Stephanie's Spot

Matthew 5-10 - finally caught up!

2009-01-12T12:27:00.001-08:00

Chapter 5 ---- Sermon on the mount - - Vs 1-12:: We are a BLESSED people! - - "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is you reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." We are the salt of the earth which is a whole message in itself! We are to flavor our bland communities! We are to preserve! In nursing school, I always learned - where salt goes water follows! We are to be the salt - where we go - - the Living Water should be with us! We are to spread His Gospel. We are to "Let our light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" - verse 16. Christ came to fulfil the law! - He did just that!! GULP!! Love your enemies??? Come on now... that is too hard to do! But "if ye love them which love you. what reward have ye?" It is so nice when you love your enemies and they turn out to be some of your best friends!
Chapter 6 ---- Verse 1 - If you tell others how much you tithe or offer to God - you have earned your reward -- worldly praise! The Bible states that no one should know how much you give. God wants you to give in love so He can bless you. If others think you are a somebody because you give x amount then why would God need to bless you - you have already recieved a worldly blessing. That goes for praying and fasting too! God knows your heart!! He knows what you need before you ask him - verse 8! Whew... thank goodness - - I thought all preacher's wives had to pray aloud! I can just be me!!! Consider the lillies - - we have nothing to worry about! - - "Seek ye first thekindom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Chapter 7 ---- Judge not, that ye be not judged!! - - in other words... sweep your own doorstep before you start sweeping off mine! --- verse 7: "Ask, and it shall be gibven you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you!" - Ain't God good! There is just too much good in this chapter - - I'm digging in... Ashlyn loves to sing "The Wiseman Built His House Upon The Rock".
Chapter 8 ---- Don't you just love when God does something immediately!! All it takes is a "thou hast believed!"
Chapter 9 ---- I absolutely love the story of the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years. Her last thread of hope was the hem of his garment! What a wonderful story of love and compassion. Did you notice that the ruler's daughter was 12 years old?? Now I beleive that verses 37-38 are one of the most important charges to Christians. We are to be labourers into His harvest!

Genesis 20-31 - - Catching up...

2009-01-12T11:21:00.001-08:00

Once again... I am so scattered --- let me see now... some may be short because I have read the chapters & am going back to write a discussion... So you may have to drag the Bible back out!
Chapter 20: Abraham & Sara were human too! Little liars! Even though it was a little white lie based on verse 12. Yes even those little white lies can get you into trouble Stephanie!! Look at how great God is in Verse 6 as he talks to the king- "I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her." Have you ever almost done something and the Spirit withheld you - later to find out you would have REALLY messed up! I am SOOO thankful and dependent on the Spirit! If we have done wrong, he always shows us the path to correct it like in verse 7! Sometimes it is hard to swallow but we have to follow God!
Chapter 21: verse 8 - A great feast! I'm gonna throw a feast when Ashlyn FINALLY figures out she has beened weaned!! I'm gonna invite you all... LOL! Verse 9 - See why you should only have one wife guys?? Women cannot live together - especially if they have "known" the sam man, much less had kids with him!! Verse 19 - God will provide - - just open your eyes!! Verse 26: Someone does something to you & they are unaware...How do you react? Like they knew?? I recently went through this.... One of my very best friends hadn't spoken to me at church unless she had to. Well I have drove myself crazy trying to figure out what I did!! What could I have possibly done?? Well I didn't get around to talking to her the next Sunday...so I still wandered! Then last night I asked her if she was upset with me. She said "NO - I just knew you have been busy!" So I had made that a big deal myself - but I sure was glad I had not goofed up that fantastic friendship! What if I have not asked & just ASSUMED that we were suppose to be quarrelling! What would I have missed???
Chapter 22: The Offering of Issaac - God will provide! - - This was Chad's 3rd message! What a wonderful story about Jesus!! In verse 6 - "And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son.." WOW! Do you know who else was a Sacrifice and had to tote a wooden cross on his back?? Jesus! God provided a lamb - the Lamb of God! Wooo...now that is something to shout about!
Chapter 23: The death of Sarah - nothing really jumped out at me about this chapter...guess the next time I read it - God will show me something. I cannot wait to hear what you all have to say about it.
Chapter 24: A Bride for Issac - Rebekah! The servent said a prayer & wanted a sign - God answers prayers!
Chapter 25: The death of Abraham - Ishmael and Issacs generations. - - Two nations are in Rebekah's womb. Verse 27-34 tells how Esau gave up his birthright for a bowl of pottage --- gave it up for worldly goods! Gave it up for something that would satisfy him at the moment. How many people do you know that give up their "Godly Birthright" of Salvation for worldly things that only satisfy for that moment?? We need to pray for the lost and tell them about Jesus!
Chapter 26: The apple didn't fall far from the tree did it? Isaac says that Rebekah is his sister! I bet King Abimelech was shaking his head! Verse 24 - - FEAR NOT FOR GOD IS WITH YOU TOO!
Chapter 27: The stolen blessing - Rebekah & Jacob were a sneaky little pair weren't they?? Esau must have looked like that dude from the Geico commercials... the caveman!
Chapter 28: Doesn't Esau act just like us in verse 9 - - or at least like our kids! He would show them by disobeying!!!
Chapter 29: Jacob really loved Rachel - - I don't know of anyone that I would work that hard for! Rachel must have been one hot mama!!
Chapter 30: Once again guys - - don't have more than one wife!!! We are some crazy ladies when it comes to impressing the men... come on enough with the babies!!! And everyone being in the same tent!!
Chapter 31: Jacob got him back. - - I didn't think about the monthly girl thing like in verse 35 - she must have been bold. I don't see how they had time to have a period when they were pregnant all the time to impress the menfolk!

