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Posts tagged ‘Bible Lessons’

World Peace

Our world is so screwed up
There are wars without end
Only God can really see
If peace is right around the bend

Since Adam & Eve took that bite
And sin entered this world of ours
It has seemed to us mortal beings
That world peace is beyond our powers

Negotiations call for cease fires
Men promise they will abide
But then they turn around and
Drop bombs on the other side

Why can’t we live in love
Why can’t we all get along
Why do men with earthly power
Like to sing the Battle Song?

Like Rachel Platten’s fight song
They don’t care if you believe
They don’t care if lives are lost
They have egos that deceive

Deceive us with false promises
Live to satisfy your own desires
Sacrifice our sons and daughters
Drop those bombs and start those fires

How can World Peace be achieved
If we can’t live in brotherly love
Pray with me, my friends, please
Ask for peace from God above

Only God can change the hearts
Of selfish men with all the powers
Take their conscience – make them care
Care to save this world of ours.

Amen?

John 14:27 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace, Poetry, prayer

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Lean Not on your own Understanding

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.”

We’re looking to thee Lord to direct our paths.
It has been a miserable two weeks in the Beekman household.
First Bob picked up a bug on some path somewhere,
and then a few days later,
the bug very generously crossed my path.
We tested for COVID, but it was negative, so we did a little research.
Here’s what we discovered:

Meet Mr. Paraflu!
What is parainfluenza?

Parainfluenza is a broad term
that healthcare providers use
to describe human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs)
— a group of infectious organisms (pathogens).
Parainfluenza viruses cause
many types of lower and upper respiratory illnesses.
Respiratory illnesses cause mild to serious symptoms,
like sore throat, cough and shortness of breath.

Nasty bug attack
Caused us to lay low eight days
We’re vulnerable

For those under five
And us folks in our eighties,
Paraflu attacks

The symptoms linger
A terrible hacking cough
Listlessness, fatigue

In others’ interest,
Hunker down and stay at home
Hydrate and get rest

Bye bye nasty bug
We missed the July 4th fun
But we have survived

Now go and begone
Let our health return to us
Keep our loved ones safe

Trusting in the Lord
And not leaning on my own
Understanding’s hard

Devotionals help
To keep a wise perspective
“How to Walk Wisely”

In the midst of our paraflu aches and pains,
we turned to the Lord in prayer, and
God gave us 6 tips about how to “Walk Wisely.”
Today’s In Touch devotional had this to say:

“Living committed to the Lord calls for following His wisdom.
Here are six attitudes necessary for a Christ-centered lifestyle:

1. Determination. Walking in wisdom doesn’t happen automatically. We must wholeheartedly pursue righteous living.
2. Focus. To stay on the path of God’s will, we must fix out attention on His Word. As we meditate on Scripture, our mind will align with Christ’s.
3. Sensitivity to the Spirit. With determination to live a holy life and close attention to Scripture, we become more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
4. Trust. At times the Lord’s choice for us doesn’t appear sensible. Trusting in His perfect wisdom is necessary if we’re to walk according to His plan.
5. Courage. Some things God requires may cause us to react with fear. As our trust in Him deepens, our courage will grow, and we’ll discover the joy of embracing His choice for us.
6. Perseverance. By depending on God, we can persist and choose wisely no matter how long our challenges last.

Walking in wisdom requires that we practice a few basics: Know God, trust Him, and obey. Is this your pattern for living? Remember, a lifetime of godliness develops one choice at a time.”

In Touch Ministries, Inc. Many thanks to Founder: Charles Stanley and President C Phillip Bowen

Thank You, God, for our return to health.
Bee well, my friends.
May this nasty paraflu bug pass you by!

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Haiku, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, prayer, relationships

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The T in SIFT

My word for 2024 is SIFT. It is an acronym for:
S = Simplify
I = Inventory & Itemize (to facilitate simplifying)
F = Focus on the present
T = Take Time to Think (before speaking or acting)

Yes, health is about what you’re eating, thinking, and saying,
but it also is about what you are doing. So, my friends, let’s SIFT!
Let’s simplify our lives by eliminating the “stuff” we don’t need
and organizing the things we decide to keep. Let’s focus on the present
and take time not just to think before speaking or acting, but also
TAKE TIME TO PRAY as we sift through each day’s possibilities.

Today was what some call “Fat Tuesday.” The day before Lent, a season
of 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter. It culminates at Easter
when Jesus gave up His life for us all. So, some folks “give up” something
as a remembrance of and in honor of Christ’s ultimate giving. “Fat Tuesday”
is a silly idea… to overindulge in that thing the day before you give it up for
forty days!

