NEA ~ ESPs on the Firing Line

ESPs on the Firing Line: "School Funding Crisis Nothing to Shake a Stick At"

Women of Faith ~ Proverbs 31 Woman

Proverbs 31 Woman:

 " A good woman is hard to find . . . When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say. —Proverbs 31:10, 26 "

Take Root & Write - Are YOU Ready for His Return?

Are YOU Ready for His Return?: "

We wait for so many things throughout the duration of our lives. We await dinner. We wait for an answer. We wait for a task to be completed. We wait for a loved one to return. We wait and wait and wait some more. How many of us wait with a true longing for the return of our precious Savior? Have you thought of His return today? This awesome event is described for us in many places throughout Scripture.

As we continue to study the Word of God, it's interesting to note that
we are admonished many times to "stay awake," "remain alert," and "take
guard" that no one deceives us! Are we vigilant in guarding our hearts
and our faith as we continue to reach out to a dying world? If we are
to remain firmly rooted and grounded, we must make every effort to stay
wide awake!

No one can ever predict the day or hour of Christ's return,
but we do know that day is approaching based upon the signs and seasons. For now, we are in the waiting period.

But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It
is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his
servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to
stay awake.Therefore stay awake—for you do
not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at
midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. (Mark 13:32-37 ESV)

At times, events in our lives can make that waiting period very difficult. We may become tempted to throw in the towel and give up hope. As Christians we must exercise self control, that wonderful fruit that is produced by the Holy Spirit in our lives. He will help us see the good that He is producing in EVERY situation for our benefit and for His glory.

For the time being, let us focus on what the Bible says we have to LOOK FORWARD TO! When our Lord returns we will be like Him..no more sin, decay, sickness, or suffering! 1 John 3:2 tells us the following:

Beloved,
we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared;
but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall
see him as he is. (1 John 3:2 ESV)

Let's consider the phrase "what we will be has not yet appeared" a bit more deeply. At this very moment, every one of us is still wrestling with the flesh and sin nature. Our corruptible nature must be transformed into the incorruptible. Our mortal bodies must become immortal. Upon His glorious return, this wondrous transformation will take place!

Are you looking forward to that reunion with friends and family members who have already gone on to be with Christ? He is bringing them ALONG WITH HIM when He returns! Look at what 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 tells us:

But we do not want you to be uninformed,
brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others
do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have
fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that
we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not
precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend
from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and
with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise
first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will
always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these
words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV)

I can't express to you how many times I have referred to these verses found in 1 Thessalonians 4.We are not to grieve as those who have no hope. We have hope in Christ. Not only is He returning, but He is also bringing our loved ones along with Him and we will meet in the air! Can you fathom this? It takes my breath away!

In the past, a few of my friends have conveyed to me that they want to get their lives in order to prepare for His return. This is good. However, I'd like to add that no matter what situation you may find yourself in at this season of your life, it is my prayer that you will look away from your present circumstances and remember His breathtaking return. We need to focus on this now rather than later so that we remain sober and awake. We accomplish this by remaining steadfast in our study of the Scriptures. Ponder them. Think on them. Sing songs and hymns to one another.

We are commanded in Scripture to teach one another in song. Locate an old hymnal and just read the beautiful poetry and prose that are composed on the pages therein. Examine the faith of the saints who have penned these beautiful compositions. If you look closely, you will see the way they looked with great anticipation toward our Savior's awesome returning.

Last but not least, let's talk to our Heavenly Father. His plans FAR outweigh our wildest imaginations. Keep looking UP!

"

Internet Cafe Devotions ~ Weekend Blend

Weekend Blend: "

Welcome to the Weekend Blend at the Internet Cafe Devotionals!

We know that weekends are overflowing! We understand!

We’d love for you to find a few minutes this weekend to pull up a chair, find a table at the Cafe just for you. We’ve got a place to savor a sip as we serve up some of our favorite and most inspirational devotions from the past.

As we see “hints” of Spring in the air, our focus this month is on patience. (the featured link is just below the menu)

Enjoy!

Peace, Wherefore Art Thou Peace? "

Gisele Jaquenod - My kind of outfit!

My kind of outfit!: "

EN – Another outfit made up from my favorite online stores!

ES - Otro conjunto armado con prendas de mis tiendas online favoritas!

