The Proverbs Project

Hey Kids!

I've decided to do something that I've been wanting to do for a while. And I'm inviting you to join me. Here's the plan:

May has thirty-one days. Proverbs has thirty-one chapters. I'm planning on reading one chapter a day. And as I read through each chapter, I'm going to be writing out the proverbs that speak to me. At the end of the month, I'm going to collect all the verses and seek to memorize some of them.

And I want you to join me. We all need to be spending more time in the Word. And it's fun knowing that someone else out there is doing the same thing that you are. And c'mon, the book of Proverbs is Awesome!!

verses of the day

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. I Timothy 1.15

HOWEVER...

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2.8-10

WOO HOO!!

What I learned this Lenten season

I learned a few things this Lenten season which I'd like to share with you. All of these came as a result of me reading the Bible.

The first thing I noticed was how direct that Jesus was with his disciples. In reading through what He shared with His disciples at the Last Supper, he didn't mince words. Consider these words from Luke 21:

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me.

Note that he didn't say "You MAY be betrayed" or "All men MIGHT hate you." He uses the word "will," letting the disciples know straight-up that the road ahead for them will be painful. I found this incredibly insightful and I wondered paid much attention to that fact.

The other thing I learned was that a familiar miracle to me actually occurred between the resurrection and the ascension. I'm speaking of the miracle where the disciples are out fishing in the boat, and not catching anything. Jesus tells them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat. But they don't know it's Jesus. They do what He asks and are overwhelmed by the fish that they catch. Immediately, they realize who gave them the instruction and are overwhelmed with joy (for the full story, read John 21). I thought this miracle occurred much earlier in His ministry.

Did you learn anything this Lenten season?

Reading between the events

I have to admit that I've never paid much attention to The Last Supper. I am aware of it's significance and what took place there, but I'm more aware of the events that took place as opposed to the words that were said.

I've been learning over the past couple of days that Jesus said a lot. A Lot. If you have some time, start at John 13, which opens with the meal and foot-washing (which most folks are familiar with) and read through chapter 17. Chapter 18 starts with the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane. But really look at the words that Jesus gave to his disciples in those five chapters. I'm discovering that some of the most well-known statements made from Jesus occurred on this very night.

Here'a s link if you want to read these chapters online.

Reading the Word

So Pastor Phil has challenged our congregation to read the Bible everyday for thirty days. Which is a good thing. But also a bad thing, because it means that people aren't spending time in the Word. But that's a topic for another day.

During Christmas and Easter, I like to re-read the accounts of Christ's birth as well as his resurrection, as well as the surrounding events. This year, I've been reading through Luke and I've been paying attention to the periphery in the stories.

Like in chapter four where Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law. And after Jesus healed her, "she got up and began to wait on them." I've been thinking about the mother-in-law. What was her frame of mind? What made her get up and immediately begin her hosting duties?

And I've been thinking about the crowds that observed Jesus and his miracles. What must have been going through their minds when they saw cripples healed and dead men raised from the dead? I can only imagine.

Paying attention to these details has given me a new way to look at the events in scripture.