Book Reviews, Proven Path Ministries

The Bible or Not?

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I have finally had an opportunity to sit down and watch the first episode of the new History Channel special The Bible. I sat down and watched it due to all the controversy that is floating around about it with in christendom. I have heard criticism over its inaccuracy, over the liberties taken, over the things left out, over the things added in… even heard some say they would never watch another episode because the gospel was missing and they believed this show was leading millions of people astray.

So of course I had to watch it so I could add my two cents into this debate 🙂

You know what I saw…  I saw inaccuracy.  I saw lots of stuff left out. I mean it started with Noah and jumped to Abraham and went straight to Moses. But you know what else I saw… I saw this thing at the very beginning of the episode that read that this was an adaptation 

An adaptation means

the act or process of adapting : the state of being adapted, adjustment to environmental conditions:

as adjustment of a sense organ to the intensity or quality of stimulation

modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its environment

something that is adapted; specifically : a composition rewritten into a new form
Therefore, before you watch one second of this mini-series you have been told upfront this mini-series has taken the true stories of the Bible and modified them to make them fit under the conditions of the environment in which it exists. Any watcher has been forewarned that this composition has been rewritten into a new form.
And well as my husband said, “everyone knows the book is always better than the movie“
So this movie is played out in such a way that it leads someone from the movie to the book, the WORD.
As for the gospel not being displayed? That’s absurd. The gospel was woven all in this first episode. How could anyone who knows it and has it miss it?
From the beginning and all the way through this first episode, over and over again, I heard “trust God!”
Over and over again, I heard “God promised”.
Over and over again, I heard “God created”. 
I even saw, clearly displayed, the pre-incarnate Christ standing with Abraham.
I saw God provide the lamb in the place of Isaac.
I even heard Moses say, “our freedom comes at a price“
The gospel was there my friends… it was indeed there. The gospel was there because it was the gospel that put it in the hearts of the people to even put together this project.
My spirit was stirred to worship as I watched. I was there on the Ark with Noah and I could truly imagine that as they rode out the destruction of mankind and the earth as they knew it, Noah told of the original creation. Being strengthened by the truth of the power of their God. Knowing that if He created it out of nothing once, then He would be fully able to restore it to a place of provision for them again.
I was there with Abraham as he learned to walk by faith. As he learned that it really was never about proving his faith to God, but about God proving Himself to Abraham so that Abraham’s faith would be strengthened and that by his faith he might be saved, being counted as righteous.
Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
Romans 4:19-25
I was there cheering Moses on as he looked at his Hebrew brethren and reminded them that God had not forgotten them. When he looked at them and reminded them that Pharaoh did not create the heavens and earth and he did not create them. Pharaoh was not god, he was just a man. When the Red Sea split and they were on the way to the other side walking on dry land… the hope of the people as they passed through the walls of water… yes I loved it.
The fact that every “t” was not crossed and every “i” dotted was pretty irrelevant when I took hold of the possibilities that are wide open to our amazing God with this mini-series. I believe God allowed it. We need to be thanking God for it and praising Him being glorified and exalted on our television screen in a day that He usually only shows up as the butt end of a joke, instead of criticizing it with our “biblical knowledge”. How pharisaical is that?
I mean… really… think about it. Satan and the powers of darkness certainly didn’t sit around and say, “hey I gotta great idea, how about we put a show on tv that reminds people of the Book and the people of the Book, how about we put a tv show out there that makes people remember what they were taught when they were young, or makes them wonder about the things they were never taught, how about we put a tv show out there that shows how God keeps ALL HIS PROMISES”… yeh I am certain that Satan would so do that (sarcasm intended).
My resulting thoughts from episode one… watch it. Watch it and support it.
Proven Path Ministries

Let’s Just Worship

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and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east.

And His voice was like the sound of many waters;

and the earth shone with His glory. 

And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw,

like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city.

And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar;

and I fell on my face. 

And the glory of the Lord came into the house

by the way of the gate facing toward the east. 

And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court;

and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.

Then I heard one speaking to me from the house,

while a man was standing beside me. 

He said to me, “Son of man, 

this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet,

where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.

Ezekiel 43:2-7

Oh precious one, just worship with me today, this morning, in this moment… Let us go together in the Spirit into the inner court of the Lord. Let His Spirit in this moment fill the house… fill your house

Do you not know that you are a temple of God

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

Have you been there… there in that moment when you so aware of your sin… so aware of the darkness of your heart… so aware of the impurity of your mind? Have you been there when you said things you should not have said… done things you should have not done? Have you been there in that moment when you didn’t say what you should have… didn’t do what you should have done?

Are you carrying the shame? The fear? The doubt? The hurt?

Do you think God is not listening?

Do you think He is not aware of your fear?

Do you think He has forsaken you?

Do you wonder if He is even there?

Oh precious one, He is!

Stop!

Stop now and lift up your eyes to the hills… lift up your eyes to the mountains… lift up your eyes and let your voice cry out to the One from which your help comes… to the Only One. His name is Jesus, Iesous, Jehovah-Savior!

No matter where you are… He can reach.

 He can bring your dead self to life! He can breathe life in you again! You can live because He lives in you!

