A Day of Preparation

"1) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2) The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people. 3) And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4) And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. 5) They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6) So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd."

Luke 22:1-6, NASB

14) Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15) and said, "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16) From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

Matthew 26:14-16, NASB

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, is a very important feast on the Jewish calendar. During this feast (14 Nisan on the Jewish calendar- the corresponding month on our calendar would be March-April) all Jewish men were expected to travel to Jerusalem to celebrated and remember the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian captivity (Exodus 11-12).

There were specific steps that were to be taken in preparing for the Passover Feast. For seven days the members of the home were to only eat unleavened bread. On the first day of the seven day period all leaven was to be completely removed from the home (Exodus 12:14-22). Leaven, known to us as yeast, changed the original form of the bread dough; it added additional ingredients making it impure. For the Passover Feast the bread was to be in it's purest form, that being without the leaven. This was to be a reminder to the people that their ancestors had fled Egypt in haste and were left to eat only unleavened bread.

Keeping in mind that leaven alters the original state of bread, Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees...the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matthew 16:11 & 12). Jesus didn't mean for them not to eat the physical, tangible bread of these religious leaders, but rather to be on guard against their teachings. The Pharisees and Sadducees had added their own set of rules and regulations, and thoughts and ideas to the Scriptures instead of teaching it exactly as it was; they had altered the true meaning of God's Word.

What was overflowing into the attitudes and actions of these religious leaders was a corrupted heart; a heart that had been tainted with evil. The Pharisees and Sadducees had done a good job preparing their homes for the Passover and getting things ready in the temple, but they had forgotten about the most important aspect, their hearts (Matthew 23:25-28). For a while now they had greatly desired to arrest Jesus and get Him out of the picture but had been unable to do so for fear of retaliation from the people. Judas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, would be their answer.

Judas, a man with a tainted heart himself, would betray Christ for a mere thirty pieces of silver. This small sum of money was mere change in comparison to the enormity of the actual price Jesus would later pay. Thirty pieces of silver was the price paid for a slave (Exodus 21:32). Seems rather ironic to me that Jesus, the one who would free us from the bondage of sin, was handed over for the price of a slave.

The plan of the religious leaders was in place. They would pay Judas to deliver Jesus to them and then take His life. But, their time of scheming and preparation would not prepare them for what was to come.

What is the condition of your heart today? Is it tainted with evil like the hearts of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Judas? Are you handing over your time with the Lord for mere change? Are you giving in to the "pleasures" of this world?

Examination of the Passover Lamb

The last week of Jesus' life here on earth was not glamorous or easy by any stretch of the imagination. Each day brought with it a new challenge and greater pain. Yet each day brought Christ closer to the cross of freedom. Tuesday of this Passover week was no exception.

On this day the enemies of Jesus did their best to "trap" Him with a series of questions. Through the cleansing of the temple and the parables He used as object lessons, Jesus had exposed the evil intentions of the religious leaders and they were out to get Him; they were out for blood. They wanted so badly to trap Him into saying something that they could use to have Jesus arrested.

Beyond the scope of thinking on the part of the religious leaders, there was a much bigger plan for this time of questioning and examination of Christ; it was a God sized plan that their blinded eyes could not see. According to Exodus 12:3-6, each lamb that would be presented as a sacrificial lamb had to be carefully examined in order to make sure there were no blemishes of any kind on him before he was deemed an acceptable sacrifice.

3) "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying,

'On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves,

according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household.

4) 'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he

and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according

to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat,

you are to divide the lamb. 5) 'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old;

you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

6) 'You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month,

then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.

Exodus 12:3-6, NASB

From the tenth day to the fourteenth day of the month the people were to carefully examine the lamb making sure it would be an acceptable sacrifice. Little did the religious leaders know, Jesus was going to be sacrificed as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world; THE perfect, unblemished sacrifical Lamb.

"The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming to him and said,

'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' "

John 1:29, NASB

It was all according to God's plan that these religious leaders question Jesus in this public arena. If any fault had been found in Him, He would not have been the perfect sacrifice. They, themselves could find no fault in Him and as we will see, they pass Jesus on to Pilate. Pilate will also find no fault in Jesus and will pass Him on to Herod. Herod will find no fault in Him and send Jesus back to Pilate. And, once again Pilate will find no fault in Christ. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God was without fault, without blemish. He was perfect in every way. He was sinless, righteous, holy, and just. He was the only perfect Lamb who could forever free His people from their sins.

The questioning of Christ that day wasn't so the religious leaders could trap Him, the questioning that day was part of God's plan so that all could see that this man, this King, this Lamb was the perfect sacrifice.

