CONTENTED WE RUN

 

EMPOWERED BY CONTENTMENT

 

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

 

  Undeniably every small task is now a chore. Getting dressed etc. Trusting my Lord I am able to do so without frustration in His continuing purpose for me though I do not pretend to completely understand nor do I strive to comprehend as did Job’s friends and yet others in time. Regardless of circumstance or condition ours is to press on to the high calling of God in Jesus Christ. (Phil.3:14) Godliness with contentment being great gain. (1Tim.6:6)

EBB4

CAN SATAN MAKE OS DO THING?

 

CAN SATAN MAKE US DO THINGS?

 

  Flip Wilson’s theology is absolutely incorrect. Satan could not make him of us do things. This is true from our beginning (Eden) and continues to be so. God in His love granted us free will then and now.

  Satan is Tempter (Mat_4:5; 1Th_3:5).

  We, as Adam, are responsible for our decision’s and actions.

EBB4

ONE CHANNEL

 

 

ONE CHANNEL

 

  For several years before Hugh died he would frequently bring up the subject of buying a satellite dish so we could get a huge number of channels.

  I always told him we already got 7 channels and only watch one at a time. We didn’t need any more. I thought of this as I read 1Kings 18:2. We have a lot of things to distract us from the Lord’s business. Satan sees to that. (Eph.2:2) But if we stayed tuned to God and follow Him then we don’t need other channels. Live or die, Christ alone is the one channel. (Jn.14:6)

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

RUN!

 

RUN!

 

1Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 

 

  If I lay in my comfy bed I can almost believe my body and brain are normal.

  However, just because my starting line has again moved back I cannot be excused from God’s mandate. RUN!

 

Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

EBB4

TEACHING THE DYSLEXIC

 

What is the key to teaching dyslexic children the Bible?

 

  Just as the Lord created us all with unique gifts and talents, He also created us with brains that learn differently. Sunday school teachers and other church workers want to help all the children in their ministry, but they may find it challenging to effectively teach dyslexic children. The good news is that God has equipped us with various tools to make biblical knowledge accessible for all.
  Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that is neurological in origin, in which there is a disconnect between the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic (physical) areas of the brain for learning. Children with dyslexia often struggle to match letters to sounds and will experience challenges in recognizing the sounds that make up words, then breaking words down into component sounds and decoding (reading) those sounds. Imagine the difficulty understanding and organizing the sequence of a group of words like the written Bible!
  Students with dyslexia are often the most successful with multi-sensory, structured literacy methods of learning. Multi-sensory learning incorporates auditory, visual, and kinesthetic modes of communicating information to connect these areas of the brain. So, activities that engage the senses help dyslexic children learn as much as possible.
  It’s important to note that dyslexia does not affect a child’s general intelligence, so teaching material does not have to be simplified, just presented in an alternate way. Methods of teaching the Bible to dyslexic students are still beneficial for typical learners, so the whole Sunday school class can benefit from resources designed for dyslexic learners.
  Those experiencing dyslexia find reading to be frustrating, and it can be heartbreaking to see a child (or adult) who is unable to connect with his or her Creator through the most valuable resource the Lord gave us to navigate this life, the Bible.
  Fortunately, there are a growing number of resources that help make the Bible digestible and enjoyable for dyslexic learners. One of those is The Video Bible, which is a ministry that is making an illustrated Bible available cover-to-cover in audiovisual format. This provides a form of the multi-sensory instruction described above, as it involves two modes of learning. Also, flannel board Bible stories introduce the sense of touch into teaching and provide an engaging way to help children absorb and physically interact with biblical concepts. For those who would still like a hard-copy book, The Action Bible is a graphic novel-style version of the Bible that provides illustrations to bring every passage to life.
  Students with dyslexia typically struggle to form mental pictures of what they are reading, because they have trouble comprehending, so video or flannel board or graphic novels are a great source of picture reinforcement of the text. Resources like these allow the Sunday school teacher to meet children where they are. The complexities of the Bible can often be difficult even for confident readers to understand, and multi-sensory instruction takes away one of the barriers some learners encounter.
  A good Sunday school teacher wants to push students toward experiencing the riches and depth of the Word of God. Having a better understanding of dyslexia, knowing the individual needs of each student, and growing in patience in one’s teaching will enhance the classroom experience and deepen the students’ faith.

ISAIAH 5:13

 

ISAIAH 5:13

 

Jeremiah 29:11

(BBE)  For I am conscious of my thoughts about you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you hope at the end.

(BSB)  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

(CEV)  I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering.

(ESV)  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

(GW)  I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

(ISV)  For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for well-being, and not for calamity, in order to give you a future and a hope.