 

So let’s just stop… Let’s just stop what we are doing right now… and let’s just worship!

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries

Spare the Rod

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He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

Proverbs 13:24

Today in my personal study time I was in Ezekiel 40-42. As I read through these verses of Scripture trying to imagine what Ezekiel must have felt as he experienced this amazing vision and feeling the overwhelming desire myself to have palm tree ornaments placed all over my house… my mind caught attention to the rod in the angels hand that was used to measure the temple.

As I read about the measuring rod in Ezekiel 40 my mind went to the rod mentioned in the Proverbs. As I was studying I jotted down in my notebook, spare the rod – spoil the child – the rod is used as a measuring tool in Scripture.  After I came to a stopping point in my Ezekiel study time I began researching the rod. 

The rod is mentioned quite often in Scripture. The first mention of a rod is in Genesis 30 with Jacob. Jacob uses this rod to separate his sheep from Laban’s. Then in Numbers we see that the leaders of tribes were given rods. Moses had a rod, Aaron had a rod. The rod became a symbol of authority. Then in the book of Job we see the rod become a tool of discipline. Finally in Ezekiel we see it as a tool for measuring.

In Genesis 30 the word rods is maqqel and it means rod, staff, rod, stick, staff (in travel), wand (of diviner)

In Numbers 17 the word rod is matteh and it means staff, branch, tribe, staff, rod, shaft, branch (of vine), tribe, company led by chief with staff (originally)

In Job 9 the word rod is shebet and it means rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe, rod, staff, shaft (of spear, dart), club (of shepherd’s implement), truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority), clan, tribe

In Ezekiel the word rod is qaneh and it means reed, stalk, bone, balances, stalk, water-plant, reed, calamus (aromatic reed), derived meanings, measuring-rod, reed (as unit of measure – 6 cubits), beam (of scales – for scales themselves), shaft (of lampstand), branches (of lampstand), shoulder-joint

Well, after that lesson in Hebrew translations you can see that a rod is not just a rod 🙂 We have to look a little deeper into the word to understand the full benefit. With all that being said, lets get into the whole spare the rod spoil the child thing.

When we look at the Hebrew translation of the word rod in Proverbs 13:24 we see that the word rod in this verse is shebet, the same as in Job 9. As I read this definition of the word rod in the context of this Scripture, this is what I see:

He who withholds his mark of authority hates his son.  

Our children have got to have the mark of authority. They have to know clearly who to obey. As we look further into this verse we see that they also have to know this early.

The word diligently in Proverbs 13:24 is shachar and it means to seek, seek early or earnestly, look early or diligently for, to look for diligently, see, to seek, seek early. As I read this definition of this word in the context of this Scripture this is what I see:

He who loves him disciplines him early. He earnestly looks early for areas that need correction.

You see, for me this verse in the Proverbs, where we get the phrase spare the rod spoil the child has absolutely nothing to do with beating our children into submission. It has everything to do with leading them in the right direction from the very beginning. It has everything to do with our children knowing who the authority figure is in their life. It has everything to do with a being a parent that is studying their child and doesn’t wait for an issue to explode before they address it. 

If you deal with an issue at first sight then it doesn’t have the opportunity to escalate. Our children never threw tantrums. They never threw tantrums because their very first attempt at one was dealt with immediately. They never hit us because the first time they attempted to we dealt with it clearly and firmly. They have never told us “no” or back-talked us, because when the first attempt of “no mommy” began to come out of their mouths it was dealt with immediately. We never counted to three. We never sent idle threats. Nor did we, or do we, ever allow anyone else to undermine our authority with our kids. No one. Absolutely no one overrode any of our decisions or choices concerning our children. Not grandparents, not aunts or uncles, not the school system, not the government, and certainly not them.

When we deal with an issue of correction immediately the correction is much gentler, their is much less to it, it is so much less harsh. Just like anything else we choose to ignore in this life… the longer we ignore it the more difficult correcting it becomes. We must address issues of correction early in our children.

One of the issues I see today is that in general many kids don’t know who is in control, so therefore they are out of control.

The parents send their kids to school or even daycare and the schools have the parents jumping telling them what they can and can not do with their kid and that the parents have to send the schools explanations for what the parents do with their kids and when. Parents are wringing their hands making sure they have all the doctor excuses and fill out all the details and say yes sir and no ma’am to who can go on what field trip and when and how many times they can check their kid out of school… and the kids are watching. Mom and Dad don’t call the shots. The school system does.

Then the kid gets in trouble at school and the parents turn around and tell the schools how they can or can’t discipline their kids. Kids see the schools can’t do anything to them if they break the rules… so the schools control their parents… and the parents tie the hands of the schools…

So what you have in the middle is this kid who really has no authority figure over them because the authority figures cancel each other out.

Thus they, the kids, are out of control… because no one actually has a mark of authority on them.

Notice also that definition of rod in Proverbs 13:24, rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe, rod, staff, shaft (of spear, dart), club (of shepherd’s implement), truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority), clan, tribe. Notice that not only is it meant as a mark of authority, it is meant to denote a clan, a tribe, a family. As I read this definition of this word in the context of this Scripture this is what I see:

He who withholds his his clan, his tribe, his family hates his son.  

