Posts Tagged With: bible in a year

Breathless

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Mrs Knochel


2 Chronicles 6:1-9:31

“And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his cupbearers, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her.” 2 Chronicles 9:3-4

My friends, can I just say, I love my new church! In the last seven days I have met with them three times and each time I have felt the LORD’s presence like never before in a public setting. I have never experienced “church” this way before. I have always been sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His direction, I haven’t always obeyed but I have always heard. Anyway, In the last few years while spending purposeful time in His word I’ve gotten even more sensitive to His movements.

Issachar church is blessed! They long for the presence of the LORD to be in their midst as much as He longs for them and He doesn’t disappoint them by not showing up! It’s been amazing to me how I’ve had experiences with the Holy Spirit on my own, but never with a group of people!

I feel like the Queen of Sheba today, breathless, having gone through the house of God and lost myself in the art of praise. I am breathless at the Grace that God bestows and how wonderful it is to fall INTO Grace.

I am desperately in love with Him for the way He “makes us lie down in green pastures” Psalm 23:2 in those times when we need to rest but don’t feel like we can give ourselves permission to. Time with Jesus isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity! He is Life and breath and bread, without time in His presence we perish; both in the spiritual and the physical.

[it’s a matter of life and death]

It doesn’t have to be just going to church. Actually, church is a supplement to our nourishment. God told me once during church that we should be feeding ourselves spiritually with the Bible at home daily; the message on Sunday is just like going out to eat instead of fixing dinner. If you only ate one meal, one day a week your body would be skinny and devastatingly malnourished barely able to function properly. The same is true with your spirit. If the only thing you’re doing is going to church and thinking that’s enough Jesus for the week then you are sadly mistaken. There is a reason He referred to Himself as the DAILY bread. It’s because He is to be eaten DAILY.

For some of you, this may be me preaching to the choir. At least I hope so anyway. But I’ve learned that there is a difference between reading a scripture here and there throughout the day, and making the time to sit down for a solid 30 minutes to read a daily portion of the Bible. In both instances you’re “in the word daily”, but one is purposeful and distinct while the other is sporadic and much easier to forsake when life gets hectic. And you know that it will! Because it ALWAYS does.

I could stand around and say that I “don’t have time” to read for 30 minutes every day. But I would be lying to you. Because if I have time to watch a 30 minute show on TV, or sit and talk to a friend for 30 minutes, then I do have the time. I’m just not putting it toward something that’s going to sustain me for the rest of my day.

God has taken my daily time in His word and shown me things that I never could have imagined on my own. He’s used His Word to speak Life into a situation that I thought was dead in the water. How? Because He is LIFE! He is everything we could ever need and until we figure that out, we’re lost.

There are a LOT of things that you could do with your time, but none of them will compare to spending purposeful time in the presence of God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth! Make the decision today to set aside 30 minutes of your day, every day, at any time of the day, to spend time reading the Bible. I challenge you to try it for 7 days. Just one week. That’s not that big of a commitment right? That’s not such a big deal. But I promise you that if you do it, in that week God will reveal Himself to you in a way you’ve never experienced before and it will knock your socks off! You will get a taste of what He is, and you will see that He is GOOD. Are you willing to give God 30 minutes of your life for seven days to take your breath away? If you are, please let me know, I would LOVE to pray for you!

Categories: 2 Chronicles, 365 Life, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Solomon’s Temple

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

061913_1253_Sacrifice1.jpg 1 Chronicles 25:1-29:30

Sorry for the extreme delay! *Someone* didn’t want you to see this! But here it is, and I pray that you are fully able to receive this word today!
Part 1 of the video

Part 2 of the video

Part 3 of the video: Like I said, technical difficulties! Thank God I’m stubborn!

The “puzzle piece” picture

20130620_092134

Video of 1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O LORD video:

Categories: 1 Chronicles, 365 Life, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chariots of Fire

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

2 Kings 4:1 – 6:23

Word of the Day:

“Do not be afraid for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16

Oh this story has got to be one of my all time favorites! The Prophet Elisha’s servant goes out early in the morning to do his daily chores where his eyes are met with a terrifying sight, the entire town surrounded by an enemy army… there for them! I can just see his eyes widening in surprised fear, jaw dropped down to his chest, his breath quickening as he turns on his heels and scrambles back into the house breathless and afraid. He looks up at the prophet of God and asks trembling, “What shall we do?”