Overindulgence is not a Biblical concept! I hope you didn’t buy in to it!!
It is diametrically opposed to the idea of Lent … a time of fasting and
praying leading up to Easter.

a woman wearing purple and gold mask
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

Matthew 6:16-18 

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

So, join me, my friends, during this special season. Let’s simplify.
Let’s take inventory and prioritize. Let’s focus on the now, and
let’s take time to think and to pray before we speak or act.
Let’s decide what we want to “give up” for 40 days to remember Jesus’ sacrifice.
Let’s give this Lenten season the time and attention Christ deserves.

Are you with me?
I hope so!

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, holidays, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Love, prayer

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Lessons Learned

Yesterday’s prompt was:
What skills or lessons have you learned recently?

My answer:
“It took four accidents
in a three month period,
but I finally got the message,
I think:

SLOW DOWN

AND

LOOK

WHERE YOU’re WALKING!!”

It’ll take a lot of divine guidance,
but I think I can slow down and watch!
Avoid any further falls!!

How about you?
What lesson have you learned recently?

Today the sermon topic was based on the Bible story of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s awe-inspiring birth of baby John (later known as John the Baptist). Zechariah learned not to doubt God’s messenger who told him that he & Elizabeth would at last have a child (they were in their later years of life… maybe as old as their 90’s).

When Zechariah doubted, he was struck dumb… unable to speak for the 9 months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. But, even though Elizabeth questioned, she accepted and believed. So, she learned that great lesson, “With God all things are possible.”

Do you suppose she was awe-struck? How could she NOT be??

I would have painted them with gray hair… but nevertheless, I love this painting of Zechariah & Elizabeth. I can only imagine how awe-struck they must have been!

What causes you to be in awe these days? Have you learned to slow down and let awe envelop you?

(If you’ve followed JanBeek for awhile, you know I love taking notes in poetry as I listen to the sermon each week). So, on that awesome topic, here’s today’s encouraging sermon delivered by Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church.

I love the size & sound & the creatures in the ocean
I love climbing over the sand dunes to the beach
It is sitting on the grassy knoll by the shore
Knowing the salty water and waves are within reach

I love oogling at sunsets and standing in the river
The world gives me reason for wonder and awe
Everywhere I look, I see evidence of God’s wondrous creation
Regular bouts of awe are mine – they drop my jaw!

Elizabeth’s healthy baby boy brought awe
To all who saw Zechariah write and confirm “John”
Entering into the world of awe raises us up
Out of night’s darkness, into day’s dawn

Awe can be found every day from sunrise on
If we slow down and take time to really see
So don’t drown in the tedious mundane of life
Intentionally seek the awe – here for you and me

Let no day go by unmarveled at
Appreciate the luxury of every single day
We are so blessed to be here - alive
Let awe and amazement be yours today

Be the #1 Marvelor today!
Love and be loved – feel the pull
That helps you notice all in awe
Change awful to awe-full!!

Awe-men?

It may have been awful to be unable to speak for nine months. But, I’ll bet Zechariah learned new lessons every day as he watched Elizabeth grow large with child …. and as he marvelled at how amazing this turn of unbelievable events was!

Find something to marvel at today!
Learn something new.

Tell me about it.

Hugs,
JanBeek

No more falls!!

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Faith, God, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, optimism, Poetry, sermon notes, writing

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Positivity

“Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.”
Proverbs 4:23

Just as water flows in constant motion,
We are asked to constantly move
In the direction of grace and mercy –
His love and graciousness to prove.

The springs of life flow in you
And are meant to overflow
So God’s joy and peace are what
Your very presence will show.
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Choosing positivity brightens life;
It keeps us happy and upbeat.
Even though we encounter difficulties,
We can choose victory, not defeat.

It’s up to us to decide the kind
Of person we want others to see.
If we keep our hearts open to love,
We’ll be the best that we can be.

We can choose positivity again and again
As we focus on the good things in life.
Meet life eagerly as we tackle each task
And ask God to take away any worry or strife.

2 Timothy 2:23-25 

“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies;
you know that they breed quarrels.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome
but kind to everyone,
able to teach,
patiently enduring evil,
correcting his opponents with gentleness.
God may perhaps grant them repentance
leading to a knowledge of the truth…”

Ah, TRUTH! It can be so evasive…
But a positive attitude and an open heart and mind
Can make Truth more discernible.
Seek it out with questions wise and kind.

Positive people are filled with curiosity;
They never stop asking when and why.
You can’t stop an intelligent child
From asking, “Why?” even if you try.

So foster that curiosity!
Appreciate it in your own design.
You are a Child of God, you know,
So embrace your uniqueness and SHINE!