1. Sammy Shirt $39.50 at delias


2. Skinny Jean – Dark Vintage $29.50 at American Eagle


3. AE Mixed Metal Drop Earrings $12.50 at American Eagle


4. Georgia Hobo $24.50 at delias


5. Mademoiselle Boot $193.99 at ModCloth


6. Lace Ball Fringe Scarf $6.80 at Forever21

Related posts:

1. My kind of outfit!


2. My kind of outfit!


3. Dress-Up Time!

"

Ed.gov - Turn Around Low-Performing Schools

Turn Around Low-Performing Schools: "How can low-performing schools be turned around? These videos tell the stories of three turnaround schools."

Bible Gateway's verse of the day ~ Isaiah 25:1

Isaiah 25:1: "“[Praise to the LORD] O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”"

Bible Gatewy - Old/New Testament Reading for Saturday March 6, 2010 (NIV)

Old/New Testament Reading for Saturday March 6, 2010 (NIV): "

This text is provided by Biblica Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984. The Reading plan is brought to you by BibleYear.com and powered by Bible Gateway.

Numbers 35

Towns for the Levites

¹ On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses, ² 'Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. ³ Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. ⁴ 'The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. ⁵ Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.

Cities of Refuge

⁶ 'Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. ⁷ In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. ⁸ The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.' ⁹ Then the LORD said to Moses: ¹⁰ 'Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, ¹¹ select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. ¹² They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly. ¹³ These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. ¹⁴ Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

¹⁶ ' 'If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁷ Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁸ Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁹ The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. ²⁰ If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies ²¹ or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

²² ' 'But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally ²³ or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, ²⁴ the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. ²⁵ The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

²⁶ ' 'But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he has fled ²⁷ and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. ²⁸ The accused must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may he return to his own property.

²⁹ ' 'These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live. ³⁰ ' 'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. ³¹ ' 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death. ³² ' 'Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow him to go back and live on his own land before the death of the high priest. ³³ ' 'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. ³⁴ Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.' '

Numbers 36

Inheritance of Zelophehad's Daughters

¹ The family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph, came and spoke before Moses and the leaders, the heads of the Israelite families. ² They said, 'When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, he ordered you to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. ³ Now suppose they marry men from other Israelite tribes; then their inheritance will be taken from our ancestral inheritance and added to that of the tribe they marry into. And so part of the inheritance allotted to us will be taken away. ⁴ When the Year of Jubilee for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry, and their property will be taken from the tribal inheritance of our forefathers.'

⁵ Then at the LORD's command Moses gave this order to the Israelites: 'What the tribe of the descendants of Joseph is saying is right. ⁶ This is what the LORD commands for Zelophehad's daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within the tribal clan of their father. ⁷ No inheritance in Israel is to pass from tribe to tribe, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal land inherited from his forefathers. ⁸ Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father's tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. ⁹ No inheritance may pass from tribe to tribe, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits.' ¹⁰ So Zelophehad's daughters did as the LORD commanded Moses. ¹¹ Zelophehad's daughters—Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah—married their cousins on their father's side. ¹² They married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in their father's clan and tribe. ¹³ These are the commands and regulations the LORD gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

---

Mark 10

Divorce

¹Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. ²Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?' ³'What did Moses command you?' he replied. ⁴They said, 'Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.' ⁵'It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,' Jesus replied. ⁶'But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' ⁷'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, ⁸and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.' ¹⁰When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. ¹¹He answered, 'Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. ¹²And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.'

The Little Children and Jesus

¹³People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' ¹⁶And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

The Rich Young Man

¹⁷As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' ¹⁸'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'' ²⁰'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.' ²¹Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' he said. 'Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' ²²At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. ²³Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!' ²⁴The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' ²⁶The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, 'Who then can be saved?' ²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.' ⁸Peter said to him, 'We have left everything to follow you!' ²⁹'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first.'

"

Proverbs 31 Ministries Daily Devotions - Becoming a Woman of Dignity

Becoming a Woman of Dignity: "Glynnis Whitwer

'She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.' Proverbs 31:25 (NIV)

How could I have done it? How could I have gotten into an argument with my pre-teen daughter that reduced me to the level of: 'Did not!' 'Did too!' It was that bad.