And then there’s Elisha, calm as a cucumber, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” The servant had to think he was crazy, completely out of his mind. Couldn’t he count, one, two, there were two of them, not an army, just two; a servant and the man of God. But God’s math is a little, no a lot, different than the math of men. We can only count what we can see, and this man wasn’t seeing the whole picture. He was only looking at the natural side of things and had completely missed the supernatural side of the battle. In that moment he had forgotten who he was with. So Elisha prayed, “‘O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 17)

They had no need to fear because God was with them. And here we are today, Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us has come and is with us every step of every day in every way and we have no need to fear. Yet we do, I do, all the time, more often than I can count. So often I find myself, eyes wide in fear, crying out to God “What shall I do?” and He opens my eyes (sometimes) to the angel armies surrounding me and my situation prepared to fight the Enemy to the death just for me. Then other times He doesn’t open my eyes, but rather my heart, to see the Truth that even if I can’t feel them or see them doesn’t mean they’re not there. Just because it doesn’t feel like God is with me, doesn’t mean He isn’t there holding my hand and squeezing my heart. Just because I can’t see the chariots of fire, doesn’t mean that my deliverance hasn’t come. Just because I can’t feel Him, see Him or touch Him doesn’t mean He’s not real and that He’s not there.

Just like I can look out my window and see the leaves blowing around in my yard and know that the wind is blowing without feeling it on my skin. I can look into the Word of God and see how God loves me and know that His Spirit is working on my behalf for my good; even if it doesn’t feel good to me at the time. I can know with confidence that He is good and true and faithful and just and He is acting on my behalf, no matter what my eyes are seeing. So I will choose not to be afraid. I will choose to believe in faith that there really are more with me than those who are against me. And I will believe those things sight unseen because God’s word tells me they are Truth and I want to stand in agreement with Him all the days of my life.

_________________________________

Give a book bible button

I wanted to make you aware of some ministry updates. I am very excited to announce that I have a Mother’s Day speaking engagement scheduled for May 11th. I would LOVE to have books on hand for the women to buy, and even some to give away as gifts. However, the current funds in the ministry account are running drastically low. If you are able, I would love for you to prayerfully consider giving a book or Bible to someone who can’t afford one. If you are able, please click here!

Categories: 2 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Healed

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

2 Kings 1:1 – 3:27

Word of the Day:

“from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word Elisha spoke. 2 Kings 2:21-22

I have to tell you no sweeter words could I have read today. The leap of my spirit when my eyes fell on the word “miscarriage” was physically noticeable. In the last few weeks I have felt surrounded by infant death! Two miscarriages (one at only five weeks and the other at 7 months), a cousin’s daughter born with intestine problems fighting for her life, another relative through marriage trying to adopt and hitting dead ends… it’s just been too much. I mean, it’s one thing to be surrounded by death, but the deaths of infants, well it just seems so wrong.

Yet God is Sovereign and just and wise and I know that He knows best, even when it doesn’t feel good.

So today as I was just getting started in my reading I got a text that the relative through marriage was on a plane home with her “officially theirs” baby! We were so excited to hear that her waiting and dead ends were over! Hooray! But then a column of reading later there it is! The Word of the Lord that Elisha spoke, “from now on neither death nor miscarriage”! I believe that not only was that a word for them then, but that it’s a word for me and my friends and family now! Why else would God have paired it with a PERFECTLY timed text like that? That news of great joy could have come at any time but God wanted me to receive it WHILE I was reading; which (I might add) was at a much later time of day than normal… coincidence I think not!

Yes. While there may be naysayers out there who would chalk it all up to coincidence, I refuse to do so. My God has perfect timing and He knows how to use it. He really is an awesome God!