Our kids need a family. 

Why do we have gangs?

Kids need a clan. They need a tribe. They need a family. They need a family with a clear mark of authority at its head. Never, ever, ever, ever, let the enemy of our souls convince you that your kids do not need a family. It doesn’t have to be perfect… My goodness, look at the kids that prefere a gang that beats them into initiation rather than being without a family at all… think about it.

Don’t let the enemy destroy your family.

Don’t let the enemy lead you to undermine the authority of the head of that family. Mom your job is to lead your children in the way that you show respect to their father. If you respect him, they will.

and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 5:33

Dads, your children see how you love them by the love they see you give their mother. Love her according to Scripture… not according to the world. The more love you give, the greater the respect you receive.

So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his own wife loves himself;

Ephesians 5:28

Spare the rod spoil the child?

No.

Spare the family, the mark of authority, hate the child.

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries

Ignorance Does Not Keep Innocence

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Sometimes in Children’s Ministry or with our own kids its easy to skip the hard things of the Word. We want to play God in our kids lives and decide when we think they are ready to learn certain things in the Scriptures. Romans chapter one is one of those passages… and well so is Genesis chapter two, and well so is the majority of the Scriptures… I mean have you ever read Ezekiel or Hosea or Revelation? As my husband said, you can only teach David and Goliath and Daniel and the Lion’s Den so many times before you have to move on.

Our kids live in a world that is not willing to protect their innocence. Our God knows that. That is why He has recorded all that He has in His Word. The world does not protect our kids innocence and so God has provided us with the tools we need to keep them from being ignorant. Ignorance leads to wrong choices and wrong assumptions and it leads to hunger and thirst that is satisfied with unhealthy things. A starving person will become hungry enough that they will even eat food that comes out of the trash and is filled with rats and roaches.

 Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge;
And their honorable men are famished,
And their multitude is parched with thirst.

Isaiah 5:13

We also cannot train our children up in a way that has them picking and choosing what parts of the Scriptures are relevant to them and when. Who are we to make that call? Who are we to decide that God has not brought them to this passage in Scripture at this very time for such a time as this to prepare them for something they will face possibly the very next day?

A friend of mine shared with me about a time when she was going through the book of Genesis and she came upon a passage of Scripture she did not want to discuss just yet with her little girl… as she read skipping over this particular passage her daughter stopped her and pointed to the passage she skipped and let her know that she had missed that part.

My friend then had a choice. She could deny her child knowledge of the Word of God because it was uncomfortable for her to have to share it. Or she could go back, say she was sorry she skipped that part, and share the whole counsel of the Word of God with her child.

She chose to go back and read and discuss the passage of Scripture with her daughter.

No, discussing sex, and spilled semen, and rape, and incest, and degrading passions, and  homosexuality with our kids is not comfortable for us… but let me assure you that this world is perfectly comfortable with teaching them all about it. Kids at school are perfectly comfortable. Our government is perfectly comfortable. Television is more than comfortable. Music on the radio is more than comfortable.

The world is ready to shock and awe your child. The world is ready and willing to work with Satan and the sin nature in your child to lead them down a path of slavery and destruction.

As parents, as Christians, we must not let the world blindside our kids. Ignorance does not keep innocence.

My husband and I have decided that it is our responsibility to keep our kids one step ahead of the world. We protect their eyes and ears and minds by letting our kids know that we say yes and no according to what God tells us in Scripture. They must know the truth, so that when the enemy tries to sneak in a lie they can recognize it and will be able to turn away before they are sucked into it and held captive.

I do not know what lies are being whispered into my child’s ears as they go in this life. I do not know what sins of which they are predispositioned. I do not know what traps have been laid ahead of them. I do not know what evils they will encounter when. All I can do is prepare them for all of them and pray that when the evil one comes against them they have their armor on and that they stand firm.

and you will know the truth,

and the truth will make you free.

John 8:32

God tells us to teach the Word. He doesn’t tell us to pick and choose what of the Word we teach as according to what is comfortable. As for us and our house we start with a book and we teach the whole book. Come what may… we pray… and we teach with as much conviction and straight face and forwardness we can with all the grace and tenderness that we can. Preserving innocence through knowledge of what is evil and good according to God’s Word… not the world.

Right now our eleven year old is studying inductively through the book of Exodus in her personal study time having completed the book of Genesis. She is going through the entire Bible book by book. Our eleven and eight year old are currently studying through Romans at church, having just completed the entire book Revelation. Our eight year old also is studying through the names of God in her personal study time and will next begin the book of John and then she too will begin at Genesis.

Please know that your kids can handle truth. Give it to them. Lay a solid foundation on which truth can build. Don’t set a brick here and there all over the place. A foundation is laid by connecting brick to brick.  Precept upon precept. Line upon line.

Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
To make you know the certainty of the words of truth
That you may correctly answer him who sent you?

Proverbs 22:20-22

 

Children's Ministry, Names of God Series, Proven Path Ministries

Names of God: Parakletos

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Last week we saw that Jesus is the Logos. This week we will see that He is our Parakletos.

My little children,

I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.

