Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15:58

design

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Your Past Sins (day 31/365... 1 month gone!!!!)


Day 31: Leviticus 4-6

Main People:
Priests, Israelites

Key Points:
*Happy last day of January! We made it through month 1. Eleven more to go!!! We can do this… (I hope we can do this… Is anyone reading with me?)

*One thing that really jumped out at me is that we (us/they/them) were guilty of sins even if we didn’t know they were sins. Once you realize something you’ve done is a sin, repent for it. There’s no need of holding on to it. God doesn’t. But you can’t just say, “Oh that happened 10 years ago. I’m okay now.”

God doesn’t have a statute of limitations…

*When you see the sin—even if it happened 50 years ago—repent.


Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Leviticus 5:2—When you realize what you have done, you must admit your defilement and you guilt. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your defilement and your sin.

Question:
What part of the animal ‘belonged to the Lord’?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Leviticus 4-6

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

STAY TUNED FOR THE FEBRUARY GIVE-AWAY!!!! Details coming tomorrow.

January Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to C.U. for winning the ebook copy of CROSSING THE DEEP and $5 Amazon gift card. Be looking for both in your email.

Next month, we have a fabulous prize. More on the contest tomorrow....

~Kelly

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Starting Leviticus (Day 30/365)


Day 30: Leviticus 1-3

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Aaron’s sons, Israelites

Key Points:
*Leviticus starts right after Exodus ends. The Tabernacle had been finished and God was telling Moses how to use it.

*Leviticus is a handbook for the priests and Levites. It is also a guide about holy living for Hebrews.

*So far, we have learned the instructions for the offerings: Burnt, Grain, Peace, Sin, and Guilt.


Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Leviticus 3:17—You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.

*For some reason, that reminded me of vampires… ;)

Question:
Where did God give Moses these instructions? (what physical part of the land?)

Tomorrow’s Reading: Leviticus 4-6

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

And They Brought Too Much (Day 29/365)



Day 29: Exodus 36-40

Main People:
Bezalil, Moses, Aaron, Israelites

Key Points:
*I’ve gotten off track somewhere, but I’m going to get back on the plan. I was doing 2 chapters a day and that’s not exactly how this goes lol.

*Our last day in Exodus!! Yay! We’re moving right along!

*Bezalil, Oholiab and other skilled craftsmen built the temple

*God told the people to STOP giving… they’d given enough. Hmmm… Wonder what that’s like ;) I know I could give way more than I do.

*Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year.

*Can you imagine how hard it had been to build… how awesome it had to have looked… and how hard it was to move?


Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Exodus 36:7—Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project.

Question:
Name 4 stones on the breastplate…

Tomorrow’s Reading: Leviticus 1-3

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.


Monday, January 28, 2013

*I Know You by Name* (Day 28/365)



Day 28: Exodus 33-35

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Israelites

Key Points:
*The people could visibly see God on Moses’ face… can they yours? (or mine?)

*The people had to build everything for this HUGE temple by hand… *we*, today, can’t even get a handful of people to help with a bake sale. What do you think the difference in back then and today?


Verses that Jumped Out at Me:

Exodus 33:11—Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face as one would speak to a friend.

Exodus 33:14—The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

Exodus 33:17—The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”

Exodus 34:12—Big, MAJOR foreshadowing ‘spoilers’ for Judges and Joshua.

Exodus 35:29—So the people of Israel—every man and woman who were eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave freely to the Lord

Question:
Name a few materials the Israelites needed to build the temple.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 36-38-

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

HERE IT IS!!! Enter the rafflecopter to win a free ebook of CROSSING THE DEEP by… ME J And a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Winner will be chosen on Thursday the 31st.

Christian Unity by Mike R.

Want a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card and a free ebook copy of Kelly's YA/Christian novel, Crossing the Deep? CLICK HERE...