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 8

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2

are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture

and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the

"God...who are You & what can You do for me?

Getting to know the Almighty God" session 8 download,

a video covering material for your eighth week's homework,

and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is

and what He can do for us.

Fig Trees & Temple Cleansings

12) The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13) He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14) Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it. 15) When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16) and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17) He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” 18) When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching. 19) That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.

Mark 11:12-19, NLT

As they left Bethany Jesus was hungry. I always find it intriguing to witness the human side of the Son of God. Here Jesus is fully God, yet fully man at the same time, and His belly ached from hunger pains. Amazing! Notice Mark tells us that Jesus didn't just see the fig tree, observe that it didn't have any fruit hanging from it's branches and keep on walking. Mark tells us that Jesus went over to the fig tree to SEE if He could find any figs on those branches that were blooming forth with leaves. Where there are leaves on the branches of a fig tree, there should also be figs. Instead of finding plump, ripe figs, Jesus found nothing but the appearance of a fruit that should have been there.

This account is significant to us for a number of reasons. Numerous times in the Old Testament the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, are associated with the fig tree (Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10; Nahum 3:12). Because they didn't get it then, some hundreds of years later, God sent His precious Son to earth the examine the what-should-be fruit of His chosen people, but Israel had failed the test yet again. They had nothing but the "appearance" of being about the business of God. From the root up (Mark 11:20) they were nothing but a rotten, dead people.

Not only were they rotten from the ground up, they were also rotten from the inside out. Upon Jesus' arrival to the temple, He found not a people busy about the work of His Father inside the temple gates, instead He found a people busy about the work of making themselves greater and richer at the expense of the poor and Gentiles. The court of the Gentiles, the only place within the temple gates available to the Gentile people, a perfect hub for the evangelization of the lost, had been made into a religious marketplace where Jews were exchanging monies and buying sacrifices. These market places were being run by, non-other, than the priests themselves who were benefiting largely from the buying and selling of these goods.

God's temple had become a "den of thieves" (Jeremiah 7:11). According to Campbell Morgan, a "den of thieves" is a place where thieves run to hide after they have committed their wicked deeds. The priests inside the temple were using the "religious services" of the temple to cover up their own personal sins.

Jesus would no longer stand to see His Father's house mocked and blasphemed. He over turned the money changers tables and the seats of those who were selling the doves (Matthew 21:12) and immediately went about His Father's business. Jesus began healing the lame and the blind and ministering to the poor and needy. He taught the Word of God to the people, offering to them the sustenance that would enable their roots to grow deep and strong.

The chief priests and elders of the temple questioned His authority. Jesus in turn questioned them about their authority to question Him; don't you just love it when He does that!?!. The priests and elders tried to trap Him, but He would not be trapped by man. His time had not yet come and so nothing they could say or do would hinder Jesus from being about His Father's business. When the time would come, they would still not be able to "trap" Him, instead He would give His life over to them willingly and without regret.

If Jesus were to examine your "fruit" today what would He find? Would He find fruit that's healthy and growing because it's roots are firmly plant in the Word of God? Or would He find a lot of "leaves" that appear to be bringing forth much fruit but instead, upon closer look, yield nothing but a few rotten pieces of shriveled up fruit?

What about your heart? Is it in need of a temple cleansing? Are there some "tables" in your life that need to be turned over so that you can be about your Father's business?

A Triumphal Entry & A Weeping Savior

28) After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29) As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30) “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31) If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32) So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33) And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” 34) And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35) So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. 36) As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37) When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. 38) “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” 39) But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” 40) He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” 41) But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42) “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43) Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44) They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.”

Luke 19:28-44, NLT

I spent some time today reading through each of the Gospel accounts of Jesus' triumphal entry. Luke's record of this day stands out most to me. Why? Because Luke, I believe, captures the broken heart of the Savior for His people. Luke is the only one who tells us that Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. The tears Jesus shed as He looked upon Jerusalem didn't slowly trickle down His face, rather the tears streamed from His eyes as He mourned over this city like one who would wail over the loss of a loved one.

It didn't matter which direction Jesus looked, He found reason for mourning. Looking back over His time with this people, He mourned because they missed the opportunity to know their Savior on earth. Looking within the hearts of the people, He saw that they were spiritually blinded. The way had been prepared for His coming through messengers and the message of the Word, but their hearts had failed to see.

There was religious activity all around Jesus. People everywhere were celebrating with feasts but had no idea why. The religious leaders of the day were out to kill Him. The temple, God's dwelling place, had become nothing more than a "den of thieves". And, looking ahead, Jesus saw the judgment that was to come upon this people whom He loved.

