spirit is fragile. There are times when the wind, earthquake or fire may have worked for Elijah. However, this wasn't the time. Elijah needed God to be gentle. He needed God to love him, despite his frailty. Once God made Elijah aware of his presence, He reminded Elijah of the work that still needed to be done by him.
3. God gave Elijah a close, personal friend
Not only this, He also reminded Elijah that that there were still 7000 faithful servants that had not bowed to Baal. Elijah was not alone! God knew Elijah needed the knowledge of support to move beyond his depression. He reminded him of all the people that were depending on Elijah. God not only told him of this support, but He also gave him instruction to go anoint Elisha as a prophet. Elijah needed someone to be his companion, and God gave him Elisha. Elisha was not only a companion. He encouraged Elijah and ministered to him.

God has not designed us to live like hermits in a cave. He designed the church to be a source of encouragement for all of His Believers. If we didn't have others to encourage us, we could easily withdraw and begin living a life that was not effective to others. Elijah had to get his focus back on the Lord. Yet, the Lord didn't just sit back and wait on him to get his act together. He didn't leave him in Him. We just have to trust Him in the deepest part of our souls!!! Let's try to trust Him today and forever! That's all it takes!!!
Love to you all!!!
Tiffany

Elijah - 6/2/09

2009-06-03T06:30:00.001-07:00

Hi, everyone! I pray your day has been as amazing as mine has been!!! I accomplished a lot today, and it feels good to close my day with the feeling of a "job well done"!!
We basically just read Scripture yesterday. So, today I want to share a portion of Chuck Swindoll's views on this Scripture.
In this Scripture, we see a side of Elijah that we are not used to - the human side!!!
He has been such a super hero to us throughout his time with God, and it is strange to see him suffer from doubt and depression from his situation. However, it is so important that this Scripture is included in Elijah's story because we need to understand that even the most amazing people have their problems. We really shouldn't be shocked that Elijah was afraid of Jezebel. He was human....he had human emotions!!!
Elijah ran to Beersheba after his life was threatened! This was the southern limit of the land. He couldn't have run farther. Why did Jezebel's threat bother Elijah so much after all he had been through with God? Why did he run away from serving God and hide in fear?
1. Elijah was not thinking realistically or clearly
Instead of falling to his knees in prayer to God, Elijah ran first. He did not take time to stop and realize where the threat came from. Just recently this man stood before all the prophets of Baal (remember Jezebel brought the worship of Baal to Israel) and defeated them all. Yet, Elijah was so distraught by the threat on his life that he reacted before considering the source.
2. Elijah separated himself from the only strengthening relationship he had on earth
Scripture tells us that he "left his servant" and "he himself" went alone into the wilderness. When you are discouraged and you can feel yourself becoming depressed about a situation, being alone is not always the best thing to do. It is one thing to separate yourself for a time of prayer. It is completely another thing to just separate yourself so that you can embrace your self pity. If God is not in the center of your desire to be alone, more often than not, satan is going to use your isolation for his plan to conquer you.
3. Elijah was caught in the backwash of a great victory
The enemy is always aware that we are very vulnerable after a great victory, especially one like Elijah experienced on the mountaintop with God. Mr. Swindoll gives the example of a rock climber that thrives on the anticipation of conquering the mountain to get past all the obstacles the mountain has to offer. Once the climber has reached the top, the anticipation is gone. Descending the mountain is often much more difficult because the climber is deflated emotionally and a bit unguarded. I am sure Elijah was deflated emotionally. He didn't have a plan to deal with the backlash of what might happen after he ordered the slaughter of all the prophets of Baal. He was caught off guard and the anticipation of proving his God to be the one and only God was over. That job was done! What next?
4. Elijah was physically exhausted and emotionally spent
Please consider what the last three years of Elijah's life must have been like. Yes, God did provide for him! He saw many wonderful things happen! However, he wasn't at home! He was a wanted man, and he had a ferocious king/queen determined to kill him. He had to live his life "on guard" every second for three years! Can you imagine what that must have been like? After all this time, he then goes through the confrontation with all of the prophets of Baal on the top of the mountain! I can understand why Elijah must have been exhausted, physically and emotionally. Exhaustion can play games with your mind! I know after my radiation treatments, I was the most exhausted I have EVER been in my life. I truly felt as though I was never going to feel "normal" again! There were many days that I cannot even remember! I became so depressed after experiencing that exhaustion! I was convinced that I was dying! My desire to live was slowly fading during that time. Those of you who know me, know that is not the person that I really am! I try to be positive about everything, but being physically and emotionally drained can change your entire perspective. You don't think clearly (as mentioned in point #1). Now that the exhaustion has left my body, I am back to being encouraged and happy! As a matter of fact, today I spent hours in my back yard raking and bagging 15 bags of leaves! I felt so alive! I couldn't believe the same person that was lying on the couch for months was finally up living life as usual!!! Being tired is no laughing matter!!!
5. Elijah got lost in self pity
Self pity is the most horrible emotion! It cultivates a mentality that is not healthy to the human soul!!! The enemy uses it to lie to us and exaggerate everything around us. Think about your life experiences. When you start feeling sorry for yourself, don't you become very paranoid? You feel like the entire world is suddenly against you, and every situation you find yourself in is magnified my the thousands. You convince yourself that you know what others are saying about you. You determine the outcome of every interaction before it even takes place. Somehow, in your mind, you are always the victim! Many times we set a standard for ourselves that God never expected of us! Don't do that! Don't ever set standards for yourself that you cannot live up to. God would NEVER do that to us. Elijah wanted to die because he believed he was no better than his Fathers. Never did Elijah hear God tell him that he should be better than his Fathers. He just decided for himself that God expected it. Then, he used that to create a "victim" scenario for his situation.
The good news is that God stepped in and "saved the day". We will save that portion of the chapter for tomorrow. Study this time in Elijah's life. Use it to consider how you react to situations in your own life! God didn't include this in Scripture for no reason! Maybe we can learn something about stopping depression over things before it even starts! Trust me, this lesson was designed just for me! I intend to keep these pages readily available to remind me as I fall into these tendencies!!!
May tomorrow be as wonderful as today!
In Him,
Tiffany Pate

Elijah

2009-06-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

1 Kings: 19 - 21
"Now Ahab told Jezebell all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers." And he lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, "Arise, eat." Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you." So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. Then he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" And he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets with he sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." So He said, "Go forth, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking it in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of gentle blowing. And it came about when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Then he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets by the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." And the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall appoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. And it shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have now bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him." So he departed from there and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, "Please let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" so he returned from following him, and took a pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him."

Please read this scripture carefully. This is a lot to take in!!! It is the next phase in Elijah's life, and we see a different side of Elijah that is almost unexpected. We need not forget that Elijah is a human being...even though he has seemed more like a super hero over the past few days!!! Please note that, in the beginning of this Scripture, we are told Elijah left his servant and went a day's journey into the wilderness by himself after hearing the news the Jezebell was (once again) determined to kill him. This was definitely not a good idea who has just been scared out of his wits by a wicked queen.
As you read through this scripture, notice Elijah's movement through the Scripture. Make mental notes.
Tomorrow I want to share the two different perspectives Chuck Swindoll has on this scripture. I will probably share one tomorrow and the other on Wednesday. So, please keep this Scripture handy so you will have it to return to!!!

Have a blessed day and thank you for being the faithful ones you are!!!
In Him,
Tiffany

Elijah and the widow - Part II

2009-06-02T10:07:00.001-07:00

Good Morning!!! It promises to be a day full of sunshine!!! I hope we can all get outdoors and enjoy God's glory!!! Our pool opened yesterday!!! I am going to try to take the boys today so I can watch them shiver and swear the water isn't cold!!! I always get a kick out of their determination to swim in water I wouldn't put my big toe in!!! Not until their lips are blue will they come to me for a towel and a warm embrace!!!! Oh, well...I take those embraces every chance I can get them.
So, we left off yesterday as Elijah met with the widow lady God had promised to Elijah for provision!!! God proved faithful, once again, against what seemed to be an impossible situation!!! Well, you ain't seen nothing yet! Talk about impossible....
After some time, the widow's son became sick. Scriptures says that the sickness was so severe that the breath left the little boy. The widow cried out to Elijah in her pain. She accused him of being the reason for her son's death. Elijah didn't lash back at the widow. He simply asked for the child. He then proceeded to take the child to his room where he stretched himself over the child in prayer and asked God to give the child's life back to him. The Lord heard Elijah and the child was revived. Elijah carried the boy down to his mother and simply said, "See, your son is alive."
The woman responded to Elijah with these words, "Now I know you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."
All of these events that we have talked about so far take place in the same chapter (1 Kings 17). Please take note that Elijah enters into this chapter being introduced as Elijah, the Tishbite. Once this chapter ends, he is recognized as a man of God. He has been through test after test and proven himself each time. God used each test to make him more than he was in the beginning...he used them to make him a man of God. It would take a man of God to endure the tests to come.
In the beginning chapters of Chuck Swindoll's book, Elijah was described to us as a rugged, bold, outspoken man who was willing to stand before the king and make him aware of a great tragedy. He had no problem expressing himself. Yet, we find a very different Elijah in today's scriptures. He is calm and gentle. He seems full of compassion for the widow. I mean, she lashes out at him and blames him for her son's death. Elijah knew he wasn't responsible for the child's death. He didn't say anything in response to her anger. He just wanted to take the child and sit at the feet of our Lord as he asked for the child's life.
How many of us respond to tragedy by lashing out at God or the people around us that care about us? Do we look for someone to blame instead of bowing to our knees to ask God for his guidance through the storm?
I remember the day I found out about my cancer...
I didn't know which way to turn! I remember jumping up out of my chair and just pacing around the room with absolutely nothing to say! I was shaking all over my body in fear. I asked, "Is it bad?" The doctor's response was, "yes". Brian was sitting by my side in shock, and I just wanted to run far away and pretend I wasn't hearing the words that kept blasting through my mind!!! Then I suddenly realized that my pacing was doing none of us any good. I sat down and just asked Brian and the doctor to pray with me. I sat there and prayed with more sincerity than I ever had. I just begged God to give me the strength to endure what was ahead. Later that night, about 30 of us met at Calvary Baptist Church and I experienced the most amazing prayer time of my life. Everyone that was there was in one accord with God that night. We praised Him for all He is capable of and for what He was going to do in my life. Each person was blessed that night for different reasons, but I am sure I was touched the most by all of the compassion I received in that sanctuary. I can assure you that night is the reason I have dealt with my cancer the way I have. Because of that night I have been able to feel secure in God's provision and faithfulness every single step of the way. I can't give you the reason that my response was immediately towards God. It isn't that I am any better of a person than this widow. If I were to lose a child, I could only pray to handle myself as well as she did. I will tell you, though, that it has made all of the difference in my journey!
God is going to heal me! I felt that when I fell to my knees that night in the sanctuary. I don't know how He is going to do it, but I will be healed one day!!! I just have to rest in His hands until that day comes!!!
Please find a way to rest in Him today! If I didn't have His hands to fall into, I would be a living basket case! I would love to know that others find the peace that I find in His arms!!!
In Him,
Tiffany Pate

Elijah and the prophets of Baal - Part II

2009-06-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day!!! I hope you are having an amazing day celebrating all of the blessings our Lord continuously showers us with!

Today, I want to share the notes that Chuck Swindoll offers on the scripture (1 Kings 1-2, 17-40). His insight on this scripture is so much better than anything I could offer you. I will add my opinions here and there, but the seeds of thought were planted by him.
We need to remember that, for three years, Elijah was the most sought after man in Israel. King Ahab hated him and wanted him dead because he believed Elijah to be responsible for the drought that had overtaken their kingdom. We must consider the courage it took from Elijah to even be willing to do God's work. The most powerful man in the nation had every person seeking Elijah out in order to kill him. God provided protection for Elijah for three years, and now He instructs Elijah to place himself right in the midst of danger. His mission...to provide a physical example of proof that only our one true God exists and is capable.
What should we learn and apply to our lives today from this scripture:
1. When we are sure that we are in the will of God, we are invincible.
When we are in the will of God, we can stand firm as we move forward. This is why Elijah was not intimidated by the odds stacked against him. The equation was not one against eight hundred and fifty. It was eight hundred and fifty against one + God. It's important to note the way Elijah carried himself through these scripture. He spoke a total of eight times, and every time he "commanded" his work to be done. He was able to do this because he was sure he was invincible with God in charge. He knew he was in the will of God and nothing could overtake him as long as God was in control. The amazing thing that we need to remember is that God is in control of everything when we give our life situations to Him and love Him with all of our hearts. It is our job to stay on our knees and remain in His will.
2. Divided allegiance to God is as wrong as open idolatry.
This test was for the eyes of the entire nation of Israel. The people had accepted the gods of foreign lands, despite the fact that their one true God had carried them through so much. If they did not worship Baal, they were tolerant of the worship going on around them. It was just a matter of time before this idolatry penetrated the entire nation. So, Elijah asks, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions?" It is easy to stay in the state of non commitment. That is not what God wants for our lives. He wants 100% of us. In all honesty, when we consider that God/Christ gave one million percent, it is the least we can do. The strongest words spoken to the seven churches, in 2 and 3, were spoken to the church at Laodicea. They were uncommitted. Scripture says, "I know your deeds, that you are neither hot nor cold; I would rather that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, I will spit you from My mouth." (Revelation 3: 15-16) Either we are for God or we are against Him...there is no in between. It is time to stand up in our faith and show others that we a for God. If we notice things going on culturally that are not spiritual...we need to stand up for it. If we notice things going on in our churches that are not Christ centered...it needs to be addressed. I have to speak up here with something from my personal opinion box. Do you know how many young girls I have seen that call themselves Christians but consider it appropriate to wear clothing that shows body parts that should only be for the eyes of their future husbands? I remember having a beautiful, Laura Ashley polished cotton dress one time when I was in high school. I could not wait to wear that dress! I think I bought it for my senior portraits. I came prancing down the stairs in my new dress all ready for church and my moth er made me turn around and change clothes. She said the back o f the dress was cut to low and I would not be wearing that dress! I can assure you that, by today's standards, that dress was modest. The point is, my mother held me responsible for respecting myself and God through my appearance. I will not tell you that I never went through a phase of dressing more towards the trends (My best friend from college can attest to that), but I learned that you can be very attractively dressed and modest at the same time. Now, it seems that "anything goes" at church....even when young girls get up on stage to sing! I just wish parents would step up and stop buying these clothes that over indulge the senses of every teenage boy that looks their way. Then "they can't imagine why their little girl is already experiencing things they didn't until they were much older!" Okay - big sigh - I am off my soap box!!! Feel free to e-mail me with anything I have done that is offensive! That's what we are h ere for....to encourage and hold each other accountable!
3. Our most effective tool is the prayer of faith.
The one instrument that Elijah used throughout was prayer. I am going to add two of my favorite verses here. "I tell you the truth, if you have FAITH and DO NOT DOUBT, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, you can also say to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea', and it will be done. If you BELIEVE, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer." (Matthew 21: 21 - 22). Prayer is so very important to the lives of a Believer. It is the only way to truly maintain a relationship with our Lord. That is the entire reason He created us...for relationship. Why would we deny him by ignoring the privilege we have been given. Chuck Swindoll says, "I didn't ask if you listen to the preacher pray or if you have done a good Bible study on prayer. I asked if you personally pray. Can you look back on the last seven days and pinpoint time that you set aside in prayer?" Prayer is the only way you will know if you are in the will of God. You have to pray that the Holy Spirit is renewed in your life each and every day.
1 Thessalonians 5: 16 - 18 says, "Be joyful always; PRAY CONTINUALLY; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus".
4. Never underestimate the power of one totally dedicated life.
While reading this story, did you breathe in the magnitude of this one man standing up to the ENTIRE kingdom of Israel? Did you take a moment to picture this in your mind? Elijah was just one man. His faith in God made an entire kingdom stand up and turn back to our God. If you ever feel like it is okay to ignore God's nudging as He prompts you to do His will, think about this story. We sit around and wonder why we do not experience more miracles in our day and time. Do you ever consider how many people do not act on God's behalf for fear of looking crazy to others? You may very well be the catalyst for a miracle and one simple act of disobedience ends that chain reaction. I have often thought of how the media has convinced Believers that we are the minority in this nation. THAT IS NOT TRUE! It is just that we have lost the individual desire that forces us to act on behalf of God. Not one person has called out to all the Believers and encouraged a reformation that could change the way this nation is going. We don't do it because we think of ourselves as the unimportant vote. I guarantee you if one person with the voice to reach many would stand up and take charge....this nation would follow. I have often thought that I would love to start a campaign of billboards all over the nation (if I had the money) that reads, "To All Christians: Despite What the Media Says, We Are Not the Minority. Let's Band Together For Change!" We have become tolerant of the pagan gods in this country! We need an Elijah!!!

Elijah and the God who answers by fire

2009-06-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

Elijah and the God who answers by fire
Happy Sunday to you!!! We managed to get an hour in at the pool before the rain clouds rolled in! I certainly do not feel as though we are in Israel during the time of the drought. I know I should be thankful for the rain, and I am. I would just like a small break!!!
Elijah doesn't seem to be catching any breaks from being tested. This gentle, compassionate prayer warrior from the end of the last chapter is now back to being a strong, courageous soldier for God. Elijah has been instructed by God to go show himself to Ahab and announce the end of the drought.
When Ahab sees Elijah, he addresses him with a sarcastic greeting. He immediately lets Elijah know what he thinks of him. He says, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?" It is important to note the Hebrew meaning of the word troubler. It can actually have two meanings. Sometimes it is means "to bring trouble/calamity", and other times it means "viper, asp or snake". So, Ahab was really saying, "Is that you, you snake?" Being the outspoken man that Elijah is, he responds by reminding the king that it is not he that has brought calamity to Israel. Israel is repsonsible for its own fate. This prompts Elijah to bring a challenge forward to the king.
Elijah tells the king to go get 450 prophets of Baal, 400 prophets of Asherah and all the people of Israel. He is to bring them to Mount Carmel with two oxen for sacrifice. Elijah makes it clear that the prophets of Baal can choose their own oxen. They are to each place their oxen on the wood without putting any fire under it. Then, the prophets of Baal will be allowed to cry out to their god(s) to bring fire on their sacrifice. Next, Elijah will be allowed to call on the name of the Lord. The God who answers by fire is to be acknowledged as the one true God. This challenge sounds reasonable to them, and they all answered, "that is a good idea". So, the chanting begins.
I don't know about you, but I just get this image of 850 grown men doing some type of tribal dance verging on the obsurd. They are all screaming at the top of their lungs to a god that doesn't even exist! Their frustrations mount as they realize that they have devoted their lives to a false god. The men become so desperate that they began slashing themselves with lances until their blood was gushing out. Can you imagine?
This is the really cool part! Elijah is just standing back watching all of this. He has just spent the last three years watching our God respond to his needs and prayers. He has actually experienced God bringing a child back to life! He KNOWS that our God IS a living God, and he does respond to those who love him. Knowing this gives him the confidence to start mocking the prophets in the midst of their pleading. I am just going to use his words because I couldn't come up with more powerful words. He calls out to the prophets and says, "Call out with a loud voice, for he is god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened." I am sure the prophets are delighted by these words!!!
Elijah soon becomes tired of all the dancing and slashing, so he tells them to all draw near and watch what is going to happen!!!
Elijah begins building an altar made of twelve stones which represent the twelve tribes of Israel. He leaves a trench around the altar, and tells the people to fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the offering. Elijah must have eaten his wheaties that morning because the sarcasm just drips off of his words as he tells them to bring more and more water. As time draws near for the evening sacrifice, Elijah begins praying out to the Lord to let it be known that He is the one and only God. God doesn't just answer Elijah, He consumes the offering, wood, stones, dust and even licks up all the water.
Everyone falls to their faces declaring, "The Lord He is God; the Lord, He is God". Then Elijah orders all of the prophets to be destroyed at the brook of Kishon.
I know this is a long e-mail. So, tomorrow I want to share the response Chuck Swidoll gives to this occasion. This is a huge event in Elijah's life. Will you please take a day to ponder it?
In Him,
Tiffany

Elijah

2009-06-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, everyone! What a beautiful day! We have so much to do today, and it is all with family and friends! I love summer....isn't it amazing to finally emerge from our winter cocoons and enjoy all of our friends once again!!!

I have gotten so many e-mails from you guys encouraging me to keep up the devotions!!! Wow!!! I am so excited that this means something to so many! God is so good, isn't He!!

So, Elijah has traveled to Zarephath (like a good prophet would). It is interesting to note that the name Zarephath means "crucible" and the other meaning is "to melt or refine". This was definitely a place of refining for Elijah. In the refining process, all of the impurities are removed from metal, and it is made pure so it can create was it was intended for. The next obstacles that Elijah faced would surely refine anyone. Crucibles in our life create Christlikeness, as Chuck Swindoll says.
God told Elijah to go to Zarephath and a widow would take care of him. When Elijah arrived in Zarephath, he did find a widow at the gate of the city gathering sticks. Elijah asked her to bring him water and a piece of bread. Why not? Hadn't God promised him this widow would take care of him? Well, the widow's reply had to of shocked Elijah! She told him that she had no bread. Just a little flour. She was gathering sticks to prepare the last meal for her and her son. Then, they would starve to death. How discouraging would this be after walking over 100 miles to be obedient to God? We would probably begin to question God's provision....but not Elijah!!! He immediately told her not to fear. He was absolutely sure that God would fulfill his promise to take care of Elijah through this widow. He told the widow to feed him first and then make food for her family. Okay! Can you imagine being a widowed mother trying to provide for your very heart and soul (your child) and some stranger tells you to feed him first? God would have to be in the center of this situation! I can imagine myself saying, "are you crazy? If you think I am going to feed you before I feed my baby, you must be!" Yet, this widow did exactly what she was told. In exchange for her obedience, her bowl of flour and jar of oil remained full until the Lord sent rain to the land.
What are we missing out on because of our lack of immediate obedience? The gift God gave this woman was more than bread. It was the very gift of life. She was at a point of desperation. She was gathering sticks to feed her child for the last time. This was an impossible situation to her. Then, along comes this man who believed without wavering and spoke to her with confidence. She must have been overwhelmed with hope by the way he commanded her to feed him. She must have felt God in the center of his confidence. I can't imagine any other reason why a mother would choose the needs of Elijah over her own child unless she felt the very presence of God in the situation. Elijah's belief in the impossible encouraged her to believe. Chuck Swindoll says, "You can't light another's candle of hope if your own torch of faith isn't burning. You can't encourage somebody else to believe the improbable if you haven't believed the impossible."
In my opinion, there are two lessons to be learned from this simple interaction between two people.
One, when we believe the direction we receive from the Holy Spirit and act on it, others will find hope in our faith.
Two, when we see faith in action and we trust it, even in our most desperate situations, God's gift is new life. Are we missing out on many blessings because we are not obedient?
Chuck Swindoll says it like this, "Man's obedience and God's faithfulness - that's a combination that leads to miracles!"
Did you think the refining process would end after this? No, it's not that simple! Believing in bread and water is big, but this next situation is bigger!!! I don't want to make today's devotion too long...so, I will share part two of this story with you in tomorrow's devotion!
I want to share some more quotes from this book and a few verses from scripture with you that I really enjoyed from this chapter.
I pray that I will always believe the impossible. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt what my God can do to this cancer. Every morning I pray the name of Jesus over the spots in my body. I know the healing power the name of Jesus holds. We just have to believe it and act on it. I have learned this through the example of a wonderful believer named Johnny Towe that is a living example of this very scripture. He was healed of inoperable, stage IV lung cancer because he believed. Now, he shares his experience with EVERYONE he meets. He cannot hide his belief in the power of God for one second. May I strive to be like Johnny Towe!!!
Chuck Swindoll:
"Being determined to perfect His saints, [God] puts His precious metal into His crucible. But He sits by it, and watches it. Love is His thermometer, and marks the exact degree of heat; not one instant's unnecessary pang will He permit; and as soon as the dross is released so that He sees Himself reflected in the fire, the trial ceases. As soon as the Lord sees His image in you, the furnace cools and you are ready for the next series of events He has planned for you."
"A promise fulfilled is often the result of our obedience."