_________________________________

Give a book bible button

I wanted to make you aware of some ministry updates. I am very excited to announce that I have a Mother’s Day speaking engagement scheduled for May 11th. I would LOVE to have books on hand for the women to buy, and even some to give away as gifts. However, the current funds in the ministry account are running drastically low. If you are able, I would love for you to prayerfully consider giving a book or Bible to someone who can’t afford one. If you are able, please click here!

Categories: 1 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Week 4 Video Guide

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

“Waiting for the I Wills”

Week 4 Video Guide Printable

Word of the Week:

“for they shall hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm,” 1 Kings 8:42

The 7 I Wills in Exodus 6:1-9

I will ______ you out from ______ the _________ of the _________.

I will ______ you from ______to them.

I will ______ you with an ______ arm & with great acts of _______.

I will ______ you to be My _________.

I will be your _____,

I will ______ you into the ______ that I______ to give to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob.

I will ______ it to you for a ______, I am the LORD.

The 9 I Wills in Ezekiel 20:33-38

I will be ______ over you.

I will ______ you out from the peoples & ______ you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a ______ hand & an ______ arm, & with ______ poured out.

I will ______ you into the wilderness of the peoples, & there

I will ______ into ______ with you ______ to ______.

I will ______ into ______ with you, declares the Lord GOD.

I will ______ you pass under the ______ and

I will ______ you into the ______ of the ______.

I will ______ out the rebels [sin] from among you, and those who transgress against me.

I will ______ them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Romans 7:1-4

Or do you not know, brothers – for I am speaking to those who know the law – that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a ______ ______ is bound
by ______ to her ______ while he lives, but if her husband ______ she is ______ from the ______ of ______. Accordingly, she will be called an ______ if she ______ with another ______ while her husband is ______. But if her husband ______, she is ______ from that ______, and if she ______ another ______ she is ______ and adulteress. Likewise my brothers, you also have ______ to the ______ through the ______ of ______, so
that you may ______ to another, to ______ who has been raised from the ______, in order that ______ may bear fruit for God.

Galatians 3:10-12

For all who rely on ______ of the ______ are under a ______; for it is
written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by ______ things written in the Book of the Law, and ______ them.” Now it is evident that ______ ______ is ______ before God by the ______, for “The righteous shall live by ______,” But the ______ is not of ______, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”

Galatians 4:1-7

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a ______, is no different from a ______, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under ______ and managers until the date set by his ______. In the ______ ______we also, when we were children, were ______ to the elementary ______ of the world. But when the ______ of ______ had come, God sent forth His ______, born of ______, born under the ______, to ______ those who were under the ______, so that we might receive ______ as ______. And because ______ ______ sons, God has sent the ______ of His Son into our ______, crying, “______,______!” So you are ______ ______ a ______, but a ______, and if a son, then an ______ through God.

Luke 15:11-24 the story of the Prodigal son

“While the son is a long way off” just tells us that the entire time the Father was there w______ for the son to c______ b______.

God was w______ for us to figure out “I need a S______, I need someone to h______ m__, to pull me out of this place where I’ve put myself.

As soon as He s______ us, He comes r______ with o______ a______ ready to e______ us.

Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:33, John 19:18

With His arms outstretched, they C______ H______.

Galatians 3:13-14

Christ r______ us from the c______ of the l___ by b______ a curse for ___ – for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” – so that ____ C______ J______
the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that ___ might receive the promised Spirit through ______.

Hebrews 9:11-28

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of g______ and b______ and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of C______, who through the eternal Spirit offered H______ without blemish to God purify our c______ from dead works to serve the l______ God. 15 Therefore He is the mediator of a n___ covenant, so that those who are called may r______ the promised eternal inheritance, since a d______ has occurred that r______ them from the t______ committed under the f______ covenant.

I will deliver you from slavery to the l____,

I will bring you out from under the burdens of the L___.

I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment on J______.

I will take you to be my people, and

I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the L___.

I will bring you into the land of rest that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,

I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.

Hebrews 9:16 For where a w______ is involved, the d______ of the one who m______ it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect o______ at d______, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with b______, and without the shedding of b______ there is no f______ of sins.

26 … But as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to p____ a______ s___ by the sacrifice of H______. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to s______ those who are eagerly w______ for Him.

