Revelation about the Book of Revelation's 7 churches

I have been reading and studying the book of Revelation for some time. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the churches. It was revealed to John the Apostle, you may know him from the Gospel of John. He refers to himself as "the disciple who Jesus loved." I love that he knew he was loved and called himself that. 

I have been studying it off and on since the Covid shutdown. Recently, Jen Wilkin published her bible study of the book of Revelation, and I studied it with a group of ladies in our church.  I recommend it highly for those looking for a great study to do. 

One thing that stood out as I studied was our tendency to DO things FOR Jesus instead of allowing him to do those things through us through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the letters to the seven churches, the message to the church in Ephesus from Jesus seems to say, “I don’t want you to do for me, I want you to be with me.” (Perhaps that is why we are called human beings instead of human doings) They were doing the work, but they had forgotten their first love. Interestingly, in doing this study, it occurred to me that Paul went to Ephesus in the early 50s AD. The letter to the Ephesians from Paul was written around 60 AD, and Revelation was written around 95 AD. I find it sadly intriguing that they lost their first love in a mere 35-45 years.

I believe the relationship we experience with Christ is through Him doing things through us by the Spirit which builds a communal connection between ourselves and Him. This is where I find the greatest joy and freedom. Rest comes as He works in me; His work equals my rest. The outcome of what we are doing is not my responsibility, rather I leave the results up to Him. Regardless of the outcome, I grow closer to Him. I end up knowing more of Him. It is worth it.

In the first week, Jen pointed out that the enemy uses three weapons against us. This was very insightful, so I wanted to share it with you. She quoted the theologian Iain Duguid when she noted that Satan only has 3 weapons to use against the believer. Those weapons are Seduction, Deception, and Persecution.

She says the following of each:

“Seduction is the temptation to live like unbelievers. Deception is believing a lie instead of the truth. Persecution is suffering for the sake of our Christian witness.”

Seduction:

Our enemy, Satan, has an easy job when using seduction as a weapon against us. Seduction automatically conjures up thoughts of sexual sin, but she makes the point that we can be seduced to do any type of sin. Sin is simply missing the mark of God’s standard. The enemy comes after God’s children simply to hurt the Lord. However, it is easy to sexually seduce us in our oversexualized culture. There is easy access to any temptation, but those sexual temptations are easy for him and prevalent for us.

We need to be on guard against this tactic and know that the enemy will try to seduce us to sin by the things of this world. These sorts of temptations will feed our flesh which is our desires and our nature.

Deception:

The world system values us by what we “do,” but our value as Christ's followers is in our covering and connectedness to Him by the Spirit. What interferes with this beautiful connection within the church is the lie that we are required “to do” to be accepted and approved.  This comes from our deceiving enemy. I have heard it said that if Satan cannot tempt you, he will just get you busy.

All sin interferes with our connection with the Lord. Sin quenches the Holy Spirit who is with us. That interference can be remedied as quickly as we repent.  That means we stop the sinful activity and turn back to the Lord.

Self-deceived is when we say, “I do not need anything.” It is when you convince yourself that you’re doing these great things for Jesus. The funny thing is, He never called us to do things for him. He called us to surrender to allow Him to do these things through us. He leads us and tells us what we need to do.

Isn’t it interesting that deception and lies simply take the truth and distort it instead of creating a new idea?

Persecution:

So, we learn to walk with Jesus so we will not be seduced by the things of this world or deceived by our efforts. However, when we get to the point where we are overcoming the temptations of the world and overcoming our efforts, we will face a different weapon. The enemy is smart and recognizes those two weapons no longer are working. He pulls out the weapon of persecution. It will come especially when the other two no longer work on us, but remember Jesus is with us during the battle.

Sin causes me to become prey to the enemy. The world mixed with my natural desires seduces me, my focus on myself and the effort that I bring to the table enables me to be deceived, and when I’m walking hand-in-hand with the Lord and surrendering to Him, the weapon used against me will be persecution.

Conclusion:

So, I suppose my takeaway from this is that we need to be on guard against the evil tactics that the enemy uses to attack us. Seek hard after the Lord. Walk closely with Him and confess your sin. Take note of your self-deception and lean into a healthy community of believers who love the Lord and submits their lives to the Word of God. Look for a praying community to do life with. Do not look for perfect people, look for loving and godly people to walk with. Look for companionship among believers who will encourage you to grow up into a strong follower of the Lord.

