Book: Philippians by Joyce Meyer

About the book:

Internationally renowned author and Bible teacher Joyce Meyer provides a close study on Philippians, emphasizing the true joy that comes from serving others through Christ.

Paul's letter to the people at Philippi serves as a reminder that if we search for joy in possessions, places, or people, we will always come up short. True, lasting joy comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, living in harmony with His followers, and serving others in the name of Christ. The life lived by the Philippians is still attainable today. In her comprehensive approach, Joyce Meyer takes a deep dive into well-known and beloved verses, identifying key truths and incorporating room for personal reflection.

Joyce's Philippians provides a key study tool that will help you develop a stronger relationship with God. If you take time to examine His word, you'll see how much He loves you and how much He desires that you live a joyful, content life on earth!

My thoughts:

I have read several of Joyce Meyer's books and enjoyed them.  I thought I would enjoy this one particularly because Philippians has always been one of my favorite books in the Bible.  Even though it is familiar we can always learn new things. And I HAVE enjoyed reading it.  

I appreciate this book and the insight offered by Meyers about the familiar verses in Philippians. There are questions called "Personal Reflections" included in boxes throughout the book with space to journal your answers.  Some of the chapters include "The Power of Joy and the Simplicity of the Gospel," "Joy and Trust," and "Let Go and Grow."  There are 14 chapters.  Each one has a divisions that focus on a specific verse passage.  

Here was a quote I liked that made me think.  It was in the section on Philippians 1:27-30...

"Fear is the devil's first choice of weapons to use against us.  To fear something is to want to run from it, and that is exactly what the enemy wants.  He wants us to run from God's will, to run from difficulty, and to give up on the good things God has asked us to do."

This is an enjoyable book to read and learn from, I recommend it to you.

Click here for more information on this book.

I received a copy of this book for my honest review from Hachette Book Group.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!

 Bethany

Book review: Colossians

About the book:

Let the wisdom of Colossians transform relationships in every area of your life — home, church, and even the world — with this study guide from renowned Bible teacher Joyce Meyer.

Paul’s letter to the Colossians reminds us that as we have died with Christ, so, too, do we need to die to our sins. It encourages us that because we have also been raised in Him, we must submit to Jesus and adopt qualities motivated by Christian love.

In this comprehensive study tool, Joyce Meyer’s commentary on Colossians affirms the Lordship of Christ and offers practical advice on family, relationships, and faith.

My thoughts:
I have really enjoyed reading this commentary by Joyce Meyer on the New Testament book of Colossians.

I like the format of the book.  It begins with background information about the book of Colossians.  It is divided into 14 chapters with a short section of the text of Colossians printed at the beginning of each.  There is a question for "personal reflection" as well as lined spaced to record your thoughts.

The book is easy to read and follow with practical input for your personal living.  Colossians has a lot to say about how we should live as Christians.  This book does a good job of breaking it down verse by verse in a way you will be able to understand.

If you have not read anything by Joyce Meyer I encourage you to give this book a try.   Look here for more information or to get your own copy.

Thank you to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy of this book for my review.

Have a day of blessings!
 Bethany

SSMT 2017 Verse #1

In the past I have done the scripture memory challenge on the Beth Moore blog.  I decided to do that again this year.  I'll post my verses on my blog.

This is the first verse I've chosen...

"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."  Galatians 4:4,5

You can check out her post here and join in with memorizing God's Word in 2017.

Happy New Year!

Have a day of blessings!
    Bethany

Review: To Live Is Christ To Die Is Gain

I have finished listening to a book called To Live Is Christ To Die Is Gain by Matt Chandler and Jared C. Wilson and is read by David Cochran Heath.

About the book:
The short book of Philippians is one of the most quoted in the Bible, yet Paul wrote it not for the popular sound bites, but to paint a picture of a mature Christian faith. While many give their lives to Jesus, few then go on to live a life of truly vibrant faith.

In this disruptively inspiring book, Chandler offers tangible ways to develop a faith of pursuing, chasing, knowing, and loving Jesus. Because if we clean up our lives but don't get Jesus, we've lost! So let the goal be Him. To live is Christ, to die is gain—this is the message of the letter. Therefore, our lives should be lived to Him, through Him, for Him, with Him, about Him—everything should be about Jesus.