As, a brand new week starts, another one ends. That means last week as come to a close-The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  But, we are always encouraged to pray for Christian Unity all year long.  I was glad to see a week dedicated to the unity of Christians. Why? Because their is so much judgment and problems with all religions, and how things should be done ect. But the thing is we all worship the same God... We just call him several different things...


There is just so much trouble in between religions, I mean why can't we all get along?


In 1 Corinthians 12: 13 St Paul writes, 

" For we were all baptized by ONE spirit. into ONE body-whether Jew or Greek, slave or free- and we were all given the ONE Spirit to drink."

I LOVE the words of St Paul. Not only in this passage but in most of the letters. St Paul, often reminds many people the unity we must have, the Love we must have for our neighbor and of those of other religions. 

In this passage St Paul, says that we are all baptized by one spirit. No, this is not our own water baptism. Here he is specifically talking about our baptism of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we all have different meanings and understandings and symbols for our water baptism  but the thing that connects us all - Catholics, Protestant, Lutheran ect...- is that we are baptized by the SAME spirit of God. 

We are all meant to share in the One Body of Christ, and to share in the One Cup of blessing. For, God is to big to fit into one religion. It is by, the Holy Spirit, that we can become one.  This is what God wanted all along. That we may stop all our anger and sins, and just belong has one. 

As a result of us arguing, and disputing over religion, and how things should be done in the world- which ended up causing sin- God HAD to send a flood; God HAD to send the countless Prophets, and God HAD to send Jesus. For our sake. 

Jesus showed us the PERFECT example of UNITY. When he was first starting his ministry, he picked people who were fisherman to Tax Collectors. The fisherman were probably really upset/ Angry with the Tax Collectors, but the thing is, they forgot their feelings for each other, and become ONE. Why? Because they were all following, the ONE God, the ONE Lord in which we all still worship today. 

If the disciples could get along, and not get angry at each other... Why can't we? 

Why can't we be just like the disciples of the time of Jesus? Why can't we just drop all our differences and stop judging what we all believe, and worship the Lord, in which we already do. For he is the Lord. Everyone, will depict him has something different: That was meant to happen! So why can't we put aside our differences and follow God? 

"I want people everywhere, to lift up their holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing" 

1 Timothy 2:8


Sunday, January 27, 2013

A Big Ole Cow and giveaway!! (Day 27/365)



Day 27: Exodus 30-32

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Israelites

Key Points:
*Today, we are reading about making plans for the incense altar, washbasin, anointing oil, and incense

*Craftsman are also filled with the Spirit of God. Usually, we think that only preachers are ‘called’ or the only ones filled with that much ‘spirit’. But we learn here that’s not the case. Even if you aren’t a preacher, your talent is God given and He’s put His spirit in you to help you do what He’s called you to do.

*The Sabbath is an important day of rest… do you rest on the Sabbath? (Um… I don’t L . I need too, though. I’d feel better.)

*The Golden Calf—This is the part that makes me want to shake my head at Aaron, but to be fair, what would we have done in his situation.
And maybe not to the same extent, but we are more like the Israelites here than we like to admit. God had just saved them two/three months before. Moses went on the mountain and the people forgot.

We are the same. God can do a miracle for us one day, and the next we get down, upset, whatever wanting more. And we find our ‘happiness’ in other things besides God—we make our own ‘golden calf’.

Maybe we should get a notebook and write down all the wonderful things God has done for us, that way, we won’t forget when one thing doesn’t go our way.

*Moses, being an angry person, broke the tablets that God had JUST written on!

*And a bunch of people died…


Verses that Jumped Out at Me:

Exodus 32:8—How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live!

Question:
What is your God-given talent?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 33-35

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

HERE IT IS!!! Enter the rafflecopter to win a free ebook of CROSSING THE DEEP by… ME J And a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Winner will be chosen on Thursday the 31st.

Crossing the Deep


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Instructing the Priests (Day 26/365) Guest post by Mike R.



Day 26: Exodus 28-30

Main People:
Aaron, and his sons

Key Points:

*In this section we are given instructions on Priests, and everything involved with them. 

