Mark 6:6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Roman 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

There are those that teach belief and those that teach unbelief. Acceptance is a key that has opened many doors for me.

Marty,

As you requested feedback on your last post regarding tithing, I can understand your thoughts in connection with the “name it and claim it club’.

You may find this article interesting.

“To the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, a message of faith is being proclaimed. It is a message--not of faith in Jesus--not of faith in God, but of... faith in Faith.”
by Monte Wolverton.
http://www.ptm.org/JanFaithIn.htm
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Personally, I do not feel that tithing as is taught today in many churches is sound biblical doctrine. I believe the examples given in the bible that were pre-law tithing were given voluntary, not commanded by God.

It appears that Abraham gave a one-time tithe of the spoils or profits of war.

Hebrews 7

1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 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;
3 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.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Genesis 14:17-20

“17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. “

Genesis 28:20-24 KJV- Jacob promised to tithe if God did something first.

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Exodus 35.4-5

4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,

Exodus 35:21, 22, 24 and 29 also indicate the voluntary nature of pre-law giving.

Deuteronomy 14:22-23: KJV

22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

Pre-law tithing was voluntary and profit based and law tithing was mandated and agrarian.

Deuteronomy 18
Offerings for Priests and Levites

1 The priests, who are Levites—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the offerings made to the LORD by fire, for that is their inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them.
3 This is the share due the priests from the people who sacrifice a bull or a sheep: the shoulder, the jowls and the inner parts. 4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep, 5 for the LORD your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the LORD's name always.

Nehemiah 10:38-39, 12:44, Leviticus 27:30-33, Joshua 13:14

Note in Nehemiah 13:10, the Levites went to the field to replace missing tithes.
Nehemiah 13:10 KJV.

13:10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.
11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

God gave Israel's tithes to the Levites as an inheritance in lieu of land. [Joshua 13:14, Deuteronomy 10:6-9, 18:1-5, Numbers 18:21, 24] The Levites gave tithes and offerings out of the tithes to the priests [Nehemiah 10:38, Numbers 18], but they apparently didn't have to tithe the income from the sale of inherited property. [Deuteronomy 18:6-8] The Levites and priests were dependent on tithes for food. God's house was a storehouse and distribution point for the sacrifices, Levites, priests and those in need. [Malachi 4:10 "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in My House. [Nehemiah 13:10-13, 1 Samuel 8:15, 17, 2 Chronicles 31:11, Deuteronomy 12:6-7, 17-19, 14:22 - 23]

Christ denounced giving to God while ignoring responsibilities. [Mark 12:41-44, Mark 7:10-13, Matthew 22:21, 17:25-27] Romans 13:7-8 says to owe no man anything but love.

The communal use and distribution of tithes was for the Levites, priests, stranger, sojourner, fatherless and widows. [Deuteronomy. 26: 12 and 14:29]

In Acts 5:4 Peter told Ananias that after his land was sold the money was at his disposal and under his control. Peter did not say that he was only obliged to bring the tithe.

We see another example of Paul’s encouragement of this type of resource distribution

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 KJV.

13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

Acts 15:25-30 NIV

25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul. 26 Men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

Hi Britty,

Sorry for the above generalization on the scripture. I have had time to find chapter and verse in Daniel, and here it is:

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Daniel 10:12-13

v12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

v13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

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In this section of scripture, Daniel had previously been seeking the Lord in prayer, and the scripture explains the "prince of the kingdom of Persia" (in typology, thought to be Satan) withstood the messenger, and Michael (as in Michael the Archangel) came to help... so there was a battle in heaven concerning the answer to Daniel's prayer request.

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This also ties in to a thought Paul wrote about in Ephesians...

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Ephesians 6:12

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

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I think a good lesson to learn is that the battles we face in this life are not flesh and blood battles... everything is being fought for in the spiritual realm, as Paul explains in Ephesians 6:12.

Apply Eph 6:12 to real-world stuff...

1) I have a personal problem with a co-worker (or any human)... Ephesians 6:12, its a spiritual battle, not one fought in flesh and blood...

2) Prayers don't come immediately... Daniel 10:12-13, and Ephesians 6:12.... its a spiritual battle, and Satan puts up resistance.

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I think as we learn more about what is going on in certain situations, we can learn to pray with more understanding.

This scripture sometimes helps when going into spiritual battle through prayer:

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Matthew 16:19 - "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

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When I really want to get down to business in prayer, I pray and include certain things...

1) I start out and thank the Father for the cross, and ask him to cleanse me right then and there of any sin. I believe this opens up a more pure channel between God and myself. Cleansed by his blood, I then stand as a righteous man in God's eyes.

