This past weekend I was enjoying a Bible study lesson with my children when God gave me a lesson as well. The story we were going over was Jonah, one my children know well. Instead of reading the “baby” book as my 5 year old called it, referring to the children’s Bible story book I usually read from, she requested I read from her “big girl” Bible. So I opened up her KJV and started to read from Jonah chapter one. I went slow, knowing she had forgotten that it is written in an old language.I clarified each passage as she listened intently, noting the differences in details between this version and her “baby” book. One thing in particular the children’s story left out was how Jonah impacted the men that were saved on the ship. When Jonah was thrown overboard and the raging sea stopped, many of those men turned to Christ in that moment. Jonah 1:16 “Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.” Even those Jonah was fleeing from God and disobeying Him, God still used Jonah in a big way. It goes to show any time I thought I was doing my own thing, I probably wasn’t.
Welcome back to another in-depth Bible study.Let’s dive into God’s Word together, seeking understanding and insight. May His spirit guide us as we explore Scripture.
Deuteronomy 33:12
12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,
14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,
15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,
16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.
19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
20 And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.
22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.
23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.
24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Deuteronomy 34 1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,
3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
4 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.
10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
11 In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,
12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.
That concludes the book of Deuteronomy. Come back tomorrow as we start a new book! Have a great day and God bless!
There is something special about filling an entire notebook. A bitter sweet joy that brings excitement and a sense of a task finally completed. I keep each one like a sacred token to my past, each one representing a chapter in my life. Every note and passage I reread transports me to a forgotten time. Christmas lists and birthday plans, random lyrics and creative narratives. Each page is different from the last, each one carrying a picture to the past.
The process usually goes the same. The fear of living a paperless life drives me to stay well stocked with an oversupply. Long before my stash runs low, I began searching for my next notebook to be. It must be the right size, shape and style. Not too thick, not too thin, sometimes the search can take months. Once I finally deem one worthy I bring it home and add it to my collection. I choose the next one not by chronological order, but by whatever one suits the current mood.
The excitement of a fresh notebook is always the same. All the endless possibilities that could fill each page causes something inside of me to activate and come alive. The feeling never gets old, never fades, no matter how many notebooks I cycle through. Before I retire one and start another, I must follow an age old ritual. The tedious tasks of scanning each and every page for useful information. To do lists that still needed completed. Travel plans that still need visited. Important dates and notes to remember. Poems started but never finished. Stories plotted but not quite told. Each page has memories embedded into each paragraph. A little tiny reflection of my blessed little life. This process always provides me with a great retrospection and a sense of nostalgia.
After I have ensured every vital piece of information is transferred over to my new imagination station, I then put the old one on a shelf next to my other retired notebooks. This process is always the same and always brings me joy and satisfaction. A part of me hopes this never fades and one day my children or grandchildren will leaf through them, carrying on the same zeal for writing.
My notebooks always have too many tabs sticking out that only I know the purpose of. Most people would take a leaf through and see random to do lists and unfinished creative writings. I see an organization system that makes sense to me, enveloped in zeal, inspiration and ME! As a mother there are not a whole lot of material things I claim as all mine, but my notebooks I proudly claim.
Welcome back to another in-depth Bible study. If you’re just now stopping by I highly recommend going back to the beginning, Genesis 1:1. This is an in-depth Bible study that follows chapter by chapter, verse by verse, Genesis to Revelation.
Deuteronomy 32:35
35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
36 For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.
39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.
44 And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.
45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel:
46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
48 And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,
49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:
50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:
51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 33 1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.
8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
That concludes our lesson for today. Comeback tomorrow as we continue right along in the Bible. Have a great day and God bless!
I am no professional photographer but I do love that I can capture these without setting up my telescope. What a breathtakingly beautiful full moon tonight.
Name the professional athletes you respect the most and why.
Name the professional athletes I respect the most and why.
I do not idolize or hold a lot of respect for professional athletes. All “big leagues” are nothing more than theatrics with the intent of moving money around. The games are not fair competitions, the winner is known before the first whistle is blown. Much like the great Roman Colosseum, the show is to keep us busy with nonsense.