My thoughts:
I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up to review this book.  At first it was hard for me to get into the book and follow along as I listened.  For this reason I would like to listen to the first couple of chapters again and see if I get anything new out of it. I did enjoy the book though the longer I listened and was encouraged as a Christian.  Philippians is one of my favorite books of the Bible and as the author says there are many well-quoted verses from this book.  What stuck out to me was to be reminded that these were not just nice little sayings.  To be reminded of what Paul was living and had endured was an encouragement to me.  I also liked how the author talked about early Christians in great detail.  This made these Christians seem more real to me than they have previously reading about them. 

The narrator David Cochran Heath did a good job reading and I enjoyed listening to him read.

I received this book for my review from the christianaudio Reviewers Program.

Have a day of blessings!

Comforts from Romans (audio book)

 

About the book:

Although we may go to bed at night believing the gospel, we wake up every morning needing to hear it again. Yet most of us don’t have time to dive into a lengthy commentary on the book of Romans—the book Paul wrote in order to showcase the glorious riches of the gospel.

 

Thankfully seasoned counselor and author Elyse Fitzpatrick makes the message of Romans readily accessible in 31 devotional-like chapters on what Martin Luther called “the very purest Gospel.” Perfect for even the busiest of us, Elyse helps us grasp the practicality of the gospel message and experience the deep comforts articulated in the book of Romans.

My thoughts:
This was a very enjoyable book.  I felt I learned more about the book of Romans and did get comfort from it (as the title says).  I liked that the chapters were short and focused on only a tiny piece of scripture.  It really helped me to think about what the verse was saying to break it up like this.  I recommend this book for you.  This serves as a great reminder to me of what Christ did for me.

Also, the narrator Tavia Gilbert was enjoyable to hear.  She had the right voice for this book I thought.

This book was provided to my by christianaudio Reviewers Program.

Have a day of blessings!

Book: Unfailing Love

Unfailing Love by Karol Ladd was released earlier this month by Harvest House Publishers.  I was interested in this book because I have read work from this author in the past and also because I wanted to learn more about the book of I John. 

From the publisher:
Step by step, Karol helps her readers understand what happens when they embrace the truth of God’s love:

• They can experience His joy, strength, and comfort in daily life.
• They are transformed, because His love changes the way they see themselves.
• They begin to think differently about their circumstances and the people in their life.
• They can express His love to others through their words and actions, shining His light in dark places.

As readers see the apostle John’s picture of how God is Light, Love, and Life, they will experience how He gives meaning to their existence, victory over their discouragements, and hope to the world.

My thoughts:
If you are looking for a Bible study to do by yourself or with a group of ladies, this is a good book for you.  I had never really read I John verse by verse, which is what this study does. This book is divided into six parts with two chapters each.  At the end of each chapter you will find a section called "Getting Personal" which has a review of the main points of the chapter, another passage for you to read, and an action step to take related to the chapter. Discussions questions can be found at the end of the book also. 

The author talks of what it means to be loved by God and how to follow Him and show that love to others.  She shares touching stories of people who have loved and other who have been changed by love in their lives.  What I liked was how she broke down the book of I John by verse, making application of each short passage.  It was easy to understand this way to see it in small chunks and then to put it all together to see the whole message of the book.
 
Thank you to Christianne at Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy of this book.

Have a day of blessings!

A-Z Verse Challenge 2012

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." Eph. 6:11


Have a day of blessings!

SSMT #20

I realized I was off on my numbers so this one is really verse #20! 

The verse I chose is I John 2:28:
"And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before hm at his coming."

Have a day of blessings!

SSMT #20

Here is my new verse.  It is 2 Corinthians 8:7--

"But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

I read this on a Facebook post one day and then the next week it was part of our Sunday morning sermon on stewardship.

Have a day of blessings!

SSMT #18

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."  I John 4:16

This is my new verse.  As I type it and read it I am thinking how do I "live in love" in my daily life.  Something to think about. 

Have a day of blessings!

SSMT #17

It's that time again!  My new verse is I Peter 2:15:

"For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people."

Have a day of blessings!

Book Review: The Fitting Room

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” –Colossians 3:12

Today I would like to share with you a wonderful book called The Fitting Room by Kelly Minter.  

In this book Kelly Minter breaks down the verse Colossians 3:12.  Chapter by chapter she explains how we can put on the virtues of peace, kindness, humility, compassion, patience, and joy. We have to realize that these aren't just things that we can suddenly be.  They are all things to work on; they don't come naturally to us in our own self.  They come from Christ living in us.   