Psalm 136

H___ s______ l____ e______ f______! Praise be to God alone!

Categories: 1 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ivory Houses

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

1 Kings 20:35 – 22:53

Word of the Day:

“ivory houses” 1 Kings 22:39

It snowed last night and I am absolutely transfixed by the transformation God has made in just one night. Yesterday the world was bleak and gray, all the colors were muted by the death-like hibernation of winter. To peer through my window brought little joy to my eyes. Yet, since my photo of the frozen fence last week I’ve really wanted to go out on a photo journey…but why? Then it snowed.

Today the world is glorious, blanketed in thick pure white snow. The branches of the trees bend under the weight of it, yet they still stand firm and tall, majestic under the new robes of beauty they’ve been given to adorn them briefly. The drone of my neighbor’s lawn tractor pushing a snowblade fills my ears with more proof of the presence of beauty outside my window. That and the sound of the TV playing cartoons in the other room to occupy my children since school was canceled due to the amount of the snow. There will be ivory houses built today alongside ivory men. There will be ivory balls thrown at backs resulting in giggles and squeals of laughter. We will draw feet through those perfect blankets of snow, marring their perfect faces creating proof of a family having played together. We will celebrate this day with mugs of hot cocoa, curling their steamy tendrils around cherry red noses and smiling cheeks and eyes.

You know, I think one of the most awesome things about this project is how the Bible can work its way into every day of our lives. I tried writing about the theology in this reading, the beauty of Naboth’s vineyard and Jesus being the vine and we the branches. How the vineyard was his inheritance as it is ours. I tried writing about Maichah and speaking for the LORD, and how “This God – His way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 18:30) Yet I couldn’t really connect with those things today, as much as my brain wanted to. No, today the still small voice within me resounded at the beauty of “ivory houses”. Two tiny words, so seemingly insignificant in comparison to all the rest we read today… but they described how I felt. They related to what I’m seeing, what I’m planning for this day with my kids. While I gleaned so much intellectually from today’s reading, spiritually, “ivory houses” meant the most to me. It may seem silly to you, but I know that, as the LORD lives, what the Spirit says to me, that I will speak and write. And today it’s snow forts and ivory houses. J

Thank You Jesus for Snow Days!

_______________________________________

Give a book bible button

I wanted to make you aware of some ministry updates. I am very excited to announce that I have a Mother’s Day speaking engagement scheduled for May 11th. I would LOVE to have books on hand for the women to buy, and even some to give away as gifts. However, the current funds in the ministry account are running drastically low. If you are able, I would love for you to prayerfully consider giving a book or Bible to someone who can’t afford one. If you are able, please click here!

Categories: 1 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

You Shall Know

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

1 Kings 18:20 – 20:34

Word of the Day:

“If the LORD is God,” 1 Kings 18:21

Boy, our reading today starts off with a BANG! I have always loved this story, but I can’t say that I’ve ever noticed this flavor running through it before. This flavor of God proving Himself to His people:

“Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” 1 Kings 20:13

“I will give this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” 1 Kings 20:28

And even in the end of yesterday’s reading, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.” 1 Kings 17:24

Well, today’s reading starts off with Elijah confronting the people of Israel with their idolatry and unbelief.

“How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.” 1 Kings 18:21

It’s such a simple straightforward statement that makes so much sense. We’ll set up two sacrifices and whichever god accepts them is God. Whoever proves himself to be a god is our God. Simple. And then for HOURS the prophets of Baal try to rouse his fire with zero results. Then its Elijah’s turn; he re-builds the altar with twelve stones and he douses the sacrifice with twelve jars of water, one for each tribe. Right before fire fell from heaven with a BAWOOF!!!! And the sacrifice and the water disappeared in flames!

Have you ever questioned if God is really there, is He really listening to me, does He really care about me? How can we know for certain? You’re not alone!

Abraham questioned God:

“O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” Genesis 15:8

Gideon questioned Him:

“If now I have found favor in Your eyes, then show me a sign that it is You who speaks with me.” Judges 6:17

And then again in Judges 6:36-40:

“Then Gideon said to God, ‘If You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said [if You will do what You’ve told me You would do], behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.’ And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl of water. Then Gideon said to God, ‘Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.’ And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.”