Scripture:
"Behold, I am the Lord, God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?" Jeremiah 32: 27
"For nothing will be impossible with God." Luke 1: 37
"But He said, 'The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.' " Luke 18: 27
"Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!
Nothing is too difficult for You." Jeremiah 32: 17

wrestling with God...God wins!!!

2009-06-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! Hope you are having a wonderful day as the sun shines so bright!!!
I have been e-mailing you sporadically over the past few months to share with you the emotions that I go through and the wonderful news we received last month on the scans. I have been in two personal Bible studies, and I have not been obedient to God in sharing them. The reason I have been so remiss is due to the fact that I just feel so inadequate some times. I type these Bible studies up, and I always think, "who am I to be sending my thoughts on the Bible out to 200 people? My knowledge is so limited, and they probably think I feel superior by sending these out." I just felt so embarrassed for anyone to feel that I was sending those Bible studies out to seem as though I had this knowledge of the Bible that I needed to share with everyone. It truly is not that AT ALL! I simply wanted to share the joy I experienced each day in the Word with all of you that have been so faithful to love and support me through my treatments and s truggles. I wanted somehow to make you feel as loved as I feel when I experience the love of Christ in His Word. So, I stopped sending the daily devotions I was sharing because I never wanted the reasons to be taken the wrong way!

Well, I just can't find a peace in not sharing with all of you! I feel led by the Holy Spirit to send these e-mails, and I can't explain why!
There may be one person "out there" that receives a blessing from God's Word because I send it...I don't know. All I know is that there are very few ways I can minister to others while I am going through this with my family. It's not that my knowledge is greater than anyone elses (God Himself knows that is not true). Maybe, just maybe, God can/will use my thoughts each day to touch someone else that I wouldn't come in contact with any other way. So, will you please be patient with me and know that the reason for me sending these devotions out is simply a desire to please the God that I long to serve in the best way I can. I am praying God will somehow give me the words to share so that they will not become too mundane!

With that said, I was touched (as I always am) with the words of Chuck Swindoll today. I have been reading his book called, Elijah, The Man of Heroism and Humility. I have never done a study of any of the major prophets...so, I decided to take the leap with my two neighbors, Lisa and Teri. It has been a wonderful, touching story of obedience and God's provisions thus far.
I truly want to begin with the entire story, but I have to share the portion I read today because it is what confirmed in me that I was not listening to God as He told me to step up in serving Him.
Elijah has already spoken to King Ahab and lived in Cherith (where the Raven and Brook provided for him). Now, God has told him to move to Zarephath. God explained that He had commanded a widow to provide for him there. This act of obedience was huge for Elijah because it was a 100 mile walk for Elijah, and we need to remember that he was a wanted man. The King had bounty hunters out for him all over the place. If he was to take this journey, he had to depend on God to protect him. God knew where Elijah was and what he needed. Isaiah 41:10 says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
God also knew where Elijah was going. Chuck Swindoll says, "If right now I knew everything that faced me in the coming year, I would be scared to the point of sleeplessness. But God knows. How gracious of Him to lead us one step at a time, which is exactly what He does with Elijah."
Wow! You know, I never looked at it that way before. I have never been confronted with the fact that I should praise God for protecting me from the knowledge of what will happen in the future. If I had known five years ago that we would have to face Scott and Tina's accident, Brian's mother dying and me having cancer, do you think I would have been able to enjoy all the wonderful things that happened in between? God knows we cannot handle more than one day at a time, and that is all He expects us to live in...one day at a time. He is actually giving us a gift by only allowing us to obtain the knowledge of one moment at a time. Why is that so difficult to grasp? I am living with a disease that forces me to appreciate every moment I share with my family. Yet, I still want to know things like - "Is God going to heal me?", "Am I going to be allowed to raise my boys?", "Will I be Brian's only love?". If I knew t he answers, would I be able to enjoy life until I actually "live" the answers?
Elijah was so obedient to God that he "went", just as God told Him too. God gave him all the knowledge he needed, and he left. Are we that willing to serve our God that we are immediately obedient? This e-mail alone is proof that I am not immediately obedient. It seems as though I have to be constantly prompted by the Holy Spirit before I get the message.
The thought that made me smile today is realizing that God always knows where I am and where I am going! He knows that He can use my limited knowledge to possibly make someone else smile!!! He knows that, right now, I am in a place of struggling with questions but trusting that He has the answers. He knows how I am going to be healed, if I will raise my boys and if I will be the only love of Brian's life. Aren't you glad that we serve a God that can handle all of that knowledge and how it will work for the good of THOSE WHO LOVE HIM!
Have a wonderful day serving our Lord!
Tiffany Pate

Elijah

2009-06-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! Just got back from my morning walk, and it is beautiful outside. Of course, I am still walking in sweat pants because I am so cold natured!!! Praise God I am able to walk though!!!

I wanted to catch everyone up on the story of Elijah. I jumped way ahead of myself yesterday because the lesson had touched me so much. I started at a point where several critical things had happened in Elijah's life prior to him being told by God to travel to Zarephath. So, I feel like we need to start at the beginning, and I will share the rest of the information as it happens.

Elijah is introduced in 1 Kings 17 simply as a Tishbite. Tishbeh cannot even be located on a Middle Eastern map today. Doesn't this scream, "God can use anyone from anywhere!"? The author feels it is important to understand the history of the land of the Israelites before diving into Elijah's life. Most of you know this, but refresher courses are always great!!! For over a hundred years, the Israelites were ruled by Saul, David and Solomon. Then, a civil war broke out that divided the kingdom into a Northern Kingdom, known as Israel, and a Southern Kingdom, known as Judah. There was a 200 years period that elapsed between this division and when the kingdoms fell to invaders. (That's a whole different soap opera)! During the 200 years, however, the Northern Kingdom had 19 different monarchs. All of them were wicked. In the Southern Kingdom, 8 of their monarchs followed the ways of the Lord, and 9 of th em were wicked.
We want to focus on the Northern Kingdom. Jeroboam was the first king of the Northern Kingdom, and he introduced idolatry to his kingdom. He created priests of pagan altars to worship their false gods. The wickedness continues, and we see Omri come to power. He was considered more wicked than all the kings before him. He built Samaria, which was an evil land in the sight of the Lord. That is why you often read that Jews would walk a far distance around Samaria and never travel through it. Now we come to the beginning of "our" story. Omri, the very wicked one, had a son named Ahab. Ahab married a not-so-wonderful young lady named Jezebel who liked to rule the roost. She brought the worship of Baal to Israel. It is interesting to note that we are never told the names of the king's wives until Jezebel comes along. The Canaanites were the first to worship Baal with her. Baal was the god of rain and fertility (to them). They believed he controlled the seasons and the crops. Asherah was the mother of Baal.
Now our hero steps onto the scene!
Elijah comes forward from Tishbeh. He is a rugged man of the land...a take charge kind of guy. His name literally means "my God is Jehovah". He marches right up to the king and declares himself a servant of the Lord, God of Israel. He tells Ahab that no dew or rain would fall on the Northern Kingdom until he says so. Can you imagine the guts it took for this man to walk up to this wicked king and just announce this tragedy that is going to occur? God's protection is over him because, normally, he would have been killed for even going before the king.
Once Elijah prophesied the drought, God told him to go hide himself by the brook in Cherith, east of the Jordan. What? God wants him to go out and make this bold announcement and then run and hide? It may seem like hiding to us, but God had greater plans for this time. He had Elijah live there in quiet so that he could teach Elijah two very important things. Number one, God would provide for him every single day. He had the ravens bring Elijah food. He also provided the brook for him to drink from in the time of drought. This taught Elijah to be completely dependant on God's provision. If not for this time, Elijah may be tempted to lean on himself for even his basic needs. God did not want that. He wanted Elijah's body and spirit to belong to Him.
Number two, God needed to teach Elijah to be humble. It would be simple for a prophet of God to get "the big head" when they are able to tell a king the future that God has planned. God did not want Elijah to gain anything from the attention he would get from the people. He wanted Elijah to be able to humble himself to the purpose God had for him. I am sure it was difficult for Elijah to just sit there during this time. However, the lesson we need to learn from this is that it is very important for us to take time out in our time of ministry to grow. We have to take care of our walk with God so that we do not become stuck in a routine that is no longer the service God desires of us. Some times God will set us aside in order to teach us patience. He may want us to get away from the busyness of one service so that He can grow us for another one.
As time passed, the brook dried up. Elijah's time in "boot camp" had come to an end. God was ready for him to move on in his ministry.
We are now at the point that we picked up on yesterday. God gave Elijah the instructions to go to Zarephath. He told Elijah that He had commanded a widow to provide for him there. Notice that God did not tell Elijah where to go, what to do and who to touch. He simply told him to go and that he would take care of him. Elijah went immediately.
I know today was a long one, but it covered two chapters of the book!!! Tomorrow will be shorter!
Have a blessed day! Today is Landon and Ridge's last day of school for the summer. I am headed out to enjoy their parties at school!!!
In Him,
Tiffany

Want to share something with everyone

2009-02-06T13:52:00.001-08:00

Hi, everyone:

Just a daily update to let you all know that treatment went well this morning. God always surprises me with a "gift" @ radiation. This morning, it was the face of a dear, sweet lady I have not seen in a while. Her battle with breast cancer began about 6 months after mine, and she is now in the radiation phase of treatment. It was so good to see her kind face, and TO REMEMBER HER NAME! How amazed I was that it came to me with all the clouds up there! So, thank you GOD, for sweet, daily moments!

We went in early, and I was finished with treatment by 9 am, with new prescriptions in tow. So, we decided to jump in the car to come home. Brian and I had a nice ride together. When we returned to Gastonia, we went to have lunch together. I could literally eat everything in my sight right now. I am taking so many steroids that you guys would laugh at my appetite. Brian is not used to me shoveling food down like this, but I think it is doing his heart well to see me eat! When we came home, we brought all of our "hotel" bags in and tried to get everything washed up. I am just one of those neurotic people that cannot wear something if it has sat in a suitcase overnight in a hotel. I have to wash it first. We are almost finished. Thankfully, we didn't take much! We also cleaned the house and got all the animals fed. He has gone to run a few errands and we have a big night of getting caught up on bills together. Thank goodness I am feeling good today. Of course, Brian's tires have decided to wear out on us. Fortunately, we knew it was coming and have planned accordingly. It seems we've been putting $50 a week back every week for a year, but now we have the money to pay cash for them. That is his big "chore" for the day. You can't convince me of that, though! I think he is excited about getting them. To me, it's just more time on the road...to him, it's a new toy! Say a prayer that we get a good deal when he goes to order the tires he is getting. Hopefully, we can have them all taken care of by this weekend.

So, today, there is something I want to share with all of you that I have written in my Bible. Apparently, I wrote both of these entries on the same day, but different pages in my Bible. I wrote them on April 28, 2004. This was the day before my birthday...so, maybe I was just feeling a little sentimental or something...who knows? Just keep in mind, that I wrote all of this after having my children, but before all of this cancer and even before Scott and Tina's accident. I can't help but thank God for the journey He is seemingly taking me on to answer these prayers that I have for my life.

April 28, 2004

My hope in my life is based on my sincere belief that God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. Through Christ's resurrection, I know that my future holds eternal life. I can find hope and joy in each day because I know that I was born to serve a purpose in God's perfect will, and all of the circumstances I face in my life on Earth, though good or bad, serve a greater purpose for God! In Jeremiah 29:11, God promises me that He knows his plan for me - hope and a future!

April 28, 2004

The greatest struggle I face in my life is allowing myself to release my children completely to God's will. I worry for them and their future(s) constantly. One day, my hope, is that I will sincerely realize that God's plan (will) for their lives is far greater than anything I could ever provide for them on Earth. My job is to believe this with all of my heart and provide them with guidance that will, hopefully, lead them to God's feet - so that one day they may choose God's will for their lives of their own free will. May God help me on this journey as I search for this peace! One day, I hope to release my children to God and mean it with all of heart. My prayer is to lay them at his feet and walk away with the confidence that they are safer at his feet than in my arms!

I can truly tell you that I have reached the point in my life that my children belong to my Father in Heaven. I trust them in His arms because I know that I am only human. I cannot promise them anything about tomorrow, but He can. He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. In His presence they will always be safe and loved. In mine, they stand wondering if I will even be here. If I had to come to this point in my life to experience a peace such as this....it was worth it....!!! Some people go their entire lives never experiencing that peace! I have it! Thank you, Jesus! Free at last! Free at last!

Thank you all for loving me so much and praising God with me! Go enjoy and bask in the moment He has given us!!!!

Tiffany

My Update on Tiff

2009-01-29T14:46:00.001-08:00

Carol, will you please forward for me.....?

Good morning to all! Just wanted to remind you about the "Jar of Joy". I think now more than ever Tiffany & Brian could use some encouragement. Thanks to all of those who have sent in scriptures, quotes and well wishes. If you have not yet had a chance, please try to get them to me by Saturday, as I need to get them all typed up. Hopefully this will help a little with all they are going through. Thanks again,

Dana Joyce

My Update on Tiff

2009-01-29T14:45:00.001-08:00

Hey guys. I know some of you may have spoken with Tiffany and some may have gotten updates from other sources, I just thought I would share my talk with her today.

I spoke with her this afternoon and of course my timing was off, but I got to speak with her non the less. She sounded really good, she sounded tired, but that is a huge side effect from the radiation. She is also on medication for the amount of pain she has been in. She said today was a much better day because they had regulated the pain and the nausea compared to yesterday. She told me that she thought they would come home on Friday and they would go back Monday. Tiffany stated that both she and the doctors were encouraged.
Brian came home today and got the boys and took them to basketball practice and then back up to Duke to see Tiff.

I just continue to lift them up in prayer and when I speak with them again, I will let you know. Hopefully, my timing will be better.

Carol Ratliff

Tiffany Update

2009-01-29T14:44:00.002-08:00

Tiffany is undergoing her first radiation treatment right now. She would like for everyone to pray for Brian and the boys.

I am so thankful at this moment that there is a treatment available for her and she is getting it right now. Praise God!

Tiffany Update

2009-01-29T14:44:00.001-08:00

I just got off the phone with Tiffany, the conversation was very brief. She was going for an MRI. Tiffany wanted me to send out an email to everyone letting you know that she is ok, she is totally at peace with everything going on and not to be worried......she is hoping to come home this weekend before having to go back and start treatments again on Monday.

I wish I had more information for you, I will pass along what ever I get.

Carol

Prayer for Tiffany

2009-01-29T14:43:00.001-08:00

Carol,

Yes, this is devastating news. I am going to ask that you (and anyone else you'd like to send this to) join me in these specific prayer requests:

1. Remember that God's Word clearly tells us that we have to come to Him as little children. I believe it is only then that we can have the kind of faith required to suspend our "adult" disbelief. With childlike faith, we can trust in His incomparable power over sickness and death and pray to that end.

2. Let's specifically pray for her physical body to be strengthened, not weakened, by the rigorous rounds of radiation and treatment she is about to undergo.

3. Pray with me that God doesn't allow Tiffany OR Brian to despair or believe for one second that He isn't able to heal and deliver.

4. Pray that all their needs are met-- physical, spiritual, emotional-- and that any specific need they have will quickly be brought to the attention of the one(s) of us who can meet it and that we will be instantly responsive.

5. Ask the Lord to do the supernatural. Remind Him of the miracles He has performed that have brought Him glory and renown--and ask him to again glorify himself by healing our precious friend.

6. Let's pray that Dr. Peppercorn and all the medical team will receive God's wisdom for her care and treatment and that no medical oversights or mistakes will interfere with His healing plan for her cancer.

7. Remember that we are in a battle and pray with me as a warrior. We have the God of the universe as our Commander--and He is fully capable of defeating every enemy attack.

Already, we've seen the miraculous as God has touched her liver and her breast. Why should we doubt that He can also touch her brain with His healing power?

I have shared with you that from a medical standpoint this news is indeed grim. But so was the late stage breast cancer diagnosis, and so was the fact that it had metastasized to her liver. Despite all that, God gave her a clear scan recently--so I am compelled to pray that He does the same thing for the places in her brain that have now been affected.

So, can we pray Psalm 91 together in a simlar way to the bold, italicized script below? Thank you again for your joining me in this battle for our dear, precious friend.&nbs p; Together, we will pray that this foe is defeated in Jesus' Name!

Psalm 91

(Father, Tiffany lives in the shelfter of the Most High and finds her rest in the shadow of the Almighty

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:

(You alone are her refuge, her place of safety, for you are her God and she trusts you)
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.

(You will rescue her from every trap and protect her from deadly disease.)
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.

(You will cover her with your feathers and shelter her with your wings. Your faithful promises are her armor and protection.)
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

(Let her not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.)
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.

(Do not allow her to dread {or fear} the disease that stalks in darkness, or the disaster that strikes at midday.)
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

(Let no evils touch Tiffany, Lord)
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.

(Open her eyes and our eyes, please)
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

(And be her refuge, her shelter, Lord Most High)

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,

(so that no evil will conquer her and no plague, disease, or sickness will overtake her)
10 no20evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.

(Please give your angels charge over hern to protect her everywhere she goes)
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.

(Hold her up with their hands so that she is protected)
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

(For you have promised to rescue those who love you and protect those who trust in your name)

14 The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.

(and when they call, you answer, when they are in trouble you rescue and honor them)
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.

(so please reward Tiffany with a long life and your salvation!)
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation."

(in Jesus strong and mighty name, Amen.)

Prayer for Tiffany

2009-01-29T14:42:00.001-08:00

I got a call from Brian and the scan showed several spots on Tiff's brain. They are admitting her to Duke and I believe he said starting radiation, but honestly I was still stuck on the spots on the brain statement, so I'm not 100 percent sure. They are going to keep her up there she will be up there for a couple of weeks. I am devastated by the news and I I am shaking writing this email. Please please please pray for this family.

Carol

Prayer for Tiffany

2009-01-29T14:40:00.001-08:00

Hello to all.

I do not know all of the details, however, I got a text from Brian just a few minutes ago. They are currently on thier way home from Florida where they have gotten back from thier family cruise. He states that about 3 days ago Tiffany started having bad headaches. They called Dr. Peppercorn just a while ago and he wants to do a scan of her head tomorrow.

Please be in prayer for thier safe return back home. ( they are expecting to get home about 3 a.m. ) For them to get the rest they need in order to make another long drive tomorrow safely. For the results of the scan and for Dr. Peppercorn.

If I get any other information, I will update you as soon as I can.

Thanks.

Carol Ratliff

Day 3 of Week 7 The Patriarchs

2008-10-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

October 26, 2008
Day Three of Week Seven
El Bethel

Today's Treasure: Genesis 35: 7
There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.

Today's lesson forces us to take a look into our lives to determine how much house cleaning needs to be done. Beth refers to the prompting of a good house cleaning as an eruption. Have you ever had something unexpected and unwanted happen that caused you to know it was time to tighten up the reigns and purify yourself for God? After the rape of Dinah, the action her brothers decided to take caused just that in Jacob's family. He knew that they could not sit still because the people around them would eventually join forces against Jacob's family for their actions. Jacob decided to move everyone to Bethel, the location where he first encountered God.
Before Jacob followed God's instructions to "Go to Bethel and settle there and build an altar", he told his household that they could not go until they got rid of every foreign god, purified themselves and changed their clothes". Jacob realized that things needed to change within his household before they could move to Bethel to build an altar to God. He insisted that his household be purified before the altar was built.
Read Genesis 35: 1- 15
Why do you think God chose Bethel as the place for Jacob to return (Genesis 35)?
Bethel was the location of Jacob's dream and where Jacob first truly experienced God. He even termed it as the "gate of heaven"

What three things did Jacob command his household and entourage to do before they went to Bethel?
Change clothes, get rid of foreign gods and purify themselves

Review Genesis 31: 34 – 35
What was at least one way foreign gods crept into Jacob's home?
Rachel took them from her father's house before Jacob moved away from Laban

What was Jacob's stated purpose for going to Bethel according to Genesis 35: 3?
To build an altar to God

What repercussions could Simeon and Levi's overkill have invited?
The surrounding people(s) to join together to destroy Jacob's family

Read Genesis 35: 7 carefully. How did Jacob alter his previous name for this place on the return visit?
He changed the name from Bethel to El Bethel

Have you ever examined your household in an urgent pursuit of purity?
This is a very personal question…I will leave this one for you to ponder over

Describe the last time you allowed God the time to heal you and grow you spiritually
I don't think my growth began necessarily as a response to crisis. I just found myself become greatly intrigued by the Word of God several years ago. The more I read and studied His Word, the more I wanted to know about it. I truly fell in love with God as I learned about His character and His love for me. When crisis did come along, I feel I was better prepared to handle it because my heart was committed to being true to God through any crisis.

How do the vivid words of Psalm 32: 1- 7 lend biblical support to the idea that God will only cover what you have completely and repentantly uncovered to Him?
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Let's take a look at Jacob's reason for changing the name of Bethel
Bethel means "house of God"
El Bethel means "God of the house of God"
This name change reflects the spiritual change in Jacob. He moved from one that was focused on the provision of God to one who became focused on God Himself. Now we see a Jacob with a fresh encounter with God that has three crucial elements:
The ratification of his new name, Israel
The reintroduction of God as El Shaddai (God Almighty)
The restatement of the covenant promises
May we all take a deep look inside our spiritual lives to see if we need to do some house cleaning!!!
Have a wonderful day
Love
Tiffany

Day 2 of Week 7 The Patriarchs

2008-10-24T09:38:00.002-07:00

October 24, 2008
Day Two of Week Seven
Nightmare in Shechem

Today's Treasure: Genesis 34: 2
When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.