I appreciate her writing style and how the book has the feel of a conversation with a friend. Her honesty in sharing real life stories as well as her humor really add to this book.  There were so many little "nuggets" in this book that made me stop and think as I was reading. 

One part that really stood out to me was in one of the chapters on peace. She talked about Jonah and his running from God and how sometimes it's our own choices that hinder us from having peace.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book and recommend it to you.  It has study questions in the back and I could see it being very appropriate for a group study with friends or a church group.     

Thank you to Audra at The B & B Media Group for providing this book for my honest review. 

Have a day of blessings!
 

SSMT #11

Here is the new verse I've chosesn to focus on during the next two weeks: 

"Watch out!  Be on your guard agasint all kinds of greed;  a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."  Luke 12:15

Seeing all the pictures lately of all the devastation around the United States has been a reminder that possessions don't matter.  This is a value we try to instill in our son too.  I can see in him that sometimes it's hard for him to be generous when it's time to go through and get rid of stuff.  Some things it's easier to cling to than get rid of.

During our move we got rid of a lot of stuff.  It felt great to take all those boxes out of the house and not stuff the items somewhere in our new house.  But I look around and there is always something more.  I ask myself do I really need this?  Could someone else use this more than I do? 

I think this verse is a great reminder that we do need to be on guard against letting greed take root in our hearts. 

Have a day of blessings!

SSMT #9

My new verse for SSMT is -- "Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." Colossians 2:7, NLT

I read this a few days ago on Karen's blog Lily Valley and I''ve been thinking about it ever since!  As I was watering our garden this week I had to kneel down close to the plants.  The winds were blowing so strongly I didn't want the water to get blown away.  As I watched the plants they were pulled to the side, down to the ground, by the strong winds.  I thought to myself I'm glad that the plants have strong roots to hold them in the ground. 

We need to have strong roots too. We need to make sure we are rooted in truth and when we are we will overflow with thankfulness. 

Thank you for visiting from Spiritual Sundays today.

Have a day of blessings!
 

SSMT #6

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13, NIV


Have a day of blessings

That is what God wanted...

I am beginning to read the book of Colossians, and this verse jumped out at me...

"From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted. Also from Timothy, our brother." Colossians 1:1, New Century Version

Here it is in NIV...

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother." Colossians 1:1, NIV

The part of this verse that stuck out to me was "because that is what God wanted." God wanted Paul to be His apostle so he was. It was part of God's will for Paul to go from the persecutor of Christians to His apostle. In a book I'm reading called Christianish by Mark Steele (I'm almost done with it and will post a review soon), the author talks about how we just try to fit into positions or jobs because that's what we want and we don't really stop to see if that is where God wants us.

I was thinking about how this applies to my life. How can you fill in the blank?

I am a _________ because that is what God wanted.

For me the blank could be filled by any number of things.....Christian, wife, stay-at-home Mom, friend, writer, reader, volunteer.

What about you? How do you feel about what you put in that blank? The important thing is to ask yourself is this answer how God would fill in the blank right now? Do you accept that this is the position or place that He has for you now? Or are you trying to put something in that blank because it is what YOU want right now and not really what He wants for you?

Obviously, some of these roles stay the change, but I think as we go through seasons in our life these roles may change. God may want us in different roles and positions to give us opportunities to use our gifts for Him. We need to be open to these changes. Something I've been reminded of recently is just because others may think they have the answer to how I need to fill in my blank, that isn't really someone else's choice for me. I don't have to worry about not filling my blank with whatever role they want to put on me if it is not what God wants for me right now.

What are you doing today because that is what God wanted?

Have a day of blessings!

Dark clouds and sunshine

How many times a day do you hear the people around you complaining? We complain about the weather because it is too hot and too dry but if it rains we complain that it’s raining too much. We complain about our coworkers because they aren’t doing their jobs like we think they should. We complain about our children because they talk too much. We complain about our spouses because they come home to relax on the couch after work instead of taking out the trash or feeding the dog the minute they come in the door. We complain about the price of gas. We complain about the poor service we receive while eating out. Pregnant women complain about being pregnant. Women complain about men, men complain about women.

If we look to God’s Word, we can find many references to complaining. Other words used for “complaining,” depending on the translation you use, are grumbling or murmuring. What does the Word say about complaining? We know the Israelites complained many times. It didn’t please God to hear their complaints, and we shouldn't be complainers either.