* Aaron is to become the first High Priest and His Sons are to become the first 4 priests.

*The Ephod was basically, an apron made with gold, blue, purple and scarlet. With two shoulder pieces, with onyx stones, that had the names of Jacobs children engraved in the order of there birth.The point was to  symbolize that he carried Israel on his shoulders. 

*The Robe was always to be in blue and NEVER TORN. Now lets make a connection to the New Testament. We are never told what color Jesus' robe was, but we are told that it was torn by the High Priest... How Ironic...

*The Robe was to have golden bells simply for their purpose. To make a noise. To let other people know when the High Priest was coming.

*The Turban, always had a gold sign saying, "HOLY TO THE LORD"  Which was to remind people they were in the presences of the Lord, and a reminder that he was to be kept apart from the people.

* When the Priests were consecrated they had to put their hands upon the head of the bull. Laying the hand on the head of an animal usually meant the transfer of something. But in this case it was the transfer of Guilt, and Sin. Then the bull was to be a Sin sacrifice.

*They were NEVER to make any oil or incense with the same ingredients and measurements for their own use. Why? Because it was SACRED. It was set a side ONLY FOR THE LORDS USE!

* In this reading, we see that everything is to happen IN FRONT of the curtain in front of the Ark of The Covenant. AS you know, they had it blocked because anyone who would look at it would die :(  At Jesus death, the curtain was split in half, and people were able to see the Ark. People were able to see Jesus for who he was. 

Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
28:2 - They were to have special garments to give them dignity and honor

28: 36 -We are called to be Holy To The Lord. 

28:41- This is more of a personal one. But is was the last 7 words that jumped out at me. " ...So they may serve me as priests" 

29:37 - Seven= Perfect... It's no surprise that God said 7.


Question:

What did Aaron have to sacrifice everyday for generations to come? 

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 31-33


It was my pleasure, to come and right this post today!  
See you on Monday! 

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card

***THANK YOU SO MUCH MIKE!!! 

Friday, January 25, 2013

If God Told You to Build a Tabernacle... (Day 25/365)


Day 25: Exodus 25-27

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Israelites

Key Points:
*We’ve got to a part that’s either really easy to get through… or really difficult. It’s monotonous because you read basically the same things over and over, but it is important.

*One thing that really stuck out to me is that these people are in the wilderness. It’s not like they can go to their local Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Wal-mart and get this stuff to make a tabernacle. They had to use what they’d taken from Egypt (what God had given them) and construct this huge monster of a building. It’s pretty incredible what God can do J

*We now have the plans to build the: Ark of the Covenant, Table, Lamp stand, Tabernacle, Altar for burnt offerings, Courtyard, and Lights.


Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Exodus 25:1-2—The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.”

Question:
If someone (or God) told you to do something ‘great’ (like build everything they were told to—or speak like Moses—or free a nation—or even talk to one person about Him, what would you think? How do you think you’d react?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 25-27 (Mike R. will be writing tomorrow’s blog post J

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card


~Kelly

Looking for a Guest Writer for tomorrow...

Tomorrow is my middle daughter's birthday, and we are having a party at the house for her. (which means cleaning... cleaning... cleaning.) I'll have time to read my B365 reading, but I'm not sure I'll have time to post anything on the blog.

The chapters will be Exodus 28-30, and I'd love it to be in about the same format as I use now.

Is anyone interested in guest posting for tomorrow? I know it's short notice. If you are, please email me at kellymartin215 (((AT))) yahoo (DOT) com.

I would very much appreciate it. 