And if anyone sins,

we have an Advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous;

and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins;

and not for ours only,

but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 2:1-3

Parakletos is the Greek translation of the word Advocate. Jesus is our Advocate with the Father. The word Parakletos means summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid, one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate, one who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor.

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Hebrews 2:14-18

Our Parakletos is able to come to our aid because He is able. He is able because He is the Logos that became flesh and dwelt among us. He is a worthy Advocate because He knows us and He understands us… He has literally walked in our shoes and lived in our skin. He came to this earth and lived with us and He died for us, and He was buried, and three days later He was raised to never die again. Today He lives still. His ministry continues as He sits at the right hand of the Father and serves as our Great High Priest before Him.

The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

Hebrews 7:23-27

 

He ever lives to make intercession on our behalf. When we call on His name He comes to our side and He stands with us. He is our go-between to the Father. We who believe, have today, in our Parakletos, the relationship with the Father that Job cried out for in the days of old…

 

“For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him,

That we may go to court together.

“There is no umpire between us, 

Who may lay his hand upon us both.

“Let Him remove His rod from me,

And let not dread of Him terrify me.

“Then I would speak and not fear Him;

But I am not like that in myself.

Job 9:32-35

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“O earth, do not cover my blood,

And let there be no resting place for my cry.

“Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,

And my advocate is on high.

“My friends are my scoffers;

My eye weeps to God.

“O that a man might plead with God

As a man with his neighbor!

Job 16:18-21

Job cried out to God for an Advocate. He cried out to God for an umpire to call the shots on the field. We have what Job cried out for… We have WHO Job longed for. Have you ever considered the magnitude of this reality. The reality that the Creator of the Universe made a way for you to have representation before His throne… a court appointed attorney… one that just is not going through the motions, but One that gave His life and is giving His eternity to eternally represent you as your personal legal representative before the highest court of all creation. Has the magnitude of this truth ever really resonated within you… or are you like the majority of modern American man who casually consider it your due right to have representation before the court even when you know beyond the shadow of a doubt you stand their guilty on all charges and yet you are hoping for a legal loop hole to jump through that will keep you from reaping the consequences of your crime on his earth?

Jesus has come as our Parakletos, but we must never forget that He does not negate, belittle, or malign the Law in order to set us free from our charges… He fulfilled the Law and yet He still chose to suffer the consequences of our sin on our behalf… this is why He says

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 

I will ask the Father,

and He will give you another Helper,

that He may be with you forever; 

that is the Spirit of truth,

whom the world cannot receive,

because it does not see Him or know Him,

but you know Him because He abides with you

and will be in you.

John 14:15-17

If we have Jesus as our Parakletos, then we must understand what all He went through in order for us to be able to have Him as such… and in this we should willingly and earnestly desire to keep His commandments. If we love Him our obedience to His Word should follow. It should follow because He doesn’t leave us alone to follow it… He not only intecedes on our behalf before the Father, but He also sends us a Helper to not just live with us… but IN US.

The word Helper in the Greek here is Parakletos. Yes, the same word for Advocate from 1 John 2:1-3. You see Jesus pleads for us on high and the Holy Spirit pleads with us with in. The Holy Spirit is here within us pleading with us, aiding us, interceding for us. He has summoned to our side to lead us in the way that we should go, to strengthen us to walk in obedience to the commands of God, to correct us when we stray, and to guide us to our Advocate on High so that we might call on His name and be represented before the Father… and Jesus, our Parakletos, pleads with the Father not on behalf of our righteousness… but on behalf of His.

He is with us and in us that we might not sin as children of God… but if we do sin… He is there to intercede on our behalf and to be the propitiation for our sin… because our justification is not determined by our righteousness… but by His sacrifice  Our forgiveness is not based on our ability to ask for it, but by the very fact that it was God’s desire to grant it. He made the way for forgiveness long before we even realized we needed it.

And if He did not come and seek us out, and draw us to confession and repentance, we, left to ourselves, would die in our sin because we would never come out of our little hiding places. We would continue to point our fingers at others instead of ourselves. And we would miss the beautiful joy of grace…

 

Proven Path Ministries

Christianity- The Original Liberalism

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Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

1 Corinthians 7:1-4

I cannot tell you the times I have heard this passage of Scripture used as a tool of manipulation and control. It seems that many see this passage and all they see is “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does”.

Some men read this and see, my wife is here to meet my sexual needs whenever I say so. She has no right to ever tell me no. I am the boss. 

Some women read this and see, what? this is my body and no one owns it but me… ever!

Both completely miss the entire point of this passage and the absolute breathtaking proof of true Christian liberation it contains because they do not put it into context.

This passage of Scripture was written when women were considered no more valuable than the sheep in the barn. They had no voice. They had no power. They had no freedom. They were bought and sold and thrown out. The sad thing is, that in many, many, many places in this world still to this day… that has not changed.

However, where Christ reigns, freedom reigns.

What this passage of Scripture really shouts is equality.

…each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Here in Christ, Paul states to the men of the church. Do you see this woman, this woman you call Wife. You belong to her and to her alone. This woman who from years past and for years to come is seen as nothing more than a tool of gratification in so many minds and nations of the world… this woman, this woman that you call Wife, has authority over your body, you belong to her just as much as she belongs to you.