Thank you for visiting JanBeek today.
Your positive remark in the comments below
Will add to my joy today.
Let your positivity show!!

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, God, happiness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, self-acceptance, self-esteem, Serving One Another, Sharing, truth

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The Joy of Being (in Switzerland)

The joy of just being

Is certainly joy enough

But the joy of being in Switzerland

Is a joy that’s hard to beat – it’d be tough.

While friends and family back home

In California and Montana are roasting

We were enjoying comfy mid-seventies

And lovely meals and yummy wine toasting

Then the weather changed!

.

We were having ham with salad & sausage

At De & Andrés wonderful chalet

I came back to our room to post

And left Bob to finish dessert, but hey…

.

There were two girls outside

Hunkered under umbrellas in the rain

So I pointed to our inside table

And sent them to Bob – let me explain

He was having sorbet; I was done

My place at the table was free

He will love getting acquainted

And they will love his company!

This morning we cooled it in our room

Bob read and I enjoyed reading posts

The day started off rather quiet

More alone time than Swiss’s most

We went for a walk in Vissoie

And enjoyed every sight and each sound

We visited the local church and had

Time for prayer, finding God all around

“Daily Word” gave us the scripture

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice”

Let nothing keep your joy from you-

Respond with a song; raise your voice!

Like a well that can never run dry

My joy is a wellspring from the Lord

I deal with whatever life brings me

With a smile – and I never am bored!

Keep your sense of humor alive

Find the joy in whatever you see

That poor bunny hit the door with a bang

Oh come on, have a good laugh with me!

There he is on the other side!!

.

The joy of being in Switzerland

Is part of the happiness of being alive

Well enough to travel and adapt

Thanking God each day we survive!

Thank you for traveling vicariously with us!

We love sharing with you. Take joy!

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.” Psalm 32:11

See ya tomorrow (God willing) –

Love, JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, God, Gratitude, happiness, Jesus, Love, optimism, Poetry

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Angels Among Us

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2QF0IEU8EcQ&feature=share

I believe there are angels among us.
I hope when you click on the link above,
you can listen to this gorgeous voice
singing this wonderful song.

Angels show us how to live
Sent down from somewhere up above
Angels teach us how to give
And they teach us how to love.

Listen to the words of Chris Rupp’s vocal.
Angels come to you and me…
I had one protecting me last Monday –
I am sure – it’s a guarantee!

Look at what I hit my head on when I fell over backward!

With the full weight of my body,
I hit that trailer hitch!
You tell me how I avoided a concussion-
How I walked away with just a stitch…

Actually, if you read yesterday,
You know my gash required eight…
And I was in the ER four hours,
Returning home rather late.

I didn’t even crack my skull-
And I didn’t break my neck.
I could have broken my back!
Where’s that angel hiding? Let me check!

You have angels among you, too…
At least one on duty at all times.
Tune in – you can feel the protection.
Look around, you’ll see the signs!

As the poem above tells us,
Angels sometimes are disguised as friends –
Sometimes family are our angels –
Angels are the love God sends.

Listen here to another beautiful song:
I Will Be Here – Steven Curtis Chapman – Chris Rupp A Cappella
I hope this link takes you there.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ub8AHSYdWk8&feature=share

Who is always there for you?

Bob is an angel who is here for me.
It took a few minutes of screaming his name
To wake him from his nap, but I could see him there …
And when he heard me, how quickly he came!

Yes, my friends, angels are among us.
We need to open our hearts and our eyes
To see and to feel them around us.
Mine’s trying to teach me to be more wise!

In Hebrews 13:2, Paul said, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” That verse leads us to wonder if angels appear to us in human form at times. We know that they appeared to many in human form in the Bible. [See Genesis 18:2].

You may be blessed to have an angel living with you all the time, too!

Thank you, Sweet Bob –
For being my constant angel!

Psalm 91:11

“For He will command His angels
concerning you
to guard you
in all your ways.”

Bee well, my friends.
Bee safe, too.
May His angels guard you today and everyday.

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, health, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another

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Patience & Tenacity

This title has been nagging at me
for the past few days.
Patience and Tenacity-
We all need them!

Impatience causes
Untold distresses for us.
Slow down. Breathe deeply.

Choose tenacity –
Hold tight to the task at hand –
Perseverance reaps rewards.

Healing progresses
On its own slow timetable –
Just like most progress.

Photo by icon0.com on Pexels.com

My hand’s not ready
To grasp yours firmly today.
It’s stiff and it’s sore.

But with some patience
And lots of tenacity,
That day is coming.

Photo by Swapnil Sharma on Pexels.com

Meantime, I can reach
With my strong dominant hand
And accept your help.