2) Depending on the prayer, I will ask God to bind all the powers of the enemy against (fill-in-the-blank-with-the-need______________). By doing this, I am applying Matthew 16:19 to the prayer and taking command of the situation at hand in the spiritual realm.

3) Ask specifically for what need(s) are concerned.


I also feel there is no one certain place to pray, but that a person can pray anywhere at anytime, or as Paul said "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

I would love to be able to settle my mind so much that I could truly pray without ceasing.

*******************





Jim

Always anoint the Lord first and foremost. Thanking him always for everything he does in my life and the lives of all those around me.

Pray…Without Ceasing

When we’re in need of guidance
Through times we cannot see
Just where we are heading
Or where we ought to be

When we need more faith
Through times that we doubt
For those times when we question
What life is all about

When we’re in need of comfort
Through times of so much grief
Those times when our hearts ache
And we have so many needs

When we need a friend
Through times when we’re lonely
Those times when there’s no one
Just God and us only

When we need more power
For those times we’re attacked
The struggle with temptation
Is one of Satan’s traps

When we have His blessings
Abundant in our lives
When things are going well
And doors open wide

Through all of these times
In life that we go through
One thing is very certain
In what we all should do

That we should never cease
From a lifetime of prayer
For praying opens heaven’s doors
And causes us to hear

What God wants to say to us
And the things He longs to show
So we can walk in His perfect will
Wherever we shall go

Oh, wow. That is really beautiful and I loved reading that, feral. Thanks for sharing. It really helped me.

Thank you Jim for supplying the verses in Daniel and for expounding on them.

I like your 1, 2, 3 approach to prayer and agree with your last statement. I find prayer easy to do in the car as I am driving, praying for others that pass by, and in the garden especially as I tend the flowers and have time for reflection and wonder at everything that God has made. It is good!

Love and Respect


We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

To misjudge the source of something can be embarrassing-- as in incorrectly guessing the sender of an anonymous love letter. It can also be painful–as in having the wrong tooth filled. Finally, it can even be dangerous–as in repairing a gas leak by soldering the pipe just shy of where the actual crack is.

To assume that our ability to love another person has its source in our own hearts carries with it the potential to be embarrassing, painful, or dangerous. We love because He first loved us. While early in marriage the depth of our love may seem to thrive in the abundant delight and overflow of our own hearts, a day may come when finding a drop of love or respect in our heart for our spouse will feel impossible. Where does that leave us?

It leaves us with the call to look at Jesus –God made flesh and came among us. He is the One from whom love begins; He is the One from whom we are given both access to love and patterns with which to offer love.

Consider Jesus washing his disciples’ feet; consider Him willingly and sinlessly going to the cross for our sins. This is what draws us out of ourselves and into the heart of Love, this place where his mercy meets our unworthiness and still, He loves us.

Standing in that place of watching Jesus, the call becomes both clear and accessible. It is then that we are to be willing to lay down our own rights and pour out that same love to the one with whom God has joined us together in covenant.

When Decision Analysts, Inc., did a national survey on male-female relationships, one question for men read:

"Even the best relationships sometimes have conflicts on day-to-day issues. In the middle of a conflict with my wife, I am more likely to be feeling:
A. That my wife doesn't respect me right now.
B. That my wife doesn't love me right now.

Not surprisingly, 81.5 percent of men chose "A."

The survey only substantiated what I had already discovered in my years of working with married couples: Women need to feel loved, and men need to feel respected. This may explain why Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:33 that a husband must love his wife and a wife must respect her husband. Both commands are unconditional. The hard part is that respect comes more easily to men, and love comes easier to women

Colossians 3:19 commands a husband to agape-love his wife (love unconditionally). Obviously, she needs to feel loved.

Imagine that the wife has an air hose that goes to a love tank. She needs love like she needs air to breathe. When her husband stands on her air hose — buying a birthday card for their anniversary — she'll react negatively!

When the husband sees the spirit of his wife deflate, he should realize he's stepping on her air hose and get off it. Though she may react in a disrespectful way, she is crying out, "I feel unloved by you right now. I can't believe you're doing this to me." If, in response, the husband heads to the "office," she'll feel even more unloved.

Likewise, the husband needs respect, just as he needs air to breathe (1 Peter 3: 1-2). He, too, has an air hose to a tank labeled "respect," and as long as the air (respect) is coming through, he is just fine. But he deflates when his wife steps on his air hose by saying things like, "You don't care! You are so unloving!" If she shows disrespect in an attempt to motivate him to be more loving, it hinders the relationship. A destructive cycle of feeling unloved and disrespected easily starts.

Husbands and wives must learn how to recognize when they are stepping on each other's hoses and respond appropriately. (See Love and Respect for practical tips.) When a wife is careful to show respect — in obedience to God — her husband will stay connected and teachable. When a husband shows his wife love, her spirit will be reaffirmed. Then both will have the air they need to breathe.