Never, ever, was this even conceivable apart from the christian liberation found in Jesus Christ. That a husband was to be faithful to his wife, because his body belonged to her and her alone. Never before, was a woman lifted to such a level of respect and esteemed so highly as a wife and wife alone.

Christ takes the life of womanhood and lifts it up out from under the feet of man and places her back by his rightful side.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 1:26-28

In this day, the enemy of the cross and of our souls wants us to believe that Christianity is condemning and controlling and condescending to modern womanhood. That is the lie. The lie from the very depths of the pits of hell.

The truth is that in Christ and in Christ alone is true womanhood found and all the beautiful freedom that it contains.

Children's Ministry, Names of God Series

Names of God: Logos

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I love this study on the Names of God series. Last week was Valentines week, so in our names of God study we saw that Jesus is the Beloved. This week we saw that He is Logos.

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. 

He was in the beginning with God. 

All things came into being through Him,

and apart from Him

nothing came into being that has come into being. 

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 

The Light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

John 1:1-5

Logos is the Greek word for Word and it means of speech, a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea, what someone has said, a word, the sayings of God, decree, mandate or order, of the moral precepts given by God. It comes from the root word lego which means to say, to speak, affirm over, maintain, to teach, to exhort, advise, to command, direct, to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say, to call by name, to call, name, to speak out, speak of, mention

Now in Genesis 1:1 we read “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth“. Here begins our time, the creation of the heaven and the earth, but John 1:1 takes us even before the creation. It takes us to eternity. In the beginning was the Word and it was the Word that created the beginning of creation. Jesus, the Word was in the beginning, was with God, and is God. All things were spoke into existence by Him, the Word.

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

 

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

Hebrews 1:1-3

Just as the laminin in our physical bodies is the glue that holds us together and tells the cells what its job is in the body. So the Word, the Logos, is the glue that holds the church, the body of Christ, together and it is the Word that tells us what our job is in the body. As long as we stay in the Word, in Jesus, He will hold us together.

It doesn’t matter what we are going through. If we will just take in the Word, build up our Logos intake, then we will be held together. I can promise you that the glue of the Word will hold you.

Then as we look further into John 1, we see that this Logos, that holds us together, that holds the church together, that holds the universe together. The Logos that was in the beginning, the Logos that was with God, the Logos that is God… this is the Logos that became flesh… Became flesh and dwelt among us.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

John 1:14-18

Herbert Lockyer shares that “As the spoken word reveals our invisible thoughts the Living Word reveals the invisible God.” He also shares that “Christ came not as a Word of God, but the Word, the only revelation of God to man, and He declared all God had to say to man. In Creation, He was the expression of divine power, but in His Incarnation He became the revelation of the divine character. He is the Word, cleansing from sin, and if hid in our heart, will keep us clean.”

How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Your word.

With all my heart I have sought You;

Do not let me wander from Your commandments.

Your word I have treasured in my heart,

That I may not sin against You.

Psalm 119:9-11

 

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,

with all wisdom teaching

and admonishing one another

with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16

Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 1:18-32)

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Well here’s the Bible study for Romans 1:18-32… This study uses the New American Standard Bible translation… it could get confusing with a different translation since I use a lot of fill in the blanks.

WORD STUDY for Romans 1:18-21

Read the Greek definitions of each of these words and go back and read the Scripture verse in which they are found and see if it helps you understand what the means.

Wrath: orge

anger, the natural disposition, temper, character, movement or agitation of the soul, impulse, desire, any violent emotion, but esp. anger

Ungodliness: asebeia

want of reverence towards God, impiety

Unrighteousness: adikia

injustice, of a judge

unrighteousness of heart and life

a deed violating law and justice, act of unrighteousness

Suppress: kateco

to hold back, detain, retain from going away

to restrain, hinder (the course or progress of)that which hinders, Antichrist from making his appearance to check a ship’s headway i.e. to hold or head the ship

to hold fast, keep secure, keep firm possession of

to get possession of, take

to possess

Evident: phaneros

apparent, manifest, evident, known

manifest i.e to be plainly recognized or known

Made: phaneroo

to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown,

to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way

make actual and visible, realized

to make known by teaching

to become manifest, be made known

of a person: expose to view, make manifest, to show one’s self, appear

to become known, to be plainly recognized, thoroughly understood, who and what one is

Invisible: aoratos

unseen, or that which can not be seen

Clearly seen: kathorao

to look down, see from above, view from on high

to see thoroughly, perceive clearly, understand

Understood: noeo

to perceive with the mind, to understand, to have understanding

to think upon, heed, ponder, consider

Knew: ginosko

to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

to become known

to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of

to understand

to know

to become acquainted with

Honor: doxazo

to think, suppose, be of opinion

to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate

to honor, do honor to, hold in honor

to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendor

to impart glory to something, render it excellent

to make renowned, render illustrious to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged

Futile: mataioo

to make empty, vain, foolish

Speculations: dialogismos

the thinking of a man deliberating with himself

a thought, inward reasoning

purpose, design

a deliberating, questioning about what is true

hesitation, doubting, disputing, arguing

 

Read Romans 1:18-19

What is revealed from heaven?