I walked away knowing I needed a time out. Wasn't I supposed to be the grown up? Wasn't I supposed to be the mature, godly, Proverbs 31 woman? At that moment, I was anything but.
Frustration at the interaction with my daughter rushed through my veins like adrenalin after a near accident. I tried shaking it off, but the emotions stuck with me.

As I replayed the conversation in my mind, I thought of all the mature things I should have done and said. I saw myself as I wished I'd been – calm, gentle and dignified. And I wondered how I had drifted so far from the woman I wanted to be.

Dignified. The very word speaks to something in my spirit. I imagine a self-controlled woman making deliberate choices about what she says and does based on her priorities. I imagine a woman whose personality is not changed by circumstances, but exhibits grace under all kinds of challenges.

What is dignity anyway? We find it mentioned in Proverbs 31:25 as something to be desired, 'She is clothed with strength and dignity.' My dictionary defines it as 'the quality or state of being worthy, honored or esteemed.' Based on that definition and the entire chapter of Proverbs 31, I believe a woman clothed in dignity is one who knows who she is in Christ, and chooses to act in ways consistent with her high calling as a child of God.

Sadly, I have at times allowed the actions and words of another to impact my choice to maintain my dignity. In moments of frustration, I have set aside that dignity and allowed emotions to rule.

In the frustration of having a schoolyard argument with my daughter, I forgot I was a woman chosen by God and given the strength to deal with daily challenges. God invited me to clothe myself in His power, and I had rejected His offer of help.

I had a lot of apologizing to do: first to my daughter, then to God. I'm thankful both forgave me, and offered me an opportunity to try again to model dignity. It made a difference. The next time I felt emotions threaten to overtake me, I took a deep breath and thought, 'I am a woman of dignity.' Then I prayed for God to step in and clothe me with His power to be that woman.

Dear Lord, thank You for choosing me to be a woman of dignity. I know You see my potential, but the truth is I struggle daily to be that woman. Please help me to sacrifice my selfish nature and replace it with Your gracious spirit. I know I need Your help. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Becoming a woman of dignity starts with inviting Jesus to rule in your heart. If you long for help with your emotions, and haven’t invited Jesus into your heart, please visit
Do You Know Him?

Parenting Your Teen and Loving It: Being the Mom Your Kids Need by Susie Davis

Visit Glynnis’s blog for more tips on keeping your cool under pressure

The Character of God by Brian T. Anderson and Glynnis Whitwer

Application Steps:
List two or three behaviors that define a woman of dignity. Commit to depend on God's grace to practice those behaviors in the coming week.

Reflections:
It's easy to blame others for our lack of dignity. How does blaming others hinder our personal growth?

What are some things you can do to prepare yourself to act with dignity in the face of a challenge?

Power Verses:
Titus 2:11-12, 'God's saving grace has appeared to all people. It teaches us to say no to godless ways and sinful longings. We must control ourselves. We must do what is right. We must lead godly lives in today's world.' (NIRV)

Colossians 3:12, 'Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.' (NIV)

© 2010 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

"

Honor Dr. Seuss's Birthday by Reading Our New Cambodia Title: The Little Parrot's New Shoes

Honor Dr. Seuss's Birthday by Reading Our New Cambodia Title: The Little Parrot's New Shoes: "

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
-- Dr. Seuss

Today is the birthday of Dr. Seuss, one of the most loved children's book authors of all time, and in his honor (at least in the United States), the National Education Association (NEA) has marked today as Read Across America Day! But, no matter what country you live in, today is still a great excuse to get excited about reading and focus extra attention on how important it is to impart the habit of reading to children.

In September, we blogged about the making of one of our original Khmer local language children’s book titles from Cambodia called The Parrot with the Missing Shoe (read the blog here). The story was about a colorful parrot who wants to visit his grandmother but can’t because he’s lost his shoes. The book was developed in collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Education to supplement their 1st grade curriculum lesson plans on preposition words such as “under” and “in front.”

Well, we’re happy to report that the book was printed at the end of 2009 by Room to Read Cambodia. Now officially titled The Little Parrot's New Shoes, thousands of copies have been distributed throughout our libraries in Cambodia for children to enjoy.

We know you are curious where the little parrot's new shoes were hiding and therefore, we present to you here The Little Parrot's New Shoes to read out loud to your children in celebration of Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss's birthday.

This book was sponsored by bol.com. Special thanks to them for their support of this title.