If you are looking to make some sense out of the days we live in, I encourage you to do this study. Revelation is a book that looks back in the Scripture to point us forward to our future.

As time permits, I will write more insights if this article has enough interest.

Hope you have a blessed day today.

Warrior or Worrier

I was recently reminded that I cannot be a worrier and warrior. I cannot be a victor and be a victim. I cannot live in both fear and faith. 

It is like being in two places at once. I saw this happen portrayed in the movie, "A Walk to Remember."  But normally we cannot be in two places at once.

Along those lines, I have to either walk in victory or sulk in my victimization, but I cannot do both any more than I can be in two places simultaneously. We all have been victimized in some way or another. How we frame it determines if we will allow it to conquer us. I am not trying to minimize anyone’s experiences. I am only saying that the frame in which we choose to highlight the trauma, and difficulty truly determines how we stand in its aftermath. 

I have experienced suffering through traumatic experiences, emotional wounds at the hands of well-intended friends and family, and even church family, and I have experienced physical trauma at the hands of perpetrators. How I chose to move forward with those pains determined how I walked from that point forward.

I have not been shielded from the difficulties of this life. I have had many trials, hurts, offenses, and painful experiences. Each one was an opportunity to sit in the hurt and difficulty. It was also an opportunity to turn to my Lord or angrily turn away from Him. The latter will always end up hurting me more than the original pain ever could be. So, with each hardship, when I turned to the Lord, He grew me up and drew me closer to Himself. He used that which someone else intended to harm me for my good and His glory.

Out of all of these experiences, I either worry and fret, or walk in faith and trust in God. I know He has a plan. I know He has a purpose. He is in the process of carving me into the image of His Son. He can use any instrument He chooses to perfect this image He is refining. I choose to stand in that victory as a victor even before the battle is won because I choose to trust His handiwork in me and walk in faith, believing He is completing the work He started in me. 

Therefore, if I stand in these choices, I no longer have to worry, be upset, or be anxious about "many things" as Jesus said to Martha in Luke 10:41. I am a warrior, a fighter, a victor. I am an overcomer because I know the One who holds my life in His hands.

So today, let's walk in faith, stand in our victory as we see His hand, set aside those worries and anxieties, and embrace our warrior status. The victory is already determined ahead of time. It may not look the way we choose, but if we are in Christ, we already won the victory. Nothing and no one can take us from His hand. Now that is something to get excited about, actually, it is everything. 

I hope you have a wonderful day today. Stand a bit taller in your confidence of whose you are. Walk a bit more confidently in the One with whom you put your trust. Run the race He has laid out for you for you are in the Lord's army. The battles are so hard, but the overall victory is already determined. Read about the battle gear that is available for us to put on according to Paul.

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:10-20

 

 

Jesus' Prays

 At one of the hardest times in Jesus' life, this is the prayer He prayed for us. 

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them, and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.” John 17:20-26

What can we learn from this? 

What are my takeaways?

What are your takeaways?

To think, Jesus knew he was about to be arrested, brutally beaten, and crucified. Yet he still prayed for us. 

I takeaway my need to pray for others especially when I am going through times of trial, difficulty, and pain. In those times, I tend to be more inward-thinking. Seeing His example, the better approach for me is to look outward and upward.

What are your thoughts?

Life can be Difficult

I know that difficult times are not fun at all.  In fact, they can be really awful. I have been wondering lately though. What if I frame my trials in a new way? What if they are the backdrop to highlight the good times? I wonder if, in the hard times, I will change my perspective if I may not even see light amidst the darkness of my hour.

I don't know how to share exactly what has recently happened to me.  It has been profound, scary, exciting, and very unexpected. 

I had not been feeling great for a few days. It wasn't that odd because I just had indigestion. It was bad enough that I didn't attend church that day.  I just didn't feel great. By Monday, I was able to go to lunch with a sweet friend. The next day, I walked my dog, Ellie, and I taught my cardio class at the Wellness Center. It was Halloween.  It was going to be a very busy day. It had gotten super cold, and my hands hurt while I walked Ellie. I figured it was just because I was cold.  I got home, my hands warmed up and the pain went away. 