Craziness is when we keep doing the same thing — again and again — with the same ill effect. Marital craziness is when we do the same thing — over and over — with the same negative results. I call it the Crazy Cycle. When hurt and frustrated, we continue reacting in negative ways to motivate our spouse to be positive. Can you believe it? That's like flipping broken light switches for 30 minutes.

All who are married go through this cycle. The topics change, and the intensity varies, but the crazy cycle continues. One day the argument may be about a diet book, the next day the argument may be about child-rearing methods. Next month, it's about a marriage book and then about the lack of money.

This happens among good willed people. Sadly, some think they have a horrible marriage because of this craziness. Truth is, they are inches away from making an adjustment that can set them in a whole new and positive course. The key is to see underneath this "craziness," to the heart of a spouse.

The key is to understand that each of us reacts in code, and this code can be cracked!
Based on Ephesians 5:33, I discovered why a husband and wife react the way they do. We read, "each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband" (NIV).

Because a wife needs love, a husband would be wise to assume his wife's negative reaction is rooted in her feeling unloved. On the other hand, because a husband needs respect, a wife would be prudent to assume her husband's negative reaction is rooted in his feeling disrespected.

Is it time for you to apply God’s truth? It takes work, but it works. It may not be fair, but God’s truth is revealed to people in unfair situations. A respectful or loving demeanor prevents a wife or husband from repeatedly flipping broken light switches.




(this was sent to me by a friend)

This one is always my favorite one

John 3:16 For god so loved the world he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have internal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever beleives in him is not codemned , But whoever does not believe in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of god's one and only son..

thanks
Paul
God bless everyone!

One of my favorites too! Welcome to the forums

Proverbs 3
Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about him in all your ways, and he will guide your paths.

A nice verse Wingman. There is so much in a few words there.

I am going to share a portion of a devotion from:

Encouragement for Today [Encouragement_for_Today@crosswalkmail.com]

Four Special Gifts
Tracie Miles


"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NIV)

Devotion:

Our key verse today really wraps up the true meaning of Christmas. In this one little verse we are given four amazing gifts. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we got as excited about the gifts of God, as we do the gifts under our tree?

The first of these gifts is love. God loves us more than we can imagine - more than we can love our children, our spouses, or our family. He loves us with a measure of love we cannot understand. For some, the holidays are a difficult time. They may bring feelings of loneliness and being unloved more than any other time of the year. Through this verse, we learn the magnitude of God's love.

The second gift is His son; His only begotten son Jesus Christ. God not only gave Jesus in birth to live as man, but to die as man as well. He gave the gift of Jesus' life as our example, and the gift of payment for our sins through His death. He paid the ultimate penalty so that our slates are wiped clean in heaven.

The third is the gift of faith. We can believe in Him -- for life, for love, and for the power to overcome. Power to overcome even death. This gift requires trust, and helps us get through every day, every circumstance, and every period of trouble. It is a gift that offers a holy hand to hold and a holy shoulder to cry on. A gift that holds the answers of hope and joy.

The fourth and most precious gift is the gift of eternal life. This gift promises a secure future: a life after death, free of pain and suffering. It is a gift we do not deserve, can never repay, and will not fully understand or appreciate until we are face to face with Jesus for eternity.

awwwww Britty I love it doll......most beautiful....I got your im but a lil late.....If your around today let's catch up.....I hope life is being good to my dear friend...And many blessing during the seasons for you and yours.


Don't Forget About Jesus


Christmas is a special time
To reflect on Jesus Christ
The wonder of His lowly birth
Brings meaning to our lives

There really is no other reason
We celebrate this day
The birth of God’s precious son
And the life He willingly gave

But so much seems to distract us
In the busy-ness of our lives
We lose our focus in all the happenings
Not knowing, we leave out Christ

We lose sight of the true meaning
As we endlessly rush about
Trying to find that perfect gift
Seems to cloud our Saviour out

We need to stop and reflect awhile
Remembering our precious Lord
His birth, His life and sacrifice
And all that He stands for

For though the world may celebrate
It seems though for other reasons
Let’s keep in mind that Jesus Christ
Is the true meaning of the season

Proverbs is one of my favorite parts of the Bible, thanks

Thank you Debs. Life is good. God is good, no, He is awesome!


This is not a bible study but it is a thought for the young and not so young Christian men.

If you read my profile, and state that in an email, I expect a decently written one.

My profile clearly states that I am engaged and not here looking for a relationship, so if you claim to be 'christian', I will hold you accountable as such.

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room, and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask him.

The words choked in my throat, as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement, TEACH THE CHILDREN! I was puzzled: What did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.