Principal Question of Today's Lesson:
What was Dinah's intention as she "went out", and what happened instead?

Today's lesson is a tough one. Its topic the reaction Jacob's family had to their sister being raped. Because this is such an intimate subject to discuss, I am only going to give you the fact from Scripture and answer the questions Beth has put forth. Beth even suggests that you consider not doing today's lesson if you have been a victim of rape. It may be too personal for you to handle if you have not sought godly counsel and healing for yourself. Everything in my e-mail comes from Beth. So, I will be using her words quite a bit.

Read Genesis Chapter 34
In this chapter, Dinah goes out from her encampment to visit with the women of the land. Scholars have estimated that she was a young adolescent at this time. While she was out, Shechem (the son of the ruler) saw Dinah and felt like he had to have her. So he took her and raped her. Then Scripture says that he spoke lovingly to her and told his father that he must "Get me this girl as my wife". Hamor, the father, went to Jacob's family and asked them to allow Dinah to marry his son. Jacob's family was already aware of the rape that took place, and her brothers were filled with grief and fury. Hamor pleads with them to intermarry with the Hivites and live among the Hivites to trade and acquire land. The brothers refuse this offer unless all of the men of the Hivites agree to be circumcised. Hamor feels this is a great business move; therefore, he goes into the land of the Hivites and "sells" all of the men on the idea. You need to remember that Jacob was very wealthy, and this decision had to have been motivated by greed. All the men go out to be circumcised immediately. Dinah's brothers are fully aware of what is going on. They did not intend to fulfill the agreement they made with Hamor. It was actually a plan they created to get revenge on the Hivites for raping their sister. On the third day after all of the men were circumcised, the brothers knew that the men would be unable to protect themselves. They went into the land and killed all of the men, including Hamor and Shechem. After they killed Hamor and Shechem, they removed Dinah from their house. Dinah was being held there by Shechem against her will. The brothers proceeded to take all of the flocks and herds, along with the women and children to their houses. When Jacob heard of all that took place, he said to the boys, "You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed." The brothers simply replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?" And so the chapter ends….

What was Dinah's intention as she "went out", and what happened instead?
She went out to visit with the women of the land
Search the chapter carefully. Does Scripture record Dinah's response to the trauma and, if so, what was it?
There is no record of her response to the rape

What emotions did Jacob's sons feel in reaction to the news of Dinah's rape?
They experienced grief and fury

What did Hamor, Shechem's father, suggest to Jacob and his sons in verses 8 – 10?
He wanted Jacob to give Dinah to Shechem as his wife. He also wanted them to become part of the Hivite community where they could intermarry, trade and acquire land with the Hivites.

How did Hamor's reaction fail to take seriously the violent crime of rape?
Hamor justified the rape with the fact that Shechem was in love with Dinah and wanted to marry her

How did Jacob's sons deceive Hamor and Shechem, exacting revenge?
They promised to enter the city and do business and intermarry if all of the men of the land agreed to be circumcised. While they were unable to defend themselves due to the procedure, they went in and killed all of the Hivite men.

How did Jacob respond to his son's act of revenge?
He responded with fear and anger

What do you think Dinah needed from those around her once they brought her home from She hem's house?
She needed compassion and love. She also needed reassurance that she was still a whole woman worthy of love.

What do the following verses tell you about God's response to the brokenhearted?
Psalm 34: 18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit
Psalm 147: 3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds

According to 1 Thessalonians 5: 23, what are the three components of humans?
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What does 1 Corinthians 6: 17 say about a believer's spirit?
He who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit

The following is directly spoken from Beth in her study. I feel that it is worth copying because she is so eloquent with her words. She was a victim of sexual violation and speaks compassionately about the topic.
"My body may have been violated and my soul, the seat of my emotions, may have been injured, but my spirit – the innermost part of my being, where the Spirit of Christ dwells – cannot be violated. Therefore, what defines me most has never been touched. In my own healing process, God taught me that the more I allowed the Spirit of truth dwelling in me to take authority over my body and soul, the more the wholeness of Christ would overtake every part of me. In other words, God taught me to live from the inside out. I seek to allow the strongest, most invincible part of me – the spirit- to have dominion over all else, thereby sanctifying them (setting them apart as holy) just as 1 Thessalonians 5: 23 suggests. Today I live most consciously out of my healthiest part: the spirit. Through the years, the health of my spirit has been gloriously contagious to my soul and even to my body. According to Scripture, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. In some ways broken temples can be rebuilt. The Spirit of God dwelling within me has so overtaken my whole being that even my body no longer feels violated. Dear one, God can rebuild shattered lives. Satan will do everything he can to tempt you not to trust God because he knows your willingness to place yourself in God's holy hands will lead to full redemption. What is full redemption? Redemption is when the pain is treated and turned around so thoroughly that it not only loses it power to do you harm but also gains the power to do some good."

I don't think I could do this lesson any justice with my own words. Beth is so amazing with these topics that are so critical in our lives. I love you all and pray that you have an amazing day.
In Him,
Tiffany

Day 1 of Week 7 The Patriarchs

2008-10-24T09:38:00.001-07:00

October 23, 2008
Day One of Week Six
The Embrace of Brothers

Today's Treasure: Genesis 33: 4
Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

The principal question in today's lesson is: What does Matthew 5: 23 – 24 say about making amends?
Matthew 5: 23 – 24
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gifts there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Beth states in our study, "Esau and Jacob were blood brothers, but there is no greater kinship than the one formed by the blood of Christ."
Matthew 5: 23 -24 states that we should never make an offering to God if a grievance exists between you and a brother. If one does exist, we must go and make amends. Then we can return and make our offering with a pure heart.

God thinks so highly of our relationships with one another that he does not want an offering from us if we are holding something against our brother. If you recall, when Jacob and Esau separated last, Esau was planning to kill Jacob for tricking him out of his blessing. You can imagine that Jacob was not looking forward to seeing Esau. He had years to think of all the things Esau would do to him for his bad behavior. You know, Esau had every right to feel wounded by his brother. Jacob should have been frightened by what their encounter might be like. He was not a good brother to Esau. He took everything meaningful away from Esau. So, let's find out what happens as they come face to face.
Read Genesis 32 and Genesis 33. They are pretty short chapters. It shouldn't take long.
Carefully consider how Jacob arranged his family as they prepared to meet Esau and his 400 men.
What was he apparently doing?
Jacob placed the maidservants and their children in the front. Leah and her children followed the maidservants. Rachel and Jacob were in the back with their children. Jacob placed the wives and children in order of his love for them. Here we go again! Why don't we just keep smacking poor Leah in the face? I honestly think I would have erupted this time if I were Leah. Proving that she is a better person than me, that didn't happen. Okay, so I have to wonder what Jacob is thinking with this line up. Is he planning the order that the wives and children should be killed in if Esau is, in fact, coming to out of revenge? This is definitely one reason a man should NOT have more than one wife. He should be focused on his wife and children to protect each one…not line them up according to how much he likes the mother.

Offer your own thoughts concerning any unspoken reasons why Jacob might now want Esau to accompany him and his family.
I personally felt that he did not want Esau with his family because he knew Esau was not a godly man, and Jacob was committed to worshipping his God. Beth feels like his reasoning was related more to the idea of not wanting to strain their relationship any more than they had to. It is wonderful that they were able to reconcile the relationship; however, you can have too much of a good thing.

What did Jacob buy for 100 pieces of silver?
He bought the plot of ground where he pitched his tent

What did Jacob call the altar he set up?
El Elohe Israel, meaning "God is the God of Israel". We know that Jacob's name was changed to Israel after his encounter with God. He was not referring to the nation of Israel. He was referring to himself.

Jacob's reference to God as the "God of Israel" was intensely personal and is connected to Genesis 28: 20 -21. Read these verses and explain the connection.
In verses 20 – 21 of chapter 28, Jacob vows to commit his life to God if God gave him provision and returned him to the land of his father. God was true to his promise to Jacob. In verse 33, he sets up an altar to God in order to honor the commitment he made to Him.

Now let's focus on the physical approach between Jacob and Esau. There are two very different attitudes as they approach one another. Jacob is very hesitant and afraid as he approaches Esau. He is expecting his brother to meet him with fury. However, Esau runs towards his brother and embraces him immediately. He kisses Jacob and they weep in their embrace.
The next point that Beth makes in this lesson is the most interesting to me. She wants us to consider the contrast in the way the two brothers were able to physical meet each other. Jacob, the chosen one, was forced to limp towards his brother. Esau was able to run into Jacob's arms. Why is it that the chosen one was forced to live with a crippled leg? Beth suggests that sometimes God will wound His own children to make him/her walk differently while the profane and ungodly seem to run with endless confidence and vitality.
To quote Beth, "We are to walk as people who have encountered God, and some of the most transforming encounters are wrestling matches." Remember that the lost do not wrestle with God nearly as much as His own children do. They do not care enough to wrestle with him.
Beth quotes the Talmud: "God says to man: 'With thy very wounds I will heal thee.' "
Have you ever experienced a time when you felt that your wounds were the most healing to you?
I definitely feel that the things I suffer through always make me love and respect God more. I can think of so many things in my life that ache in my soul to this very day. When Scott and Tina had their accident, I truly do not know what I would have done if God had not been there for me to lean on. I was absolutely devastated. I remember that I was praying one morning and I vowed to God that I would never deny Him during that process of healing. I have to tell you that there were many times I was tempted to question God's sovereignty through that time. I just couldn't imagine how the sacrifice of two precious people like Scott and Tina could serve any purpose. I was angry, and it was difficult to understand. I finally had to realize that I will not truly understand on this side of heaven. The wound from that ordeal is still very tender in my heart. I do not wear it as Jacob wore a crippled leg, but it is with me every day of my life. I cannot tell you how my heart aches on so many days as I miss my friendship with Tina. The wound is almost as fresh today as it was three years ago. Yet, the anger is not there like it once was. If I were not dependent on God for a release from that anger, I don't think I could have ever overcome it.
Then Brian's mom passed away suddenly. I not only lost the most amazing mother-in-law on the face of this earth, I had to watch my husband suffer through the devastation of losing his mother. My children still ache from the loss of their grandmother. They loved her with all of their hearts. Once again, I had to give my grief to God because it was just too much for me to handle.
Now, with this cancer, I have learned that there is no point in going through the process of emotions that eventually land me at the feet of God. This time, I just decided to go straight to the source. This is a physical and emotional battle, and I did not have the time or the energy to try to do things my way. I will probably always carry a physical and emotional scar from this disease. However, God has been with me from the very first step of the journey. The scars will heal, but I am forever changed by this wound. I would much rather be traveling a different path. However, if this is where God needs to take me for my transformation, I might as well put my hiking shoes on so we can go ahead and get to the top of the mountain!
I am sure God will take me on many journeys as the years pass! I pray that I will only learn to praise Him more with each step!!!

Have a wonderful day, and I love each of you!
Tiffany

Interesting info about the Judah

2008-10-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my study earlier this week, an interesting question came up in our actual Bible study meeting about Judah. Sue Owensby pointed out that Christ came from the line of Judah. Judah was the fourth child of Jacob and Leah. Why is it that God chose Judah's lineage for this great privilege...
So, I got on the phone with my trusty and faithful friend, Sandy. She e-mailed me the following information last night, and I thought everyone would be interested in what she came up with. She points out that it may be one of those "when we get to heaven" things, but some scholars have taken a stab at it for us....
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!!
Thanks to Sue for having the question, and thanks to Sandy for researching for an answer!!!
Judah
I Chr 2:1
God's reasons for His choice
God chose Judah
1. Not according to the right of the firstborn for he had three elder brothers (Reuben - Gen 29:32, Simeon - Gen 29:33 and Levi - Gen 29:34). Judah was the fourth son of the marriage between Jacob and Leah (Gen 29:35).
2. Not according to his own righteousness. There are no incidents recorded concerning his childhood or his adolescence, but we have one as a young man in Gen 37:26-27 where, after Reuben had persuaded his brothers not to kill Joseph (Gen 37:21-22), Judah was the one who so despised him that he thought of a way to effectively kill him by making his brothers think that it was a noble act to sell him into slavery as Joseph was part of their family. And we can also see his immorality (not just sexual immorality) in the incident of Genesis chapter 38 explained below.
God, then, didn't choose Judah according to either of these two qualifications, but
3. According to God's sovereign choice (Rom 9:10-12), and,
4. According to God's sovereign grace (Rom 11:5-6).
God's choice
We notice, with some surprise that, in the march through the wilderness, it's Judah - not Reuben - who are the first to march (Num 2:9, 10:14) even though he wasn't the firstborn of his brothers or even the firstborn of his full brothers through Leah.
And further on in the history of Israel we see that, even though Saul, the first anointed king of Israel, was a Benjaminite, his disobedience caused his dynasty to be discontinued and a king chosen by God from the tribe of Judah became the heir and eventually the king (I Sam 13:14, 15:28, 16:1, 16:12) with many subsequent generations of future kings ruling from the capital Jerusalem.
Judah, then, was a favoured tribe and God's choice to treat him this way goes back to a prophecy that Jacob gave to all the brothers when he was nearing the end of his life. He begins by proclaiming (Gen 49:1)
'Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in days to come...'
and then goes on to speak prophetically concerning each of his sons and what was in store for them.
We find the anointed declaration concerning Judah in Gen 49:8-12 but it's v.10 in particular that reveals God's purpose in His choice of Judah. The first half reads
'The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet...'
(see also Psalm 60:7, 108:8) where the 'ruler's staff' (also mentioned in Psalms) is a poetic word standing for 'commander's staff', and 'sceptre' has many different shades of meaning but is taken to mean 'rod of correction'. This was all true of the subsequent history of the tribe but the second half of the verse projects this forward to the One who was to come. It reads
'...until He comes to whom it belongs; and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples'
That is, Jacob was saying that Judah was going to rule over his people until the Messiah came to whom the rod of correction and the ruler's staff rightfully belonged.
Note that it isn't specifically related to us that Messiah was to come from the line of Judah at this time in Israel's history, but it's taken to indicate this retrospectively since the Messiah was to bring in God's Kingdom and rule and it's difficult to see how the 'ultimate King' could be any other than Him - the final conclusion to God's chosen line of sovereignty.

Sandy Broome
www.sandybroome.blogspot.com

Day 5 of Week 6 The Patriarchs

2008-10-23T15:42:00.002-07:00

October 23, 2008
Day 5 of Week 6
Fleeing From Uncle

Today's Treasure: Genesis 31: 52
This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me.

I hate conflict!!! It is something that I just do not deal with very well. In my perfect world, there would be no conflict. We would all love the Lord and just want to serve Him in a way that would make us very tolerant of our differences!! Yet, conflict is here to stay. We all deal with it on a daily basis, and it causes so much stress in our lives. I have always done everything I can to avoid conflict. I have found over the years that when I follow the guidelines for personal relationships in the Bible, less conflict comes up in my life. I always try to avoid negative conversation that involves other people, especially when I am angry!!! I truly try to find the best in every situation that comes up. Yet, conflict still finds its way into my life on occasion!! So, we all have to learn to deal with it! In my experience, honesty has become my best friend in conflict. I have learned to honestly communicate my emotions in as calm a manner as I know how. If this doesn't work, then I have learned to just walk away from the situation. Sometimes, there is no resolve. Sometimes people just do not see life from the same set of spectacles. When that happens, you have to just learn that we are not all meant to be close friends with one another. I don't think God expects us to embrace every relationship in our life as a deep and personal relationship. He DOES want us to sincerely love as much as we can. Keep in mind that you can love, even from a distance.
In today's reading (Genesis 31: 1 – 21), Jacob learns this very valuable lesson in his own life. We found out yesterday that Laban just would not back down from trying to keep Jacob in his grasp. He definitely had an ulterior motive for wanting Jacob among his clan. God recognized that and blessed Jacob enough to allow him all he needed to leave and return to the land of his father. When Jacob received the wealth of blessings from God, the sons of Laban began accusing him of taking advantage of Laban and stealing from his flocks. Jacob noticed that Laban was treating him very different now that Jacob had the wealth and Laban was no longer benefiting from the blessings of God that hovered over Jacob. So, his attitude changed. Don't we all have people in our lives that treat us differently when we have nothing to offer to benefit their lives? Well, this is exactly how Jacob was feeling. So he decided to pack up to leave and head home with his family. He called Rachel and Leah in for a family meeting and explained how hard he tried to please Laban; however, Laban was treating him unfairly and he felt that it was time to go. The women were also witness to the way Laban treated all of them. Leah even pointed out that there was no longer any inheritance for them to receive from their father because his flocks had been reduced so much. So, the women agreed to leave. As a side note, please appreciate the way Jacob handled this with his wives. In his culture, he did not owe Rachel and Leah an explanation for leaving. He did not have to receive their approval for the move. He respected them enough to seek it from them and make them feel respected in this decision. Here they all go, off to the land of Abraham. For some reason, Rachel decides that she is going to run back to daddy's house and steal all of the household gods that belonged to Laban. I assume she wanted protection from them…never mind that her husband was constantly blessed right before her eyes by the ONE TRUE GOD!!!
Laban figures out that Jacob has gone and he immediately takes off after him with people. They overtake Jacob in the country of Gilead and Laban confronts Jacob about their departure. God has already intervened for Jacob and told Laban in a dream that he better not do anything to Jacob. Can you believe he (Laban) has the audacity to ask Jacob why they left without allowing him to have a celebration for them? It's almost as if he thought he could earn some extra brownie points with God if he made up this lie. He seems to not realize that God is an all knowing God. So Jacob explains that he was afraid Laban would take his family away from him if he tried to leave with his knowledge. Laban knows he cannot say anything to Jacob that will harm him. The two have to agree to disagree and go their separate ways.
There are relationships like this in our lives that we have to agree to let go of. It is so important that we do not walk away with a terrible attitude and dishonor the other person with our words. We must keep in our minds that we are probably just as much of a problem in the relationship as the other person is. It just is not meant for your relationship to be a close, personal one. When this happens, honor the other person with your words and your actions. Keep God between the two of you. If there is ever a time the other person needs help from you, give it. Pray for the other person and love them. Just do not involve yourself in a relationship that requires a lot of daily maintenance. Walk away from the obligations of the relationship, but agree to never cause harm to one another. If you continue in a relationship that is unhealthy, both sides will end up taking part in actions that are ungodly because you will become angry with one another from time to time (probably more often than not). When you become angry, it is very easy to dishonor the other party. So avoid this by loving the other person from a distance and keeping God in between the two of you.
I know all of this is much easier said than done. Remember, that is why God gives us examples in His Word that involve ordinary people like you and me. If you are struggling with conflict that is constant and just too much to handle, turn to the Word of God and seek out the way to handle it. I can guarantee you that, through prayer, God will take you straight to the Scripture He wants you to follow for that particular friendship. Just know that the Word of God is not there to sit on your coffee table and make you look like a "good Christian". The Word of God is alive and well. It is just as effective in our culture as it was in the days of Abraham. Embrace it and use it…it will never steer you wrong!!!
Have a wonderful day, and I love you!
Tiffany

Day 4 of Week 6

2008-10-23T15:42:00.001-07:00

October 22, 2008
Day 4 of Week 6
Speckled Blessings

Today's Treasure: Genesis 30: 43
In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants, and camels and donkeys.

What has been the wildest part of this journey for you personally and why?
For me, understanding God's sovereignty and how it works through ordinary people like is the wildest part of all we have read. I mean, Abraham and his family all made mistakes. The one common thread is their faith and commitment to God. I can do that!!! There is hope for me yet!!!
Read Genesis 30: 25 - 43
Today's lesson speaks volumes to those of us who do not like to sit back and allow God to do His thing!!! Jacob begins longing for home, and he wants to return to the land of his father with his family. Jacob has been working for Laban for many years now, and Laban has been very blessed by God because of Jacob's presence. He does not want to let Jacob go because he knows that Jacob is the reason for his prosperity. In this reading you get the idea that Laban is not concerned about losing his daughters or grandchildren. His main concern is losing his connection with the God that blesses His people. So, Jacob decides to make Laban an offer. They would divide up their flocks. Laban would receive the solid colored animals and Jacob would receive all the animals that were spotted or speckled. This seemed like a great deal to Laban because it was more common in their area of the world for these animals to be solid in color. Over time, Jacob began this ridiculous ritual of placing branches in the water trough when the strong animals came to water. When they mated, strong offspring were born to the speckled and spotted animals. So, Jacob's flocks increased while Laban's flock dwindled.
Now let me ask you. Do you truly believe the branch that Jacob put in the trough was the reason the animals came out speckled or spotted at birth? I don't think so. That's like me telling a woman who is expecting to drink kool-aid every day of her pregnancy and she will have a girl!! God was the reason for the offspring being speckled or spotted and the tremendous increase in Jacob's flock. He promised to bless Jacob and keep him as he tried to return home. This was God's way of taking care of Jacob and increasing his numbers. Jacob had absolutely nothing to do with it. Yet, he felt as though he had to do something to help God in the task of increasing his flocks so he could leave for home. If Jacob had decided to sit back and enjoy the wonders of God's hand, the same offspring would have been born.
Don't we often feel as though we have to step in and handle things for God because he may not get it exactly right on his own? I know I am very guilty of doing this!!!
Laban was not about to let his direct access to wealth leave him. He was willing to make any deal with Jacob to keep him around. Yet, God worked this "deal" out for the good of Jacob, who loved Him.
Have you ever tried to "set God up for success" or come up with a formula for blessing?
Oh, yes I have!!! You know, I have to admit that I have worried about how outspoken I have been about my faith that God WILL heal me of this cancer. In the back of my mind, Satan makes me wonder if I am messing God up if I end up dying from this disease. He asks me what on earth unbelievers will think if God does not deliver me from this disease. He tries to convince me that they will look at my story and ask themselves why I believed in a God that did not heal me. So, I begin to question whether I should be so outspoken about my faith in God. Ultimately, I have decided that there are three ways God can heal me of this cancer. I could have had some cancer cells in my body that He healed before they were even detected. In this way, I never would have known I had cancer, and He would have healed (protected) me from the fire. But, would I have missed and intimate walk with my Savior in return for that healing (protection)? Yes! Secondly, God can heal me through the fire. This is what I believe is happening in God's will. He did not protect me from finding out about/knowing about the cancer because there was a lesson to be learned in it. I have drawn so close to Him through all of this, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. I have truly learned what peace is, and I have learned how to place my concerns at the feet of my Savior and walk away from them. So, I am going through this fire, and He can very well save me through it. The other option is being healed by the fire. Unbelievers have a difficult time with this one. Even believers have a difficult time with this one. I would be lying if I tried to tell you that it is the option I am ready for. Yet, if I am healed by the fire it will mean that the cancer will be my path to complete healing by death and a return home to be with my Father in heaven. So you see, God's Will has complete healing in it for me. I just don't know yet what that path will be. What do I believe it will be? With all of my heart I have an amazing peace that He will heal me through the fire. I believe that my body will be restored and I will have many years on this earth with my family. Yet, who am I to question the perfect Will of God? So, I carry on knowing that, no matter what, my battle is won!