Jesus wept because the very people He came to save did not even recognize their Savior was among them. He walked down their streets and ate at their tables. He healed the blind and made the lame to walk. He raised the dead and the deaf He made to hear. Jesus performed miracle after miracle after miracle and yet they never really got it. They were looking for an earthly king who would come and rule the nations, not a Savior who wanted to rule in their hearts.

Even though they didn't get it, even though they expected more, even though they were about to nail Him to a tree, Jesus loved them. He loved them so much that He continued to walk in obedience to God's will for His life.

Matthew, Mark, and John record the people saying, "Hosanna!" as the Prince of Peace passed by them. "Hosanna" is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that means "give salvation now." Little did this crowd know that in just a few short days this King, their King, would lay down His life for them and all those to come granting salvation to all through His precious blood; the precious blood of the perfect Lamb of God.

Picture used with permission from All You Have to Give.

He Speaks through She Speaks

"She Speaks is a life-changing conference for women of every generation seeking to explore the tug on her heart to reach out to the world for Jesus. Through She Speaks, Proverbs 31 Ministries encourages and equips women who are called by God to share our mission to bring God’s peace, perspective and purpose to today’s busy woman. Sharing God’s truth with love is not only a holy calling but a remarkable responsibility. We believe by equipping women to become more effective at sharing the Word of God, we multiply our efforts to reach a hurting world with the life-transforming hope of Jesus."

(http://www.shespeaksconference.com/conferenceInfo.htm)

This week Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 is giving away 3 Cecil Murphy Scholarships which will allow 3 ladies the opportunity of a lifetime to attend She Speaks. The value of this scholarship is $575 which includes conference materials, conference registration, 2 nights at the conference hotel and meals associated with the conference. Isn't that amazing!?!?!

I've heard from several of my friends how wonderful the experience of attending She Speaks is and I look forward to being able to experience it for myself. I am trusting God to prepare the way ahead of me if He sees fit for me to attend this year.

Without further adieu, my entry for the Cecil Murphy Schloraship Giveaway...

Once upon a time in a far away land there lived a handsome young prince. The handsome young prince lived with his father and mother in a beautiful castle atop a wide open field of lush green grass. Over the way there lived a fair young maiden who spent the days filling her mind with lovely stories from the many books that lined her library shelves.

Then one day, as fate would have it, the handsome young prince and the fair young maiden met at the ball of a neighboring countryman. Soon they found themselves head-over-heels in love and not long after were married.

The handsome young prince and his now lovely princess-bride built a castle of their own, filled it with the finest of things, had a rather large family, and lived happily ever after.

Can you relate to this fairy tale of a story? Me either! Well, maybe just a little. My husband IS a very handsome man, my knight in shining armor, in fact. But, that’s about as far as my fairy tale goes.

Living “happily ever after” was not even a thought in our minds during the first years of our marriage. Our honeymoon was over before it even began. My husband and I both brought a lot of junk into our marriage. I had suitcases filled with shame and guilt, bitterness and hatred. I was lonely and depressed searching desperately for someone to fill the hole in my heart. My husband had his own set of baggage as well. He was carrying wounds from his parents’ divorce and had chosen to deal with those wounds by drowning himself in alcohol each night. He too, was lonely and looking for someone to fill those empty places in his heart. So here we were, two messed up people who had no business saying “I do”.

Fate would have nothing to do with the miracle that would later take place in our marriage and lives. That miracle can only be attributed to the mighty power of the hand of God moving and working in and through us. God Almighty took two extremely messed up people, filled their empty hearts with Himself and then filled them up with a love for each other that can only come from Him.

God has given me more opportunities than I could have ever imagined to serve Him and various women's groups through one-on-one mentoring, women's conferences and retreats, group Bible studies, and different writing venues sharing our story of redemption and restoration. I have cherished each and every one of these moments of service. My heart’s desire is to serve with excellence all those He places in my life, whether it be through writing or speaking, I want to glorify Him in ALL that I do. Attending She Speaks would present me with the opportunity to learn and grow more in the ministry God has called me to.

My heart’s desire and life’s passion is to first and foremost seek after Him in all things. This journey that He’s got me on is more than I ever dreamed possible. I want to share with all those He places in my path His unconditional love, never-ending patience, abundant mercy, overflowing grace, and magnificent healing. For it is only By His Grace that I am what I am today.

Hope Springs Eternal Giveaway

Spring has sprung in my neck of the woods and not a moment too soon!!! The birds are chripping, the trees of budding, the wind is blowing every so gently, and the rays of the sun are bursting forth through the clouds. I LoVe it; spring is one of my most favorite times of year.