As I stood there bewildered, Santa said, Teach the Children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that a now-a-day Christmas has forgotten!

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it on the mantle. Teach the Children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind. All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning
toward heaven.

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. Teach the Children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of that promise.

He then reached into the bag and pulled out a CANDLE. Teach the Children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.

Once again he reached into his bag and then removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. Teach the Children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.

He then pulled out from his bag an ornament of HIMSELF. Teach the Children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.

He reached in again and pulled out a HOLLY LEAF. Teach the Children the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent blood shed by Him.

Next he pulled out a GIFT from the bag and said, "Teach the Children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Teach the Children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We should give gifts in the same spirit as the wise men."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. Teach the Children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the shepherd's staff helps bring back strayed sheep from the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper.

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. Teach the Children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace and good will.'

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. Teach the Children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of a bell, it should bring people to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.

Santa looked at the tree and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the Children the true meaning of Christmas, and not to put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down and worship Him, our Lord, our God."

HO HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS

Ho Ho Ho Britty

James 1:17 (New International Version)

17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Acts 20:35 (New International Version)

35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

I shared in the poem/creative writing area something that happened to me today. I wanted to share it here as well, as somedays I only visit this area.


A Season of Giving



I have been blessed today by my daughter Liana, who is four and truly a gift from above.



Liana had picked out a gift for me yesterday at church and came to me this morning asking me to open it. I refused; I enjoy surprises and find that waiting is half the fun! She would not leave me a lone and kept trying to persuade me to open it. She even wrote me a note. She got a piece of paper and an orange colored pencil and asked me how to spell what was on her mind.

Mom, how do you spell Laura? Capital L.a.u.r.a.
Mom, how do you spell I? Capital I
Mom, how do you spell insist? i.n.s.i.s.t
Mom, how do you spell mother? M.o.t.h.e.r.

She signed her paper, found an envelope and sealed it. She brought it to me and asked if I’d like her to open it for me. I said sure….

As she was writing me the note I was having a personal inner battle; haven’t I taught her that it is more blessed to give than to receive? If she wants to give this to me so much, should I really keep arguing? What if it is a Christmas ornament that could be hung up and enjoyed the rest of the season?

Liana read the note to me and then looked up at me with big brown eyes and a pleading smile. I just looked at her with a smile on my face but she delivered the punch that closed the discussion, “Mom, I promise I will make you another gift.”

I got down on my knees and opened the carefully decorated bag that was adorned with Liana’s original Christmas artwork, careful not to rip one line or stick man. To my surprise I pulled out a hummingbird wind chime. My genuinely grateful smile paled in comparison to the true look of joy that radiated from Liana’s face.

Liana lifted her hands to the sky and said, “Mom. Christmas isn’t about getting presents. Christmas is about love.” Tears started welling out of the corner of my eyes despite the urge I had to hold them back.

She then said, “I tried to find a blue jay because I know they are your favorite, but they didn’t have anymore.” The tears were now streaming and I started to wonder if they were confusing her.

I said, “Liana, these are not tears of sadness, these are tears of joy. I am so thankful for you. Thank you for this present.”

She ran into my arms, still grinning from ear to ear, and gave me a gigantic hug. She pulled away and then came back and hugged me again. After she did this for the third time, she asked if we could go hang it outside in the front. A little reluctant due to the season and the recent winds, I hesitated in answering her. She pulled my arm and I reasoned ‘how I could refuse her anything at this moment’.

We went outside and hung the hummingbird wind chime up where a fern would normally hang in the summer. Hand-in-hand we made our way to the street to retrieve the trash can.

“Isn’t it a pretty day? Isn’t it a pretty sunrise,” Liana asked?

Looking up at the gray sky without a hint of sunshine peeking through the clouds, 34 degree weather with the wind whipping on our cheeks, and not a green blade of grass on the ground I answered her,

“Yes, Liana. It is a pretty day and a beautiful Sonrise.”



Wishing you a Merry Christmas and happy memories that will last a lifetime.

Oh my, what a blessing she is. That bought
tears to my eyes. I could just visualize the scene.



I hope you and your family have a Wonderful Christmas.

The Lord's Prayer.


Click link below:

www.LordsPrayerMovie.com


May you all be blessed this day.

She is a blessing and just celebrated her fifth birthday; it goes too fast!

Merry Christmas Everyone

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Jacob's Ladder - Genesis 28:10-22

I found this tonight while reading the scriptures. I thought it was a neat passage so I thought I would share it here in the Bible Study thread:

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Genesis 28:10-22

v10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

v11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

v12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

v13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

v14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

v15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

v16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

v17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

v18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

v19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

v20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

v21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

v22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.