Lala Land - Genesis 17-19

2009-01-08T05:53:00.000-08:00

Now with Bible at my side I will try to catch up on my Genesis readings...
Chapter 17 & 18: El Shaddai - what an ALMIGHTY GOD we serve! Abram and Sarai get new names - Abraham and Sarah - I am so thankful that God changed my name when I was saved from SINNER to SAINT! How many times do we fall on our face and laugh when God tells us what he is going to do?? I'm sure if I was 99 years old I'd crack up to! We serve an ALMIGHTY GOD - one that can do ANYTHING! As I wrote that sentence, I remembered the conversation I had with myself on the way home. Some of you may know the problem Chad & I have been facing. We have prayed and prayed for deliverence. I caught myself thinking on the way home from work - God won't fix this problem - - can He??? What?!?!? I had just fallen on my face and laughed!!! Thankfully after that though as I was driving --- I looked to my left and saw the most beautiful bright star shining through the dark, night clouds. Through all of the darkness, God still shines brightly. Genesis 18:14 states "Is anything to hard for the Lord? At the time appointed..." If He can hang the moon and place that star right where I would see it as I drove -- then YES - He can solve this problem!! And I know he will...in His time not mine.
Chapter 18 Question???: Gen 18:2 states that Abraham lifted his eyes and 3 men stood by him. Then it states that the men turned and went to Sodom in verse 22. It states in verse 33 that the Lord went his way as soon as he had left communing with Abraham. Then Gen19:1 states that there came 2 angels to Sodom. So the three men that visited Abraham were 2 angels and the Lord. ?? What if the Lord visited us - - I'd look like Abraham in verses 4-8 as he scurried to ask Sarah to bake bread and rush to fetch a calf. I'd probably be scurrying to find the Lord a place to sit down first!! I might just go ahead and ask Him to perform a miracle - "clean this house spotless!!" But for real, would we have to scurry to hide anything?? Would we dust off the Bible?? The fact is He is already here! We saw in our first readings that you cannot hide from God - not even with an apron of fig leaves!
Chapter 19: Wow! Isn't the sin-sick folks of the world just the same? Verse 16 states that "while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city." I can only picture the angels grabbing their hand and transporting them to the city outskirts - like on Barney when they were zapped through that TV and landed in lala land! I am so thankful when I am "hemhawin'" around that God grabs my hand and gives me an escape. He always provides an escape --- sometimes we just take a while finding it - - so through his mercy we are zapped into lala land. I am excited to know that when my time on Earth is through here... God will grab my hand and within a twinkle of an eye - I will be in the best lala land forever!