Tonight Bob & I had a wonderful dinner provided by our friends/neighbors. We had a lovely day made brighter by some sunshine and an ice cream treat to celebrate the good news: the pins are out – and my broken finger is healing in its socket perfectly! God is good!! Thank you for your prayers. I feel them!!

We went outside and took off our Montana winter jackets,
and enjoyed our ice cream in the soooo welcomed sunshine!

Yay!! We think summer
is thinking seriously
about staying around for awhile.

Patience, Jan!
Tenacity is the word of the day
for our prayers for warmer weather, too!

HOPE is the measure
of faith in His promises.
Hang in there, my friends!

Hebrews 10:23

“Let us hold fast the confession
of our hope
without wavering
for He who promised
is faithful.”

Have a wonderful rest of your week.
Each day it will be easier for me to post.
Meantime – easy does it!
Stay in touch, please.

See ya later, alligator!


Love to you,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Gratitude, Haiku, health, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, Promises

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His Last Words

It’s Maundy Thursday!

On this day,
Jesus washed the disciples’ feet;
He shared the Last Supper with them;
He revealed that one of them would betray Him,
He told them where He was going:

Mark 14: 24-25

24 “This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Before Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room,
they sang a hymn. I wonder what hymn they sang?
This morning in my devotionals,
I learned the definition of “Hymn.”
According to this morning’s Daily Word,
it is not just a song sung ABOUT God,
it is a song sung TO God.

I am going to pretend I was there,
and I got to pick the hymn
to sing with the disciples and Jesus.

What hymn would YOU choose?

Mark 14:26
“When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

There on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus predicted Peter’s denial.

Mark 14:27-31

27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep will be scattered.’[a]

28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice[b] you yourself will disown me three times.”

31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

Sure enough!
Before the rooster crowed twice,
Peter had indeed denied knowing Christ.

Would I have been brave enough
to admit I was one of His disciples
if I were in Peter’s shoes?

When Jesus went off by Himself
to pray to His Father
because
He was “overwhelmed with sorrow
to the point of death,”
Jesus told three of His disciples,
“Stay here and keep watch.”

Mark 14:35-36
35 Going a little farther,
he fell to the ground and prayed that
if possible the hour might pass from him.
36 “Abba,[a] Father,” he said,
“everything is possible for you.
Take this cup from me.
Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

While He prayed, all three disciples fell asleep!

Would I have been the one disciple
who managed to stay awake
when Jesus went off alone
to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Probably not!
I would have heard Jesus say:

Mark 14:42-43

“Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough!
The hour has come.
Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

At tomorrow’s Good Friday service, we will focus on the last words of Jesus. Our pastor has chosen seven scriptural passages to capture that last day with the disciples before His arrest and trial and crucifixion. Some of them are those quoted above. Tune in tomorrow and I’ll let you know which of Jesus’ last words I will have the privilege of reading at the Good Friday service.

Meantime, we’re headed for the Maundy Thursday service. I wonder what Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds will do for this evening’s devotional? It’s another “first” in our fresh-out-of-seminary pastor. Such a blessing!

Thanks for joining me for today’s post.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love ya,
JanBeek


Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music

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Giving Your All

Mark 12:41-44

And he sat down opposite the treasury
and watched the people putting money into the offering box.
Many rich people put in large sums.
And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins,
which make a penny.
And he called his disciples to him
and said to them,
“Truly, I say to you,
this poor widow has put in more
than all those who are contributing to the offering box.
For they all contributed out of their abundance,
but she out of her poverty
has put in everything she had,
all she had to live on.”

Our dear neighbor, Scott, came by today.
He brought his shovel and gave us his all!
All the energy he had stored up he poured out!

Our front porch was buried in snow.
Our TazE’s exit from the kitchen door was blocked
with over a foot of snow.
The sidewalk approaching our house
was covered with over 2 feet of snow
that the wind had blown as a drift yesterday.

When Scott left, the porch and entry were cleared.
The sidewalk is passable, so UPS and FedEx
can deliver the package we are expecting today.
And TazE was able to go out
and do her business.
Hooray!

The robins who were hovering
under the patio chairs yesterday
are dancing in the trees today.
The sun is out – melting the snow
that had clung to the branches.

Happy Holy Week, my friends.
Scott gave us his all!
He was exhausted when he finished.
God bless him!

Jesus gave His all!
How much energy – how many coins –
are we willing to give?

I send my love to you, my friends.
Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
See ya tomorrow … Maundy Thursday…
Hugs, JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, friendship, Giving, God, Gratitude, kindness, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, music, nature, relationships, Serving One Another, work

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