Spring brings forth new life. It brings to us a hope refreshed, a hope renewed, a hope eternal. About a month and a half ago I was truly humbled to join the awesome team of ladies over at the Internet Cafe as a Word Barista and the Cafe manager. I have been blessed beyond measure to serve alongside these wonderful, Godly women. They encourage, challenge, inspire, and spur me on to grow in my relationship with the Lord. I urge you to visit with us over at the Cafe. I can assure you that you WILL NOT be disappointed.

Right now we are hosting a "Hope Springs Eternal Giveaway" at the Cafe. Hop on over there today and enter for your chance to win some AWESOME gifts. The giveaway ends tomorrow, so get goin'!!!

"Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves is heard in our land."
Song of Solomon 2:12, NIV

In His Word Bible Study

For all of you local Raleigh, North Carolina ladies out there looking for something to do tonight, I'd like to invite you to In His Word Bible Study. We will continue on in our study of "God...who are You & what can You do for me? Getting to Know the Almighty God".

For meeting times and location, please contact me at jenifer@byhisgraceministry.com

Hope to see you all there!!

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 7

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2
are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture
and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God" session 7 download,
a video covering material for your seventh week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 6

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2

are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture

and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the

"God...who are You & what can You do for me?

Getting to know the Almighty God" session 6 download,

a video covering material for your sixth week's homework,

and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is

and what He can do for us.

A Woman Inspired- Get Revived Conference

Is your spirit tired? Your soul weary? Feel like you can't go on another day in your walk toward being what God would have you be? Join us next week for A Woman Inspired- Get Revived Online Conference. This conference is all about giving you a spiritual dose of adrenaline. Maybe you are concerned about your calling or perhaps you are afraid to begin walking toward what God has for you. Maybe your faith has taken a nose dive and you need to be pointed back in the direction of our Lord, Jesus. Or, it could be that you just need someone to tell you that it is okay that you failed but you need to get back up! It happens to all of us.

A Woman Inspired- Get Revived

March 15-19, 2010

This event’s speaker line-up is phenomenal. These women have a heart for the Lord and desire to see people grow in their relationships with Him. They are humble enough to serve, yet strong enough to stand up and proclaim His word to all who are in need of hearing it. This conference is for any woman in need of revival in her spirit.



I have the awesome privilege of helping host this conference alongside several other Godly women. Check out who the speakers will be...

Speakers include:
Deidra Hughes, Deidra Hughes.com
Mary Snyder, MaryRSnyder.com
Belinda Bullard, Blessed Heritage
Mandy Young, MandyYoung.com with special guest Candace Cameron Bure
Lisa McKay, The Preacher’s Wife
Kelly Minter, KellyMinter.com
Dena Dyer, DenaDyer.com
Shelly Ballestero, Beauty By God
Marsha Harwood, Marsha’s Musings
Kathy Butryn, The Heart Change Place
Lori MacMath, All You Have to Give
Tiffany Stuart, Tea with Tiffany
Kristen Schiffman, Exemplify Online
Sue Cramer, Praise and Coffee
Joy Trachsel, JoyTrachsel.com
Alisa Wagner, Faith Imagined
Lisa Shaw, Lisa Shaw Ministries
Andrea Mitchell, Under Grace and Over Coffee
Leigh Gray, LeighHargisGray.com
Angela Parsley, Refresh My Soul Ministries

Tickets are $12.95 and can be purchased here. With the purchase of your ticket you will be able to attend the live online event and then after the conference you will receive audio MP3s of each session.

Hope to seee you there!!!

WFW- Resting in Him

Resting in the Lord God Almighty today!

Lori from All You have to Give is hosting WFW.

Be sure to visit her and all the other ladies who are sharing the Word through picture.

Happy WFW!

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 5

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2
are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.
I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture
and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God" session 5 download,
a video covering material for your fifth week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

Choosing to Walk

I do believe the Lord is trying to tell me something. This verse and verses like it seem to literally be appearing before my eyes; or, I hear them being whispered in my ear from that “still small voice"...“Walk before Me and be blameless.”

Because I continue to come across this verse - not by mistake mind you, but because the Lord is trying to teach me something - I had to dig into it a little more and see for myself exactly what it means.

I pulled out my handy dandy Strong’s Concordance to look up the original Hebrew definitions of the words “walk” and “blameless”. Here’s what I found:

Walk comes from the Hebrew word halak meaning to behave oneself, a continual action, to enter, to exercise (self), to grow, to move, to run.

The word blameless is the Hebrew word tamiym which means without blemish, truth, complete, full.