I had payroll to process at work, I needed to take my mom to get groceries, and I just didn't have time for what happened next.

I finished teaching my class and I could tell I was just a bit off. By the time I was leaving the facility, I called my sister, and she wisely advised me to go to the doctor to get checked out. 

I headed to the nearby Urgent Care. They determined that I was either at risk or was having a heart attack. Gosh!!! WHAT???

But I eat right and exercise!!! How can this be?

I was taken by ambulance to the hospital. I remember traveling in reverse looking out the window at the all too familiar road. I began to pray with a bit of excitement and peace that this could be my last day here on earth. I wasn't hating my life; I was just getting excited that I may be face-to-face with Jesus today!!!!  Oh wow!!

I immediately began to think of all of my wonderful family and friends that I would be leaving behind, which made me tear up. But the peace that fell on me was beyond what I could ever have imagined or put words to. It was that heavy deep breath followed by a full exhale that makes up a sigh of relief and release. (Yeah, still words just cannot do it justice)

For any of you who know me well, this next part will not surprise you. The ambulance driver, the person who was taking care of me, and I started joking around. I smiled, and they smiled. The young lady who rode with me was so busy with my care, but she was still light-hearted with me. Still very much doing everything to keep me alive on that ride. She told me once we got to the ER that she didn't want me to know how bad it was. She elevated my status to get me into a specific room for urgent care. 

I was surrounded by a sea of medical staff all doing their part to get me treated ASAP. The entire staff at Huntsville Hospital was absolutely amazing. I cannot begin to thank them all for the treatment from start to finish. It was quite a day. 

I had a procedure and had to have two stents in two branches of a main artery, and I heard it called the widow maker. 

I was taken to ICU where I slept and struggled with nausea. I remember family and friends coming and going into my room. My daughter Sara Kate stayed with me that night. Unfortunately, she was awakened by hospital ICU staff who quickly removed her from the room. She recalls seeing my body flailing around on the bed. The staff hooked me up to an AED and began chest compressions. I was awakened by a nurse trying to get an oxygen mask on my face. I remember freaking out because I couldn't understand why they had awakened me from such a great sleep. I can attest to a PEACE and rest I have never known. It was the best and deepest sleep. But to be brought back to such chaos was strange. I am still very thankful to the wonderful staff that provided such quick and skillful care for me. 

In the meantime, Sara Kate had been taken to a room to wait. She proceeded to contact Marc, my husband, and my daughter Taylor. Taylor and her husband Caleb were about to board when Sara Kate told her what had happened to me. She didn't know if I had made it or not.  At that point, she was taking off and not able to receive updates until she landed. Taylor said she just slept on the plane. Being in the room alone, Sara Kate turned to see a bible sitting near her. During this difficult storm, she began to read and found peace, hope, and care in the words she kept reading. 

It was one scary event after another. But I can tell you I felt the presence of God during it all. He draws near to us when we seek Him. I sensed His presence more intimately. I don't want to have another heart attack but what happened to me was better than any revival I have experienced in my life.

My heart's ability to pump blood out to the body known as the EF was 30% at the time I was leaving the hospital. I was informed by the cardiologist that the number would need to improve into the 40's and optimally 50's or I would require a pacemaker. 

I began 3 months of cardiac rehabilitation. I am still doing it. But my latest ECO showed my EF is 56%. The optimal range is between 50-70.  I had people praying for me from the east coast to the west coast. Sara Kate placed her hand on me and prayed believing God would heal my heart. My cardiologist said the muscle looked as if I had not had a heart attack. He said from the EKG he could tell I had. 

So why would I want to share this story with you on this Blog? Well primarily to offer hope. I want anyone reading it to know that dark times will come.  The number one thing I heard after this was "But you are the healthiest person I know." Dark times come to all of us at one time or another. Life is not all a bed of roses, but my trials and difficulties provided the perfect context to reveal to me the beautiful perspective of God's love, care, presence, and peace. I would not know just how close He is, how much He comforts me and those I love, had I not gone through it. I would know it with my head, but now I know it because I experienced it. I experienced God through this time. I was so thankful to see Him comforting my family in a variety of ways.

Another reason I wanted to share my experience is to say do not ignore the warning signs. I didn't know that indigestion could be a sign of a heart attack. But since my event, I have been informed. Is every bout of indigestion a reason to go to the ER, NO. But it is good to know that it is a possible sign. 