Thank you for sharing time with me today!
I love you all so much, and I thank God that you care enough about me to let me express my opinions with you!
In Him,
Tiffany

Day 3 of Week 6 The Patriarchs

2008-10-22T14:41:00.001-07:00

October 22, 2008
Day Three of Week Six
Winning Love
Today's Treasure: Genesis 29: 32
Surely my husband will love me now.

Today, I do not know if I will stick to the questions in the lesson as well as I should. This lesson touched my heart in such a mighty way because a part of me can relate to Leah, and my heart breaks for her. I am blessed enough to have a husband that adores me the way Jacob adored Rachel; however, I do know what it is like to struggle with your self-esteem. I just feel that Leah spent her whole life feeling less than those around her because of her physical appearance. I know some people in my life that are so beautiful on the outside. You look at them and wonder what it would be like for others to consider you that beautiful. Yet, they struggle with their self-esteem to the point that they do not realize how others view them. It is greatly akin to anorexia. People who have this disease physically cannot see themselves the way they truly are. All they see when they look in the mirror is someone that is overweight. People who struggle with their self-esteem often never come to a point where they can see how beautiful they are without intervention from God.
It has taken me years in the Word of God to understand that I should view myself in the way that God views me. Close your eyes for a moment and carry yourself into your child's bedroom. It is about midnight and you are going in to make sure all of the covers are pulled tight around him/her. The light from the hall is penetrating the room just enough to make little more than his/her face glow. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? You wonder how something so beautiful came from you, and for a moment your breath is just taken away. Well, that is how I imagine God looks at us. We are His creation! It does not matter what you think the world sees in you. God is peaking in on us making sure his blanket is tightly protecting us. When He is over us, checking in, He looks down and His breath is taken away by our beauty when the glow is the reflection of His Word in our lives. What does that do for you? The Creator of the Universe thinks you are beautiful! Once you come to this realization, you must concern yourself with the rest of the world viewing you in the same way God views you. The only way this can happen is if you fill your body and mind with the Word of God. Once the Holy Spirit is alive in you and His Word is spilling out of you, everyone will begin to view you i n a way you could never imagine. I have a friend that is very dear to me. You know, honestly, I don't know if I have ever seen her in the same way someone at Wal-Mart that doesn't know her may see her. To me, she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. The Holy Spirit just oozes out of her in a way that makes her glow all of the time. My goal in life is to be that for someone else. It is almost too much to conceive in my mind. Sandy Broome spoke at a women's retreat that I was blessed enough to go to a few weeks ago. She did an amazing job, and she said something very profound that will always stick with me. Think about this, "The reflection in a mirror is the way we are viewed by our culture, not our Creator!"

Now, back to Leah! How this girls self-esteem must have suffered through the happenings in her life. Leah's father tricks her husband into marrying her by using her beautiful sister to stand in for her at the wedding feast. Then, when it is dark and her husband is drunk, he puts Leah in Rachel's place and has her sleep with Jacob so he is bound to her in marriage. How exactly would that make you feel? Not to mention the fact that your husband wakes up in horror, and immediately goes to plead his case with your father. Instead of saying, "that's fine, I'll be happy with this one." He says, "I will keep this one, but I am going to work seven more years for the one I really want!" Honey, I would have been on the next train out of there and never looked back. Leah did not have that option. It was a matter of survival for her. All she knew was where she was, and no one was going anywhere. So she was forced into a life of being unloved by her husband and hated by her sister. I am sure she felt as if no one cared about her, but SOMEONE did!!!

I am going to list the children born to Leah and Rachel and the meaning of their names. Watch as Leah realizes who cared enough to embrace her.
Reuben was born to Leah.
Name means "The Lord sees my misery. Surely my husband will love me"
Simeon was born to Leah.
Name means "The Lord heard that I am unloved and He gave me this son"
Levi was born to Leah.
Name means "Now my husband will be attached to me b/c I have given him 3 sons"
Judah was born to Leah.
Name means "This time I will praise the Lord"
Dan was born to Rachel's maidservant Bilhah. He was named by Rachel.
Name means "God has vindicated me and listened to my plea and given me a son"
Naphtali was born to Bilhah, the maidservant. He was named by Rachel.
Name means "I have a great struggle with my sister and I have won"
Gad was born to Leah's maidservant, Zilpah. He was named by Leah.
Name means "What good fortune"
Asher was born to Leah's maidservant, Zilpah. He was named by Leah.
Name means "How happy I am. The women will call me happy"
Issachar was born to Leah.
Name means "God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband"
Zebulum was born to Leah
Name means "God has presented me with a precious gift. Now my husband will honor me"
Dinah was born to Leah.
Joseph was born to Rachel
Name means "God has taken away my disgrace. May the Lord add me another son."

Take a moment to look over all of these names and the meanings behind their assignment. Now would you have rather been named by Leah or Rachel? It seems that every name given by Leah has to do with love and blessing. Rachel was more concerned with revenge when she was naming her brood. Take a look at the names of the first three. As Sandy pointed out during the retreat, Leah was very consumed with these children being the way to make her husband love her. She was seeking the approval of her husband and love from him. When we get to child number four she has changed her perspective from obsession with her husband to praising God for seeing, hearing and blessing her. Now her focus seems to be moving to the right track. That is the kind of transformation I want people to see in my life.

Another interesting point that we discussed in Bible Study on Tuesday is the fact that Christ came from the tribe of Judah. Judah was one of Leah's children. Do you wonder if God had an affinity to Leah that He did not have with Rachel. Why did he choose Leah's line to bring forth the Savior of the world? I do not think it is coincidence that Christ came from the first child Leah gave birth to that she used to praise the Lord. His name literally means, "Praise". Isn't this amazing!!! If you have ever read any commentary on why Leah's line may have been chosen, please e-mail me and share your knowledge!

Now, consider the following questions to relate this story to your own life:
1. What did Leah lack?
2. What did Rachel lack?
3. What do you feel like you lack most in your life?
4. Does this lack ever make you feel somewhat desperate?

There is no void in your life that God cannot fill. If you are willing to give it to him, as Leah did, He will bless you more than you could ever imagine.

Thank you for allowing me to express myself today!!!
I love you all so very much!!!
Have a blessed day,
Tiffany

God is more than good!!!

2008-10-21T06:54:00.001-07:00

Guys, I want all of you to go to your knees and praise our God for who He is!!! I am sure you have received an e-mail about my scans!!! The doctor was too cautious to say "complete remission", but it was close enough for me!!! My bone scan came back with bones that are completely clear!!! His words about my liver were that the three lesions that were there before are still visible, but they no longer look like formed "masses". They are just showing up as three (very small) abnormal places on the liver!!!
I cannot praise my God enough...I love Him with all of my heart. I beg you to allow me to be witness in your life of what only God is capable of. He can move mountains that man can only view.
Now here's the deal...
I will remain on treatments for as long as I am drawing breath (for the doctors sake) to keep this cancer where it is (according to their research). However, you and I both know that the hand of God is in this, and He is so much bigger than what the doctors are capable of. The doctor says the cancer will come back at some point...again, you and I both know the truth to this. So, I still have the battle of staying on all these meds.
So, please continue to pray for me!!!
The doctor is moving me to treatments every three weeks indefinitely!!!
I love you all so very much
I love you for your prayers, for your tears and your rejoicing!!! Most of all I praise you for leaning on our
God and staying on your knees for me!!!
In Him always
tiffany pate

Friday

2008-10-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Please download the fundraiser flyer for this event and pass along to family and friends. Hope to see you all there!

Have a great weekend.
Carol Ratliff

If the link above does not work, please past this into your URL bar:

http://www.axislabs.net/downloads/tp_fundraise.pdf

Day 2 of Week 6 The Patriarchs

2008-10-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2008
Day Two of Week Six
An Unexpected Bride

Today's Treasure: Genesis 29: 25
"When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, 'What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?' "

Today's lesson will focus on the marriage(s) of Jacob. You will watch a scene fro m a soap opera play out with Jacob, Laban, Rachel and Leah being the main characters. As you read through the Scripture you will find that Jacob agreed to work for his uncle for seven years to win the right to marry Rachel. He was truly in love with Rachel and felt the seven years of labor would be worth the reward. Rachel was the beautiful (in appearance) one between her and her older sister, Leah. However, Leah had first rights to marriage because of her place in the family. After Jacob worked seven long years to marry the girl of his dreams, he wakes from his wedding night with Leah next to him instead!!! Of course, Jacob is astounded by what has happened. Where is the woman he worked seven years for? Well, at this point I have to be honest in telling you I can't help but snicker. Has anyone ever heard the term "turn about is fair play"? Don't you kind of feel like Esau is getting a little revenge on his brother for the tricks he played on him in the past?

The story in Scripture today will also bring up polygamy in the culture of Jacob and the idea of a father giving both of his daughters in marriage to the same man. This is not God's plan for marriage. His plan for marriage is one man and one woman. If you need Scripture to support this, consider the following:
Genesis 2: 24
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
Matthew 19: 4 -6
"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
Ephesians 5: 31
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
Jacob's world commonly practiced polygamy as a means to many children, not as an act of obedience to God.

Please read Genesis 29: 14 – 30
Identify and describe both the characters that follow on the information given in this text. You might even describe what you think they were like, creating a character sketch of sorts.

Leah: The older daughter of the two. Leah is described as having weak eyes. Leah had to have been humbled by the fact that she was looked over by Jacob. Being the oldest daughter, as I said, she was first in line to marry. &n bsp; She must have felt very insecure about her appearance if it was strong enough to be mentioned in regards to describing her.
Rachel: The younger of the two daughters. Rachel is described as being lovely in form and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and willing to work seven years for her hand in marriage. Talk about an ego boost. How would your head swell if a man was willing to wait/work seven years just to marry you?

No matter who we are we have suffered the slings and arrows of painful comparison at some point. How would you describe the feeling of being negatively compared to another person?
I remember a scene that played out in my office one day when I worked for First Union right out of college. Another girl was hired at about the same time I was. She truly was a beautiful girl and had a great personality . This story in no way reflects my feelings about her because she became a great friend to me. However, the first day she came into the office, the supervisor took her around to introduce her to everyone. She was standing at the cubicle in the front of our department and she called out my name. She said, "Tiffany I want you to meet _______. I had to come introduce her to you because we now have someone working here that is prettier than you." I was so crushed when she made that statement in front of everyone. The girl was so embarrassed too!!! I will probably always remember the way it made me feel when she did that.

What excuse did Laban offer for deceiving Jacob in verse 26 after he gave Leah to him on the wedding night instead of Rachel?
"It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one"

In all, how many years did Jacob work for Laban to win Rachel?
Jacob worked seven more years for Rachel's hand in marriage…a total of fourteen years

Beth purposely overlapped yesterday's text with todays by including verse 14 in both. I believe this verse in strangely foretelling in the Jacob/Laban sage. What did Laban say when he met and embraced Jacob?
"You are my own flesh and blood"
Jacob was deceived by his own flesh and blood. Some believe that Laban was so anxious to create a covenant with Jacob because he was expecting the great riches his family received for Rebekah. However, Jacob came into this situation empty handed. Don't feel sorry for Jacob because God used this situation to teach Jacob a life less on. He would reap the sowing of his past with the deceit he used to get ahead with Esau and his father.
Suspect an ulterior motive in virtually everything Laban offers. The first example appears in verse 15. How does Laban at first seem thoughtful?
Jacob was living with and working for Laban for a month, and Laban comes to Jacob to explain that he should not be working for free just because they are relatives. I am sure Laban is keenly aware of the affection Jacob has for Rachel, and is conjuring up ways of getting both of his daughters married.
By hiring Jacob, Laban is binding Jacob to him. Jacob now owes Laban something for the rights to his daughter.

Let's back up a bit and reread verses 20 and 21. Explain why seven years could seem like only a few days. If you have a personal example when time seemed to pass similarly, share it as your explanation.
I believe time passes without notice when we are at our happiest!!! I am sure Jacob woke up each morning anxious for the day Rachel would be his. Work was not a bother because the reward would be worth it. I know the time in my marriage has passed so quickly. Brian and I have been married for almost eleven years, and it truly seems like yesterday that we were in that church. Since then, we have built a family with two amazing little boys. Brian has proven to be a husband and father that women and children could only dream of having. Our home, overall, is a very happy one. We spend a lot of time rushing through the day to day activity of living. Yet, we laugh a lot and love on each other even more. The happiness in our home makes time just pass without notice of the toilsome things of life.

Many commentaries feel certain that the deception of the wedding night was not a difficult one. I am sure the sisters resembled one another greatly. We also need to consider the fact that a lot of drinking probably took place at the wedding feast. So, Jacob did not have the blinders of alcohol on his side. (Yet another con on the "reasons not to drink" list). Also, it was dark when Laban lead his daughter to Jacob's bed.
We can have stars in our eyes in more ways than romantic love. God calls us to love, but He never calls us to love blindly. In your own words, what was Paul's prayer for believers in Philippians 1: 9?
"And this is my prayer that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,"

Laban did Leah such a disservice by attempting to honor his customs. Jacob promised seven more years of labor to marry Rachel.
Complete the following from Genesis 29: 30
"Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah"
Try to imagine Leah's life of being the one that is loved less. I am sure her heart ached more and more with each passing day. I feel certain that time did not pass quickly for her as she was trapped in a loveless marriage.
Thank God for the love he showers us with because it is the only love that can carry us through such difficult situations!

Thank you for sharing your time with me today
In Him
Tiffany

Day 1 of Week 6 of the Patriarchs

2008-10-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2008
Day One of Week Six
When Jacob Saw Rachel

Today's Treasure: Genesis 29: 10
"When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban….he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep."

If you were unable to view the video session, please read Genesis 28: 10 -22. It will help bridge the gap between the end of week five and today's lesson.

Now, please move to Genesis 29: 1-14. Today's lesson will focus on this Scripture. Record any elements you find particularly interesting from this Scripture.
Jacob saw Rachel for the first time at a well…just as Abraham's servant saw Rebekah for the first time at a well. Both stories in Scripture involve watering their animals.
I was taken aback by the sense of relief Jacob felt when he embraced Rachel. You can feel through the Scripture that he immediately falls in love with her, just as Isaac fell in love with Rebekah.
Laban is Rebekah's sister. Rachel is Laban's daughter. So, Jacob and Rachel are cousins
Rachel ran to tell her family what happened, just as Rebekah did many years before.
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Glance back at Genesis 28: 1 – 10. If you were Jacob – embarking on a pilgrimage of sorts and facing a new life- how would this experience affect your journey?
If I were on a journey like this, I would have felt very unsure and lonely at first. After hearing from God and knowing that He was taking care of me, I am sure my attitude would change tremendously. I would head into the journey with excitement and an appreciation for what God wanted to do in my life.

What did God tell Jacob in Genesis 28: 15?
I am with you
I will watch over you wherever you go
I will bring you back to this land.
I will not leave you until I have done what I promised
Wow!!! Doesn't that sound amazing? How could you not put on your walking shoes and skip along the way with words like these directly from God?

You know, we should embrace the journeys in our lives with this type of excitement. If we have received Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, these words should be our reality as well. We are children of God, just as Jacob is. These words belong to us just as much as they belong to him. It is our job to embrace them and believe them with all of our hearts. We must live our lives as though these words exist in our core!!!

How do the following New Testament=2 0promises exceed God's promise to Jacob in Genesis 28: 15?
Matthew 1: 22 – 23
"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel-which means, "God with us".' "
Matthew 28: 19 – 20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
John 14: 16 – 18
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
2 Timothy 4: 18
"The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen"

Read Genesis 29:3 again. What had to happen before the sheep could drink?
The shepherds had to roll the stone away for the water to flow

In verses 9 and 10, the story becomes interesting…
"While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and Laban's sheep he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep."

If you pay close attention to the Scripture just prior to this, the shepherds had just explained to Jacob that they had to wait for all the other sheep to come in before they could roll the stone away. Beth suggests that they were forced to wait for more man power because the stone was very heavy. So, they waited for enough men to come to the well before trying to move the stone. Yet, when Jacob saw Rachel, you notice that he alone went over and rolled the stone to water her sheep. Do we think someone was trying to show off for the maiden?

According to Genesis 29: 11, what did Jacob do after removing the stone and watering the sheep?
He kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud
What is your customary way of greeting someone you have just met?
Oh, I love to hug!!! I will hu g a stranger in an instant because I feel like it makes them feel accepted by me and at ease!!! They probably think I am a nut job, but at least I have my reasons!!!

Would you greet him or her differently if you realized you had a tie of some kind?
Yes, I can relate to this in such a huge way!! Now that I am a cancer patient, I notice other cancer patients immediately and I feel an instant connection with them. I feel as though I am meeting a sister that God has brought into my path. I have hugged many women immediately and called them "sister" at our first meeting because we share that connection.

Now, imagine this is the way Jacob felt when he saw Rachel for the first time. He realized that she was family and he was no longer among strangers!!!
This story gets better and better...so s tay tuned for the rest of the week
In Him,
Tiffany Pate

Day 5 of Week 5

2008-10-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

October 16, 2008
Day Five of Week Five
Destructive Consolations

Today's Treasure: Genesis 27: 42
"Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you"

Please read Genesis 27: 41 – 46 and complete the following exercise
On day 3 we witnessed a heart broken Esau, weeping "aloud" over his forfeited blessing. List the evolution of Esau's emotions fro m the grief he demonstrated in verse 38 to the unchecked feelings and the resulting plans that followed:
-He became full of a desire for revenge and married women that his parents did not approve of
-He was angry with Jacob after being betrayed by him and planned to kill him
-He was betrayed by Jacob and his mother and lost his blessing from Isaac
-He was bitter and despised his birthright when Jacob tricked him out of it
-He sold his birthright without a thought of what it meant

Read verse 42 carefully. How can thinking vengeful thoughts towards people who hurt us be a means of consoling ourselves?
Thinking of a way to take anger out on someone else makes us feel better for a time; however, we become so consumed with the anger that it takes a bigger toll on us than the person we are angry with.

Read Zechariah 3: 1. Circle the word you can assume is the masculine noun, and put a triangle around the word you believe to be the coinciding verb.
"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him"
I circled he and Satan
I put a triangle above showed and accused

If we diagram Esau's progression of emotion it would look like this:
Cried…………held a grudge………………premeditated murder……………consoled himself
;
We need to remember that not everyone premeditates murder as a way to console him/herself after being hurt or betrayed. I certainly have a tendency to feel sorry for Esau because he really never had a chance. Yes, he was his father's favorite child; however, he was betrayed by everyone he loved and left to fend for himself with no blessing to cover him. Yet, his choice in ways to deal with the matter was not good. Beth suggests that his need for killing to console himself was a sign of psychopathic personality. She points out that normal people do not murder. Everyone gets hurt and angry. They may insult others or even act unkindly, but they do not premeditate a murder. It is unchecked emotions that lead to this type of behavior.
According to verse 8:44, what is the evil father's stated desire?
Lying and killing in order to carry out the father's desires
When a person premeditates murder, they want to carry out the desires of Satan. Satan has been a murderer from the beginning. Beth points out that she is not implying that all murderers are demon-possessed or that they cannot repent and be saved. She is simply saying that the desire to murder is a desire to carry out the devil's wishes.
The hate-filled Pharisees that Christ called "children of the devil" considered themselves to be children of Abraham. How did Christ explain the evidence of true parenting from His point of view in John 8: 39 -41?
Your children are a reflection of you, doing as you do

Look at Hebrews 12: 14 – 17
What impact does Hebrews 12: 16 have on our understanding of Esau?
That he was sexually immoral and godless.
0A

Read Hebrews 12: 16 – 17 again and record the main idea
Your actions always have consequences
Esau missed the grace of God from his actions. Esau became committed to his own sense of entitlement and forfeited the grace that God had in store for him. The reason God offers this grace is to avoid bitterness in the challenges we face.

2008-10-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Tiffany,

I have been praying and will be praying specifically for your scans and the amazing results I am believing you will receive! Can't wait to hear!

Love, Stacey

Tiffany's scans - please remember

2008-10-14T07:14:00.001-07:00

Hi, everyone:

It is Monday evening, and I am preparing for our trip to Duke. I have had an amazing day, and I just know it is representative of a fabulous week to come!!! We had a group go to Crowder's Mtn. today!!! It was amazing...the weather was more than we ever could have asked for. I wish I could share the experience with you through words, but that is impossible. I have to thank my hiking buddies (Trish, Lisa, Tammy and Tucker) for helping make my day a great one!!!

I spent the afternoon watching my boys play football at the park for hours with two of their friends. I can't tell you how the fall renews my soul!!! I love spending my afternoons at the park in October and November!!! Tina and I spent many years together going to Stowe Park about every afternoon. This time of year makes me miss her more than anyone could know!!! I think of her so much this time of year. If my thoughts could only make her well!!!

So, tomorrow morning Brian and I are off to Duke!! I have a bone scan at 1:30 am and a CT scan at 3 pm. Guys, I am just feeling great about these scans. Faith is not knowing what God can do for you but what He WILL do for you!!! Scripture specifically tells me that this mountain can be moved if I truly believe what I ask for in prayer will be granted. I can promise you that I KNOW what my God is capable of. As one of His children, I am an heir to this scripture!!! So, tomorrow and Wednesday thank Him in advance for the news we are going to hear!!!

I can't wait to send out an e-mail with a subject title "complete remission"!!!!

In Him,
Tiffany Pate

Day 4 of Week 5 The Patriarchs

2008-10-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

October 9, 2008
Day Four of Week Five
Stolen Blessings

Today's Treasure: Genesis 27: 19
Jacob said to his father, 'I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing.' "

I thought I might take a little different approach to today's scripture. Rather than going through the study and answering the specific questions, I would li ke to go through this chapter and discuss it section by section. This chapter is just profound to me. I want to make sure we get a grasp on this chapter before moving on because much of the happenings that follow in the near Scripture need an understanding of what took place on this occasion.