"

Thriftbooks.com - Hector Rivas - Greener Than ‘The Hulk’

Greener Than ‘The Hulk’: "

I will be the first one to admit that we have done a poor job of publicizing our company’s recycling efforts. It’s not because we haven’t done anything or have little to show for all of our efforts. As a matter of fact, we have recycled a staggering amount of used books since we have been in business.

We started recycling the same year we started the company in 2003 before the “green” movement caught on and before businesses were scrambling to show the public that they were environmentally responsible.

We recycled because it made sense. We recycled because our business model revolved around the concept of reusing. Our idea was simple. Sell unwanted books online that were discarded by consumers, bookstores, libraries, and thrift stores. It’s incredible to believe now but in the beginning these unwanted books were being thrown away daily into landfills. Once we started purchasing these books, they were either sold online, sold wholesale overseas, donated to charities, or recycled by the ton.

Recycling saves. It saves energy, natural resources, landfill space, and these days it is helping create jobs.

Today, just about everything gets recycled in each of our six warehouses across the country including our corporate offices in Washington. We recycle cardboard, plastics, aluminum, paper, and even wood. By far, the product we recycle the most is paper.

From 2003 to 2008, we recycled over 86,000,000 used books. That’s million with an “M.” A million of anything is hard to appreciate so I dusted off the part of my brain that does math in an effort to illustrate how much volume this is.

If you took the 86 million used books that we recycled from 2003 to 2008 and piled them on top of each other in one stack, they would reach 7,833,333 feet in the air. That’s the equivalent of stacking 13,030 Space Needles on top of one another! Or, if you took the same number of used books and laid them flat side by side, you would create a continuous line 12,215 miles long. That’s the equivalent of driving from Seattle to Florida 3.5 times!

That’s a lot of recycling. As someone once told me, “your recycling efforts are on steroids.” I agree. We’re GREEN with MUSCLE.

Hector Rivas
CEO

"

James Patterson's - ReadKiddoRead.com

Home ReadKiddoRead.com

Mexico 4 Jesus - The Planting of the Lord

The Planting of the Lord

Bible Gateway - Old/New Testament Reading for Thursday March 4, 2010 (NIV)

Old/New Testament Reading for Thursday March 4, 2010 (NIV): "

This text is provided by Biblica Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984. The Reading plan is brought to you by BibleYear.com and powered by Bible Gateway.

Numbers 29

Feast of Trumpets

¹ ' 'On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. ² As an aroma pleasing to the LORD, prepare a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. ³ With the bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths ; ⁴ and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. ⁵ Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. ⁶ These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their grain offerings and drink offerings as specified. They are offerings made to the LORD by fire—a pleasing aroma.

Day of Atonement

⁷ ' 'On the tenth day of this seventh month hold a sacred assembly. You must deny yourselves and do no work. ⁸ Present as an aroma pleasing to the LORD a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. ⁹ With the bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; ¹⁰ and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. ¹¹ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

Feast of Tabernacles

¹² ' 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days. ¹³ Present an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. ¹⁴ With each of the thirteen bulls prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with each of the two rams, two-tenths; ¹⁵ and with each of the fourteen lambs, one-tenth. ¹⁶ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

¹⁷ ' 'On the second day prepare twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. ¹⁸ With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. ¹⁹ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

²⁰ ' 'On the third day prepare eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. ²¹ With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. ²² Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

²³ ' 'On the fourth day prepare ten bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. ²⁴ With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. ²⁵ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

²⁶ ' 'On the fifth day prepare nine bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. ²⁷ With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. ²⁸ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

²⁹ ' 'On the sixth day prepare eight bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. ³⁰ With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. ³¹ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

³² ' 'On the seventh day prepare seven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. ³³ With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. ³⁴ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

³⁵ ' 'On the eighth day hold an assembly and do no regular work. ³⁶ Present an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, a burnt offering of one bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. ³⁷ With the bull, the ram and the lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. ³⁸ Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

³⁹ ' 'In addition to what you vow and your freewill offerings, prepare these for the LORD at your appointed feasts: your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings. ' '

⁴⁰ Moses told the Israelites all that the LORD commanded him.

Numbers 30

Vows

¹ Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: 'This is what the LORD commands: ² When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

³ 'When a young woman still living in her father's house makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge ⁴ and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁵ But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the LORD will release her because her father has forbidden her.