My family tree has several branches that have a history of heart issues. This was not something I could exercise out or eat well enough to improve it. So, listen to your body. Do not ignore signs but also do not read this and start working yourself up into anxiety that can lead you to a panic attack. Just listen to your body, talk to family and medical staff, seek help if needed, and know that if you call on the LORD Jesus, He will be with you and can provide intimate care for you in the middle of it all.

Call out to Him. He draws near to those who seek Him with their whole heart. He will walk with you through the difficulties. 

Take care of your body. I am including some links for you to check out.

Taking Care of Yourself | American Heart Association

Cardiac Heart Care and Cardiovascular Program by Huntsville Hospital

What Is a ‘Widowmaker’ Heart Attack? | Sharp HealthCare

Why Suffering?

I hope you have a lovely Christmas season. But more than that, I hope you have hope in Jesus Christ.

I recently went through a very challenging time. What transpired was pain, suffering, abundant hope, peace, and comfort. Perhaps it will be one of my upcoming blogs, but this message trumps my experience right now. 

If you have experienced loss, pain, or suffering and it has led you to be angry with God, I hope you will read the quotes below prayerfully. Then, I hope you will cry out to God in your anger. 

I know I have heard the question "Why does God allow suffering and pain?" I realize it is a reason many have rejected God and turned from His offer of salvation. However, I have always had a graciousness toward the Lord in this matter. I always wanted to have an answer when I was asked this perplexing question, but I feel Chip Ingram with the help of the words of C.S. Lewis to answer this question very clearly in the podcast. If you have time, please listen to this message. One of the better ones I have heard on this topic. 

Below are quotes from Chip Ingram from Living on the Edge. His message Jesus Unfiltered - Believe - Jesus - Offers Hope to the Hopeless, Part 2.

His main point: There is hope for the hopeless.

Scripture reference:

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."

Quotes from the message:

"You would rather be sick in your sin. You would rather have the consequences of your sin because you like it. Because you are comfortable in it."

"Ask for help, have mercy on me, and cleanse me. He wants to say yes. He wants to heal us."

"There comes a day when we will be judged. Today is the day if you hear His voice. To say maybe or later is a no. He wants us to say yes and respond to the light."

"Why does suffering/pain exist if God is a good God?"  

Chip quotes CS Lewis in Shadowland with all of these quotes below:

"God creates us free. Free to be selfish." 

"But God adds a mechanism that will penetrate our selfishness and wake us up to the presence of others in the world. That mechanism is called suffering."

"Pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

"Why pain? Why can't He wake us more gently with violins or laughter? Because the dream from which we must be awakened is the dream that all is well. All is not well. If you do not have a relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ, you are spiritually in a hopeless situation and you need a savior. If you are self-sufficient, you have no need of God. If you do not seek him, you will not find him. The suffering in the world is not the failure of God for us it is his action."

Here is the link to this podcast. These quotes start around the 19-minute mark and on. Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram Daily Podcast: Jesus Unfiltered - Believe - Jesus - Offers Hope to the Hopeless, Part 2 on Apple Podcasts

Word/Spirit/Fire/Light

We need to be in the Word of God. In it, we see what God accomplished for us through Jesus. We will also see what it says about God's long-suffering and endurance with man. The word reveals the tendencies of humans and our forgetfulness. 

In the Word of God, we recognize the flawedness of humanity and our need for help, rescue, and resuscitation. This Word points us to an answer for what ails us. Many never accept this condition and spends their life trying to prove this reality wrong. However, it is a reality. We are incapable of being in a correct connection with the One who created us. We long for it, but we cannot make it happen. The Creator had a plan. He told us if we live our lives according to these instructions, it will go well with us. He longed for it to go well with us. He designed us to have full lives. Lives of hope, joy, and love. We fall short and need help to be right. He made a way for us to be right through Jesus. This is the answer to humanity's frailty. 

Be in the Word of God so that the Word of God can be in you. It will transform you. The Word is where you will find out about the answer which is the Best News Ever for us. 

As you read the Word of God, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you as you read. Allow Him to set the words ablaze in your soul so they truly come to life within you. This is where the Word of God transforms you from the inside out. You become a "living word" to those around you. The world begins to see the glory of the Lord demonstrated through you. This is how we bring light into the darkness of this world. What a magnificent privilege we have to be a vessel for the display of our Creator and Father.