Chapter 27 of Genesis plays out one story that involves every member of Isaac's family. There is betrayal, raw emotion and powerful relationship flaws that lead up to specific happenings that impact Scripture in a mighty way. I am going to add in my opinions about this Chapter, but remember, I am a limited human being. Don't be afraid to disagree with me or think the situations through on your own. That's what this is all about!!!
Please Read Chapter 27 of Genesis. It is not too terribly long (46 verses).
The Chapter opens up explaining that Isaac has grown very old and his age has caused him to become blind. He calls for Esau (his firstborn of the twins). He explains that he is very old and weak and doesn't know when he will die. Recall that previous scripture tells us that Esau was his favorite son because he was a man of the land and loved to hunt for wild game. Isaac asks Esau to go out and hunt some wild game for him so that he can eat it and give Esau his blessing as his firstborn before he dies. It was a ritual that the blessing takes place around a meal. So we need to understand Isaac's reasoning for asking his son to do this. The blessing spoken by a father over his son was huge. I cannot make you understand how big this was in the culture of Abraham. It was believed that the blessing was the words of God spoken through the father to the child. Once these words were spoken, they could not be taken back. They did not belong to the father to take back, they belonged to God.
Now remember in previous Scripture that we were told Rebek ah loved Jacob as her favorite son. We also need to think back to Chapter 25 where Rebekah was told by God that, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." Rebekah was the only one to hear this prophecy from God. We are not sure if she shared the information with Isaac or not. It would be nice to think she did; however, we do not know. Either way, Rebekah had direct knowledge from God that Jacob, being the younger son, would be over the Esau. So we do not know if her love/favoritism came from that knowledge or if she just loved him more because he was the type of child to stay by her side and please her. (Chapter 25: 27, "Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents). Here's what I believe about the situation between the parents was. I believe that Isaac had a natural affinity towards Esau because of the type of man he was. I think he probably felt Esau would be a better leader between the two brothers.
In Rebekah's case, I feel her knowledge played a bigger role in her choice of favorites between the sons. I just can't believe that a mother could be so biased between her own children for any other reason. I could not imagine loving one of my boys more than the other. I definitely appreciate them and their talents in different ways. One child tends to spend more time with me and the other spends more with his dad. That is simply due to interests and personal needs. But, I love each of them equally because they are so different. Maybe both parents felt like they needed to help God with his plans a little. They just felt like it was important that God have their help in making the right choices among the children. So, maybe Isaac felt he should hurry and speak the blessing over Esau because he truly was the stronger of the two boys and he thought he would be the better leader. We will note something in a few moments in his blessing that leads me to believe this.
The next actions in the story are what lead me to believe that Rebekah wanted to help God along in his work. Isaac is unaware that Rebekah is listening in on his conversation with Esau. So she sends for Jacob and explains what is going on. She comes up with this ridiculous plan to trick Isaac into giving Jacob his blessing instead of Esau (to ensure God's plan is fulfilled I am sure)!! She prepares a meal for Isaac herself, dresses Jacob in Esau's clothes and puts the goat skin leftover from the meal she prepared on Jacob's hands and the smooth part of his neck. Remember that Esau got his name from all of the red hair that covered his body. Esau means hairy and Edom (his other name) means red. They were afraid they would be discovered if Isaac asked to touch Jacob.
In the next scene of the story, Jacob has done all his mother requested and takes the food in to his father. Jacob greets his father. Isaac responds with, "yes, son, who is it?" This immediately makes you think that Isaac doubts whether this is Jacob or Esau. The questions become even g reater with each moment of the story. Isaac firsts asks how the boys returned from the field so quickly with the food prepared (doubting Esau could have done it in this time). Then Isaac asks him to come near so he can touch him (checking for the hair on Esau). He responds after touching him with, "The voice is the voice of Jacob's, but the hands are the hands of Esau." Then Isaac goes even further to say, "Are you really my son Esau?" Jacob lies to him and replies, "I am". Isaac still is not completely satisfied that this is Esau. So after he eats the wild game, he asks Jacob to come forward and kiss him so he can give him his blessing. When he kisses Jacob, he smells the scent of Esau on the clothes Jacob is wearing and says, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed." Once he smells Esau on Jacob, he begins to bless him. Can you imagine being in Isaac's shoes? He was at the mercy of his remaining senses to assure him that he was blessing the right child. If he was trying to=2 0bless Esau in order to prevent "God from making a mistake with his prophecy", then he highly underestimated the sovereignty of God. Now I AM NOT saying the way Rebekah and Jacob went about deceiving Isaac was right, by any means. It was wrong from the very first thought conceived in Rebekah's mind. However, God found a way to work, even through the flaws of mankind (once again)!!!
Pay close attention to the words of the blessing.
"May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness – an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, AND MAY THE SONS OF YOUR MOTHER BOW DOWN TO YOU. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed."
Okay, we need to look at this blessing at several different angles. Go back up to the first page and read the prophecy that God spoke to Rebekah about the twins growing in her body. God specific ally spoke to be things in Isaac's blessing. If Isaac was trying to manipulate the situation and make sure Esau fulfilled the prophecy rather than Jacob, he did a great job of covering the important facts in the blessing. But, remember, they believed with all of their hearts that the spoken blessing was made up of direct words from God to the child from the father. That is why the words could not be taken back. So stand back and be amazed by how God handled the situation. All of the information given to Rebekah was spoken out in the blessing Isaac gave Jacob (unknowingly), and they were spoken to the son that God INTENDED to fulfill his prophecy!!!

When Isaac was finished with his blessing, Jacob left his father immediately. He had not been gone long before Esau enters the scene and asks his father to sit up and eat some of his game. The father, frantically I am sure, asks "Who are you?" Esau replies and Isaac begins to tremble violently. I don't know if his trembles were out of fear from God, if Rebekah had indeed shared God's prophetic words with him or if the trembles represented his terror of be betrayed in such a terrible way. He explained to Esau that his blessing had already been given to someone who came in and pretended to be Esau. When Esau heard this, he began crying bitterly and begged his father to bless him as well. The verses are so pitiful to me. It just gives you this picture of this strong, burly young man being brought to his knees and the actions of a four year old child begging his father. "Bless me- me too, my father!"
However, Isaac replies to him, "your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing." Esau yells out, "He took my birthright and now he's taken my blessing!....Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?"
Isaac tells Esau, "I have made him lord over you and have made his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?" Esau begins to weep begging his father to at least give him one blessing. So Isaac blessed him with these words, "Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless you will throw his yoke from off your neck."
Now that doesn't sound like much of a blessing, if you ask me. Try to place yourself in Esau's shoes for a moment. This man has been betrayed by everyone in his family, even if not intentionally by his father. He is suddenly alone in this world, and I am sure he felt unloved by anyone! The Scripture goes on to say that Esau held a grudge and made plans to kill his brother. When Rebekah heard this, she made plans to send Jacob away to keep Esau from killing him. Now go back up to verse 13, and read Rebekah's response to Jacob when he expresses fear that his father will find him out and curse him rather than bless him. Rebekah tells him, "My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me."
We find at the end of this scripture that Rebekah is already being cursed for her deceitful actions. Her oldest son is trying to kill Jacob, the one she truly loves. She has to lose Jacob and send him away to protect him. Then Esau becomes so enraged that he turns to a lifestyle against that of his parents. So essentially, she loses both of her sons, one to distance and one to bitterness. You will see this play out in the next chapter. But Rebekah tells Isaac in chapter 27 that she is disgusted by the Hittite women and the way they live. She expresses such deep emotion about this that she goes as far to say, if Jacob takes a wife among them, her life will no longer be worth living. Well, guess what, that is exactly what her son, Esau, does. So, stay tuned and get pumped about reading how the drama in this chapter plays out in the years to come.
I hope I haven't done this scripture too much injustice with my opinions. As I said, please read and feel free to e-mail with your opinions on the scripture. Sharing information is the greatest way to learn.
Have a blessed and wonderful day.
Tiffany Pate

Day 3 of Week 5 The Patriarchs

2008-10-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

October 8, 2008
Day Three of Week 5

The Generational Impact
Today's Treasure: Genesis 26: 18
Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

Today's lesson turns back to Isaac and focuses on the parental influence that we all see carried down from generation to generation. Luke 6: 37 – 38 reads, "Do not judge, an d you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
The things we do really do have a great effect on our lives and the lives of our children. We are all living, breathing reflections of our parents…for the better or the worse. I am sure we all have wonderful attributes as well as not so wonderful attributes we inherited from our parents. Take time to realize that they didn't necessarily pass down the not so good attributes just to ruin your lives. Remember, they had parents, too. You never know how many generations carried something down that fell in your lap. However, you do not have to pass it along to your children. If you recognize something in your life that is a hindrance, call yourself out on it. Get on your knees and ask the LORD to help you overcome this bad habit that you do not want your children to give to your grandchildren.

In Genesis 26, you will see spiritual, behavioral and circumstantial ties that Isaac shares with Abraham. At this point, Abraham is already dead and buried; however, you will be made aware of similarities in Isaac's life that are uncanny. As you read this chapter, please remember that "Abimelech" is used for a royal lineage, much like King George or King Edward. So, this is not the same king that Abraham dealt with….just the same name.
What similarities do you see between Abraham's and Isaac's actions in?
Segment 1: Genesis 26: 1 – 11; glance at Genesis 12: 10 – 20 and Genesis 20: 1 – 11.
Circumstantial – there was another famine like the one that occurred in Abraham's time.
Spiritual - God reminded Isaac of the (same) promises he made to Abraham because of his faith.
Behavioral - Both Isaac and Abraham went to Abimelech. Both Isaac and Abraham lied about their relationship with their wives. They both claimed to have a brother/sister relationship so they would not be killed. In both cases, Abimelech feared them and ordered them to not be touched.
Segment 2: Genesis 12 – 22
Spiritual – Both Abraham and Isaac were blessed after their confrontation with Abimelech
Behavioral – Abraham dug wells and Isaac reopened the wells of his father
Circumstantial – they each had the same had to fact disputes between the servants over the wells
Segment 3: Genesis 26: 23 – 34
Behavioral/spiritual – Both Abraham and Isaac both built altars
Circumstantial – They each had confrontation with Abimelech concerning a treaty and Abimelech's desires because the LORD was with Abraham and Isaac.
Some scholars doubt the validity of this chapter in the Bible because of the similarities between Abraham and Isaac. They feel these are just simply too great; however, I think these scriptures were included for the sake of making us realize how deep our decisions as a parent dig into the lives of our children. I believe the Bible did not have to include a lot of details about Isaac and Rebekah because their lives were so much like the lives of Abraham's parents. Think about how we respond to a difficult decision. How often has your response mirrored how your parents responded to difficulties when you were a child? Did you realize that the statistics for second-generation adultery are overwhelmingly high? Even if a child despised the adultery and was very judgmental of it, they tend to make the same decision when they grow older. Very often, when parents make poor financial decisions, it carries over into the children because they were never taught how to handle their money appropriately. There are so many sins that our children pick up from us and we have picked up from our parents. Today's study focuses on deceit and how both Abraham and Isaac turned to it when backed against a wall. We need to understand that Ezekiel 18 clearly tells us that each individual is responsible for his or her own sins. It is up to us to create new behaviors in order to stop the sins from carrying over into the next generation.
If you are willing, write a prayer asking God to free you from any stronghold of deception, no matter where they originated.

What part of the discussion on parenting is speaking most clearly to you at this=2 0moment? Write down your thoughts so you can begin working on a way to incorporate healthier alternatives.

Think of the wells that Isaac reopened as being a conceptual example of inherited behavior. Can you share an example of a reopened well or relate in any way you'd be willing to share?
On a positive note, I have recognized that I developed my mom's determination to succeed in tasks that she commits herself to. I am sure I have taken on this same determination by watching her. Like her, I refuse to take "this can't be done" as an answer. Phillipians 4: 13 says, "I can do everything through Him that gives me strength." I cannot accept that this cancer can't be overcome. Fortunately, my mother did teach me to endure and never take "no" for an answer!!! Now that I really need to dig deep to find this, my mom had already planted the seed.

Segment 3 provides a fitting conclusion to the concepts we've studied today. How did the LORD introduce Himself to Isaac in Genesis 26: 24?
"I am the God of your father Abraham"

Remember, as you go about your day that God never changes. He is the same God today that Abraham met so many years ago. He can take all of the bad examples in your life and turn them into reasons to succeed and change for the sake of the children not yet born to our children. I encourage all of us to commit to prayer. We need to ask that our eyes be open to the things we need to change so we can heal the wells of our souls.

I love you all,
Tiffany

Hello to Everyone

2008-10-08T09:05:00.001-07:00

Hi, I pray this e-mail finds everyone well...

I know I am behind on the Bible study. I last sent out day one of week 5. I promise that I will be finishing week five soon. I have completed all of the days for the Bible study. I just haven't typed them up to send them out. I apologize for that. We decided today to take next week off from the study because several women will not be able to attend next Tuesday. So, we will just need to complete week six by two weeks from today. To be honest, this news was good for me because it will give me a chance to catch up on everything. Often when you are doing a study as intense as Beth's studies, a break is good towards the half-way point so you can catch your breath.

I have been extremely tired over the last two weeks. I think the chemo is just starting to take its toll on my energy level. I am not complaining AT ALL. I am amazed that we have made it six months before this became a reality. I still have more good days than bad, and my bad days aren't enough to complain about. I just have to take more "rests" than I use to. I am definitely keeping up with my exercise though. I am still hiking on Mondays and exercising as much as I can on the other days. I have a heart scan tomorrow (Wednesday) at Duke before I have my treatment. They just need to make sure the herceptin is not causing my heart any problems.

Next week is the "biggie" for me!!! I am asking you with all of my heart to please be in prayer for me next Tuesday. I have a CT scan and a bone scan on Tuesday. We will get the results on Wednesday. I am claiming that we are going to find out that my cancer is completely in remission. Will you please join me in this prayer? I promise I will let you know as soon as we get the results. My husband and I are going up on Tuesday morning. We will have all of the scans done, and we are going to spend the night in Durham so we don't have to drive back and forth both days. The cost of a hotel is no more expensive than the gas driving both ways two times. We really need to spend some time alone, too. We haven't gotten away at all since my diagnosis. It will be good for us to have a few hours to focus on each other!!! Wednesday we will get up early, and I will go straight to treatment. We will meet with the doctor at 1 pm for the results from my scans!!! I am not overwhelmed with anxiety about the scans. I know that God is in control, and I am doing everything I possibly can to heal this cancer. This is just huge to me because I really want to hear the words, "You are in remission"!!!

Thank you to all of you for your continued love and support through all of this. No matter what the outcome of these scans, it is amazing knowing how many people are in prayer for me each and every day!!! There are two very special little boys that want their mom to hang around for a while. I don't think they understand the magnitude of the love and support I have received from each of you. One day they will, and I am so grateful to know how amazed they will be!!! I have grown to consider you my family over the last six months. Can you believe it...I am already a six month breast cancer survivor!!! I can't wait to say I am a twenty year survivor!!!

Have a blessed day, and I will be sending days 2 - 5 of week 5 soon! Thank you for being patient with me!!!

Tiffany

Day 2 of Week 5 The Patriarchs

2008-10-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

October 7, 2008
Day two of week 5
An Appetite for the Immediate

Today's Treasure: Genesis 25: 34
So Esau despised his birthright.

Today's lesson covers the story of Esau giving up his birthright to Jacob over a much desired meal. Esau was in the field hunting and returned in a famished state. When he entered the tent, he demanded a meal from his brother, Jacob. Jacob refused to serve Esau unless he sold Jacob is birthright as the older of the two of them. Esau immediately agreed, telling Jacob that the birthright would be no good to him if he were to starve to death.

It is important for us to realize how "big" of a mess up this was for Esau. To sell your birthright in this culture was unthinkable. Esau was willing to give his up over a bowl of stew. His actions could not have been more offensive. He was basically saying that all his parents had to offer him meant absolutely nothing to him. As you watch the story of Esau and Jacob unfold, you have to keep this initial act of disrespect in mind.

Read Genesis 25: 24 – 34. Note the details that surely fueled the rivalry between Esau and Jacob.
Esau was more of a strapping young man. He loved to hunt and do all the things that we stereotype as male things to do. For this reason, Isaac was drawn to Esau. The Scripture does not beat around the bush in saying that Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob. Jacob was a mama's boy. He was quiet and reserved and liked to remain among the tents. He was ordered around by his mother. We must always remember that Rebekah was enlightened by God himself about what would happen between Esau and Jacob. She knew before they were born that Jacob would rise above his brother.

Surely you know a pair of siblings – young or old – whose differences are remarkable. Describe their variances without any dishonor to either one.
My own children are as different as night and day. It is very difficult to understand how two individuals came from the sam e two parents and could be so different. Landon is not a very organized little boy (much like his mother)!!! He is very easy going and likes to be spontaneous. He can adjust in almost any situation in order to thrive. Ridge is a creature of habit (much like his daddy). He loves to have a routine, and it puts a great deal of stress on him when things change without notice. He tends to be a little more quick-tempered than Landon. It is not out of a mean nature. He actually has a sweeter, more sensitive nature than Landon. His temper is usually out of frustration because his mom is very spontaneous and doesn't always comply with his need for constants.

Landon and Ridge try to make these differences work between them, but it is a constant struggle. They both enjoy a lot of the same things, but they approach them differently. Brian and I love them both so much, and we couldn't imagine spending our lives without both of them. This doesn't seem to be the case with Isaac and Rebekah according to verse 28 of chapter 25.
How does this verse strike you?
"Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, and Rebekah loved Jacob"
This verse is just wrong…it makes me angry to think these children had to deal with their parents obviously choosing between them.

You may find yourself with stronger feelings for one of your children than the other. You may say you cannot change the way you feel. Beth argues that YOU might not be able to, but you can change the way you think…which will lead to a change in the way you feel. She calls this having a renewed mind. It gets you away from the "same old" thoughts and into a new, healthier mindset.
Describe some "same old thoughts" that parents who show partiality might think.
I love the child that I get along with
I love the child that doesn't give me as many problems
I love the child that tries hardest to please me

Fill in the following blank:
"Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob"

Look back at Genesis 25: 22 – 23. Who is the only person who heard God's prophecy over the twins first-hand?
Rebekah
I think Rebekah had been trying to help God keep His word all Jacob's life. If you understand what I mean, say it in your own words
"The older will serve the younger" probably sounded through Rebekah's mind on a daily basis. I am sure she made an effort to make Jacob the stronger of the two in order to ensure that Jacob end up the leader through her parenting. She kept Jacob close by so she could prepare him to be the leader. After all, that is what God intended for Jacob. Wasn't it her responsibility to make sure what God wanted could happen? Actually Rebekah, this was God's job….not yours!!!

How do you imagine words like "cooking, preparing and seething" describe Jacob? Think beyond a pot of stew
Well, since Jacob liked to manipulate situations in order to come out on top, he had to spend a lot of time planning each move he made. So, he was a planner and schemer.

Scripture rounds out the crass picture of Esau. What does Hebrews 12: 16 say?

It says that Esau was a godless man. He was perverse, sexually immoral and godless because he thought so little of his birthright that he was willing to sell it for a bowl of stew.

Record what the following Scriptures tell you about your inheritance

Ephesians 1: 18
God calls us to a rich inheritance
0D
Colossians 3: 23 – 24
Work as though you are working for the Lord, not man. He will supply all of your reward.

Our inheritance as children of the one true God is eternal life with the Creator of all the earth. God does not want us to take this lightly. Don't offend Him by being willing to sell yourself out to this world. Will the bowl of stew you enjoy today be worth losing eternity over?

Have a wonderful day and share in all of God's glory
Tiffany

Day 1 of Week 5

2008-10-07T07:14:00.001-07:00

October 3, 2008
Day One of Week Five

The Babies Jostled
Today's Treasure: Genesis 25: 22
"The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, 'Why is this happening to me?' So she went to inquire of the LORD."

Please read Genesis 25: 19 – 26
What disappointment did Rebekah obviously have in common with Sarah?
Both were barren

What question prompted Rebekah to inquire of the LORD in verse 22?
Why is this happening to me?

When did you last wonder something similar?
It is pretty obvious with me. I wonder on a regular basis how this cancer came upon me. I ask myself all the questions…what did I do wrong? I ate right, didn't smoke or drink, I didn't exercise like I do now…but I did exercise, I am young!!! I just can't figure it out!!!
I have to trust that there is a much bigger purpose in play as Beth suggests as the reason for Rebekah and Sarah both being barren.
God is carrying me on a journe y, just as he carried Abraham's family many, many years ago. Wow! The same God that loved them enough to carry their family in the palm of his hand, love me that much! Beth teaches that when God sends you on a journey, it usually goes something like this:
We have to depart the place we received the promise
We have to travel through the land where the fulfillment of the promise is divinely tested and either humanly or demonically threatened
We have to tenaciously press through the obstacles to the place of fulfillment.

Draw your rendition of this "map" to provide a visual for yourself. Chart how a person typically gets from the place of receiving a divine promise to the place of its fulfillment. Use the "I am here" markers to show your journey for God's divine promise in your life. This is your faith walk.
=0 A

How did God apparently encourage Isaac's spiritual participation toward the fulfillment of the promise of heirs in 25: 21?
Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife…the LORD answered him and she became pregnant
This makes me think of all the times Brian has knelt by my side and prayed this cancer out of me. He is so committed to leading our family through this obstacle. He sees it as a journey we must go through, but he is convinced that the two of us will grow old together. You have no idea how many times he has brought me out of sadness with his prayers. He has sought the face of God through all of this, and I can't help but believe that God will honor his submission and faith. I know you guys probably get tired of hearing my family stories, but I have to share this with all of you because it touched me in such a mighty way! If you think your children are not watching everything you say /do…listen to this. Last Saturday night I came home from shopping with my parents. My parents were kind enough to take my boys out to buy some of their winter clothes and such. When we got home, I was tired and a little discouraged because I hadn't felt great all weekend. I thought the boys were upstairs playing. So Brian and I went into the living room to talk. I began to cry. Apparently, Ridge heard me crying and decided to come downstairs to be by my side. I reassured him that I was okay…I was just tired from all the medicines I have had to take. He replied, with big tears in his eyes, "Mommy, I know you are okay. We are going to fight this breast cancer and fight and fight until all the breast cancer cells in your body are dead. You are not going to die from this, mommy." Then, my six year old son asked me if he could pray over me. He knelt down on the floor by my side and put his hands on me (just as he has watched his daddy do).&nbs p; He said the sweetest most sincere prayer over me that any mother could ever ask for. He prayed with the passion of an adult, and his words were so clear and amazing! That moment will live with me until I draw my last breath on this earth. If that child's prayers have anything to do with it, that breath will not take place for a very long time.

Use your imagination and write a couple of sentences that you can almost "hear" coming from Isaac's mouth as he prayed on "behalf of his wife".
Father, I see the despair on the face of my wife as we both long to have a child to raise and love in your spirit. Please erase this despair and fill her face with the joy of a child.

What has God given you in a way that you have no doubt who was the Giver?
The peace I feel from day to day with this cancer could come from no other but God. God has also given me a godly husband and two amazing little boys!! Plus the love and support that I have found in my family and friends.

