Monday, December 26, 2011

My Favorite Book of the Bible and Bible Story

  DQ #1. Share how you approach the study of God’s Word and something about your devotional life. What’s your favorite book of the Bible and Bible story?
  As I posted in DQ #2 " With prayer and passion! Prayers of thanksgiving for the Word and the gift of Grace. Passion for the Word of God. Passion to share the Word. Passion to immerse myself in the Word. I have several electronic tools that are very helpful not only in my walk but also in backing up the truth of the Bible when discussing it with skeptics which seems to be a mission with me.

  As to my favorite Book of the Bible, so many with Genesis likely being number one. But then there are the Books of prophecy and then the Books in the New Testament telling of their fulfillment. The Gospels are wonderful in detailing the walk of Jesus. The Pauline letters are great, 2 Timothy 4 is so moving: 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. So many, so very many...

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

My favorite story is Ruth. There is Ruth’s devotion to Naomi:
16 But Ruth said
“ Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God
.

  There is the love story between Ruth and Boaz. However, there is so much more. The story of Naomi and her family going to Moab is well known as is the loss of her husband and sons. So Naomi and her gentile daughter-in-law Ruth returned to Bethlehem. Eventually Ruth and Boaz are married.

So much in this short book:

o Names of all have special meaning
o Law of Gleaning
o the Unnamed Servant as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit
o 6 measures of barley
o Levirite Marriage
o Kinsman-Redeemer – Boaz was second in line but prevailed

Boaz is the Kinsman-Redeemer as Jesus is our redeemer.
Naomi represents Israel
Ruth is the Gentile Bride

  As a Kinsman-Redeemer Boaz had to be a kinsman, able to perform, must be willing and must assume all the obligations.

  Boaz and Ruth were in the line of Jesus. Boaz was the son of Salmon and Rahab who was said to be a prostitute. Boaz and Ruth had a son they named Obed who had a son named Jesse and in turn Jesse had a son named David, later known as King David. So a prostitute and a Gentile in the line of Jesus, what a redemption!

  The Book of Ruth is prophetic of Jesus as the Kinsman-Redeemer and the Church as the Gentile Bride. As Boaz redeemed Ruth as his bride and Naomi her land, Jesus has redeemed the Church and He will redeem Israel.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

approaching my study of God’s word - from Khouse class

DQ #2 is With what should you approach your study of God’s word? What are some of your favorite Bible study materials? Besides Dr. Missler, what other Bible teachers have impacted your life?
With prayer and passion! Prayers of thanksgiving for the Word and the gift of Grace. Passion for the Word of God. Passion to share the Word. Passion to immerse myself in the Word. I have several electronic tools that are very helpful not only in my walk but also in backing up the truth of the Bible when discussing it with skeptics:
1. The Franklin Electronic Bible BIB-475 which includes the complete text of: the King James Version and the New International Version. Plus it includes many helpful features such as bookmarking, find, the Holman Bible Dictionary and more. I use this in church and Bible study classes as it has a very fast look-up feature as we go from verse to verse.
2. Several Bibles on my Kindle Book including “English Translation of the Greek Septuagint”, compiled nearing three hundred years before the birth of Jesus.
3. The NowBible with the ESV Bible (can read and listen to at the same time) and so many features, even has a MP3 player so I always have the Bible, Praise and Worship music and Dr. Missler’s teachings as well as those of others close at hand.
4. Smart phone again with a MP3 player and the Nextbook, a poor man’s version of the I Pad that I listen to at night when I should be sleeping.
5. And of course, my computer complete with so many resources.
If I’m alone and having a quick meal at a fast food store, I listen to a teaching, usually by Dr. Missler. I discovered Dr. Missler’s book “Learn the Bible n 24 Hours” several years ago and then this pass summer, the firefighters website with many teachings by Dr. Missler and other teachers. I’ve read several of Hal Lindsey’s books and watch his report every week. I was in Palm Desert, CA for some time in 2007 and was able several times to attend his weekly Bible study. However, Mr. Lindsey no longer lives in California.
Summers I spend in Michigan in an area described as “The Bible Belt of Michigan” in a member owner park. Each summer we study one of Ray Vanderlaan’s Faith Lessons DVD series, talk about approaching the Word with passion, he is the personification. We have Gospel music Sunday evenings and each summer usually have two or three artists who are regulars with the Gaithers. This summer Guy Penrod was there and what a light he is and he sings with great passion. I think hearing Linda Randle in 2006 pushed me back on the path I started out on as a child and strayed from after college and being so busy. I’m listening to Linda singing as I write.
Here in Arizona we have Bible study at church and two friends lead a Bible study in a tent in the desert. What I most prefer is a small Bible study gathered around a table where there is give and take.
The availability of good teachers and resources along with a thirst for God and a love of Jesus have greatly impacted my life. I often tell of playing around the edges of the “New Age” but never being able to take it seriously. And of course, as I was already one of Jesus’ sheep, He would not let me go and I thank Him for forgiving me.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

First Class Tomorrow - Koinonia Institute!

Tomorrow, 12/18, I start my first class with Chuck Missler's Koinonia Institute:
Survey of the Old Testament is a Bronze Medallion course that reviews the Old Testament with an emphasis on the integrity of deliberate design found throughout the entire Bible. With 66 books penned by over 40 authors and over a period of several thousand years, virtually every detail in the text — every number, place name, even the structures hidden beneath the text itself— reveal a master plan which transcends the perspective of any of the individual writers and demonstrates an extraterrestrial origin from outside our time domain.