⁶ 'If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself ⁷ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁸ But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the LORD will release her.

⁹ 'Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.

¹⁰ 'If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath ¹¹ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ¹² But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will release her. ¹³ Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. ¹⁴ But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. ¹⁵ If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he is responsible for her guilt.'

¹⁶ These are the regulations the LORD gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living in his house.

Numbers 31

Vengeance on the Midianites

¹ The LORD said to Moses, ² 'Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.'

³ So Moses said to the people, 'Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the LORD's vengeance on them. ⁴ Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.' ⁵ So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. ⁶ Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.

⁷ They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man. ⁸ Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. ⁹ The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. ¹⁰ They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. ¹¹ They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals, ¹² and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.

¹³ Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴ Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.

¹⁵ 'Have you allowed all the women to live?' he asked them. ¹⁶ 'They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD's people. ¹⁷ Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, ¹⁸ but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

¹⁹ 'All of you who have killed anyone or touched anyone who was killed must stay outside the camp seven days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and your captives. ²⁰ Purify every garment as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood.'

²¹ Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, 'This is the requirement of the law that the LORD gave Moses: ²² Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead ²³ and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. ²⁴ On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp.'

Dividing the Spoils

²⁵ The LORD said to Moses, ²⁶ 'You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. ²⁷ Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. ²⁸ From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the LORD one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats. ²⁹ Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part. ³⁰ From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle.' ³¹ So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

³² The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, ³³ 72,000 cattle, ³⁴ 61,000 donkeys ³⁵ and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

³⁶ The half share of those who fought in the battle was:
337,500 sheep, ³⁷ of which the tribute for the LORD was 675;

³⁸ 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the LORD was 72;

³⁹ 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the LORD was 61;

⁴⁰ 16,000 people, of which the tribute for the LORD was 32.

⁴¹ Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part, as the LORD commanded Moses.

⁴² The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men- ⁴³ the community's half—was 337,500 sheep, ⁴⁴ 36,000 cattle, ⁴⁵ 30,500 donkeys ⁴⁶ and 16,000 people. ⁴⁷ From the Israelites' half, Moses selected one out of every fifty persons and animals, as the LORD commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle.

⁴⁸ Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses ⁴⁹ and said to him, 'Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing. ⁵⁰ So we have brought as an offering to the LORD the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.'

⁵¹ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. ⁵² All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the LORD weighed 16,750 shekels. ⁵³ Each soldier had taken plunder for himself. ⁵⁴ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.

---

Mark 9

¹And he said to them, 'I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.'

The Transfiguration

²After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' ⁶(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: 'This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!'

⁸Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what 'rising from the dead' meant.

¹¹And they asked him, 'Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?'

¹²Jesus replied, 'To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? ¹³But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.'

The Healing of a Boy with an Evil Spirit

¹⁴When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶'What are you arguing with them about?' he asked.

¹⁷A man in the crowd answered, 'Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.'

¹⁹'O unbelieving generation,' Jesus replied, 'how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.'

²⁰So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹Jesus asked the boy's father, 'How long has he been like this?'

'From childhood,' he answered. ²²'It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.'

²³' 'If you can'?' said Jesus. 'Everything is possible for him who believes.'

²⁴Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'

²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. 'You deaf and mute spirit,' he said, 'I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.'

²⁶The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, 'He's dead.' ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?'

²⁹He replied, 'This kind can come out only by prayer.'

"

Internet Cafe Devotions - Talking with God

Talking with God: "

I allow each of my boys to pray at night as they are lying in bed. My youngest boy is three and my oldest is five. The youngest one usually prays and his older brother then follows. At first my youngest boy didn’t want to pray because he was embarrassed. He didn’t pray like his older brother, and I think that made him self-conscious. However, I encouraged him without any pressured expectations, and he started to pray now and then.

One night, my youngest son jumped into praying. He prayed for juice, toys, cookies, popcorn, etc. I could hear my oldest son snickering under his breath. When my youngest son said, “Amen,” I kissed him and went over to my oldest son’s bed.

I whispered in his ear, “You used to pray like that. He will get better and better as he practices. Let’s not make fun of him, okay?”

My oldest son looked grave and shook his head in agreement. He then prayed his prayer with confidence. He asked God to bless our family and protect us while we slept. I kissed him goodnight, turned off the lights and shut the door behind me.