(KJV)  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

(LITV)  For I know the purposes which I am planning for you, says Jehovah; purposes of peace, and not for evil; to give you posterity and a hope.

(MKJV)  For I know the purposes which I am purposing for you, says Jehovah; purposes of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

(NET)  For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the LORD. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

(TS2009)  For I know the plans I am planning for you,’ declares יהוה, ‘plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and an expectancy.

(Webster)  For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

(YLT)  For I have known the thoughts that I am thinking towards you—an affirmation of Jehovah; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give to you posterity and hope.

 

  Jeremiah 29:11 is a popular verse often quoted and relied on as a protection verse. Examined carefully it is not. Taken in context of the Biblical record we see that God’s John 1:12 family live far from harmless lives. Jesus Himself exemplified this, as did the apostles and disciples since. Consider the history of Christianity in your lifetime.

  “expected end” is the emphasize of Jeremiah 29:11.

  This truth coincides with Romans 8:28 in that all that happens to you and I contributes to the “expected end”. Our personal issue is whether we live in such faith agreeably with consent, or not.

EBB4

DOES GOD HAVE A PLAN FOR ME?

 

DOES GOD HAVE A PLAN FOR ME?

 

  Many of God’s plans are detailed throughout the Bible. He has plans for nations, for people groups, and for individuals. Isaiah 46:10–11 summarizes what God wants us to know about His plans: “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.” It’s one thing to recognize that God has an overarching plan for the world; it is quite another to acknowledge that God has a specific life plan for each person.
  Many places in Scripture indicate that God does have a specific plan for each human being. It starts before we are conceived. The Lord told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). God’s plan was not reactive, a response to Jeremiah’s conception. It was preemptive, implying that God specially formed this male child to accomplish His plan. David underscores this truth: “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). Unborn children are not accidents. They are being formed by their Creator for His purposes. That is one reason abortion is wrong. We have no right to disrespect God’s plan and violate God’s workmanship by killing a child He is in the process of forming.
    God’s plan for every human being is that each one comes to know Him and accept His offer of salvation (2 Peter 3:9). He created us for fellowship with Him, and, when we reject the reconciliation He offers, we live at cross purposes with His plan for us. Beyond salvation, God also designed good works for each of us according to our gifts, strengths, and opportunities (Ephesians 2:10). He orchestrated the location and time into which each of us is born (Psalm 139:16). If He knows the number of hairs on our heads, then He knows us better than we know ourselves (Luke 12:7). He knows the gifts, talents, strengths, and weaknesses He gave us, and He knows how we could best use them to make an eternal impact. He gives us opportunities to store up treasure in heaven so that, for all eternity, we can enjoy His reward (Mark 9:41; Matthew 10:41–42).
  God’s plan for each person is generally stated in Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” His plan is for relationship over duties. When we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25), enjoying a loving relationship with the Lord, our actions indicate that closeness. Pleasing Him is our delight. His plan unfolds naturally as we grow in faith, mature in knowledge, and practice obedience with all we understand. As we obey His general plan for His children, we discover His uniquely designed plan for us individually.
   We know God’s plan for those who know Him includes reaching others with the good news of salvation (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 5:20). His plan is for His children to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). He wants us to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18). He wants us to love other Christians the way He loves us (John 13:34). As we follow His Word, we will discover our own spiritual gifts and abilities that specially suit us to serve Him in unique ways (2 Corinthians 12:4–11). God’s plan unfolds in our lives as we use all we have for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).
  We often become impatient in wondering what God’s plan is for our lives. But it is not as complicated as we make it out to be. God’s plan for us is revealed a little at a time as we follow Him, and His plan may look different in different seasons of life. A young woman may ask God to direct her to His plan and believes college is part of that plan. But halfway through college, she falls ill and must spend the next two years in a convalescent home. Is she now out of God’s plan? Not if her heart is set to obey Him. In that convalescent home, she meets a young man who becomes her husband. They both love the Lord and desire to serve Him and believe that His plan for them is the mission field. They begin preparation, but halfway through the training, she becomes pregnant with a high-risk pregnancy. Did they miss God’s plan? Has the Lord abandoned them? Not at all. Because of their experience caring for a child with special needs, they are able to minister to other families with similar needs. Their mission field looks much different from the one they had envisioned, but it is God’s plan for them. They are able to look back and see His hand in every turn along the way.
  God’s plan is rarely a straight shot to a visible goal. His plan requires of us a journey, illustrated so well in Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, and that journey may be filled with detours, sudden stops, and confusing turns. But if our hearts are set to obey Him in all that we know to do, then we will be in the center of His will every step of the way.   GotQuestios.org