So here we have Elijah before all the people of Israel who have been worshiping Baal and Elijah calls out to God, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel [in case there was any confusion of who he was talking about], let it be known this day that You are God in Israel, and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back.” 1 Kings 18:36-37

This prayer, I must admit, is the prayer of my heart today. “Lord, prove not only that You are God, but that I am Yours. Prove to these people around me and reading this that I am from You and that I don’t just write these things out of my own volition… prove it to me, Lord. I am Yours. Answer my many prayers that have been spoken in faith that You are God, that You do save and that You do heal. Help me to wait in faith that You have heard, that You will save and that You will heal. Help me to discipline my mind to believe Your word over what my eyes see around me and my ears hear! Help me to be like Elijah who didn’t let six reports of clear skies stop him from believing You were bringing the rain. You were with him and You are equally with me. Lord I believe, help me with my unbelief!

Lord, You taught me today that unbelief only comes out through fasting and prayer. You also taught me that like the Samaritan woman at the well, when You call me to ‘give You a drink’ it is because I should really be asking You for one. Thank You for pointing me in the direction of You, the Living Water, flowing in and through me. Lord, I thank You that You don’t ask anything of us, that You Yourself are not prepared to do for us! You don’t tell us to jump without lifting us over the hurdle as we go…when we ask.

Lord, we’re asking today for the supernatural supply we need to fulfill our callings. We are asking You Lord to lift us over this mountain staring us in the face. You are God, not if You are, You ARE God. You are MY God. My God in whom I trust. I trust You to be the Good Shepherd You say You are. I trust You to be the good Father You say You are. And I trust You to be the good Provider You say You are. Simply because You have proven Yourself trustworthy to me. You have proven Yourself faithful to me, time and time again. Help me to believe Your truth when everything around me lies. Help me to cling to the truth of Your word as the Enemy is doing everything in his power to wrench it from my hands. Father God, protect us from the wolves in sheep’s clothing, from the prophet’s who lie and tell us they’re from You when they’re not! Help us to discern who is truly from You and who is not. Jesus help us! We need You NOW! We need You HERE, with us in the midst of this storm. Please reach out Your voice and say ‘Peace; Be Still!’ Calm the turmoil in our souls! Cling to us when we have no strength left to cling to You. Lord, I know You do all these things anyway, but Your word says we have not because we ask not, so we’re asking, just in case!

Lord, thank You for being with us, for hearing and for answering our prayers. Give us strength as we wait upon You!

_____________________________________

Give a book bible button

I wanted to make you aware of some ministry updates. I am very excited to announce that I have a Mother’s Day speaking engagement scheduled for May 11th. I would LOVE to have books on hand for the women to buy, and even some to give away as gifts. However, the current funds in the ministry account are running drastically low. If you are able, I would love for you to prayerfully consider giving a book or Bible to someone who can’t afford one. If you are able, please click here!

Categories: 1 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Given a Spirit

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

1 Kings 15:25 – 18:19

Word of the Day:

“As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand,” 1 Kings 18:15

I can be such a pushover sometimes, I always have been. Honestly, I‘m amazed that I made it all the way through high school and college without ever being offered drugs, alcohol or a cigarette. My mom must have prayed a lot about that. As an adult, the pressures aren‘t the same, but they’re still there. Now we‘ve got commercials filled with Weight Watchers telling us to “diet”, hair color telling us to “dye it”, fast food restaurants telling us to “eat here”. It‘s enough to make a girl go absolutely insane trying to figure out the best balance for life! Everything that surrounds us day in and day out pulls at us from every possible side in a constant tug of war where we‘re the rope! We are making decisions from moment to moment and those decisions can affect the course of the rest of our lives! So how can we know what the best decision is in each moment, for ourselves as well as our families?