Prayer is often so misunderstood. There are people who can pray all the pretty religious phrases and others who are straightforward. They are all beautiful as long as the motive is right. What is the motive of prayer? To speak to God.

We have an amazing line to God, and it takes time to get the hang of it. We must not beat ourselves up if we feel like we didn’t pray right. God hears the heart, not the words. The only way to get better at talking with God is to practice – practice makes perfect!

Do you feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling? Be honest with God, and He will meet you where you are at. He wants to communicate with you more than anything. How can you save time for him every day? What could you take out or move in your schedule in order to put praying to God as priority?

And just remember that when there are no words, Jesus prays on your behalf!

“Father, help us to seek You every day. We know that it takes work to forge an intimate relationship with You. Put a passion in us that seeks to know You more. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.”

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17.9 NIV).

Blessings to ya!

"

Help Us Moms, Lord!

Help Us Moms, Lord!: "Lysa TerKeurst

'If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.' James 1:5 (NIV)

I wanted to tap the two girls sitting on the front row at our church service. And fuss at them in a not so gentle way I tell you. But they were five rows ahead of me and my arm couldn't quite reach.

Since I couldn't physically get their attention, I prepared my 'look.' You know the one that says a thousand corrective statements with just a cross expression and a raised eyebrow? Yes, that one.

The minute one of them stole a glance in my direction, they were going to know exactly how I felt about their wiggling and obvious lack of attention during the service. Oh, and I should mention, these two girls belonged to me. Well, at least one of them did. The other was my daughter's friend who sometimes goes to church with us.

I don't think anyone else really noticed them. They weren't being disruptive to other people. But they weren't acting the way I wanted them to. I wanted them sitting up straight, drinking in the message, and taking notes.

Suddenly, an annoying little thought started to tug at the corners of my mind. 'You want your children to act perfectly because it makes you look good. Let that go. They don't need to be sitting up straight furiously taking notes to hear God's message. This is a beautiful time for grace.'

Ouch.

I don't much like the Holy Spirit speaking the kind of truth to me that hurts. I was in the mood to fuss at somebody. Two somebodies. Give grace? Now? It wasn't what I wanted but it's exactly what I needed to do in that moment. Soon my daughter's friend peered back to look at me. Despite my feelings, I made the choice to smile, wink, and give her a little wave.

Then this wiggly, usually not very affectionate, middle schooler got out of her seat. She walked down the aisle, five rows back, and made her way to me. She threw her arms around me and gave me a hug that preached a thousand sermons right then and there.

Indeed, grace was exactly what was needed in that moment. The rest of the service she sat attentive beside me and even asked a few questions on the way home.

And that's what makes this parenting thing so hard. There are really no textbook answers. It's such a moment by moment balancing act between loving, shepherding, disciplining, extending grace, molding, modeling, loving some more and fussing a little along the way too.

The only way I can navigate this balancing act is to stay close to God. Really close. Rather than seeing God as far off, I have to rely on him as a desperate daughter who needs her Daddy.

Philippians 4:6 says, 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.'

I like that verse but without quoting it in context, it's stripped of its power. The last 4 words of Philippians 4:5 are the power source that unlocks the peace of God that transcends all understanding.

Those four words are, 'The Lord is near.'

And because He's near, we don't have to be anxious- we can ask our Lord what to do, how to react, when to discipline and when to give grace. James 1:5 reminds me, 'If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.' Only God can prepare me with the wisdom and discernment necessary for each and every parenting moment. So I must stay close to Him- ask Him- rely on Him- cry out to Him- and make Him the basis for my parenting.

My goal should never be to raise kids that make me look good. (But, oh, how my flesh craves this!) My goal should be to ask God moment by moment for wisdom to know how to raise kids who proclaim God's goodness in their hearts.

Blessings to you as you ever so delicately search for that balance between discipline and grace as well.

Dear Lord, I am asking for wisdom today to know how to best raise my kids. Help me to know when to discipline and when to give grace. Help me sense Your nearness so I don't feel so alone and overwhelmed with this task of being a mom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s blog for a chance to win a mom’s encouragement package for you and a friend!

This devotion was taken from Lysa’s new book: Am I Messing Up My Kids? If you’ve ever wanted to stop yelling and start loving being a mom, get this book here today!