There is so much depth to the Bible and again, the more I learn the more I know I have to learn. I've long had a heart centered connection to Jesus, however, in these last days I want to better be able to defend the faith. I'm not sure what a Bronze Medallion represents but the knowledge gained will be helpful.

I've downloaded several of Dr. Missler's teaching in MP3 with a slideshow presentation format. His DVDs take up far more computer storage space and the main difference is being able to watch Dr. Missler rather than listen to him. I'm happy to hear him while viewing the relevant slides. In addition to the slideshow version, there is an audio only format that I can load to my smart phone. Dr. Missler goes into great detail in his teachings.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

A little Bit More....

Another eBay post I wrote in reply to a member's question about the Bible.

I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

I recently enrolled in the Koinonia Institute.  Here is part of what I wrote in the KI Discussion Boards' Introduce Yourself:

I'm from a very small town in Michigan. I can't remember a time as a child that I wasn't in Sunday School. As a teenager I sang in both the junior and senior choir. I was in a rather conservative protestant church, however, for a few years in grade school my best friend was the local Baptist Pastor's daughter so I received a more through introduction to the Bible there. Her father was called to another city but I never forgot the peace I found in that church.

I was a young mother of two and divorced in college. The church I attended with my former husband made sure my children and I had a ride to church Sundays. After college I started to drift away from church membership and am thankful that God is so forgiving. I played at the edges of the so-called New Age and New Thought, you know, the all roads lead to God. Thankfully I belonged to the Lord from such an early age that He never really let me go. Now older and far more discerning I've been delving deeper and deeper into the Word for several years. The more I study and attend Bible studies the more I hunger.

I finally decided that I have an unusual mission field. I've been a member of eBay for years, both as a buyer and seller. I stumbled into a chat room and read incorrect doctrine and lots of Christian bashing. My concern is that far more people read these online threads than reply. I try to correct posts such as Allah is the same God as in the Old Testament.

I moved around a lot after graduating from college in the 60s and now am retired and live in Quartzsite, Arizona where I attend a local Baptist church. Summers I spend in Michigan in a park with it's own Chapel. I am truly blessed.

Monday, December 5, 2011

The Christian Bashing Just Doesn't Stop on the eBay Soapbox!

So now it's bashing Christian for killing non-Christians in the video game Left Behind.  The usual half truths.  So here is my response:

This game has been out for some time if it's the same one I've seen advertised on cable. I understand that the timing of the game is during the Tribulation and after the Rapture of the Church.
After the Rapture many of people who are Left Behind will become believers and then face trying to survive during the seven year Tribulation. With the removal of The Church the anti-Christ will come to power. It will not just be the new believers who are trying to survive, there will likely be many groups opposing the anti-Christ and his minions. BTW, in reading LaHaye's Left Behind series of 12 books I can not recall the new believers doing other than trying to stay alive. Actually the third movie in the series shows the new believers trying to convince the militant groups than the only force that will defeat the anti-Christ is the Second Coming at the end of the seven year Tribulation.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

eBay Posts Revisited

I've long had  another blog where I was posting concerning faith.  I'm coping some of these posts to this blog as a more appropriate platform.

Posted on eBay's Store Chat Room 8/30/10:
kathie wrote, While I'm not sure I see God's hand in our current economic situation - the fingerprints of the politicians are all over it. I'm sure I see God's hand in our current economic situation. Meecabay, you are doing a very courageous job of defending the Faith. It's a difficult undertaking these days, the Bible warned of great deception.

I'm a life-time student. After 9/11 I read up on Islam and what I read would be more frightening if I didn't know God is in control. Our leaders, and I include both Presidents Bush's, have and are backing away from Israel. You'd think we learn that God was very serious in his text book, the Bible when he said in Genesis 12:3:
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
We turn our backs on Israel and often within days we have a natural disaster and/or economic set-back. We now have a very anti-Israel president and his minions in office.

David Barton is the Founder and President of WallBuilders which presents America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage. I heard David speak on Cable and have a set of his DVDs on my wish list.

I've likely recommended this book before, a quick but informative read: Fast Facts on False Teachings By Ron Carlson, Ed Decker is an easy–to–use resource that provides powerful insights for sharing the biblical gospel with people ensnared by false religions and philosophies. The authors are cult experts provide readers quick, clear facts on the major cults and false teachings of today. Short, informative chapters contrast the cults’ theologies with the truth found in God’s Word. Included is Atheism, Buddhism, Evolution, Hinduism, Islam, Satanism and more.

For those of you who are offended by the use of God and/or Jesus please understand that it was/ is a directive:
The Great Commission - A Personal Instruction:
The Great Commission is one of the most significant passages in the Holy Bible. First, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples. Second, it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all His followers to take specific action while on this earth. The Great Commission is found in the Gospel of Matthew.

Before many of you marginalize the Bible by saying it's a book made up by man. The Bible is the Word inspirited by God and was written by about 40 authors over a period of hundreds of years. Hundreds of prophecies have been fulfilled. Here is a link to a list of Prophecies that Jesus Christ Fulfilled, Link. This is a very good source of information as it's a table lay-out of:
o What the prophecy was
o Where in the Old Testament the Prophecy is written
o Where in the New Testament the Prophecy is fulfilled

I feel a great sadness for the many lost souls and yes, There will be tears in Heaven, I knew, why didn't I tell you......