So as we go about our day today, let's be the light!!!

Spirits and Idols

I am becoming aware of my tendency to bow to idols I never realized existed.

There are spirits that can control us. They can be spirits of unworthiness, arrogance, control, subjection, passivity, legalism, or hyper-emotionalism. You name it. I believe those of us who are in Christ and live lives controlled by the Holy Spirit should not fulfill the desires of our flesh. But I also believe that there are times when our flesh wins, and in those times, we are corrupted by sin. Sin is like a sticky substance that allows spirits to attach themselves to our lives.

The remedy for us is to confess our sins. When we do, the Bible promises that He is faithful to forgive us. 

When we do not confess and receive forgiveness for sin, we begin to walk in a manner controlled by a spirit other than the Holy Spirit. We then can become a spiritual tripping hazard for others and for ourselves. We will begin to process our environment through the lens of that controlling spirit. As we do, we will in essence be bowing down to that spirit. If we stay in it long enough, we will begin to expect everyone else to bow down to it as well.

When encountering someone under one of these influences, we will either bow down to that spirit as well, or we will reject the person. I believe we have to stand up to those spirits. 

My tendency is to back away. I am beginning to understand that my passivity to a spirit is, in itself, me bowing down or being controlled by a spirit of passivity. Many of us Christians see combat, warring, and standing up, as the opposite of Christianity. But I am beginning to see a bit differently. Why were we told in scripture to be courageous and not fear? Why are we told to get our ARMOR on? Why are we told to grab our sword of the Spirit and our shield of faith? It is because we are in a war. We are in a battle.

As believers, we are commanded to put on Christ, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, and to live our lives in obedience to our Commanding Officer’s marching orders, which are found in His Word.

If I am to take a stand for Him, I cannot bow to spirits that are attracted to my sin–nor can I bow to those spirits in others. In our modern world, we no longer bow down to statues erected as idols. Our idols are more subtle. If we give into the influence of a spirit in ourselves or in others, we are bowing down to it. It is time to stand up against this. We need to know who we are and Who we belong to. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, ask for forgiveness for our sins, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and obey the Word of the Lord. This is the best way to stand up against controlling spirits. 

As I processed these truths before the Lord, I discussed what I wrote with a trusted set of friends. I had one of them review it for me. I am so glad that I did. It was great to get another view or perspective on my story. She simply asked me, "Are the spirits and idols interchangeable or distinct." As I ruminated over that question, it was obvious that I must clarify this. They are indeed one and the same. I think that was the major epiphany I had after I sensed the Lord calling me out on this. I thought I was being godly, and He showed me I was actually bowing down to idols in the form of spirits that were controlling my behavior. He called me out and I see it very clearly now. That clarity is what motivates me to share it with others.

As Christians, we stand for the gospel. Our lives are to be lived in love, yes. But love tells us to do what is best for ourselves and others–not what makes us feel good. We all need to stand up and fight the spirits that are not in agreement with the Holy Spirit. How will we recognize the difference? The Holy Spirit will always line up perfectly with the Word of God. Always.

If you would like further clarity, feel free to comment or send a message to me with your questions.

 

What is Next After Conversion?

What is next after you have converted to Christianity? What does that even mean? 

There are many opinions. 

Jack Hibbs is a pastor from California who said the church is called to make disciples not converts.  I loved that so much. Why? It is not enough to convert. That is simply step one. We are to Grow Up. The last thing Jesus said before leaving his disciples on earth to start the Christian church was to go and make disciples, teaching them to obey all my commands. Conversion is just the start.

So, to begin with, let's clarify the bad news, good news, and the rest of the story. The bad news is the human condition, the church calls it the fall or sin. We are not able to make ourselves right with God which the church calls righteousness without His help. The good news is that He made a way to rectify this through receiving His Son, Jesus to be the payment we need to set things right and the church calls this justification and redemption. When we turn from our sin church calls this repentance and chose to go in the direction of our Creator, seeking Him and His guidance, accepting His solution for our condition the church calls that salvation. The rest of the story is where we live the rest of our saved, converted, Christian lives.