We have to realize that just because a prayer is answered; it doesn't necessarily bring an easy journey. Rebekah did conceive; however, her pregnancy was a difficult one.
We might personalize the essence of her confusion as, "If the end result of this is supposed to be ________________________, why am I _____________________?
Go ahead and fill in the blanks
You may have prayed for things in your life. When God answered the prayer maybe the journey you asked for wasn't an easy one. God will not exempt his children from the difficulties of life. If he did, how could nonbelievers receive examples of how to respond when things don't go the way we want them to. Can you imagine how we speak to nonbelievers when we respond to things in a godly way and put all of our trust in Him?

What explanation did God give for Rebekah's difficult pregnancy?
She was carrying twins that would create two nations. The older will serve the younger and one will be stronger.

Beth wants us to remember that David was not the one we would have chosen by appearance to be king. It is much the same in this situation with Rebekah. God seems to have an attraction to weakness, and it is probably because He wants situations to give glory to His kingdom. Beth points out that maybe we shouldn't take the trials we face so personally. The challenge does have something to do with us or God would have chosen someone else. Yet, you have to consider that the challenge may work through you to fulfill a purpose in the lives of your family as a whole, neighbors, your workplace, etc.

Let's conclude our lesson with the birth of Scripture's first recorded set of twins. What were they named? Why were they given those names?
Esau – he was read and hairy
Jacob – his hand was grasping Esau's heel

Think of a pair of siblings you've known since they were infants. Name the older one by his or her appearance and the younger by his/her early actions.
Older: Landon – beautiful and plump
Younger: Ridge E2 Amazing and needed to be held (All the time)!!!

I hope you all have a great day!!! Thanks for spending a little of it with me!!!
Love you
Tiffany

Session Four of the Patriarchs

2008-10-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

I want to share with everyone a response that I received on Session Four. As I stated, it is important for us to educate ourselves and respect the opinions that each of us has to offer. These thoughts are from a good friend of mine, and I love that she has chosen to share her knowledge with us. I am a "newby" when it comes to learning about Islam. I have never read the Koran. What I sent out on Session Four was strictly based on the video given by Beth in Session Four of the Patriarchs. After watching the video, I longed to learn more about Islam. Sue Owensby gave me a book to read called, "Do We Worship the Same God?" It shares a lot of statements with what Cindy has to say below. I feel that we should all seek out knowledge on this so we are prepared to back up our on faith and we will not hold prejudice towards Muslims out of ignorance to what they believe. As believers it is our responsibility to only form opinions if they are educated ones. If anyone else learns something you would like to share with the group (and you know it to be fact) please send it and your sources so we can share among the group!!!

Love to everyone

Tiffany

Thanks Cindy!!!

____________________________

Hello Tiffany. I think about you often and hope you and your family are doing well. I enjoy receiving your email/updates as they usually give me a lot to think about. Today was no different. Sos much so that I am compelled to offer a reply regarding the information presented on Islam. I am no expert or scholar by any means, but I have been fortunate to examine a few of the other world religions in college and at our former church there in Gastonia.

I would offer that most people do not see the good things of Islam (much as others don't see the good sides of Chirstianity). As often is the case, people see only what the media says, that Islam promotes killiing for example. In news of world events,20the media seldom provide a full and complete view of the religion in question.What is happening with radical Muslims today has to do with politics, the economy, with particular geographical regions - but it does not represent the whole of Islam.

Yes, "Islam" means "submission to God" and is related to the word for peace. Allah is the Arabic word that translates into "the God," and it carries the understanding that God is the one and only God. He IS the same God worshiped by Jews and Christians. He is not the "Father" but he is the Sovereign and Lord of the Muslims.

It is correct to say there are over ninety names of God in the Muslim tradition and, yes many warn of God's righteousness: The Judge, The Just, The Reckoner, The Avenger, The Depriver. But also lists others considered to be beautiful: Compassionate, Merciful, Source of Peace, Creator, Forgiver, Gracious, Generous, Wise, etc. Again, all are preceded with "The" emphasizing the supremacy of God.

According to the Islamic faith, God has spoken through a number of prophets over the centuries, including those esteemed by Jews and Christians. The Qur'an mentions several prophets and messengers including Old and New Testament figures such as Adam, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, and John the Baptist. For Muslims, Jesus is a prophet miraculously born of a virgin. The Qur'an honors Mary as an example of great faith. Do Muslims belie ve in Jesus? Yes, they do. (In fact, he is held in such high regard that the speaking aloud of his name is always followed by "Peace be upon him".) The difference is they believe he is a prophet; that he was born without a father. They have respect for him and his mother. They do not consider Jesus to be divine or the Son of God. They do believe Jesus will return to earth to lead the righteous and destroy the false prophet.

Muslims respect Jews and Christians as "people of the Book" - a positive Qur'an expression that indicates that Jews and Christians (1) believe in One God and (2) believe that God has been revealed verbally and God's words can be read and heeded.

Yes, there are some differences - huge differences you might say - between Christianity and Islam. But without a doubt there are very strong simililarities among many of the world's religions. An excellent book I would recommend on this subject is The Religions of Man by Huston Smith.

I am a believer in Jesus as my Lord and Savior.. It is the one and only path for me. I also believe that studying doctrines from other faiths can enrich my own theological understanding.

Thoughtfully yours,
Cindy

Islam

2008-10-03T13:49:00.002-07:00

Just wanted to share with you one other thing I read in the book last night comparing Islam and Christianity. The book, "Do We Worship the Same God", states that one reason Muslims feel opposed to Christianity is the fact that they do not see Christ as being the Son of God. They feel that Allah was not born and cannot father; therefore, Christ is a prophet born of this earth. They refuse to worship Mohammed as a god because he is looked at as simply a man that was given messages directly from God to teach the followers. They feel that we, as Christians, should keep Christ on the same level because he was a man. Mohammed was from Mecca, and he left Mecca for a short while to save his life when he felt he was in danger. While he was away, he ministered to two communities and converted them...strongly increasing the number of Muslim followers. He then decided that if he was going to fulfill his purpose that Allah intended for him, he must return to Mecca to minister to the people. So, he did. Now Mecca is considered a holy city among Muslims.
I am simply sharing what I read. You know that I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he died for my sins and was resurrected from death. The point of this is to share knowledge so that we broaden ourselves.

Session Four of the Patriarchs

2008-10-03T13:49:00.001-07:00

September 30, 2008
Session Four
Eyes on Isaac

Today's video session was absolutely amazing!!! I was blown away by the information that Beth put together in her presentation. I wish you could have experienced the passion she portrayed on the stage. Today she gave us a lot of information about Islam. She added so much information, and it made me hunger for more! Beth believes that it is our duty to educate ourselves on the beliefs of Islam so that we can understand the wars going on in the world around us.

The intention of our study today is to be biblical rather than political. Our biblical understanding, however, will lend insight to some of the political aspects of "holy war" in our troubled world. Islam is the 2nd largest world religion next to Christianity. Ishmael was the leader of the people of the Middle East. He had twelve sons that made up twelve tribes. Look at the table for the genealogy of Abraham. On this table, Jacob is the father of the twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob was renamed Israel). His tribes were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Zebulum, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. Now, this will not make sense when you first glance at it because we have thirteen names. You have to remove Joseph from the tribes because he received a double blessing from his father. So, he had to pass his blessing down to his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. They became part of the twelve tribes. Then, you have to remove Levi because this tribe was not allowed to own land. The descendants of this tribe were the Holy Priests who kept the temple.

Genesis 25: 12 – 18: Ishmael and his descendants:
Ishmael's descendants became Arabian nomads or Bedouin.
Ishmael had strong ties to Africa through Hagar (16:1) and his wife (21:21)
Mohammed was born in 570 AD in Mecca. Islam believes that scripture is referring to him in John 14: 16 when it says, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever –"
However, verse 17 goes on to explain that the Counselor to be given was the Holy Spirit, not Mohammed. " – the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him , because it neither sees him nor knows him.&nbs p; But you will know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
Muslims believe that Mohammed received messages from Allah in 610 AD. Allah is not meant to be viewed as the same God as Yahweh that we worship. Even Muslims will tell you that they do not believe Allah is Jehovah/Yahweh. There are some terms you need to understand from Islam:
al-Lah means "The God"
is-Lam means "submission"
qu-Ran or ko-Ran means "Book of Law"
So you can see from the fundamental terms of the faith that Islam is a worship of submission to the one they believe to be "the god". They worship by following a book of law. The term Christian means "of the anointed one". So the Christian faith is a belief in the anointed One. There is a huge difference between believing and submitting to law. Islam does not include a personal relationship with Allah. There are over 90 names in the Koran and none of them translate intimacy. Most of them are names of fear.
The Biblical Roots of Political Conflicts Involving Ishmael's Descendants:
1. Ishmael's Insecurity: No matter how blessed we've been, our natural tendency is to want the blessing we do not have. In Genesis 17: 20, God promised to bless Ishmael: "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him." However, Ishmael was not the promised child that fulfilled the covenant between Abraham and God. Isaac was the child born into God's plan. If you recall, Ishmael was born to H agar and Abraham after Sarah stepped in and tried to handle things her way. So, Ishmael grew insecure because of his heritage and he longed to be the covenant child. According to Dr. Ergun Caner, "The entire Islamic religion is based on making Ishmael the inheritor of the promise." Over 2200 years after the events on Mount Moriah, Mohammed changed the character in the historical scene from Isaac to Ishmael. Islam believes that Ishmael was the one offered on the mountain as a sacrifice to God. However, scripture specifically says, "Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." This story was passed down from generation to generation for 2200 years and never changed. Then Mohammed decided that it should be changed, and it was for the Muslim faith.
2. Ishmael's Hostility:
Compare Genesis 16: 11 – 12 to 25: 18. Genesis 16 reads: "And he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." Genesis 25: 18 reads: "And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers." The first verse is referring to Ishmael and what the angel shared with Hagar about her son before he was born. The second verse refers to the descendants of Ishmael and what actually came to be. Time has an uncanny way of turning a he into a they. We unearth an important application when we ask ourselves: What do we want our descendants to be like? Let's pursue becoming what we hope our descendants will be. Have you ever noticed that generations of families follow the same suit? It is so difficult to break the cycle of something you live in all of your life. If you watch your parents do it, you will probably do the same thing. Your children are watching you. "You" will turn into "they" as your children and grandchildren carry on the lessons you teach them through your life. It is important to decide that you will not allow unhealthy habits to pass down for the people you love to live out.

Islam has a strong hostility towards Christianity. Islam feels that our belief system is blasphemous because they do not believe God can have a son. Importantly, Mohammed also wrote in Sura (chapter) 4: 157 – 159 of the Koran that Jesus was never crucified. A Sura in the Koran is equal to a Chapter in The Bible. Sura 1 of the Koran states that Allah was neither begot or could beget. So, they feel he was not born and could not father.
They beli eve Christians live in the "train of blood", chiefly because of the crusades. In other words, they view us as a violent people. Loving individuals help break long-term stereo-types.

Followers of Islam have no feeling of eternal security. They believe that a martyr is the only one promised the security of eternal life. However 1st John 5: 13 states, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life."

We are the spiritual offspring of Abraham, and through Abraham all nations are to be blessed. Though nation may war with nation, individual Christians can become part of that blessing by making our goal to win individual Muslims to the love and security of Jesus Christ.

Day 5 of Week 4 The Patriarchs

2008-10-03T13:48:00.002-07:00

September 29, 2008
Day five of Week 4
The Patriarchs

Ishmael and Isaac

Today's Treasure: Genesis 25: 9
"His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite."

Today, Beth's focus turns to Ishmael and how he must have felt coming t o bury his father after the many years of separation from his family passed.
Reread Genesis 25: 1 – 11. Note was happened in verse 9.
Who buried Abraham?
Isaac and Ishmael

What occasion was Isaac and Ishmael's last recorded encounter? (Genesis 21: 8 – 10)
"The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, 'Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.' "

Do you wonder how Ishmael came to be at his father's funeral? Did Abraham ask for Ishmael to be brought before him before he died? Don't you wonder if Abraham wanted to tell Ishmael that he was sorry for sending him away? There are so many details that I would love to know about what took place between the lines of scripture.

Do you recall the agony of the boy's departure? Take a look back at Genesis 21: 11 and fill in the blanks.
"The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son."

Take a few moments to consider the fact that Ishmael was Abraham's only son for a long time. I am sure he felt he would be the heir to all his father had for many years….until Isaac came along. Then he was sent away like a disposable servant in Abraham's house. Can you imagine how that must have destroyed this young man? Boys always look up to their fathers, and this boy had to live with the fact that he was cast aside. God did bless Ishmael, but I am sure he always felt a sense of loss over his father.

Surely you've known someone blessed by God who still focuses on the way he or she has been wronged. Without naming names, describe how this focus appears to affect his or her life.
Well, I know that focusing on the negative in your life creates a negative life all together. If you only think of all the wrong in your life, it is very difficult to overcome it.

How is Joshua identified in Joshua 1: 1?
Joshua, son of Nun

How about Isaiah in Isaiah201: 1?
Isaiah, son of Amos

I can't resist asking you to look up Mark 15: 39. How was the man who died identified in this verse?
"And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, 'Surely this man was the Son of God!' "

Let's get the feel of the ancient way of assigning identity.
Personalize these blanks and imagine being known, introduced and described exactly this way:
I am _________________, son/daughter of ______________________________.

Does this identity "feel" any different than simply being called by your first a nd last name? If so, how?
Yes, it does feel different. It feels much more like you "belong" to someone and you are part of a family. It also adds responsibility to your name because your heritage is known and you feel as though you have something to look up to.

Beth points out that Ishmael could not win in this situation. When his father was named, he was reminded of his absence. However, when his father was not named, he was reminded of his own anonymity. Ishmael could neither have his father or escape his father. Think of all the emotions he dealt with over the years of his absence. I am sure these emotions became larger than life with time, and they became much more difficult to deal with.
Have you ever had this experience? If you feel comfortable, explain.
I won't go into detail on my experiences….this one is for you to feel through!!!

Imagine a best case scenario and a worst case scenario in the meeting between Ishmael and Isaac.
Best Case: Isaac opened his arms to his to his half-brother and expressed a longing to be a part of his brother's life. Ishmael felt the same, and they were both willing to move forward.
Worst Case: Ishmael came to fulfill his duty as a son and left, only hating Isaac more.

List the sons of Ishmael from Genesis: 25: 12 – 18
Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah.
Think about the=2 0next scripture: "These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps."

Day 4 of Week 4

2008-10-03T13:48:00.001-07:00

September 29, 2008
Day Four of Week Four
The Patriarchs

Longing for a Better Country

Today's Treasure: Genesis 25:8
"Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people."

Today's lesson will focus on Abraham's life after Sarah passed away. Glance back at Genesis 24: 67.
How do you think Isaac's marriage soothed the loss of his mother?
Just having the presence of a female had to of been very comforting for Isaac. I think every man is wired to long for the companionship of a woman. Little boys love being with their mothers. I think that is why I love having little boys so much. As little boys grow into men, they often don't change a whole lot from the time they were little boys. They still love adventures and the love of a good woman!!!

Has someone else brought love, comfort or joy to your life after a loss?
I remember how lost I felt after Tina was in her accident. I honestly felt like my life was never going to be the same because we spent so much time together. Our friendship was easy and honest, and we laughed so much together. We shared the same trials of parenting and trying to conquer the world of stay-at-homes moms. We had a unique relationship that I still miss terribly. God has been faithful to provide a new friend to me in Carol. We share a lot of the same things. After I learned to trust our friendship, I learned that I wasn't trying to replace Tina. I was just being blessed with another great friendship in my life. It made it much easier to grow the friendship once I realized that.

Reread verse 6. Record some reasons why Abraham may have sent the sons of his concubines "away from his son Isaac t the land of the east."
I imagine he did this so there would be no rivalry between his sons through Keturah and Isaac. Isaac was his only heir; however, I am sure Abraham realized that Isaac may be in danger if the other brothers decided to rise up against him.

Read Genesis 15: 15. Who is talking in this verse?
The Lord Himself

What does a comparison of Genesis 15: 15 and 25: 8 suggest to you?
That God is faithful and true to His word

Look at Genesis 12: 4 for a moment. Considering Abraham's age when he "set out from Haran" for the land of Canaan, how long did Abraham walk with God?
He walked with God for one hundred years

Read Hebrews 11:=2 08 – 19. Record the impressive details concerning Abraham's faith walk.
Abraham left his home country and his family to follow God's instruction to the promised land. He had no idea where he was going. He lived as a stranger in tents among the people. He was enabled to become a father at an old age because of his faith. When he was granted a son through Sarah, he loved Isaac deeply. Yet, he was willing to sacrifice his only son to obey God.

What does Hebrews 10: 23 say about remaining faithful?
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."

What did God say about Abraham in the following scripture?
Rom ans 4: 1 – 2
Might we say God gave Abraham credit for his faith?
Romans 4: 18
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed
Galatians 3: 8 – 9
God announced to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him
Galatians 3: 14, 29
The blessing to Abraham came to the gentiles through Christ. If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed and heir to his promise.
James 2: 23
Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God's friend

If you20were sitting next to Abraham in heaven, what would you tell him you most appreciated about his story?
I would definitely explain how much I love him for his transparency. I love people who are "real" that I feel comfortable around. Abraham is one of the most "real" characters in the Bible. I love seeing him for all of his perfections and imperfections. It is amazing to me!!!

2008-10-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

A message from Carol Ratliff cdrx4@aol.com.
Dear Friends and Family,

I am so excited to be a part of The Race for the Cure this Saturday. Its hard to believe its already here. I cannot wait to stand in awe of the thousands of people who together are going to support the Susan G. Komen to find a CURE for Breast Cancer! Thank you to those who have supported me and if you havent yet and would like too, its not too late! Or, if you would like to join me in the race, come join my team and together we and thousands of others will support the Susan G. Komen to find a cure for Breast Cancer!
One in eight women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime and the more we raise, the more the Charlotte Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure can give back to fund research on a national level and vital breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs in our own community.

Please join me in the fight by pledging in support of my
participation in the Race or contributing generously to Komen Charlotte. Your tax-deductible contribution will fund innovative outreach and awareness programs for medically underserved communities in and around Charlotte and national breast cancer research. It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make a donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. If you would prefer, you can also send your tax-deductible contribution to the address listed below. Whatever you can give will help! I truly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Thank you so much for your time and support in the fight against breast cancer! Every step counts!
God Bless.
Carol Ratliff

Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure
P.O. Box 601597
Charlotte, NC 28260-1597

Click here to visit my personal page.

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:

http://www.komencharlotte.org/site/TR/Race/General?px=1197781&pg=personal&fr_id=1020&fl=en_US&et=uBSBDSQMIN6cFG3ss1BVyQ..&s_tafId=3722

Click here to view the team page for ForTheGIRLZ

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:

http://www.komencharlotte.org/site/TR/Race/General?team_id=7830&pg=team&fr_id=1020&fl=en_US&et=v9km2CuKL7wBXE-gpBNmiw..&s_tafId=3722

Click here to view the company page for none

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:

http://www.komencharlotte.org/site/TR/Race/General?company=none&pg=company&fr_id=1020&fl=en_US&et=Rf84mhh-gDPJgNFG4bqSDw..&s_tafId=3722

Urgent Prayer Request

2008-10-03T13:43:00.002-07:00

Hi Tiffany,

If I could please have your help in getting this prayer request to all in the prayer chain. I have a dear friend - best friend since childhood - who needs our prayers desperately. Her name is Donna Pannell and is 45 years old. She lives in Greenville SC. She just had a full hysterectomy a few weeks ago, then last week was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and today was told by her doctor (on a mole they removed) that she has melanoma. We need to pray for not only her physical status but for her emotional status. This is my best friend and very dear to my heart - Please pray for God to heal her and to give her HIS peace!!! Thanks doll!!!

Teri

Day 2 of Week 4 The Patriarchs

2008-10-03T13:43:00.001-07:00

September 25, 2008
Day Two of Week Four
The Patriarchs

This Is from the Lord

Today's Treasure: Genesis 24: 50
"Laban and Bethuel answered, 'This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other.'"

Glancing back at yesterday's test, what was the sign the servant asked God to grant him to affirm the choice for Isaac's bride?
That she would offer him water when he asked and she would also offer to water the camels until they were full.

One reason for asking for this sign was that it would be a sure sign of hospitality. Do you remember the hospitality that Abraham showered over the three visitors that came to him in Genesis 18? Apparently the servant understood that hospitality was important to Abraham; therefore, it was an attribute that he wanted in the bride he chose for Isaac.

Today's lesson focuses on how much God values excellence. Beth wants us to focus on how busy our lives are and how few things we truly give 100% of ourselves to. We tend to juggle so many things in our society today that we are rarely excellent at anything. How often do we give 150% to a task that we have been entrusted with? We usually have so many small tasks going at the same time that we give exactly what we have to give to each task just to get by. Is that how we treat our relationship with God? As we study this chapter in Genesis, thing of the excellence that both the servant and Rebekah gave in the tasks they were performing.

Definition of a minimalist:
One who expends the least possible effort to achieve a desired goal

Do you ever feel like a minimalist? Name two ways you could realistically incorporate balance in your life.
Learn to prioritize and say "NO"!!!!
Devote more time to praying about what God wants me to focus on

Beth says we are not in danger of becoming minimalists because we want to. We're in danger of becoming minimalists because maximum overload causes minimum effectiveness!!!
What if Rebekah had responded to the servant with a hardy laugh and exclaimed, "which jar would you like for me to pull from my shoulder to give you a drink from? I have so many that are only partially full that I can't balance them all."?

Proceed by reading Genesis 24: 29 – 51. Who is Laban?
Laban is Rebekah's brother

In what ways does Laban express…
Typical big-brother actions?
By running to check things out
Less than typical actions for a big brother?
He was willing to give up his sister to a stranger based on his word

Consider how the servant embraced the oath he made to Abraham? If you were given this task, would you have taken it on as if you were doing it for your own child? Could a friend count on you to represent him/her in such a devoted manner?
Please note the added description of the servant's prayer in verse 45. According to the NIV, how did the servant pray?
"Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' "

It is imperative to notice the servant's enthusiasm for his master's mission. In our me-centered society, how often do you become this enthusiastic over someone else's mission? Are you only enthusiastic and giving to efforts that will benefit you?
In what ways has God placed you in a position to move outside "me-ism" and serve unselfishly and enthusiastically like Abraham's servant?

For the remainder of the lesson, let's take a good look at Genesis 24: 50. I hope Laban's response caught your attention when you first read it.
"Laban and Bethuel answered, 'This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other.'"

Have you ever had a time in your life when God revealed Himself so dramatically that you had no choice but to bow down and honor him? There was no room for opinion or votes…His will was revealed and that was that…
Put into memory Psalm 40: 8
"I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

Take a moment to ponder on a Genesis 24: 50 moment in your life.