Helping God Out... Genesis 16

2009-01-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

Well...I did WAKE up at 6am to read my Bible - the problem is that I didn't GET OUT of the bed. I pulled out the good Book and took me a blurry look. Then I dozed right back to sleep. Chad darted up at 6:45 because God finally told him what message to preach Sunday. I was in ZZZ land at that time...my Bible study in the bed didn't last but one chapter!! I will try to GET UP in the morning. I'm behind so I read Chapter 16 this morning. Sleepy eyed I learned...When we try to do God's Will our way, we get an Ishmael!!

Tent Pitching...

2009-01-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

Chapter 13 -- First off... in my mind I cannot comprehend what they must have looked like moving... the tent, the tremendous flocks, all of the herdsmen... That is a bunch of stuff to be loading up & moving. Were the tents like circus tents??? That is beyond my comprehension. Tent??? Thank God for my home... ---- How many times when I have to make a decision...I look across the "land" and see only the green grass??? I pick it because it looks nice and fertile. Verse 4 states that "Abram called on the name of the Lord". When I have a decision to make I need to not be like Lot & choose what I think will be the best. I need to call upon the name of the Lord - Ask him which way to go. Afterall, he knows what will happen in the end. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6. Why not consult the mapmaker?? Too, why do I sometimes pitch my tent toward Sodom like Lot?? I know what keeps me out of the perfect will of God and sometimes I dive right in - - whether it be hitting the snooze button instead of studying God's Word (like I did this morning) or heading straight for Wal-mart when I don't need to spend money! Come on...you didn't think I would really type my juicy "Sodom & Gommorrah"s now did you?? LOL! Trust me...I know for sure 2 "people" know what my weaknesses are: God because I pray for Him to help me defeat those temptations - and I know Satan knows them because He faithfully reminds me of them everyday!! Lord, I pray that I will consult you before I make any decisions and I pray that when I do pitch my tent towards Sodom that I quickly pull up the stakes!
Chapter 14 - - What?? I had to read the first verses of this chapter about 3 times before I finally caught on...not sure if I really caught on just yet! I just know a bunch of kings of cities that I cannot pronounce were duking it out in the vale of Siddim. Some of Soddom & Gommorrahs "team" fell in the slimepits and the others took Lot and his goods to Sodom. Well Abram must have consulted God again & went to save the day. His army smote them and rescued Lot and all of his goods (including his tents! LOL!) --- well at least that is what I think went down... Where is Chad when I need him! Now, let's talk about Melchizedek who was the priest of the most high God. He brought forth bread and wine which I think are symbols of Christ - the bread of life and the blood He shed on the cross. Even Abram felt led to give him tithes of all. Hebrews 7:1-4 states: For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is, King of peace; without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the paqtriarch Araham gave tenth of the spoils. Like I said I think He was a symbol of Christ. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this...
Well Ashlyn is about to drive me crazy fighting sleep so I will post about the other Bible Studies tomorrow... Let me get this girl some BUG JUICE before she goes crazy too!! Good night!

The slumber party ended when someone peed on the bed!