God has been speaking this lesson to me, but I believe it is also for all of us who have been called according to His purpose. You and I are to be conducting ourselves in a manner that is based on, and reflects, the Truth of God’s Word and His righteous character. We are to be continually exercising ourselves toward godliness until our journey through this life is complete.

But how? How do you and I daily exercise ourselves so that we are filled up to overflowing by the Almighty God? For me, it begins by getting into His Word at the beginning of every day. I know that when my feet hit the floor every morning, God has a fresh new Word awaiting me in the pages of Scriptures. The Word is already there, and just as the definition of walk tells us, I have to enter into that time with Him eagerly anticipating what it is that He is going to speak over me that day.

Another way for us to exercise ourselves toward godliness is through prayer. My prayer time is so utterly important to me. This is my time to sit before the Lord, pour out my heart to Him and then listen for Him to speak back to me. Yes, God speaks to us through His Word, but praise Him, He has also chosen to speak to us personally through conversation. When we talk to the Lord, He listens and answers.

I find it very interesting that the word walk is verb, an action word, something that has to be done; it’s not something that has to be done by God, but something that must be done by me in order for my walk to be blameless before Him. Walking before the Lord, entering into His presence on a continual basis, sitting before Him allowing Him to fill me up is my choice.

I can choose to obey Him and walk before Him daily which will lead to a life that reflects the Truth of who He is or I can choose not to. Today I choose to walk. What about you? Do you choose today to walk worthy of the calling God has placed on your life?

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of
the calling to which you have been called."
Ephesians 4:1, ESV

Exemplify Magazine March 2010

"Fleshing out one’s faith is not always easy, so you and I are going to walk this path together…encouraging, sharing, and spurring one another until our Lord returns. Do we have to wear camel’s hair and eat locusts in order to flesh out our faith? Most likely not, but let’s embrace our callings with a passion and boldness that will turn the heads of the people to the Savior. And, while we’re at it, how about a little chocolate to give us an extra boast of energy!" (excerpt from "If I must Eat Locusts, Can They be Chocolate Covered?" Exemplify Magazine, March 2010, Jenifer Jernigan)

This month's issue of Exemplify Online Magazine is jam packed with goodness. Grab yourself a cup of yummy coffee, head on over to Exemplify, prop up your feet, and enjoy!

Oh...be sure to read the "new" Faith Applied Column on page 36, you might just know the author!! *wink*

WFW- Grace & Peace to You

Penny is hosting WFW today.

Join her and others as they share God's Word in picture.

Precious Treasures

"He who heeds the Word wisely will find good,
and whoever
trusts in the LORD, happy is he."

Proverbs 16:20

The condition of my heart affects what I say, do, and see. When my heart is heeding and giving attention to the wisdom of God found in His Word- that's what will come out of me- His wisdom. I'll teach His wisdom to my children and those around me; I'll make wise choices and behave wisely. Why? Because I've heeded to the instructions of His Word. Heeding oneself to the Word of God leds to one being joyful in the Lord no matter what may be going on in the circumstances around.

Joy in the Lord is not based on whether or not everything is fine and dandy in our lives. Joy is, rather, a happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities. True joy, for the believer, is knowing and resting in the fact (and it is a FACT!), sweet sister, that everything between her and her Lord is right (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Our joy in Christ is not temporal or based on our past, present, or future circumstances, but is founded on an unchanging, all-powerful God. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

In John 17 verses 13 and 14, Jesus says,"But now I (Jesus) come to You (God), and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in them. I (Jesus) have given them (you and me) Your word (God's Word)." He goes on to say in verse 17 of that same chapter, "Sanctify (set them apart) them by Your truth. Your Word is truth."When you and I heed to the instructions found in the Word of God we will be sanctified and our joy will be made full because it is based on an unchanging God, not on the ever-changing world around us.

Examine your heart right now. Are you paying careful attention to God's Word, gaining new insights and wisdom each day? Is your heart full of joy because it is focused on an unchanging God? Are you allowing God to sanctify you each day, setting you apart to serve Him? If you answered no to any of these questions, ask the Lord to do a mighty work in your heart right now; sanctifying you with His word, setting you apart for His service, filling you with His joy, and focusing your mind solely on Him.


Father, how I thank You that I can rejoice in Your Word because it is full of treasures just for me (Ps. 119:162). Your Word, O Lord, is more precious to me than gold and silver and I delight in it (Ps. 119:72). Open my eyes to new truths in Your Word and hide them in my heart so that I can fight against the enemy (Ps. 119:18 & 11). I love Your Word, Father, it is a joy to me (Ps. 119: 97).

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 4

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2

are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture

and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God" session 4 download,
a video covering material for your fourth week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.