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps:
Only God can prepare us with the wisdom and discernment necessary for each and every parenting moment. Pray for wisdom and revelation today as you lead your children. The more you ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, the more your actions will be redirected, moment by moment. The more your actions are redirected, the more you will become like Jesus. The more you become like Jesus, the more deeply you will come to understand His ways and know Him personally.

Read Psalm 103:8-13 and journal your thoughts.

Reflections:
Who am I most likely to ask when I need parenting help?

What might be the benefit of turning to God first?

How can I become a wiser mom according to James 1:5?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 19:11, 'A man's wisdom gives him patience…' (NIV)

Proverbs 24:3, 'By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.' (NIV)

Ephesians 1:17, 'I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.' (NIV)

© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

"

Mocha with Linda - Hearts Awakening

Hearts Awakening: "

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Hearts AwakeningBethany House (March 1, 2010)

by

Delia Parr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Delia Parr, pen name for Mary Lechleidner, is the author of 10 historical novels and the winner of several awards, including the Laurel Wreath Award for Historical Romance and the Aspen Gold Award for Best Inspirational Book. She is a full-time high school teacher who spends her summer vacations writing and kayaking. The mother of three grown children, she lives in Collingswood, New Jersey.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Two people in desperate circumstances. Life has left few choices for Elvira Kilmer. Her hopes for marriage and a family of her own have long since passed her by, and her arrival on Dillon's Island, nestled in the Susquehanna River, is not of her choosing, either.

She needs work. And Jackson Smith needs a housekeeper. Yet Ellie never imagined the widower would be so young...so handsome. Jackson, on the other hand, has never met anyone quite so...plain. But he quickly comes to realize that Ellie's presence may solve his own problems--both the rearing of his young boys and the scandal that surrounds his first marriage.

When Jackson offers her something quite out of the ordinary, will Ellie look beyond mere necessity and risk opening her heart?

Yet what options does she have? To marry would mean a home and stability. So despite the rumors circling Jackson and his first wife, Ellie accepts this unlikely proposal...

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hearts Awakening, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS
This book just arrived in the mail Tuesday, and I wasn't sure I would get it read in time to post a review. Not to worry - it immediately drew me in and I couldn't put it down! My heart ached for both Ellie and Jackson and for the hurts and rejections they each had experienced throughout their lives. And then there were Jackson's precious boys: 3-year-old Ethan, who hasn't spoken since his mama's death, and 5-year-old Daniel, who is Ethan's champion and protector. . . .and is convinced that his mama is coming home again.


Will the hearts of this hurting couple stay shuttered and dormant? Is a business arrangement the best either can hope for? And what will it take to comfort those sweet boys and enable Ethan to speak? When they discover their Hearts Awakening, will Jackson and Hannah allow God to heal their past?




"

Internet Cafe Devotions - Blessed Aroma 2009 Top 100 Announced

Blessed Aroma 2009 Top 100 Announced: "

Internet Cafe Devotions introduces Blessed Aroma ~ 2009!

As a Christian Women Devotional site, we passionately want to encourage and inspire women all over the world. We know that an ounce of encouragement goes a long way and that is why we are introducing Blessed Aroma ~ 2009. It’s a way to showcase some of your favorite blogs who have encouraged you with their written words and examples of faith in 2008. This list consists of some of the most encouraging and inspiring blogs, nominated by YOU! Are you ready to meet some new and exciting ladies?

This was not a contest. There were no prizes. We firmly believe that there is no competition in ministry and we are to support and encourage each other as the body of Christ.

Our vision for this was to simply add a page to the Cafe with a fresh list of wonderful blogs that others can enjoy. We obtained this list through nominations by you, the readers, and not simply based on our own opinion. The top ten of those who received the most nominations in a category are included here. In random order, of course.

Though many of the women on our team of writers received many nominations in different categories, in the end we decided to only showcase blogs that aren’t linked from the Cafe on a regular basis. Be sure to go and check out their blogs too though!

If a blog received several nominations in more than one category then we put that blog in the category where they received the most nominations. this was done so that we have 100 unique blogs to share with you.

Be sure to leave them a comment or two and let them know you appreciate them… Enjoy!! Just click on the link below to “savor some of the web’s best flavors!”