If we spend time learning what He commanded, we will begin to grow up in our relationship with God and others. This is a process the church calls sanctification. This is a lifelong process that will refine us. The great thing about that is it is with the help of the Holy Spirit. He doesn't save us so we will refine ourselves. He even sets us up in an imperfect family of believers who make up the church. We are not alone.

If you want to learn more about this process, Grow Up is a study intended for those seeking what is next after salvation. It is a companion and guide to encourage you to get into the Word of God so that the Word of God can get into you and transform you.

Are you ready to step into the "what's next" for your journey with God? Take the journey. Call others to join you. Doing it together is much better. Encourage a small group of family, friends or neighbors to do it with you.

Grow Up Website for details

Purchase Grow Up Study Use this link if you are interested in purchasing the study.

Grow Up Blog announcing the latest updates now available.

Grow Up is Updated and Ready!

It is official. The books are up and ready for purchase on Amazon. You can also find a link through the website beverlyverhage.com. 

If you know of others that are interested, please help me get the word out. I would love to get this tool in the hands of any seekers and Christians looking to grow in their faith and in community with others. I would love to start getting the word out to bible study groups, churches, small groups, etc. Study available in this link. 

 The study is about growing up spiritually as individuals in Part 1 and growing together with others in Part 2. The study compares our spiritual growth to the manufacturing process of brick making and brick building.

 

Grow UP is here and ready to purchase on Amazon in English and Spanish.  I have completed the pilot group studies, compiled the corrections and updates, and is now ready. 

If you know of groups that may be interested in this study, please forward any of my information.

If you were part of the pilot group, help me get the word out. Or even better, consider leading this study for a group.

My website is beverlyverhage.com. There is a link to the book on Amazon. I look forward to exploring spiritual growth with you on the pages of this book, but more importantly, through the bible. Many blessings to you.

Recommended Bible Studies

I worked through the Bible in a year with the Bible Recap. I did it through the YouVersion app on my phone. I did it with a group called a D-group. 

I recommend many of Jen Wilkin's studies. Our Bible study group will start in February with God of Freedom. We finish our study on Exodus. We completed the first half of the book in the Fall, and prior to that, we studied her studies of Genesis. God of Creation and God of Covenant.

As I look at all of the studies I have done recently, I am beginning to realize that Jen Wilkin has become my new favorite bible study author. She has surpassed Beth Moore's studies I have done.  At the least, they are neck in neck.

I like Jen's approach because she isn't always asking me "how I feel about a verse." That drives me nuts. It doesn't matter how I feel about God's word. I need to know what it means and how to grow in the truth it reveals.  If it provokes a feeling in me, great.

If you are interested in doing one of her studies, you can search for her by name. At least 4 books and 7 studies.

Additional studies I have done of hers and recommend:

    Better a study of Hebrews

    Sermon on the Mount

    1 Peter a Living Hope in Christ

You can find them on her website or at Amazon.

If you are looking for a good book to read on Revelation, I recommend Revealing Revelation

Christmas Card (Light vs Darkness)

As you read this, I pray you will be pressed to turn your eyes upward. Be comforted in knowing the Lord is near. He is Emmanuel, God with us. Therefore, we are never alone if we have received Him.

The darkness is in the world. Can't you feel it? Does it feel like it is getting rapidly darker? The darkness exists within each of us as well.  

It just gets ever-increasingly darker when we do nothing to combat the darkness. That is both without and within. We must actively press back against the darkness.

That is why this great light of Jesus came bursting forth as a baby, who brought the light into the world. He illuminates the darkness that holds us captive and exposes it. He sets us free from its tentacles and guides us into this marvelous light.

 If you sense the intensification of the darkness, look up. Draw in closer to the source of light. He came to bring light into the world. We were not made for the darkness. Sin loves the dark. Run and flee from sin. He is the source of true love, joy, peace, and light.

Only those who love to live in darkness run from the light.

I used to send out Christmas cards every year. I wanted to send them again this year but didn't make it in time. My list needs to be updated, and addresses need to be corrected. So, I decided this year to start by saving the addresses of those who sent and send out cards to those this year. If I start now, I plan to build a new Christmas card list for 2023. 

So, for 2022, this is my Christmas card to each of you. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the blessings of this wonderful LIGHT fill you with love. May His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May each of you be blessed with the warmth of family and friends. 

Much love to all of you!!!!!