We trust God. In several of my Bible Study readings this week the Word has spoken of God leading His people. He “teach[es] them the good way in which they should walk” (1 Kings 8:36). “May He not leave us or forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways…” (1 Kings 8:57-58) “For it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that He might fulfill His word,” (1 Kings 12:15)

God has directed me to 2 Timothy 1:7 NASB for my memory scripture this week. “For God has not given us a Spirit of timidity [or fear], but of power and love and discipline.” I am going to be holding this one close to the heart, as a shield! Those who are in Christ, those who have chosen Him as their Savior have been made new. They have been born again and given the Holy Spirit of Jesus to live within them. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. His Spirit leads us and is always there to consult for any decision large or small. He is a personal God that cares about the things you care about… because you care about them. And if you feel God’s Spirit leading you to do something and it’s against the social norms or peer pressures around you; know that you have not been given a timid Spirit that is afraid to do what God leads you to do. You have been given a Spirit that will supply you with the power to stand tall and do what you’re called to do, a love for what you are doing and for whom you are doing it and the discipline to get the job done.

Hallelujah!

___________________________________________

Give a book bible button

I wanted to make you aware of some ministry updates. I am very excited to announce that I have a Mother’s Day speaking engagement scheduled for May 11th. I would LOVE to have books on hand for the women to buy, and even some to give away as gifts. However, the current funds in the ministry account are running drastically low. If you are able, I would love for you to prayerfully consider giving a book or Bible to someone who can’t afford one. If you are able, please click here!

Categories: 1 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reconciled

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

1 Kings 13:1 – 15:24

Word of the Day

: “…My servant David, who kept My commandments and followed Me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in My eyes,” 1 Kings 14:8

This is a phrase that God has repeated multiple times throughout our reading lately and I’ve wanted to comment on it, but haven’t had the perfect opportunity until today. You see, if we skip ahead to another verse where someone else is talking about David we read:

“because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” 1 Kings 15:5

Do you see the stark difference between the way God sees things and the way we see things? Well, let me back up a bit for anyone unfamiliar with Uriah the Hittite. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba, her first husband was Uriah the Hittite. Uriah was off at war when, one night, Bathsheba was taking a bath. David was out on his roof taking a stroll, saw her bathing and wanted her for his own. So he sent guards to her house to bring her to him. Lo and behold Bathsheba gets pregnant and in order to hide what has happened and in some way make things “right” David orders Uriah to the front lines of battle where he is killed. So now David has adultery and a murder on his hands. The prophet Nathan confronts David with his sin and David confesses “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” (2 Samuel 12:13-14)

God IMMEDIATELY forgave David of adultery and MURDER. And now here we are generations later and God is talking about David’s sins – no more… but his relatives are!

My grandmother gave us a full set of silverware for a wedding present. We hadn’t been back from the honeymoon an entire month when one morning I was making my husband’s breakfast for him. I took a bagel out of the freezer and couldn’t seem to get the two halves apart, so I grabbed one of our brand new serrated table knives out of the drawer and tried piercing the bagel apart. Well, long story short, I ended up slicing the bagel and my thumb open. Three stitches later we stopped buying frozen bagels. Here we are, almost THIRTEEN years later and if I’m at a party with a knife in my hand someone will still say something like “can we trust you with that? You did cut yourself with a butter knife after all.” Ugh!!! Why can’t they just forget it already?

Do you see what I mean? I’m sure you probably have a story just like that too, a tale of unforgotten woe and embarrassment, we all do. Our family and sometimes our friends just love to remind us of our mistakes and shortcomings and even our sins. But Jesus doesn’t. He reminds us of the forgiveness of God in His blood.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) I don’t know about you my friend, but my spirit gave a leap of joy when I read that!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

When we receive Jesus as our Savior, and His Holy Spirit who comes and dwells in our hearts we have been made NEW! The old you has died and gone away and the NEW YOU HAS COME! In Christ on the cross God reconciled the whole world (including you) to Himself. And just like God told David, “I have put away your sin”, He tells us that our trespasses (or sins or iniquities) are counted against us no more! For your sake God made Jesus to carry your sins for you. Jesus, “Who knew no sin” was made sin, “so that in Him WE might become the righteousness of God.” Now if that’s not good news then I don’t know what is!

