the greenest grass around

The History Books-  Like a lot of people, I find reading the New Testament books easier than reading the Old Testament. As I said last week, it is easy to find myself skimming through some of the text because it is not as interesting or easy to read.  But like most things, you get out…

In case you haven’t noticed, the Bible is a lot of books and information in one book. There are different authors, time periods, and themes throughout. That can make understanding what you are reading difficult.  To make studying the Bible easier, you can read it in chunks. Last week I posted a Book breakdown. Reading…

Think about any complex book or manual you have read. Sometimes they can be confusing. The way a book is organized is helpful for our comprehension of the text. The Bible is no exception. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalms 119:105 Orderly and Logically The Bible is…

You will know a leopard by its spots. As Christians we are called to look different from this world. Practicing the Fruit of the Spirit will help us look for like Christ to others. Let me say this again… Having these qualities, truly having these qualities, is tough.  We can strive every day to act…

Prayer Starters I love back to school time. Maybe it’s because I am a teacher by trade or just one of those strange people who love to learn new things. I’ve been called a lifelong student. Sadly, student loans have a hold over me, so no more degrees here. But seriously. A new school year…

PATIENCE– “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” EPH 4:2 When was the last time you witnessed someone being impatient? Most likely not too long ago. When was the last time you were impatient? No judgment from me. I was impatient this morning and ran a red light going…

Fruits of the Spirit: Part 3 We will take an in-depth look at each “fruit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We will look at what they are, what did Paul mean, examples in the Bible and for your life, and possibly why Paul included them in this list of attributes.…

Fruits of the Spirit: Part 2 So why is it called Fruit of the Spirit? We, as Christians, are told several times in the Bible to be fruitful and grow the kingdom of God. The NIV uses the word fruit 198 times, and Jesus discusses being fruitful (John 15: 1-17). The word Fruit in this…

Fruits of the Spirit: Part 1 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” Galatians 5:22-23 Fruits of the Spirit are a topic that I generally shy away from. Other than a silly song I learned as a child, I truly only knew what they were…

I have had years where I attempt to read the Bible, years where I use devotionals, and other years when I have read through one page to the next. But no matter how I read through the Bible, it’s not as fulfilling if I am not reading with a purpose or intentionally. This year I…