My Bible Journal

My book is full. Almost exactly a year ago, I started writing down passages or verses of the Bible in my little wire-bound book on September 29, 2009. The journal has a beautiful blue cover with a pair of yellow flowers. The cover says "He has made everything beautiful in its time". (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV) That is only part of the verse but that is the way I've been writing passages. Writing these down this past year has helped me remember where some passages are. Now if someone references Jeremiah 29:11, I know what that verse is, even if I can't remember the whole, exact sentence.

I've also grown in appreciation for the diversity of the Bible. There are poems, songs, stories, biographic tales, autobiographic entries, commands, comforts. There are cries for help, justice and pleas for mercy and grace. There are bits that we can't fully appreciate. For example, since we don't know the Hebrew alphabet that was used for a particular acrostic we can't appreciate the original beauty. I didn't even KNOW there were acrostics in the original Biblical text! Because I'm reading a chronological Bible, I'm also getting a more complete understanding of various stories. I can tell that things are going on at the same time but in different places in the Promised Land and the surrounding area.

I learned in one footnote of my Life Application Bible that a passage from Job is quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:19. Paul doesn't mention Job, only "as it is written". I never would have put that together, except that I'm reading and studying the Bible. According to the footnote, this is the only time that Job is clearly quoted.

The verses I've jotted down vary from "there is no peace for the wicked" (Isaiah 57:21) to Philippians 3:10," I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead." and much more in between and surrounding. I've enjoyed this Bible-passage-recording process. I've learned a lot and have felt God's presence in amazing ways. My prayer journal is almost full too. I've ordered replacement journals so I can keep it up both practices. I would certainly miss it if I were to stop. Proverbs 6:21 "Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck." I think I'm doing that when I'm writing them down.

God, I appreciate the motivation I get from Your word. I thank you so much for the Holy Spirit that illuminates and explains passages for me. I love your word. Amen.

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Jesus is calling or.... Is Jesus calling?

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Doing the right thing

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If we are thrown into the blazing furnace....

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Jesus - sending 72

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A friend's post

I have started a blog - photo blog - for a friend. Check it out if you like. I like her photos - as you can tell from my past posts! Deanna's Post

A Bad Witness Can't Speak?

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Put to death ... your earthly nature

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King Asa & his grandmother

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He must become greater....

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Zephaniah

Have you read Zephaniah, the book of the Bible? Zephaniah was a prophet. A tough job when the Israelites spent more time rebelling against God than listening to their prophets. It is a very short book, having only three chapters. Much is spent on warning about the coming "day of the Lord" when there will be destruction and God's wrath poured out. This is a hard thing for me to grasp. The God of the New Testament is so full of love that all the talk of wrath and destruction seems so out of character. I want to think about some of the passages and see if I can find hope and Jesus in this hard book. After introducing Zephaniah and his reason for speaking ( "1:1 The word of the Lord ...came to Zephaniah... ) it quickly gets into the heart of the matter. (Zeph 1:2-3): "I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. "I will sweep away both men and animals; ...

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