Day 1 of Week 4 The Patriarchs

2008-10-03T13:41:00.002-07:00

September 25, 2008
Day One of Week Four

A Jar on Her Shoulder

Today's Treasure: (Genesis 24: 15)
"Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor."

So, now Abraham is a very old man and knows that he is going to die soon. His heart longs to find a wife for Isaac before he passes; however, he is too old to travel to his home country to search out a wife for him. Abraham gives this great honor to the oldest servant in his household.

Before we get into our text today, quickly glance at Romans 15: 13. What is God called in this passage?
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Now Read Genesis 24: 1 – 9 and note Abraham's concern below:
Abraham does not want Isaac's wife to be a Canaanite. He demanded that she be from his land and his family. He also demanded that Isaac not return to the land God brought Abraham from.

How do Abraham and his servant swear their oath?
The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham.
Descendants were said to come from the thigh of a man. So, the servant was swearing on the descendants of Abraham.

Read Genesis 12: 2 and Genesis 24: 1
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you."
"Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way."

Notice that the first verse said "will bless" and the second verse proclaimed God's faithfulness with "had blessed".

How does Ephesians 1: 3 relate to the concept of blessing to you?
Through Christ we have received every spiritual blessing

Put yourself in Abraham's position and list several reasons why you might prefer an older servant to a younger one to choose a spouse for your child.
Well, I am sure Abraham wanted a servant that truly understood the God Abraham served and had seen how faithful God was to Abraham over the years. He also wanted a servant that loved him and would take this oath seriously. He wanted someone full of wisdom that only comes with years of experience. I am sure this servant knew the attributes to look for in a good wife.
Read Genesis 24: 10 – 28. What did the servant take "from his master" (v. 10)?
10 camels and all kinds of good things

What were among the "good things" (v. 22)?
A gold nose ring weighing a beka and 2 gold bracelets weighing ten shekels

According to Ephesians 5: 25 what bride price did our Groom pay?
Jesus Christ gave His life for His bride (the Church)!!!

What sign did the servant request from God (Genesis 24: 12 – 14)?
"Then he prayed, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I will water your camels too' – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.' "

According to Genesis 24: 15, how soon did Rebekah appear in the scene in answer to the servant's prayer?
"Before he finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor"

What does Isaiah 65: 23 – 24 say relating to our passages today?
"They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."

Praise God for this!!! Can you imagine that our God loves us so much to answer us before we even call!!! I feel certain that God has healed my body of this cancer. He is just waiting for the perfect moment for it to be revealed so it will serve the purpose it was meant to serve in His will.

How does Genesis 24: 16 describe Rebekah?
"The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again."

Look at Ephesians 5: 26 – 27. How will Christ present us to Himself?
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, buy holy and blameless."

Have you ever dreamed of a day that you will be described as the words above? Well, the day is coming. In the eyes of our LORD, we will be all of this when He returns to take His bride!!! We are his bride. Even if we were not holy on our earthly wedding day, we will be when Christ comes to claim us as His own!!! Praise God!!!

Let's conclude with a last glance at Genesis 24. How did Abraham's servant assume Rebekah was the one for Isaac?
She offered the servant all he asked for

Today's segment of Scripture (Genesis 24: 1 – 28) concludes with two touching scenes. Describe the servant's concluding actions (vv. 26 – 27)
"Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying, 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives.' "

Describe Rebekah's concluding actions (v. 28)
"The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things."
In other words, she was excited to share the glorious news!!!

Day 5 of Week 3

2008-10-03T13:41:00.001-07:00

September 22, 2008
Day Five of Week Three
To Mourn For Sarah

Today's Treasure: Genesis 23: 2
She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

Beth does not want to cover Chapter 22 in the study guide because of the difficult material. She will be covering Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice to God in the video/audio material. PLEASE take time to listen to this. If you need to borrow it, contact me through phone or e-mail, and I will get the material to you. In today's lesson, we are going to cover Chapter 23 of Genesis. As you can see from the title of the lesson, Sarah must leave us in this study. I hate losing a character that I have grown to love. It was so easy to identify with Sarah because of her attributes and her flaws. I can honestly say that her flaws were something I could definitely relate to.
What is the subject matter of Genesis 23?
The death of Sarah and Abraham's desire to bury her properly

Many of us have buried loved ones. Which part of this scene sparks a memory that causes you to relate? Why?
Well, I remember very clearly how much we wanted Brian's mother to have a beautiful ceremony for her funeral. We were so consumed with grief that we could not think of planning a funeral, but we wanted her funeral to speak of how much we loved her. We wanted her to have the most beautiful music, the nicest flowers and the hardest of all was the casket. We would have borrowed money to give her everything we wanted her to have. It was just that important for us to express to our friends and family how loved she was this side of heaven. Another huge reason I wanted her to have the nicest of everything was the fact that she gave her very best to everyone she came in contact with. She expected nothing but gave everything. There are very few people that are sincerely like that, and I wanted her to always have the very best. The funny thing is if she had been the one to make the choices for her funeral it would have been so simple. She would not want a big deal made of herself…which made it even more worthwhile!!!

My mother and father-in-law were married for thirty-eight years before she died. We have watched my father-in-law go through some terrible transitions over the last year and a half. In the beginning, he was scared to death of being alone. We found out that Joy was sick, and she died five weeks later. There was no time to even get use to the idea of "cancer", let alone living without her. My father-in-law tried to make a lot of decision immediately after she passed, and it was painful (an infuriating) to watch!!! Soon, Brian and I realized that he was just "lost" in his search for a new identity. I am sure Brian and I jumped to a lot of conclusions without considering how heart-wrenching it would be to lose a spouse after thirty-eight years.

Do you know a couple who have been together so long you can't picture them apart? Share who they are and something special about them.
You know, the first couple that popped in my mind when asked this question is a relatively young couple. It's not the amount of time they have been together; it is the dynamic of their relationship that makes it impossible to imagine them apart. Lewis and Laurie Moore have been mentors to our family for about five or six years now. They have the most amazing ability to communicate and share their married life together as an example to younger couples. I just really admire their mutual respect for each other and their obvious desire to spend time together. Their marriage has been a great example to Brian and me.

In Genesis 23: 2, underline the two things Abraham went to do.
"She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her."

Wouldn't you agree that weeping is just one expression of mourning? Think about it for a moment. What are some other expressions?
Anger, depression, loss of appetite, loneliness and fear

What does Abraham tell the Hittites he needs?
Some property for a burial site for Sarah

Abraham wanted to purchase a burial site for Sarah that was fitting for her. He owned no property in the land, but he wanted to purchase the property so that it belonged to his family. Sarah was Abraham's princess and God's princess. To him, Sarah only deserved the best. He was not going to accept hand-outs from anyone.
"[Abraham] said, 'I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.' "

What was the amazing response of the Hittites (vv. 5 – 6)?
They told Abraham that he was a mighty prince among them and he could bury his dead in the choicest of tombs.

Glance back at Genesis 14: 23 – 24. What was Abraham's basic attitude about receiving something free of charge?
He told the King of Sodom he would accept nothing free from him so he could never say he made Abram rich. He (Abraham) wanted it known that every blessing he received came from God.

Session Three of The Patriarchs

2008-09-24T15:19:00.001-07:00

September 23, 2008
Session Three
Triumphs and Tests

Please take time to read Chapter 22 of Genesis. Read it slowly and breathe in every emotion of the chapter. Beth points out that God moves this chapter in slow motion so you can feel what Abraham felt as he obeyed The Almighty. This was a test for Abraham unlike any other. When we go through tests, God may be trying to prove to us what is in us!
Thelema is the Hebrew word for the Will of God that is intentional and purpose driven. The example we see in Genesis is a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and how The Father had to be willing to sacrifice His one and only son. Even in this case, God provided the lamb.

1. Our tests have our names on them (v. 1). The Hebrew word for tested means "to test, try, prove,…Generally carries the idea of testing the quality of someone or something through stressful circumstances." Possible meaning for Moriah: My teacher is Yah.

2. Our hardest tests involve our dearest loves. The Hebrew word for love means "to love, desire to delight, ….Implies an ardent and vehement inclination of the mind and a tenderness of affection at the same time…a strong emotional attachment for and a desire to possess or be in the presence of the object of love."

3. We are not powerless in our tests. How we take them is entirely up to us. The Hebrew na is called the "particle of entreaty" and is used by God only in issues of staggering importance often defying "rational explanation or understanding". Abraham's only recorded words to God in the chapter: "Here I am" (Hebrew 10: 7)
God is often urging us to believe He can be trusted. The Hebrew na can be translated as "please"/"now". It is not a begging of please consider it. It is more a pleading to trust and act immediately.
4. Obedience is not the hardest part of our most trying tests. Keeping the faith can be the hardest of all.
5. Like Abraham, we're likely to discover that the harder the test, the further reaching the ramifications. (vv. 15 – 18)

The Gospel was preached beforehand in the promise and portrayed beforehand on the mountain. The Temple sits where Mt. Moriah is. Calvary sits on a hill directly across from this point.

The place was commemorated by the name "The Lord Will Provide."

The Hebrew word for "provide" also means to see
The Vulgate: In the mountain the LORD sees.
Septuagint: In the mountain the LORD is seen
Remember, when God is up to something hard, He is up to something BIG!!!!

Session Three of The Patriarchs

2008-09-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

Day 4 of Week 3 The Patriarchs

2008-09-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

September 19, 2008

Day Four of Week Three
The Eternal God

Today's Treasure: Genesis 21: 33
"Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God."

This was, by far, my favorite study of this week! I love being reminded constantly of how much God loves me. O ften I picture myself worshipping God because I stand in awe of who He is, and He is worthy of all of my praise and worship. It is difficult for me to imagine that God loves me even more than I am capable of loving Him because I am so small in the scheme of things.

Today's lesson discusses conversation and commitment between Abimelech and Abraham.
What history have Abimelech and Abraham shared?
Abimelech too Sarah into his house when he thought (was told) that Sarah was Abraham's sister

What happened as a result of Abraham's intercession? (Genesis 20: 17 – 18)
God instructed Abraham to intercede for Abimelech, and his household was restored due to Abraham's prayer. God healed Abimelech, his wife and children so they could conceive again. God had sealed their ability to conceive while Sarah was in Abimelech's house to protect His promise of Isaac.

Read Genesis 20: 13 and explain its context.
Abraham asked Sarah to show her love for him by telling others he was her brother instead of her husband. He asked her to do this so he would not be killed because his wife was so beautiful and the kings wanted her for themselves.

The Hebrew word for this type of love is hesed. It is viewed in the concept of the marriage covenant in this verse. In Genesis 21: 23, it is viewed in the context of an oath and covenant. It is a covenant kindness and loyal love.
What phrase is repeated throughout Psalm 136?
His love endures forever

Beth points out that God used the idea of a covenant oath to relate to Abraham because that was a concept that humans understood during this time and culture. Oaths and loyalty were very important in this culture. So, God used a concept familiar to man to express His love. He made covenant with Abraham because He knew Abraham would understand the importance of His love for him through this. God has also expressed hesed to us through the covenant relationship we entered by the blood of Jesus Christ. "The sovereign Most High has pledged His loyal love to us." Now we have been studying for weeks how serious this covenant is to God and the lengths He went to in order to keep His promises. So, this is not something to be taken lightly by any of us!!! Can you even digest a concept that huge? It really takes my breath away !!!
In your own words, explain 2 Timothy 2: 13.
"If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself."
In my words, even when we don't have faith in God, He remains faithful to us because of the covenant He has made with His creation. He will not be untrue to His promises due to our unfaithfulness.

Abimelech's request to Abraham reminds us that God's presence and blessing over our lives give us not only security but also responsibility. Abimelech said to Abraham, "Since God is with you, I request the following of you."
Has someone who doesn't know Christ requested something of you because God seems to be with you? Share an example.
Prayer has been requested of me because others seem to think I have a "direct connection" that they do not have.< style="mso-spacerun: yes"> If I could only make them realize that they have the same connection. I have just made the choice to honor mine and keep it sacred. God desires relationship with each one of us. My prayers are no more important to Him that the atheist who swears he doesn't believe. God is standing there waiting to receive and answer their prayers, just as He is mine!!!

If Abraham and Abimelech were to deal rightly and truthfully with one another, all the issues at hand needed to be on the table. What matter did Abraham bring up to Abimelech?
Abimelech's servants had seized the well that Abraham dug

It is important to note how important a well was in this culture. Water was everything to people living in this region, and having/not having a well could mean the difference between life and death.

What did Abraham give Abimelech in Genesis 21: 28, 30 and why?
Abraham gave him seven ewe lambs as witness that he (Abraham) dug the well.
The number 7 symbolizes completion or perfection in Hebrew.

What did Abraham do after Abimelech departed? (Genesis 21: 33)
He planted a tamarisk tree and called upon the name of the LORD, The Eternal God.

Have you noticed the role that trees seem to play in Abraham's life? Sue Owensby and I struggle with what in the world all of these trees seem to mean. Sue is much more committed to research than I am. So, I am sure she is delighted to k now that even Beth has come up dry while trying to find the specific meaning behind all of these trees mentioned in Scripture. Beth just decided to assume Abraham is a tree man because the trees provided shade and provision in a harsh landscape.
Read Isaiah 65: 22. What comparison does God make to a tree?
"As the days of a tree, so will be the days of God's people."
Trees live for many, many, many, many (you get the idea) years. So, God is pointing out that His people will endure forever.

Read Ecclesiastes 3: 11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."
This verse makes references to time and eternity. What does it say to each?
Time: Everything is beautiful in it time
Eternity: God has set eternity in the hearts of men
Both: We cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end

Beth believes this is why few people long for the end of our lives. We have eternity set in our hearts; therefore, we have a resistance to the end of earthly life. We are created to long for eternity with God, but we cannot fathom it within our earthly minds/bodies. I cannot explain this as well as Beth. So, I am going to use her words.
"All references to time in God's Word pertain to created things and, most pointedly, life on Earth. We know that the Trinity have always existed and will always exist. They are olam, eternal. Out of their glorious fellowship they desired to create humans to share in holy relationship. According to His master plan, our eternal God created this thing called time and placed us – indeed all of creation – within it. Here is the intriguing part: though God set us in "time", He set eternity in our hearts. In other words, our bodies are subject to time, but something in our hearts resists the temporal and longs for eternity. Every time we think, surely there is more to life than this; we hear the hint of eternity in our hearts. Every time we learn the cancer has returned and we're willing to go through another treatment, our drive to hang on to life is the hint of eternity in our hearts. Every time our love outlasts our loved one's life, we hear eternity's murmur. Everything in us that cries out in resistance to an end comes from the innate sense that we were meant to be without one. Haven't we all notic ed that something seems wrong and painful about "endings"? We resist them furiously because a longing for "always" is set in our hearts."

Surely you have heard hints of eternity from your own heart at one time or another. Share an example.
My answer would certainly be as I fight this battle for my life. I am not ready for it to end because I want to share in the lives of my husband, children, mom and dad, sisters, brother and friends. I long to remain here to share in their love!!!

Day 3 of Week 3 The Patriarchs

2008-09-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

September 19, 2008

Day Three of Week Three
God Heard

Today's Treasure: Genesis 21: 17
"God has heard the boy crying as he lies there."

Glance at the Scriptures we studied yesterday, then hop on the swing for today's first text: Genesis 21: 8 – 11. What caused Sarah's drastic change in temperament?
Abraham threw a huge feast to celebrate the day Isaac was weaned from his mother. He was probably about three years old at this point, considering the culture. During the feast, Sarah became very sensitive to Ishmael and felt he was mocking Isaac. She demanded Abraham to "get rid of that slave woman and her son." (Genesis 21: 10)

Briefly describe a few things about a typically precocious little boy of 3 years old.
Generally this is the cutest time in a child's life. They say just about anything because they have learned how to communicate what they are thinking, but they have not learned the rules of social engagement. They are into everything at this age and love to laugh a lot!!!
Beth wants us to remember that he was Sarah's only child and the apple of her eye. She was very protective of him. So, even though Ishmael was probably only acting as any teenage half-brother would, Sarah took it as a personal insult to her family. It is also important to remember that God's bigger plan needed Ishmael to go in a different direction from Abraham's home to come to fruition. So, God allowed this to happen in order to further His Will.

What conclusion can you make from Abraham's response in verse 11?
"The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son."
You can see that Abraham loved Ishmael and wanted to be his father

Please read Genesis 21: 12 – 13 and record the gist of God's response to Abraham.
"But God said to him, 'Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, becaus e it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.' "
In other words, don't worry. God is taking care of everything. Ishmael will be protected. Abraham must take care of his wife and Isaac so the covenant can be fulfilled.

How does Ephesians 1: 11 speak to the conflict in Genesis 21: 8 – 13?
"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will."
God works out everything to further His kingdom and fulfill His promises

How does E phesians 1: 11 speak to a present challenge in your life?
When I accepted Christ, I was sealed in His promise that He will work out all things in my life according to His will. I can be assured that this cancer is serving some purpose greater than I can see or know right now. God has a plan for even my life!!!

From your point of view, what is the most tender moment of Genesis 21: 14 – 21?
Hagar shrinking in heart and mind nearby as she is afraid of watching her son die! I couldn't imagine!!!

Beth wants us to imagine the heartbreak that Abraham must have felt as he watched Hagar and Ishmael walk away. His son is leaving his life…a son that he has loved and raised!!! She poses the question of whether Abraham stood in the distance watching them un til they disappeared or if he ran to his tent to hide from the heartbreak. Which would you have done had you been Abraham?
I know I would have watched as long as I could – sobbing the entire time. This reminds me of a very tender memory of Brian's mother. We visited his mom and dad a lot, but his mom had certain routines that were her way of letting us know how much she loved us. There were special greetings when we came through the door. Then, we were waited on constantly, as if she hadn't seen us in years! When we left, she stood on the porch watching and waving until she could no longer see our car. She took advantage of every opportunity she had to express love for us. It is still so difficult to ride by that front door and not see her waving good-bye…it just feels so empty without her there.

Now, Beth wants us to step into the sandals of Hagar. This=2 0mother has been sent away from the only home she has known with her son. She has obviously been taken care of because she has given birth to the only son Isaac had for many years. Now, she is hated and sent away by the same people. She is literally sent into a desert with very little provision. She had no way of knowing where to go, and even if she did have a place in mind, how would she get there? Ishmael is the same size as her at this point in her life. So, she cannot carry him through the desert. They must lean on one another. Ishmael is fading quickly, and she is horrified with the reality that, without divine intervention, her son would die before her eyes. She hid Ishmael under a bush. This is important to note because it relays the desperation she is facing. She was hiding him in a thorn bush to keep his body from predators. This was her final act of protection as a mother. Then, "God heard the boy crying"!!!!

What was the divine interruption to Hagar's sobs?
An Angel of God appeared to Hagar

What did the Angel of God tell her to do? (verse 18)
"Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
Verses 19 – 21:
"Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt."

So, once again, Hagar is blessed with provision from God. Oh, how she must have fallen in love with God all over again that day!!! I can imagine how my heart would have been unable to express the emotion of literally seeing my child lifted from the dead!!!

Conclude by writing your own thoughts or meditations.
For me, it is comforting to know that God hears my cries, and I am sealed in His promise.

Day 2 of Week 3 The Patriarchs

2008-09-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

September 18, 2008
Day Two of Week Three
Laughing Out Loud

Today's Treasure: Genesis 21: 6
"Sarah said, 'God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me."

Beth wants us to imagine Sarah's life of waiting in between the word of promise from God and the ecstasy of it being fulfilled. I honestly feel like I am in that place right now! I know that the Word of God pro mises healing to my body if I have faith that He will heal me completely and believe His Word. I cannot wait for the ecstasy of that first scan that says, "Tiffany Pate, you are cancer free." I cannot wait to tell my doctor he is going to have to give Brian and me a moment to praise our God for the healing He has brought over my body! I cannot wait to be the miracle my doctor has been longing to see firsthand!
Sarah also knew the feeling of waiting, and I am sure she wondered, time and time again, if the day would ever come!
Read Genesis 21: 1 – 7 and record the promise God fulfilled:
Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah

Genesis 21: 1
"The LORD visited with Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken"
The word gracious is translated from the Hebrew word padaq meaning: "to number, count; to take into account; to look after."
Circle both phrases in the above verse that begin with the word "as". What can you conclude from these two phrases?
If God says it….it will be done!!!

Do you know a senior-adult couple who still seem to be in love? Describe something about them that makes you smile!
Well, this couple is not longer alive; however their story is just amazing to me. When I was a young girl, we lived on a quiet street with several senior couples. This one, in particular, just had an amazing marriage. The wife didn't complete a conversation without telling you something wonderful about her husband. She kept a journal from the day they were=2 0married about each day of their life together. She wanted to remember the good times that they shared, and their good times seemed to be every single day. She lost her husband, suddenly, one year. It just about devastated her. She missed him so much, but she continued eleven years without him. My dad went by to check on her one afternoon and she said, "You know, Buddy (my dad), my anniversary is in two weeks, and I miss Julian so much! I think I am ready to go home to be with him again." Do you know that within a few days she developed an infection and was admitted into the hospital? She died on their anniversary! When I think back on that story, I am just always reminded of true love. I pray that Brian knows how deeply I love him and appreciate him standing by my side as committed as he has been to helping me fight this battle!

Go with me here, Sister, because the woman in me finds this part fascinating. Just think: Sarah didn't have a monthly cycle to give her early signs that she was pregnant. How do we know? What does Genesis 18: 11 explicitly tell you?
Sarah was past the age of childbearing
How do you think Sarah finally figured out that God had fulfilled His promise and she was expecting Isaac? Share your thoughts
I am sure the early signs of being tired may have fueled her thoughts; however, she was 99 years old! I mean, she could have chalked her fatigue up to being old! She could have been nauseated (like me). I puked my guts up all day, every single day for seventeen weeks. I pray God did not put that one on her at her age! I hope that she knew it in the moment that she first felt Isaac move around in her womb! How glorious those first rumbles were to me!!!
Read Luke 1: 5 – 7 and describe this couple:
Zechariah was a priest and Elizabeth was his wife. She was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
What happened in Luke 1: 11 – 13?
An Angel came to Zechariah and told him his wife would give him a son
Read Luke 1: 24 – 25. What did Elizabeth do according to verse 24? How long?
She remained in seclusion for 5 months
Why do you think she did such a thing?
I am sure it was to protect her pregnancy

I am tender to those of you who may find today's lesson bittersweet, even pa inful. Perhaps your marriage has long outlasted a sense of passion or your womb remains empty – though you have prayed for a child. Was there any reason this was a difficult lesson for you?
My answer: Trying to remain in the promise that I will be here for many years to raise my children that I love so very much!!!