__ __ __ __ __   of  __ __ __

 

What is it revealed against?

all __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of men

 

What do these men do?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __   the   __ __ __ __ __

 

How can they suppress the truth?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __  that which is known about God is

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ within them

 

Who made it evident within them?

____ ____ ____

Read Romans 1:20 and list what has been clearly seen about God since the creation of the world.

___________________    ______________________

____________________   _____________________

____________________   ______________________

 

How are these things that are clearly seen about God understood?

through what has been __ __ __ __

 

So where does that leave all of us with whether or not we believe in God?

without   __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:21. What did these who knew God refuse to do?

__ __ __ __ __   __ __ __  as God 

or __ __ __ __ thanks

 

Read Romans 1:21 again. Instead of honoring God and giving God thanks what did they do?

but they became __ __ __ __ __ __   in their speculations,

and their foolish __ __ __ __ __ was darkened.

 

Go back to the word study list and read again what “speculations” means.

THINK ABOUT IT…

List below some things that you know people think about God and His world that are not true according to what God says in the Bible.

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

Read Romans 1:22. Fill in the blanks below.

Professing to be __ __ __ __ they became __ __ __ __ __

 

Let’s see what other Bible verses have to say about being being wise and being a fool.

Read Psalm 14:1. What does the fool say in his heart?

There is  __ __     __ __ __.

 

Read 1 Corinthians 1:17-25.

Look at 1 Corinthians 1:18. Who is the word of the cross foolishness to?

those who are __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Look at 1Corinthians 1:20. What has God made foolish?

the __ __ __ __ __ __ of the world

 

Read Proverbs 9:10. What is the beginning of wisdom?

the __ __ __ __  of the  __ __ __ __

 

Read Proverbs 2:6. Who gives wisdom?

the __ __ __ __

As we look at the rest of Romans 1, we will see two repeated phrases, “they exchanged” and “God gave them over”. When God repeats something in the Bible it is very important for us to pay special close attention to what He is repeating and to ask ourselves why He is repeating it. We should wonder why it is so important.

 

Read Romans 1:22-23. What did those who profess to be wise, but became fools do?

they exchanged the __ __ __ __ __ of the incorruptible God for an __ __ __ __ __in the form of corruptible

__ __ __ and of __ __ __ __ __ and four-footed animals

and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

 

Read Romans 1:24. What is the first word in this verse?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

When the Bible says “therefore” that tells us to find out what the “therefore” is THERE FOR. In Romans 1:23-24 we see that they exchanged God for an image and therefore God gave them over. 

 

Read Romans1:24 again. What did God do to those who exchanged His glory for an image of man, birds, animal, and crawling creatures?

God __ __ __ __ them __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:25. What else did they exchange. 

they exchanged the __ __ __ __ __ of God for

a (the)  __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:25 again. What did they choose to worship and serve besides the Creature?

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Genesis 3:1-6. Who did Adam and Eve choose to serve besides God (we serve who we obey and listen to). Unscramble the letters for the answer.

TSERNEP    ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

 

Read Revelation 12:9. Who is this serpent?

the __ __ __ __ __ and __ __ __ __ __

 

Read John 8:44. What do you learn about the devil?

he was a __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ from the beginning

he is a __ __ __ __ and the father of __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:26. What does this verse begin with?

__ __ __ this __ __ __ __ __ __

 

“For this reason” is another important phrase in the Bible. When we see “for this reason” we need to ask “for WHAT reason?” and look to the verses before it to find out what the reason is. In Romans 1:25 we see that they exchanged the truth of God for the lie.

 

Read Romans 1:26-27. What did God do to those who exchanged the truth of God for the lie?

God __ __ __ __ them __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:24 again. What did God give them over to?

the lusts of their __ __ __ __ __ __ to impurity

 

Read Romans 1:26-27. What did God give them over to?

degrading  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ; for their women exchanged the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ function for that which is __ __natural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ function of the women  and burned in their desire toward one another, __ __ __ with __ __ __ committing indecent

__ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:26-27 again. What does God say about the relationship described? 

Circle the correct answer.

               It’s natural              It’s unnatural

 

Read Genesis 1:26-27 below.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them

 

Whose image was man made in?

___ ___ ___ ‘s

 

What was man given rule over? 

__ __ __ __ of the sea, __ __ __ __ __ of the sky and over the __ __ __ __ __ __ and over all the earth, and over every __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ thing

 

How did God create them?

__ __ __ __ and __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Now go back and read Romans 1:22-25. What did the ungodly and unrighteous do?

they __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ the glory of the incorruptible God for an image of corruptible man and of __ __ __ __ __ and __ __ __ __ – __ __ __ __ __ __ animals and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ creatures.

they exchanged the __ __ __ __ __ of God for a lie and worshiped and served the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ rather than the Creator

 

God created man to have rule or dominion over the creature not to worship and serve it. God created man and woman. He created them male and female. It is male and female that is in the image of God. 

 

Read Romans 1:27. What did they receive in their own persons because of their acts?

the __ __ __ penalty of their error

 

Read the last of Romans 1:27 again. Whose error is it? Circle the right answer.