2009-01-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

Well Ashlyn quickly aroused me this morning - 3:40am to be exact! She obviously wasn't bothered by the chilly puddle she was lying in...neither was Chad as a matter of fact! LOL! So the slumber party quickly ended & after stripping the bed, we moved the party to the couch....Chad quickly revisited his slumber & Ashlyn...well she didn't open her eyes through the whole diapering and relocation.
As you can see now, it is 5:30am so needless to say, I couldn't go back to sleep. God & I have had quite a conversation this past hour and half. So this may get long...
First off I tried to have a pitty party before going to bed... Aren't those fun to throw!! I got to thinking about how I spent my Saturday cleaning house and scrubbing a pretty little face that always knows where to find mama's makeup. Chad did help me with the bedroom but then retreated to his prayer closet - the basement - to study. I have been told that the best thing I can do right now is support him - so I am. I have asked a thousand times what I can do to help. I've encouraged him and told him how proud I was. I've even marvelled at him as he prayed and seeked God's guidence. Then today, I've allowed him time to study, take a nap, pray, take a nap, and study some more... well at least that is how I was seeing it when I went to bed last night. After all, REAL life does continue even though you are a preacher! Well... guess who was the first person I invited to my pitty party? God! Let me warn you...if you want to have a sure 'nough, all out, throw-down pitty party...DON'T INVITE GOD! He will ruin all the fun! Guess who he wanted to bring with him? Luke - so he can retell me the story in Luke 10:38-4 which I've heard so many times before... Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hasth left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part,which shall not be taken away from her. Whoa...Stephanie, Stephanie, thou art careful and troubled about many things - many unneedful things! My best friend, Robyn, just stated tonight that "Satan cannot get into our hearts so he gets into our minds". That being said, along with God boldly stating to me Stephanie, Stephanie - I would like for you all to remember me in your prayers as we start this mission. I'm sure God will have to boldly state a few things to me along the way! I totally called off the pitty party and quiclkly sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.
Which brings me to my next thought... Yeah it's been a long morning already - a good one though!! As I read our Bible study for the day in Genesis, I couldn't help but notice that like mine, Noah's family tree has one or two nuts too! LOL! Us humans can really mess up a good thing can't we? All because someone said "Let us make brick and build a tower to heaven", I have to turn my head sideways to find which language is mine on the instruction sheet to dye my hair! If having all this gray at 30 isn't depressing enough!! Then as I read about the great Abram (& his obviously hot wife Sarai who the pharaoh was checking out) - I realize even the greatest men (& women) of God make mistakes! I've known that all along but I sure do love it when God reassures me that I am not alone. When I checked my email before coming to Cafemom - I had an email from MyHeritage - - a site to get the scoop on all of your family tree and history. God never ceases to amaze me! Praise God, I can trace my family tree all the way back to the cross --- don't even need a website for that!!
Then I flipped to the New Testament Bible study in Matthew - - I often thought about how people viewed John with his "rainment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey". Wasn't much of a city slicker was he?? It reminds me of a new song that Eric Hinson sings, The Homeless Man. It is about a passerby in his car as he pulls up to a light. When his eye catches the homeless man's, he locks his door and shakes his head. How many times have I been guilty of that? Long story (or song) short, the homeless man accepted Jesus as his Savior the previous day. He thinks in his mind - I am the richest man you will meet today! Oh my sister - we are rich! We have something money can't buy! We have a dear friend and Savior named Jesus! We are the richest person anyone will meet today!
Well that didn't have anything to do with the scripture so let me bring up this bit from the lesson: "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." - Matthew 3:10. Need I type more!
Matthew Chapter 4 is a passage that I have to refer to a lot! Even Jesus was tempted - yet he sinned not! He had hidden the words in his heart that he may not sin against God as David stated in Psalms 119:11! Just like Jesus, I may not have my Bible at my side when Satan tempts me. (It's funny how He never wants to tempt us when we are reading God's word --- sneaky lil' devil) I must have God's Word HID - memorized - in my heart! I aim to have my Sunday School kids memorize more Bible verses this year so they will have a sharp weapon when Satan sneaks up! ... Wait, the best part is yet to come... After the temptation of the Devil is defeated by Jesus' weapon of God's Word, the bible states in verse 11 - Then the devil leaveth him!!! Sisters, rebuke Satan with the word of God that you have hid in your heart and he will flee!
Matthew 4:19 - Jesus instructs Simon and Andrew to "Follow him" and "they STRAIGHTWAY left their nets, and FOLLOWED HIM"! Stephanie, Stephanie... how many times does God tell you something before you finally get up and go? It drives me nuts when I tell my girls to do something and they hem-haw around! Okay, I know some of you aren't from Alabama so let me paste a definition here from the Urban dictionary: hem haw: Procrastinate, puposeful avoidance of an unpleasant task, such as a chore. So now that we have learned our new word for the day, lets ponder on how many times we hem haw when God wants us to do something. We should be like the two fishermen - STRAIGHTWAY leave our spot and FOLLOW GOD!
It has been a pleasant morning. I stated in a previous post that God wanted me to start my day in his word. If I knew it was going to be at 5am, I wouldn't have invited Him to that party either! LOL!

Ahhh! A morning's dew is so refreshing!