~Kelly

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Social Responsibility and Young Goats (day 24/365)


Day 24: Exodus 22-24

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Israelites

Key Points:
*This section has a lot of laws in it. Here are some that stood out to me…
·         Don’t kill a thief in the daylight. That’s murder.
·         Pay back more than you stole.
·         You have to pray the wedding price if you seduce a virgin
·         Don’t sleep (sleep) with an animal
·         Don’t sacrifice to other gods
·         Don’t exploit widows or orphans
·         Don’t dishonor God or curse your rulers
·         Don’t hold anything back from God.
·         Don’t spread false rumors
·         Don’t follow the crowd into doing wrong
·         Don’t slant testimony to slander a poor person.
·         Don’t take bribes
·         Don’t walk by enemy if he/she is hurt
·         Don’t cook a young goat in its mother’s milk (eeewww… that one’s sad)

*74 people ate and drank on Mt. Sinai in the presence of the God.

Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Exodus 24:18—And he Moses) remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights

Question:
Which law that you read jumped out at you like, “They needed a law against THAT?”

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 25-27

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card


~Kelly

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The 10 Commandments... and my hardest to keep (Day 23/365)



Day 23: Exodus 19-21

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Israelites

Key Points:
*2 months after leaving Egypt—they arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai

*People said they would do everything God commanded (we’ll see how long that lasts)

*God let the Israelites hear him when he spoke to Moses. His voice was in a cloud. I bet that was awesome and scary… and awesome!

*And then, of course, we have the 10 Commandments:
·         No gods before ‘Me’
·         No graven image
·         Don’t use God’s name in vain (my publisher is big on this and I know why…)
·         Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy
·         Honor your father and mother
·         Don’t murder
·         Don’t commit adultery
·         Don’t steal
·         Don’t bare false witness
·         Don’t covet


*”Fear of God will keep you from sinning.” Is basically what Moses told the Israelites….. hmmmmmm…. It’s a good point.

*Then we start the laws. Some people like to read them… some don’t. I love it J


Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Exodus 22:23—“… the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for  a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.”

Of course, this is OLD Testament. Jesus didn’t exactly roll this way. He said whomever was without sin, let them cast the first stone…

Question:
Which commandment is the harder for you to keep? (yup… I asked it ;) ) Mine is the one on coveting. I’m a horrible coveter! I covet people’s houses, things, body type, hair, blog followers, book sales… etc. I’m glad God is forgiving.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 22-24

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card


~Kelly

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Let the Complaining Begin (Day 22/365)


Day 22: Exodus 16-18

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Israelites

Key Points:
*One month after they left Egypt, the Israelites started complaining

*God heard their prayers and fed them quail and manna (white and tasted like honey wafers)

*Everyone had just enough—just what they needed.

*If they tried to save it, it ruined and had maggots in it by morning. So that showed the Israelites to trust God daily. Also, it kept them for hoarding and selling the manna. People would have forgotten where the manna had come from if they could just buy it anywhere and forget about God.

*The Sabbath is a gift from God.

*They ate the same thing for 40 years… I know how tired I get of McDonald’s if I eat too much of it in a week!

*At the beginning of ch. 17, the Israelites complained again.

*We are also introduced to Joshua (kinda of an important feller… has a book and all ;) )

*Moses Father-in-law, Jethro, came and brought his kids and wife to visit. It was his idea to divide the workload of hearing cases and share the burden because Moses couldn’t do it all himself.

Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Exodus 18:18—This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself

Question:
Who attacked the Israelites? What did Moses have to do for the entire battle?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 19-20

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card


~Kelly

Monday, January 21, 2013

The Red Sea (Day 21/365)


Day 21: Exodus 13-15

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, Israelites, Egyptians

Key Points:
      *We have traditions in churches/life so our kids will ask what they mean and we can explain about God to them and why we do the traditions.

*Moses took Joseph’s bones with him to fulfill Joseph’s wishes over 400 years prior.

*Miriam (Moses/Aaron’s sister) was a prophet.

*God wants you to pray and listen to him. But when it all is said and done it’s up to you to do something. (Ex. 14:15). This will be in Joshua too.

*God led them as a cloud during the day and a ball of fire at night.

*God parted the Red Sea so the Egyptians would know there was only ONE God (him) and for the Israelites to remember it. Once they “saw” they believed and put their faith in God. It’s easy to judge them for that, but are we so different?

Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
15:26—“He (God) said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I send on the Egyptians for I am the Lord who heals you.”

Question:
What instrument did Miriam play and who did she lead?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 16-18

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card


~Kelly

Sunday, January 20, 2013

On the Road Again (Day 20/365)


Day 20: Exodus 10-12

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, Israelites, First Born Sons

Key Points:
            *We have new plagues to talk about. And I didn’t put three from yesterday’s reading, so I’ll go back and add those.
  • Livestock—All of the Egyptian livestock die—none of the Israelites
  • Boils—(ouch!) Horrible boils break out everyone in Egypt
  • Hail—Hailstorm kills all the slaves and animals left outside. Destroyed almost every plant
  • Locusts—Covered Egypt and ate everything left after the hail
  • Darkness—Total darkness covered Egypt so thick you could feel it
  • Death of first born—The one that made Pharaoh so scared and angry, he let them leave.

*430 years after Jacob and his family moved to Egypt, they left.

*600,000 Israelite men left, along with women, children and a rabble of non-Israelites. It’s estimated that 2 million people left!

Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
Exodus 11:8—Moses had a temper. Actually, he’s pretty famous for his temper, but God used him. No matter your ‘faults’ God has a purpose for you J

Question:
Would you have wanted to leave Egypt if you were an Israelite? Would you have been one of the ‘rabble’ of non-Israelites who went with them?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 13-14

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card


~Kelly

New Blog Added to the Directory

Mike and Lesley Glenn have added their blog to the directory! They have a great testimony and I hope you check it out!!

Here's their blurb:



Miraculous Life: It is (our) pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for (us) . Daniel 4:2

~Kelly

**BTW, I'm late on today's 365 reading post. I haven't even read it yet. It'll be up tonight. I hope you are following along. The comments would suggest otherwise, but I'm hoping you are all just quiet folks ;)


Saturday, January 19, 2013

Let the Plagues Begin... (Day 19/365)


Day 19: Exodus 7-9

Main People:
Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, Magicians

Key Points:
*Why do you think God made Pharaoh’s heart hard?

*We started reading about the plagues/signs in these chapters. God made Moses’s staff turn into a serpant and the river to blood…. Strangely (something I never caught before) the magicians could turn the water to blood too… how do you think that happened? (because I’m curious.)

*Then more plagues started:
  • First, blood. The fish died, river smelled, and people were without water.
  • Frogs (yuck!): Frogs completely covered the land. I would have had a panic attack… The magicians could make frogs do that too..
  • Gnats: All the dust became gnats. Eww… ewww… ewww
  • Flies: (which I assume would be just as bad or worse than gnats): Swarms covered everything. It would be like a picnic on steroids! You couldn’t sleep at night without flies flying down your throat!
(Rest will be in tomorrow’s reading… Are you still reading?)

Verses that Jumped Out at Me:
The big verse that stood out to me was Exodus 8:10. The frogs were horrible, people were miserable, Moses had promised to get rid of them since Pharaoh had agreed to let them go (for the time being), and what did Pharaoh say… “Do it tomorrow.”

Are you kidding me?

BUT we are the same way I think. We have burdens, and for some reason we just want to keep carrying them around. God wants to get rid of them for us, but we tell him, “Do it tomorrow.” And we wallow in it ‘Today’. Don’t let yesterday’s failures and tomorrow’s ‘maybe’s keep you from today’s blessings J


Question:
Which plague of the ones we’ve read about would you hate to live through the worst? I’m thinking blood for myself because… eww… But frogs would be a close second.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 10-12

*To find the reading plan I’m doing, click on the “Our Reading Plan for 2013” tab.

*On January 31st, I’ll have a giveaway (I’m doing this at the end of every month). It will have to do with the reading (so I hope you’re keeping up ;) ) This month’s prize is an ebook copy of my book CROSSING THE DEEP and a $5 Amazon Gift Card


~Kelly