Sunday, December 30, 2007

2008 Here We Come!

Wow! Can you believe that 2007 is almost gone? It seems the older I get the faster time swooshes by me. (My kids would have a wise crack there about my age!)

As everyone is setting their thoughts towards New Year's resolutions, I want to put my two cents worth in on the subject.

Each year I have one goal that remains the same: Read the Bible in the year. That doesn't mean I always do it, but it is my goal!

If you haven't done so yet, I would like to redirect you, at this point, to my husband's blog entries for December 11, 12, and 13 on the Power of the Word of God. www.PastorRustysBlog.blogspot.com . Then I want you to consider making it a goal of yours to read through the entire Bible in 2008.

My question for each of us is this:
If every professing Christian in our nation would read the entire Word of God in 2008 what changes would take place in our lives, in our churches, in our communities, in our nation!?

Well, it starts with one. I want to be a change agent for the Kingdom of God. I want God to be able to use me more than He ever has before. I want to take the challenge of reading through the entire Bible again in 2008. Will you take it with me?

Being the "on-line" Bible study that we are, I have a resource to make it even easier for you to read through the Bible this year. (Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!) Just follow these simple steps and your daily reading passage will be emailed to you each day of the year!

1) Log on to www.studylight.org
2) Scroll down to the left hand side of the screen to the tab "Study Resources".
3) Find the one that says "Daily Reading Plan" and click.
4) To the right of that day's date there are small letters that read "Bible in a Year" by email. Click that.
5) The Bible in a Year tab is BIAY. Log in your email address and select your translation! You will need to verify with your first email to continue to receiving your scriptures. Also, add the incoming email to you address book so that your mail server will not spam it.

Is that not awesome?! I have been receiving my daily scripture reading via email for over a month now. I love it because if I don't read it, it is still sitting there in my inbox reminding me..... "You haven't read the Word yet....!"

If you skimmed through this post, please remember to go back and read Pastor Rusty's blogs for the 11th, 12th, and 13th of December. I pray it challenges you as never before to read and pray God's Word!

I wish you all a Happy New Year! May your Year bring you closer to the Savior than ever before!
May you continually:
Seek His Face- pursue and intimate relationship with the Savior
Know His Truth - gain ultimate reality about His Kingdom
Love His Word - desire passionate revelation of His Nature - and
Live His Will - daily submit to His plan and His way for your life.

Love you all!
Dorinda

Monday, December 24, 2007

Merry Christmas!

It is Christmas Eve! I love this time of year! I have so much to be thankful for - and it is all because of God sending His only begotten Son to us to save us from our sins.





I wish you all the most wonderful Christmas of all. My Christmas wish for each of you is that you all know the joy and peace He brings.


If you have a chance during the holidays, post a testimony of God's faithfulness to you! I would love to hear from each of you.

For those of you who have the time for a Bible study this week, here is a short one for you to dig into:

1) John 1:1,2,14
2) Luke 2:12

What do the verses in John chapter 1 have to do with the Christmas story?
How does John 1:14 correspond with Luke 2:12?

Here is a question for you to ponder:
John 1:14 says that we beheld His glory. If Jesus did not come in all of His glory, but was clothed in humanity, how did John pen the words, " and we beheld His glory full of grace and truth"?

I love you all and wish you a wonderful Christmas day! Celebrate His birth with the wonder the miraculous!

With a heart of worship,
Dorinda

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

The Advent Season

I hope you all read some of the information on the season of Advent. In my readings I found that this liturgical celebration of full of beauty and symbolism.

The first week of advent centers around HOPE. Hope for the Messiah to come, as He did 2000 years ago, and hope for our Messiah to return, as He has promised. The cry of the prophets from the Old Testament as they were longing for the Messiah to be born should be mirrored in our longing for our Savior and Messiah to return.

The second week of advent usually centers around PEACE. The peace that Messiah ushered in as He, the Son of God was born as the Son of man, is ours because He came.

The third week of advent is JOY. Joy that we have a Messiah. Joy that He is our Savior! Joy that He has promised to return!

The fourth week of advent concentrates on the LOVE He brings. The advent season ends on Christmas Eve as the final candle is lit to focus on Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

If you would like an even more in depth study, I found a resource I am comfortable giving to you for your devotions with your family at home. Please go to: http://sbcommunity.org/life/pdf/advent_study.pdf

This week in our studies, I want us to examine our life and our traditions during the beautiful holiday season.
Do we focus on material things or is everything we are doing pointing our families to Christ?
Are we so busy and so hectic that Christmas joy is Christmas stress?
Do we point out to our children the wonderful hope of our coming Savior? Is the fact that we celebrate His birth enough? Or -is there a way to also emphasize His soon return?

I believe the Avent celebrations, although not a Biblical mandate, are a beautiful way for us to focus on the deep spiritual richness of Christmas.

I encourage you, if you do nothing else on the Bible study to go to the website listed above, print the study, and highlight some things you want to share with your family.

May the Christ of Christmas fill your hearts and flood your soul with His peace!

Love ya!
Dorinda

Friday, December 7, 2007

What on earth is Advent?

Okay. I know this was a different post, but I haven't heard from you guys.

So, let me know. Have you ever heard of advent? Have you ever celebrated in a traditional advent service?
Do you know what the four Sundays and colors and candles of Advent represent?

Just curious.......
Love ya!
Dorinda

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Tis the Season!

I absolutely love this time of year! With all of its craziness, rushing and hectic schedules, I love it!!
Why? I can't put it in just a few words. I guess it is all that the season means and the joy it brings when we focus on the real reason for this season.
So, for the next few weeks, we will take a break from our "Lord, Help Me I'm Human" Bible study and focus on Christmas.

Advent is a beautiful liturgical celebration of the coming of Christ. For those of us raised in good old Assembly of God churches, we might have missed the ceremonial aspect of this beautiful worship experience. Until after Christmas we are going to look at the four candles in the advent wreath, what they mean to our Christian walk and inspection into God's Word on this subject.

I am going to take this study in small steps, rather than one each week. The reason being is that I am not up on my advent "stuff" and will research sites and scriptures and pass them along as I find them.
So, for the first leg of our study, please go to www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html. Now, please be aware that if I send you to these sites, it does not mean that I agree with their doctrine, practices or basic Biblical views. I will be referring to a few places because of their historical and research information on advent.

1.) Review the information at www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html (This is from a Protestant perspective.)
2.) Another look at from a Catholic perspective is www.cptryon.org/prayer/adx/index.html
3.) Begin to look at your Christmas traditions at home. Do they prepare your heart and the hearts of your family for the coming of Christ?
4.) Is there something you can change in how you celebrate this beautiful season to make your family and especially your children and/or grandchildren be more in love with the Christ of Christmas?

Later on this week, I will post a survey on Christmas traditions. Maybe we can encourage each other to have the most beautiful and spirit filled Christmas ever!

Merry Christmas!
Dorinda