2009-01-04T12:09:00.001-08:00

Hold up!! I knew there was more to last night's study...we gotta go back for one second to Genesis 2:6 "But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground". I kept researching & couldn't find anything about dew...I just knew God was wanting to show me something about the dew... Well Chad is reading a book written by Phillip Kahler, a shepherd called "A Shepherd looks at Psalms 23" and he wrote about sheep & the dew... So here goes... "Of course, dew is a clear, clean, pure source of water, and there is no more resplendent picture of still waters than the silver droplets of dew hanging heavy on leaves and grass at break of day. The good shepherd, the diligent manager, makes sure that his sheep can be out and grazing on this dew-drenched vegetation. If necessary , it will mean he himself has to rise early to be out with his flock. On the home ranch or a field he will see to it that his sheep benefit from this early grazing." Sheep won't drink from moving waters so every morning God provides the pure clean dew - just as he did for nourishment in the Garden of Eden. That pure dew is early in the morning... The part of our day that is pure and fresh...He has provided us with the still waters in the morning to drink from --- a pure and refreshing time for Bible study.... And here it is late at night, I'm just now sitting down to study his word.... I am not a morning person but God is showing me through more ways than one - I need to get myself out of bed early in the morning to study His Word, not just wake up with a prayer & hit the day running. I've always thought my nightly study was great but I guess He thinks differently... He wants our firstfruits - that goes for our daytime hours too!! I'll put my Bible on top of my snooze button and start my mornings with the pure refreshing dew of God's word---and yes, my Shepherd will be there waiting!

Daily Bible Study -- Jan 1

2009-01-02T07:19:00.001-08:00

Well, I hope to use this group (cafemom group) to STUDY God's Word more than just read it, so I have my notebook & I'm ready. I got to thinking about how many times we have all read this scripture. We sometimes skim over it b/c it is familiar. I miss so much thinking that it is familiar so I want to dig a little deeper... so here I go! Y'all might have to throw me a rope in at some point! LOL
GENESIS - - As I read Genesis 1:16 about the two great lights I pondered on being the LIGHT of the world. God made the sun to shine during the day. He made the SON so that we may have light in darkness. The world is a dark place and the Son is not "out" so we must be the MOON and REFLECT the Sonlight. We are the STARS that twinkle. The bible states that stars are small lights in the heavens and they give light upon the earth too. Not all the stars twinkle at the same time. Some are falling stars. We must lift up those fallen stars so they may twinkle again! Our twinkle may diminish & I know I want someone right there to take my hand and lift me up! My twinkle has "twinkled out" at times - I have fallen and am so thankful for my Christian friends that lifted me up again. I hope my little star is the brightest in the sky b/c I've been there and know that this is a much better place. It is a dark world out there - so twinkle on and reflect the SON that shines in you. When Jesus returns the SON will shine on that great DAY! What a day that will be!
MATTHEW - - Yeah - how well I love to skip over the begats...but look at Christ... Everyone is "begat" until you see that" Mary, of whom was BORN Jesus, who is called Christ." There is something different about this baby...oh what a difference this Savior made!! I agree...what if just one person disobeyed the will of God? I know God's Will will be done but look at the blessing they would've missed.
Are you missing a blessing because of disobedience? If Lori would've disobeyed, I know I would be missing a blessing. Are you letting others miss a blessing because of your disobedience? How is your twinkle? Do you know a fallen star that needs to be lifted up??

Drawing for $100 Cash

2008-06-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

June is double sales points for me during my Cabo San Lucas Trip Contest - - I want to earn this trip!!!! So if you get up just a $200 Home & Garden Party "Catalog Party" order (turned in by June 24th) -- I will enter your name into a drawing for $100 CASH!!! Plus you recieve all of your FREE products for hostess benefits! -- -- Your name is entered for EACH $200 in sales PLUS if you have an in-home party, your name is entered 5 extra times. - - The drawing will be held June 25th. So hurry & get your packets - I'm so excited for you! What are you going to get with your hostess benefits?? How are you going to use your $100 cash?? Check out our products at www.hgpfun4you.com. Email me if you would like a Catalog Party Packet! smorgan1978@hotmail.com

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2008-05-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

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