In Philippians 2:14, it says “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”

Do you notice when you complain or just when other people do it and it gets on your nerves? How do you feel when complaining? You’re probably not cheerful and in a good mood. It feels dark and dreary to be around someone who is always complaining about everything.

As Christians we need to be careful that whatever we find ourselves doing we aren’t complaining. Instead we need to be thankful and speak positive words. Be thankful for the rain because the earth is dry. Be thankful you have a job. Be thankful you have ears to hear your children speak. Be thankful your spouse provides for your family. Be thankful you have a vehicle to fill with gas. Be thankful you have money to enjoy eating out and consider maybe the waitress would rather be at home with her family instead of at a second job to make ends meet for the month. Be thankful for the child you are carrying and the precious gift God has given you.
If you look for ways to give thanks instead of complain, you will have a better outlook and a better day. Also you'll be spreading some sunshine to those around you instead of being a dark cloud over their day.

Come back on Friday (tomorrow is Thankful Thursday!) for the reason it’s important for us not to complain.

2009 Book #34: BE Hopeful by Warren W. Wiersbe

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe has written the “BE” series of study guides and a new revision is available from David C Cook publishers. I finished BE Hopeful, which is a study of the book of I Peter. The author breaks down the book of I Peter into sections that he discusses in depth. This study guide has 12 chapters. Each chapter is followed by a list of study questions. It is easy to see the relevance of I Peter to us today, and this is a valuable study to do because of the encouragement one can receive because of the hope we have, even in suffering.

This was a very enjoyable study for me, and I feel like I really learned a lot from reading it. I appreciated the questions at the end of the chapters to remind me what I’d read. I’d be interested to read others in the “BE” series.

I will close with one verse that particularly stuck out to me as I was reading.

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." I Peter 1:18, 19

Thinking about the tongue...part 2

Monday I shared about the hurtful ways the tongue can be used. If you'd like to read that, please click here. Today I'd like to flip the coin and see the opposite way we can use our tongue.

Kind words also produce their image on men's souls; and a beautiful image it is.~~ Blaise Pascal

Many times lessons I've heard over the James 3 passage cover the negative aspect of our tongue because that is really what the passage teaches. While thinking about the tongue, let's not forget the blessings our tongue can give too.

Have you ever been having a really bad day and someone unexpectedly said something to you that blessed you and helped improved your mood...and the rest of the day? Do you make it a point in your day to speak words of blessing to others? It isn't hard to do. Ask someone a question about their day. Say "thank you" when someone holds a door open for you instead of just going inside. Tell someone "have a good day" as you hang up the phone or leave their check-out line. Give a friend a compliment on the way she handled a situation, or even let her know you notice her new cute shoes.

While our tongues often do unrepairable damage if we aren't careful, they can also give blessings to brighten days and offer hope to those who are sad and hurting. You will probably never know the impact your words left but that person might never forget.

Do you have other ideas you'd like to share about ways to use your tongue to bless others? You'll be blessed by the smiles and kind words you get in response.

Thinking about the Tongue...part 1

Recently I heard a radio broadcast on the famous passage from James 3 about our tongues. Well, this past week I read two writings in the devotional book I'm reading about this same passage. When I run into the same passage multiple times in a short period of time, I try to pay attention.
First, I want to share the passage for you to read and think about.

James 3:1-12
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

It is amazing to me, really mind-boggling, to think about the power of the tongue. I've heard many lessons over this passage through the years. One misspoken word can crush a friendship or destroy some one's trust for years. I'm sure we all have examples of how a spoken word has hurt us and left a scar across our heart. It's not easy to forget those hurtful words.

We know words can hurt, but how careful are we to really guard the words that come out of our mouths? Think for a minute about the words you say to the people you are with everyday. If you are at home like me, you may not have very many people that your words reach. Remember that those little ears are listening to every word you say. Are the words you say worth their repeating? How do you handle the salesperson who interrupts your lunch? Are your answers to your children's repeated questions said in kindness? What kind of impression do your words leave on the person standing behind you in line at the grocery store? Do you use kinder words with the clerk at the gas station than you use with your spouse?

Cold words freeze people, hot words scorch them, and bitter words make them bitter.~~ Blaise Pascal

I am going to be focusing on the tongue in my posts this week. I think we (myself included) need reminders from time to time about guarding our tongues.