Blessed Aroma 2009

"

Take Root and Write - A Treasure Called Lamentations

A Treasure Called Lamentations: "

Have you ever heard a sermon on the Old Testament book of Lamentations? I haven’t. I must confess I had never looked at its pages until recently. I’m not sure why I bothered, but I’m glad I did.

One reason this book, written by the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, is often overlooked is because the word “lamentations” doesn’t evoke thoughts of cheer. Lament means “to feel or express great sorrow” (Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus, Second Edition) and we tend to be a fun-loving people who prefer to dance around things that could send us into a depression.

A melancholy mood doesn’t fit the stereo-typical demeanor of joy that Christians are expected to parade before a world-wide audience; to act otherwise could appear hypocritical. However, whether it is a believer or non-believer adhering to that perspective, it is wrong.

In Ecclesiastes it says there is a time for everything: “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NIV). So, if you believe the Bible, there is no reason to hide from the book of Lamentations.

Let’s take a look at the opening words of this oft-neglected book:

How lonely sits the city that once was full of people! How like a widow she has become, she that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces has become a vassal. (Lamentations 1:1 NRSV)

For many of us, these opening words are enough to make us put on our running shoes and race straight to Ezekiel, the next book in the Bible. No wonder we don’t see the neon lights of sermons, Bible studies, or coffee table books beckoning us to this undervalued treasure.

Why Bother?

Lamentations was written in 586 BC shortly after Jerusalem fell to the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, and his hordes. As recorded in the opening verse, Jerusalem became a vassal nation to her conquerors. (Vassal is synonymous with slave.) The once mighty city was forced to wallow in the shadow of a pagan nation.

It sounds awful, and it was. However, God allowed Jerusalem to fall. You may ask, “Why?” It was the disastrous results of His people’s sin and rebellion. Lamentations 1:14 says it all:

My transgressions were bound into a yoke; by his hand they were fastened together; they weigh on my neck, sapping my strength; the Lord handed me over to those whom I cannot withstand. (NRSV)

These words sum up the consequences of improper behavior, rebellion, and sin in the lives of God’s people.

God’s Anger at Sin

Lamentations 2 painfully describes God’s anger. Let’s take a look at some of the scathing words:

• How the Lord in his anger has humiliated the daughter Zion (2:1)


• The Lord has destroyed without mercy all the dwellings of Jacob (2:2)


• He has killed all in whom we pride in the tent of daughter Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire (2:4)


• The Lord has scorned his altar, disowned his sanctuary; he has delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces (2:7)

Lamentations is not a fun, happy, let’s-skip-through-the-daisies, type of Christian story. It is God’s righteousness and anger toward sin. As Christians, one of our mantras is that God never changes; He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If we believe this, then practical Christianity understands there is benefit to acquainting ourselves with the sobering reality of Lamentations, even though we now live under the New Covenant.

The truth is that, at some point, God's righteousness will meet the sinful and rebellious nature of man. If studying the words of this weeping prophet does nothing more than point out our need for a Savior, our time has been well spent.

God's Hope

It's a wonder that anyone reads beyond the words of chapter one. However, for those who do, there is a blessing. Along with His righteousness, God is benevolent and full of love. Look at the beautiful portrait Lamentations paints of our Lord in the following verse:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22)

Did you know those words came from Jeremiah's mourning? What about these brushstrokes on the divine canvas of God's Word:

For the Lord will not reject forever. Although he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone. (Lamentations 2:31-33)

God does love us and wants to lavish us with His adoration. Long after the fall of Jerusalem, He shared the ultimate love with mankind in the personage of His Son, Jesus Christ. Just as it says that God will not reject forever, we must not reject Him if we want to experience His love and compassion.

Our Repentance

In order to understand God's love and receive His compassion, we must repent in the midst of our sin and rebellion. Lamentations 3:39 asks,"Why should any who draw breath complain about the punishment of their sins?" If we think about it, we do deserve punishment. However, because we serve a loving God full of mercy, we have access to His remedy . . . repentance.

Let us test and examine our way, and return to the Lord. Let us lift our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven. We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven. (Lamentations 3:40-42)

These words are the first steps to real repentance. God will forgive; but, we must examine our ways, return to the Lord, and lift our hearts up to Him. He requires repentance. Yet He also provided Jesus to be the requirement we could never be on our own. Let Lamentations show you God's righteousness and compassion.

(c)2010 Shona Neff

"