God’s            or                theirs

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Spend some time today asking your grandparents how our nation has changed since they were kids. Ask them what they watched on television. Ask them what the president of our country supported. Ask them what things were considered wrong. Ask them how much of the Bible was a part of our country when they were kids. 

Then ask your parents what things are considered wrong now. Ask them what things are considered to be okay in our nation today.

Do you see a connection between what is going on in our nation today with what you have studied in Romans 1:21-27? As our nation has chosen to not honor God as God or give Him thanks and has chosen to exchange the truth of God for a lie, has our nation changed because of it?

Before we go any further I want to make sure that you remember that the pronouns “them” and “they” in Romans 1:21-32 all refer back to the “ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” in Romans 1:18. 

 

Read Romans 1:28. What do we learn about the ungodly and unrighteous?

they did not see fit to __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

God any longer

 

Read Romans 1:28 again. What did God do when they chose not to acknowledge Him?

God __ __ __ __ them __ __ __ __ to a depraved mind to do those things which are __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __ __

(Look up Isaiah 5:20-21 to see the description of a depraved mind)

 

Read Romans 1:29-30. 

List what those who have a depraved mind are filled with:

being filled with ______________________, ______________________, ______________________,

_____________________; 

full of ________, __________,

___________, ____________, _____________; 

they are ___________, _____________, haters of _____,

______________, _______________, _______________,

inventors of ________, disobedient to _______________,

 

Read Romans 1:31. What are the ungodly and unrighteous without? Unscramble the letters.

GNDIANSTERDNU  

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:31 again. What else do we learn about the unrighteous.

un__ __ __ __ __worthy

un__ __ __ing,

un__ __ __ __iful

 

As we learn about the unrighteous what we see is that they are the exact opposite of God. 

Read Psalm 145. What do you learn about God? 

Circle your answer.

Is He trustworthy?     Yes     No

Is He loving?             Yes     No

Is He merciful?          Yes     No

 

Read Romans 1:32. 

What do the unrighteous know?

and although they know the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of __ __ __.

 

What do they know about those that practice the things that you listed?

they are worthy of __ __ __ __ __

 

Even though they know this what do they do?

__ __ the same 

also __ __ __ __ hearty __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  to those who practice them

 

Read Romans 1:19-20. How do they know the ordinances of God? 

that which is known about God is evident _____________

them; for God made it __ __ __ __ __ __ __ to them

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

How do you know that you know the ordinances of God? When was the last time you “told on someone” and what did they do that led you to tell? 

 

 

Proven Path Ministries

That Baby’s Gone

confessions

 

One of the struggles of being a writer and being a woman that has chosen to lay her life out there for the world to see… is how much do I let you see of the lives of the others in my life. I don’t have the sovereign right to reveal the lives of others as I do what I reveal of myself, and this one concerns my kid… it could embarrass her… but I decided I am sharing it anyway.

The oldest of my womb is now almost twelve years old. She’s my sixth grader. My firstborn. My baby…

shelby's birth

 

That precious little one that screamed bloody murder that night… that precious one that did not sleep for over two years… that precious one that I loved before I ever saw her. I cried when we moved last summer and I found her kindergarten writings. I cried this fall in the middle of Academy when my husband measured her foot and her shoe size has outnumbered mine. He looked at me and said, “that baby’s gone!”

shelby wonka

As I  have watch this beautiful baby become a lovely lady I am filled with such hope and fear and sadness and joy all at the same time. This mother stuff is a trip. A glorious, terrifying, beautiful trip.

Last weekend I saw my daughter blossom in more ways than one… I saw her handle a lie.. and I saw her handle the truth… I saw her handle herself with value. I watched her in awe.

I heard this young woman speak Biblical truth to a first time met peer when she learned that they were being fed a lie. I saw her stand firm in the face of opposition and hold her Savior’s ground with strength and kindness and bold confidence.

Then last Sunday when a young man whom my husband and I had realized she was quite starry eyed over asked her about being his girlfriend… her response was simply… I like you, but you have to talk to my Dad.

She told this young man, I have value. I am precious in someone’s sight and you can’t have me unless they say its okay.

This young man, only a year older than she, manned up. He sent my husband a text right then… he didn’t beat around the bush… he didn’t try to pressure her into making a decision without the permission of her father. He just simply met the expectation she had set.

My husband responded to him and told him that he would meet with him face to face.

Of course this is one of the times that I have fallen in love with my husband all over again as he stood as the protector of our daughter. Here was this young man… who showed himself to be a young man by his respect for our daughter… and my husband chose to speak to him as a young man. He asked him what his definition of “girlfriend” was… and then he proceeded to share with him what the boundaries of this “relationship” would be. Then our daughter rode home from church with her Dad… and he talked Daddy to Daughter with her. As he told me some of what he shared… he said, I might have shared more information than is really required at this time, but they grow up so fast… I don’t want to turn around and realize I missed telling her.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this man?