Because Jesus died for us, we all have died to sin and condemnation. Because we are in Him and His Spirit is in us there is freedom!

FREEDOM!!!

Can you imagine being free from those embarrassing stories everyone remembers and tells about you? But even better is being free from the sin that so easily entangles and hinders us from true intimacy with God. Not because He’s holding it against us, but because we’re still remembering it and holding it against ourselves.

Today let’s hit the delete button on our sins! Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to come, cleanse us with the water of the Word and wash away even the memory of those things.

If God doesn’t remember them anymore, should we???

___________________________________________

Give a book bible button

I wanted to make you aware of some ministry updates. I am very excited to announce that I have a Mother’s Day speaking engagement scheduled for May 11th. I would LOVE to have books on hand for the women to buy, and even some to give away as gifts. However, the current funds in the ministry account are running drastically low. If you are able, I would love for you to prayerfully consider giving a book or Bible to someone who can’t afford one. If you are able, please click here!

Categories: 1 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Garments

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Mrs Knochel

1 Kings 10:23 – 12:33

Word of the Day:

“Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment…” 1 Kings 11:29

I just had to share this one today! From the idea, of the cost of following Jesus yesterday, to the cost of a new garment today! I found it highly significant that God would provide such a great example.

Here we have Ahijah the prophet, all dressed up in his new duds, headed out to meet Jeroboam. And as they meet the Lord leads Ahijah to tear his new outfit into 12 pieces, one for each tribe. Ugh! I’d call that a high cost of delivering God’s messages! Yet, how many people in those days got called to be filled with God’s Spirit and speak His words? Not many! So, I’d say the cost was worth the privilege.

The second reason I had to choose this verse was simply the word new! A new creation, a new garment, it’s just all too perfect! But even more perfect is God’s amazing timing. This morning before I started my reading, I read Beth Moore’s blog where she recommended “trading a spirit of despair for a garment of praise”. And I could feel my heart smile as I read it. Even as I write it again, I’m smiling. God doesn’t want us to have a spirit of Despair, but of Joy!

In the story of blind Bartimaeus, we see him calling out to Jesus for healing. Jesus hears his cries and says “come”. Bartimaeus throws off his cloak and goes to Jesus to receive his healing. (Mark 10:46-52)

Today I’m proposing we do likewise. Let’s tear off, tear up, remove the spirit of Despair that has been plaguing us and let’s go to Jesus in Joy to receive our healing! Let’s put on a garment of praise for His name’s sake. Let’s sing a new song because we have been made a new creation in Christ Jesus. Let’s enter His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise. We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. We will offer up to Him the sacrifices of thanksgiving! And they are sacrifices my friends. Praise and Joy are harder when we don’t feel like singing… but therein lies the sweet aroma of sacrifice. I have found that when I am in my deepest lowest moments, songs of praise are the best way to pull me out of it. I will take my MP3 player and my headphones and lay on my bed just listening. I’ll put the player on shuffle and let God pick the songs. And wouldn’t you know it; He always picks the best ones! Usually I find myself listening to the first two or three, but then that third or fourth one really hits the nerve that hurts and I will play it over and over until I know every single word and I’m signing them all as loud as I can!

There’s a reason there are 150 Psalms in the Bible! It’s because music soothes, ask David and Saul (1 Samuel 16:23)! There is nothing new under the sun, no human emotion that someone who writes songs hasn’t written about yet. We comfort with the comfort we’ve been given. Someone out there has been through the very thing you’re going through and they’ve written a song to go with it. Their song, or Psalm, can and will comfort you. Ask God to help you find it so that you can offer up the sacrifices of praise.

He will help you through this.

_______________________________________________________________

Give a book bible button

I wanted to make you aware of some ministry updates. I am very excited to announce that I have a Mother’s Day speaking engagement scheduled for May 11th. I would LOVE to have books on hand for the women to buy, and even some to give away as gifts. However, the current funds in the ministry account are running drastically low. If you are able, I would love for you to prayerfully consider giving a book or Bible to someone who can’t afford one. If you are able, please click here!

Categories: 1 Kings, 365 Life, Waiting, Writing Through the Bible in a Year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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