Beth wants us to imagine being invited to Sarah's shower and celebration of Isaac's arrival. What gift would you choose?
I would choose a beautiful bell for her to tie around him because she probably needs a creative way to keep up with him at her age!!! Just kidding!!!

Love to you all and have a blessed day!!!

Day 1 of Week 3 The Patriarchs

2008-09-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

September 18, 2008
Day One of Week 3
Not That Again

Today's Treasure: Genesis 20: 1 – 2
"For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, 'She is my sister.' Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her."

Today Beth would like us to realize that we never grow too old to sin or deceive. It is wise to apply God's word until we draw our last breath.

Please Read all of Genesis 20 and complete the following
Glance back at Genesis 12: 10 – 20 and draw a few comparisons. What sounds familiar between reading assignments?
Abraham, once again, said he was Sarah's brother. Abraham walked away with a great deal of loot! Sarah was protected by God!
Genesis 20 relates the first of four revelations from God through dreams in the Book of Beginnings. What was the basic message of Abimelech's dream?
Do you know who you are messing with? They belong to me and I will protect them, even if it means your death! I understand you did not know you were being deceived. That is why I have not allowed you to sin against me!
Contrast Abimelech and Abraham
In this scripture, Abimelech sought the advice of God once he realized what was going on. Abraham did not ask God if he should deceive these people.

Genesis 20: 7
"Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die."
Okay, do you think God loved Abraham and Sarah? I mean, Abraham puts Abimelech in this situation with God, and God protects his family! He protects Sarah's virtue and is willing to kill Abimelech's family if he does not return her to Abraham! I love how God says that Abraham will pray for Abimelech, and he will live. I am sure this is God's way of teaching Abraham what he has caused with his deceitfulness. Now, Abraham has to pray for Abimelech's life and the sorrow that Abraham himself is responsible for. What better way to teach a child that you love a lesson than to make them pray for the safety of someone they have willingly hurt? Then, in Sarah's situation, how remarkably God performed. He promised Abraham and Sarah that they would give birth within one year. If Sarah was forced to lie with Abimelech, there could be some question about the father of her child. So, God closed every womb in the house of Abimelech until she was removed from his home!!!

Look at Genesis 20:7
What is the first role associated with a prophet of God?
Interceding
Imagine God telling you to get on your knees to pray for someone you had placed in a bad position. How would you feel about the command, and how would your feelings affec t your praying?
I would feel guilty and overwhelmed…ashamed before God
Therefore, I would pray to relieve this person of their part in the sin! I would pray with great passion that I would bear the burden of sin against God and for forgiveness from my Father!

Genesis 20:3
" 'You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.' "

Genesis 20: 6
" 'Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me.' "
God holds us responsible for marriage. < /SPAN>In verse 3, God stated, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman." In verse 6, God further states, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me."
Beth states that God takes sin against marriage personally. We do serve a merciful God; however, we should fear the consequences of sinning against an institute designed by God himself.
According to Abraham, what agreement had he asked Sarah to make and when?
If she loved him to say he is her brother and show her love to him. He asked Sarah to do this when God had them wander from his father's household.
Has time ever dulled the difficulty of a poor decision, lulling you into making a similar decision? What did you learn from the experience?
I remember breaking up with a long term boyfriend due to the constant fighting that took place between us. Once we were broken up, and I was alone, I seemed to forget the fighting and only remember the good times. So, we would get back together, and soon the fighting would begin again! Nothing had changed! The relationship was a bad decision! So, doing the easy thing is not always the answer. You can't grow if you do not learn from your mistakes!

Through this idea, Beth wants us to imagine a life where doing the right thing is our impulse, rather that deceiving when we are afraid. Godliness should be our impulse, not worldliness.
Describe a specific difference this could make in your life.
Wow! The thought of making godly choices on impulse is amazing! I=2 0can only pray for such obedience! It would be a privilege to live for the LORD in that way. I am sure I would be a better witness to those around me. Hopefully, they would strive to do the same thing!

If you desire for God to invade every part of your mind and heart, thoughts and impulses, write a prayer in this space and tell Him so.
This is very personal…so I will leave these thoughts to you!

Love to you all and Have a blessed day!!

Session Two of The Patriarchs

2008-09-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

September 16, 2008

Session Two
The Approaching and Approachable God

1. Comparing verses 17 – 19 and 20 – 21. In the first discourse God is speaking to Himself, and in the second He addresses Abraham.
Verses 17 – 19
"Then the LORD said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.' "
Verses 20 – 21
"Then the LORD said, 'The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.' "
Our Bible study group would like to ask if anyone has an opinion on who was crying out to the LORD about the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Was it the righteous crying out to the LORD or creation crying out as it did in the Psalms? If you have an opinion, please e-mail me so I can share it with our group.
Beth also pointed out that the LORD made it a point to come to Abraham so He could teach Abraham, first hand, how to be right and just. In verses 20 and 21, the LORD set the example of actually going to find out how wicked the city was before He made judgment.

The first discourse:
• Beautifully demonstrates that God's actions are perfectly consistent with His thoughts.
• Positions Abraham once again in the role of prophet (see Amos 3: 7)
Amos 3: 7 states:
"Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants and the prophets." In other words, God does nothing that is not revealed in His Word.

2. The second discourse is undoubtedly intended to engage dialogue with Abraham. God has deliberately cast Himself in an anthromorphic role throughout Genesis 18. Anthropos means man or mankind. Morphe means form or shape. Anthropomorphic means giving human shape or form to something that is not human.

3. God invited Abraham – a mere man – to walk with Him so that He could teach Abraham how a man can walk like Him. You must learn to walk in Truth by walking with Truth.

4. Can God trust Abraham (v. 17 above) and can Abraham trust God (vv. 23 – 25)?

Verses 23 – 25
`"Then Abraham approached Him and said: 'Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?' "

• The affirmative answer to the first concern results in Abraham's being cast in a second role: God's friend. (Jas 2: 23)

James 2: 23
"And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend.

Psalm 25: 14
"The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

John 15: 14 – 16
"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.

5. Our comfort can be this: what is not sorted out here and now is sorted out then and there!

Day 5 of Week 2 The Patriarchs

2008-09-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

Day Five of Week Two
Smoke Rising

Today's Treasure: Genesis 19: 28
"He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace."

The topics in this study are very difficult to discuss. I am not go ing to even pretend to have any answers to this text; therefore, I am simply going to list the questions and answer the ones that are Scripture based. If they are opinion questions, I will leave them open for you to answer on your own.

Read Genesis 19 very carefully.
Several shocking things happen in Genesis 19. Please list them and add any questions or comments that would help you prepare for today's discussion.
The men of Sodom are fighting to enter Lot's house so they can rape the Angels inside.
Lot offers his daughters to the rapists
The daughters rape Lot

OK, let's work through these passages. We witness a dimension of the miraculous as early as Genesis 19: 1. What time of day did the angels arrive in Sodom?
In the evening

What general time of day did the Angels arrive "near the great trees of Mamre" according to Genesis 18: 1?
In the heat of the day (afternoon)
Since the two places were 40 miles apart, the Angels literally had to fly to get 40 miles in that time.

What have we already learned about these men (Genesis 13: 13)?
The men of Sodom were wicked
Did anyone else notice that the Scripture stating this was 13: 13…is there anything to this or is 13 a number that man related to evil?

Paraphrase Ephesians 4: 18 – 19 and tell how these verses apply to today's text:
They gave themselves to indulge in impurity, always longing for more. They want the angels because of their purity. We have a continual lust for more when we give in to impurity.

Beth's earlier comments about Lot may seem to contradict 2 Peter 2: 7. What does this verse say about Abraham's nephew?
He was a righteous man distressed by the filthy lived of wicked men

How did Lot's future sons-in-law respond according to verse 14?
They thought he was joking

Do you ever encounter people who act as if the threat of judgment on a wicked world is a joke? What do you think of such a response?

If Lot's young sons-in-law had a second of clarity when the first pelts of sulfuric fire fell from heaven, their last thought was the sobering reality that the judgment of wickedness is no joke. Take a look at 2 Peter 2: 3 – 10 and note any comparisons
There are scoffers that say the earth has been going on since the day of creation in the same way

Can you think of a time when "looking back" was a grievous mistake? Share as discreetly as possible

From Beth:
Lot's mistake on behalf of his family was pitching "his tents near Sodom". When believers are totally outnumbered and no one stands with us in godliness, few are strong enough to resist lowering the standard of relativity. No, the Lot family did not participate in homosexual sin, but the line dividing right from wrong and healthy from unhealthy got blurred. When desperation came, alternatives that should have been shocking simply were not.

Does this make sense to you? If so, say it in your own words or give an example.

Read John 14: 23. Why does love for Jesus lead to obedience?
"Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.' "

Day Four of Week Two The Patriarchs

2008-09-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

September 14, 2008

Day Four of Week Two
Anything Too Hard

Today's Treasure: Genesis 18: 14
"Is anything too hard for the LORD?"

Today's lesson is a reminder to us all that NOTHING is too difficult for the God we serve! Yes, you say you know this as a fact; however, do you live life like it is a fact? I can honestly tell=2 0you that, until last March, I did not live my life in the assurance that NOTHING is too difficult for God. Now, my life depends on it! Now my life depends on the Almighty, and I can tell you that I have never been happier in Him. I see His glory on a daily basis now, and I know to enjoy every second because it is a gift. You know, I could live my life moaning and groaning about having a terminal disease. What in the world would that accomplish (besides running off every opportunity to witness)! Each of us is terminal, we live every day with the realization that, one day, we will no longer live here on earth. I can promise you that the last day God give us on earth can only be determined by Him. There is not a doctor alive that knows when I will draw my last breath. I envision myself giving my testimony at eighty years old and praising God for the fact that breast cancer was not too difficult for Him.

Read Genesis 18: 1 – 15. Record everything you find peculiar or especially intriguing in this wonderful segment of Scripture; ask God any corresponding questions you wish you could hear Him audibly explain.
It is fascinating that Abraham bowed as soon as he saw the three men approach. He knew these visitors were no ordinary visitors.
Yet, why did he treat them as travelers if he knew it was the LORD?
Were the three men a representation of the trinity?
Did Sarah know it was the LORD?
What is the meaning of the Great tree of Mamre…they talk about it an awful lot?
Why did Sarah lie if she knew it was the LORD?

Typology is a doctrine of theological types; esp: one holding that things in Christian belief are prefigured or symbolized by things in the Old T estament.

What happens in Genesis 18: 16, 22?
The men turn and go towards Sodom.
The LORD asks the men in Scripture if He should reveal to Abraham what He must do to Sodom. I love how he speaks to Abraham about the outcry that has reached Him. Doesn't this just scream to you about how important your cries are to the LORD?

Now take a look at Genesis 19: 1. How are the two now identified?
The two men traveling with the LORD are described as Angels in this Scripture
LORD, as we have mentioned numerous times before, refers to the covenant God. Lord refers to a sir or a master.
Fill in these blanks exactly as the letters of each word appear in Psalm 8: 1
"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

Check out Genesis 18: 12. What did Sarah call her husband?
"So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?' "

What very specific prophecy did Sarah overhear (v. 10)?
By the same time the next year she would have a son

We see another association of Isaac and laughter. Why did Sarah laugh (v. 12)?
She laughed at the thought of having a child at such an old age. She was in shock or taken by surprise

Do you ever feel too weary, worn and beaten up by life to believe God can do anything wonderful and miraculous with you?
Honestly, between Scott and Tina's accident, losing Brian's mom and now dealing with cancer myself, I would have to say YES to this one!!! But I long to be a miracle of God so I can proclaim His works. Not only will I speak of the miracle he did in my life when I am healed, but others will speak of His miracle when they look at me. Isn't that amazing to think of?

Dear One, may I ask you a blunt question? Do you believe in miracles?
Yes because my God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Miracles happen every single day for believers. We just cannot doubt them.

The most important line in the entire encounter is the question the LORD posed to Abraham in Genesis 18: 14. Place your name before the comma as if God is posing the question just to you. Please write the question on the line below:
________________, Why did you laugh and say can God cure me of this cancer? Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Describe a time when you deeply anticipated a time with God
Right before I go in for a scan, I cherish my time with God as He calms me like only He can.

What part of time spent with the Father means the most to you?
The calmness of His presence and how sure I feel of His miracles in His presence

Blog

2008-09-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

On Saturday, Christa brought to my attention a blog that was created recently as a result of extreme opposition to Sarah Palin and the conservative values for which she stands. It's www.womenagainstsarahpalin.blogspot.com.

In response, we've begun our own "support for Sarah" blog located at www.PalinPals.blogspot.com.

The reason for this email is that we are inviting you (or the woman in your life) to email your thoughts and opinions to us for inclusion in the blog, and to feel free to inform other Palin supporters to join in.

We will have to reserve the right to reject or edit comments as we deem necessary so that all posts are in keeping with our objective to maintain an accurate and consistently intelligent dialog.

Sarah Palin may never be aware of our support, but it would be nice to counteract some of the attacks she's receiving from her ardent adversaries with positive comments from those who appreciate the stand she takes for not only life, but liberty and freedom.

Have a fantastic Sunday!
Sandy

Julie Abernathy

2008-09-15T09:09:00.001-07:00

I am writing to ask everyone to take a few moments to lift Julie Abernathy up to the Lord! Her health situation is declining, but we serve a Mighty God of miracles, and I know He can raise her from that bed and heal her body completely. This mother has a child to raise, and a Lord to proclaim. Please pray that she will be miraculously healed of the sickness in her body and will live a long life as baby Ayden's mom!

She needs a liver transplant, but she is to unstable to go through surgery. Her family has been told that, without a turn for the better, she has a very short time to live. Please, please take time to pray for her. I know what it is like to feel desperate, and I know what all of your prayers mean to me!!! Bow before our King and lift Julie up for complete healing!!

In Him,
Tiffany Pate

3 of Week 2 The Patriarchs

2008-09-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

September 12, 2008

Day 3 of Week 2
No Longer Sarai

Today's Treasure: Genesis 17: 15
"God also said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.' "

Can you imagine God speaking a new name for you as His chosen child to mother a nation? It makes my imagination race with all of the excitement that would dra pe my body in such a moment. Not only did God give her a new name, but He named her "princess"! Isn't that what all women desire to be in the eyes of their father? Imagine, being named a princess by our God Most High! Don't you just love that God not only blessed Abraham as the patriarch of his family, but also his wife. God did not overlook the woman in the family, as so many cultures do. God proves over and over His love and respect for women is just as deep as it is for men. I must wonder if God felt it imperative to change Sarai's name because it was associated with the moon god that she once served. She was now living under covenant with the one true God, and He wanted to claim her as His own!!
Read Genesis 17: 15 – 27. Recall from our previous lesson God's forthright commandment to Abraham and his descendants concerning the covenant sign of circumcision. How quickly did Abraham obey God according to verse 23?
Everyone in the household of Abraham was circumcised that day

Now, describe the blessings specifically spoken over Sarah's life.
She would give birth to a son from her own body, God blessed her as the mother of nations and kings would come from her.

What were Abraham's responses to God's direction?
He fell face down
He all laughed at the thought of becoming parents at 100 years old and 90 years old

What did God promise He'd do for Ishmael?
God promised to bless him, make him fertile and increase his descendants. Ishmael would20father 12 princes and God would make him a great nation. It is important to note here that Ishmael is considered the father of the Arab nation. He is very important in the Islamic faith. Isaac is considered the father of the Jewish people because he is the heir of Abraham. These people are still at constant odds today. God's word in Genesis holds true today!

God made it very clear in scripture that He would bless Ishmael; however, the covenant made between Abraham and God would be fulfilled only through Isaac. Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah. God spoke the name Isaac to Abraham, and it means "he laughs".

Name several kinds of emotions we use laughter to express or even mask
Happiness,=2 0excitement, joy, surprise, embarrassment

What do you think was behind Abraham's laughter in Genesis 17: 17?
He laughed at the idea of having a baby at their ages
I am sure the laughter was from shock, surprise, amazement and doubt

Beth suggests that Abraham's laughter may have been why God approached him with the news of Sarah rather than going directly to Sarah. We know that it wasn't that God preferred to speak with men because of his conversation with Hagar. We also know that He was not going directly to Sarah to punish her for her mistake because He was still approaching Abraham even though he made his fair share of mistakes. Now that Ishmael was born as an heir to Abraham, Abraham knew that it was not him that had stopped his family from growing all of these years. It was Sarah that was the proble m. Beth suggests that Abraham probably began to view Sarah as the obstacle in God's way of fulfilling His covenant. Therefore, God needed to speak directly to Abraham to make him understand that he was assuming the facts of the situation from a human viewpoint. God wanted Abraham to view Sarah as the princess He would use to fulfill His covenant.

Who or what do you tend to believe holds up God's full blessing to you?
This is a very personal question. So, I am going to refrain from answering and leave this one up to you guys!!!
List as many of the "uns" involved as you can.

What was to be Sarah's connection to royalty (Genesis 17: 15 – 16)
Kings would come from her

Please write Genesis 17: 15 in the space below
"As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah I will bless her."

Day 2 of Week 2 The Patriarchs

2008-09-11T15:30:00.001-07:00

September 11, 2008
Day Two of Week Two
The Covenant of Circumcision

Today's Treasure:
"You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you."
Genesis 17: 11

Chapter 16 ends with these words:
"So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. Abram wa s eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael."

Who gave Ishmael his name according to this passage?
Abram
I don't know about you, but I immediately began to wonder how Abram knew to name his son Ishmael. Hagar was the only one who received the instructions on naming her son when she was confronted by God. Do you think she shared her experience with Abram and Sarai to explain why she returned to them? Do you think God spoke to Abram and told him what to name the boy so Abram and Sarai would believe Hagar? So many questions!!! I am glad I have eternity for all of my questions to be answered in heaven!!!
Read the first verse of Genesis 17. Compared to the conclusion of the previous chapter, how much time had passed?
13 years
At this point, there is a gap of thirteen years in scripture. Imagine what life was like for Abram, Sarai and Hagar at this point. Is God still revealing Himself to them on a regular basis? Or, is Abram struggling with taking the matter into his own hands? Do you think he wondered if God removed His spirit from him because Abram and Sarai did not wait for His instruction?
What kinds of experiences do you imagine filled these years for any of the four individuals involved?
Physical: They grew older – Ishmael grew into a young man. Sarai only grew older without any children of her own.
Emotional: Sarai probably grew more discouraged because she has not given birth. I am sure she thinks it is impossible at this point. I am sure doubt started to enter her=2 0mind.
Spiritual: I wonder if Abram felt separated from God because he followed the advice of Sarai. Sarai may have felt she was being disciplined by God for misleading her husband.

Chapter 17 immediately reveals a new name for God in scripture – God Almighty
"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.' "
What does Exodus 6:3 tell you in reference to the revealed names of God?
"I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them."
At first, these two scriptures seem to contradict themselves; however, Beth suggests that God is possibly referring to the fact that Abraham was unable to "see" the covenant20come to be. Remember that all capital letters (LORD) refers to the covenant God. So, possibly God is stating that since Abraham did not "see" the covenant come to be, he did not "see" the LORD.

After introducing Himself afresh to Abram as God Almighty, what powerful commandment did God issue Abram? (Genesis 17: 1)
You can read the entire scripture above. The answer is to walk before him and be blameless.
In the King James Version, it says to be perfect rather than blameless. I have to tell you that I take a deep breath when I read those words. How can we walk before God and be perfect? Beth states that "perfect" does not mean sinless. It means whole, entire or complete. God wanted Abraham to give his entire self to Him. He did not want part of him ! He wanted all of him! That is exactly what He wants from us today. Don't you love that God is the same yesterday, today and forever!
Read Genesis 17: 1 – 4. What had the LORD come to Abram to do?
To confirm the covenant between God and Abram

In God's lengthy discourse to Abram, what was Abram's one act of response?
He fell face down
Take a look at Genesis 12: 1 – 3, God's first statement of promise to Abram. What additional dimensions appear in Genesis 17: 1 – 14?
God promised to make Abram fruitful, He promised that kings would come from him and He added the covenant of circumcision between God and His people.

Please allow me to type a portion of the Bible study directly from the guide. It touched me so deeply that I wanted to make sure you have these words, in case you do not have the book.
"You undoubtedly noted the name change. Abram means "exalted father" while Abraham means "father of many". Poor Abram. Even his name had mocked his insufficiency. We tend to desire praise, don't we? God's intention is not to promote us, however. He intends for us to bear much fruit, showing ourselves to be His and bringing Him glory (John 15). "God changes Abram's name by adding something to Abram. He adds to Abram's name the Hebrew letter he, the repeated letter among the four letters of the Tetragrammation (YHWH). It is a sound in the Hebrew language,20like the letter "H" in the English language, that is made by breathing out. The Hebrew word used for the Spirit of God is the word Ruach. It means literally 'the outbreathing'. He breathes Himself into Abram and makes him Abraham, Father of Multitudes. The new syllable of Abram's name is placed in its center. Abram, with [Jehovah's breath] within him, becomes Abraham."
What would your name be if God breathed a "he" into it?
When we receive Christ, God breathes the Holy Spirit into our lives!!!

I (Beth) hope you noted Abram's link to royalty: "kings will come from you" (Genesis 17: 6). I only want to whet your appetite for now, but what glorious three person royal link do you discover in Matthew 1:1?
Christ--------------Son20of David ---------------Son of Abraham

The biggest command in Chapter 17 is for the household of Abraham to be circumcised as a symbol of the covenant between God and Abraham. Circumcision was a practice already in place during Abraham's day, but it was used as a sign of manhood rather than a symbol of belonging to God. God did not instruct the males to be thirteen years old before they were to be circumcised. He wanted the circumcision to take place at 8 days old for the descendants of Abraham. This would create an intimate and personal symbol for these men that they belong to God Almighty. It is not a coincidence that God chose to mark the most intimate and personal part of a man that he associates with strength and procreation. Beth wants us to remember that before his circumcision, Abraham was unable to produce anything without manipulation. Immediately after his circumcision, Abraham experienced a divine miracle. Sarah gave birth within one year of his circumcision.

The New Testament emphasizes a circumcision of the heart. Can you see any parallels for our lives?
Romans 4: 9 – 12
"Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised."
Galatians 2: 15 – 21
"We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

You and I may need to "put off" or "cut off" something from our lives so we can bear much fruit. Is God speaking to you about this?
I know many of you may not see it, but Satan stays on me constantly! He tries to fill me with doubt about my healing, and I have to cast him off of me each and every day right when I open my eyes! The more faithful we try to be, the more Satan attacks us to take away our joy….he won't have mine!!!!

The consequences of Abraham and his descendants' obedience to this command is clear. What consequence is stated in Genesis 17: 14?
"Any uncircumcised male, who has not be circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

Thank you for allowing me to share part of my day with you! I thank God for each and every one of you each day, and I love you for standing by me!

In Him,
Tiffany Pate