Now neither of us are really quite ready for our baby to have a “boyfriend” I would much rather prefer only friends until one day they realize this friend is the one. I don’t like dating, especially in such a way that you really are just practicing for divorce. I am more a proponent of “courting” and this young man has been raised to think in the same way. So here we go, we’ll take it one baby step at a time… even though “that baby’s gone“

Proven Path Ministries

A Biblical Review of Willy Wonka

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Today my two youngest girls will have their full dress rehearsal for the College Street Players production of Willy Wonka. Yesterday was my first opportunity to see the show in full run through. Up to yesterday I had only had the opportunity to view the scenes my girls were rehearsing, but last night the entire cast was able to sit and be the “audience” for the run show dress rehearsal.

So just as I do anything I see with my eyes or hear with my ears I began filtering the production through my biblical understanding.

The play begins with giving the viewer a clear picture of the poverty of the bucket family according to worldly measures… but you also see the contentment in this family as they place their true wealth not in worldly gain, but in their family and love and respect for one another.

If we have food and covering,

with these we shall be content.

1 Timothy 6:8

As the play unfolds you will also see that no matter what disappointments or opportunities comes the Bucket’s way, they continue to lovingly remind one another to focus on the riches of family and they choose to rejoice in what they have instead of wollering in the misery of what they do not have. The character of the family is not based on accumulating more… their decisions are not based on their love of money, but on their love for one another.

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money,

being content with what you have;

for He Himself has said,

“I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

Hebrews 13:5

 

One of the key songs in this production of Willy Wonka is the Bucket family motto and we hear them sing, “think positive…”  Now I am not a proponent of the whole positive thinking movement. I don’t believe we can think something into happening to fulfill our own selfish desires. I don’t buy into the name it and claim it of popular hype in christendom… but I do believe that we must cast down any thought that is not in accord with the Word of God (2 Corinthians 10:5) and we are to dwell on the truths of God and not the lies of the world.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true,

whatever is honorable, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is of good repute,

if there is any excellence

and if anything worthy of praise,

dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8

 

One of my favorite scenes in the play is at the Candy Man’s Store. You see, Charlie Bucket visits the Candy Man’s store quite often, the Candy Man know Charlie… he has watched him and he has seen the heart of this young boy. He has watched as Charlie has proven himself to be a young man of moral character. What Charlie does not know is that the Candy Man is the Willy Wonka…

Now as we watch Charlie’s hope begin to waver as he watches one kid after another reveal their golden ticket to the world we see the “Candy Man” ask Charlie to retrieve something for him… and then we see the “Candy Man” offer Charlie the newest greatest Wonka Bar… and then we see him encourage Charlie to go ahead and have a bite now… and before Charlie opens it we hear him sing his Bucket family motto as he digs down deep and hopes against hope that maybe, just maybe, this time he will peal back the layers of paper and discover a beautiful golden ticket wrapped around that chocolate bar.

Much to his amazement… there it is! He has the last Golden Ticket! But it was not the power of positive thinking that delivered that ticket into his hands… it was the intervention of the one who knew his heart and had the power and authority to put that ticket in his hands.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights, 

with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:17

As you meet Charlie you also meet the other golden ticket discoverers. You will meet them one by one. Oh my, let me tell you they are a handful. I could break down the character of each of these, but I believe they will be clearly portrayed in the show. Selfishness, disrespect, greediness, unruliness, its just plain nasty and nasty is always easy to spot. The bottom line is that these characters are kids that have had their fleshly desires fed and fed and fed and fed. Their is no restraint given to them or expected of them.

There is a clear distinction between the character and integrity of the Bucket family as opposed to the families of these other Golden Ticket holders.

The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived,God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Galatians 6:6-10

In the play we child after child show their true colors more and more as they are faced with the objects of their desire… Their greatest temptation is faced before all of them and they succumb every time… even Charlie.

Charlie faces the fizzy lifting drink… could the object of Charlie’s desire be to be lifted up out of poverty? Could it be that he desires to have the freedom of provision that he sees so many others abusing? I think maybe so… yet here lies the test… how will Charlie seek the fulfillment of this desire?

As we see the fizzy lifting drink temptation of Charlie… we see that it is a test placed before him by Willy Wonka himself. What on earth would Charlie do when or if he chooses to fulfill a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way? What would he do if he failed?

Would he hide it?

Would he deny it?

Would he lie about it?

Or would he own it and reveal it and confess it and ask forgiveness for it?

As the play progresses you will see that these children do eventually reap what they have sown… Charlie reaps an eternal inheritance that can be passed from one generation to the next, one that he can share with the world, and he gets an even larger family as he now is entrusted with the care of Mr Wonka’s beloved Oompa Loompas… and well the others get all they are going to get in this life, a lifetime supply of chocolate.

 Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Matthew 6:2

I highly recommend coming to see the College Street Players production of Willy Wonka (Not just because my children are in it) but because you will see the picture of a family that holds on to hope as they face the trials of this life. You will see the contrast between a family that places its wealth in integrity, honesty, love, respect, and hope as opposed to families that place their wealth in the ability to meet the selfish desires of their flesh.

May we learn from the example of the Bucket family and choose to be content with what we have and yet still hold on to the hope of a better day ahead.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Philippians 4:10-12

wonka

 

 

The writing and teachings of Nicole Love Halbrooks Vaughn