WORD up!

In the prophetic books of Joel and Obadiah, we see a fascinating and frightening vision of locusts decimating the land, and another surrounding the Day of the Lord and the judgment of God.  And on the flip side of that coin, we get a glimpse of God’s compassion toward His people, the promise of His Spirit, and the blessing He promises to bestow. These books are such rich and interesting study.   And I was absolutely stopped in my tracks by the message – the warning – from God through Obadiah: TREAT YOUR BROTHER WELL Obadiah teaches that Edom will definitely be judged by God (Obadiah 1-9).   Obadiah spells out Edom’s sins against Judah (Obadiah 10-14).   Obadiah speaks about the judgment of the nations (Obadiah 15-18) and the future blessing for Israel (Obadiah 19-21).   Edom will be completely wiped out for mistreating his brother, Judah.   If you recall, the Edomites were the descendants of Esau.   And Obadiah teaches that they would be judged f...

Today, we’re looking at the Old Testament prophetic book of Amos.  These 9 chapters may seem intimidating, but they pretty short with a profound message about Judgment .  The Sovereign Lord roared, spoke against Israel, and showed Amos.   When we walk away from our time together today, I want you to know The Lord’s relentless judgment of sin is coming: NOW is the time to repent!   Heavenly Father, would you open our eyes and hearts to see and receive what you have for us today?   Would you bring understanding and conviction and humility to the heart of each of us?   Show us something new and mind blowing in Your Word.   In Jesus’ name. Amen.   We have three divisions: 1.The Lord roars: For sins I will not relent (Amos 1-2) 2.What the Sovereign Lord has spoken against Israel (Amos 3-6) 3.What the Sovereign Lord showed me (Amos) (Amos 7-9)   Let’s dive right in to this amazing book of prophecy.   Read Amos 1:1-2 ....

Content ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ): 1.Amos, vision;L roars/thunders;for sins Damascus relent ;destroy king;sins Gaza relent ;dest king(1:1-8) 2.sins Tyre relent ;consume fort;sins Edom relent ;cons fort;sins Ammon relent ;con fort;king exile(1:9-15) 3.sins Moab relent ;dest ruler;sins Judah relent ;cons fort;sins Israel relent ;trmpl poor,profane nom(2:1-7) 4.hs G drink;dest Am;brt out Egypt;raised proph;u cmd proph proph ;I crush u; esc ;bravest flee(2:8-16)   5.Hear wd L;walk together agreed;L does 0 w/o reveal>proph;L spkn,who can but proph(3:1-8) 6.proclm:assemble;SL:enemy overrun land;shepherd rescues;hear/testify;1d I punish;hses dest(3:9-15) 7.hear;SL sworn;sin;boast;empty stomachs;withhld rain;plagues;u retd Me;prep meet Almighty(4:1-13) 8.Hear lament;fallen;SL:seek Me/live;md Pleiades/Orion;dest strghld;I know offenses;seek good(5:1-14) 9.h8 evil;wailing st/vineyards;woe;d L dkness;h8 ur festivals;let justice r...

First, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Susan May Warren and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Sundown" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. “Sundown” by Susan May Warren is Book 3 in the 3-book Sky King Ranch series.   Although this book is part of a series, it would be enjoyable as a stand-alone read.   However, it is definitely more enjoyable if you’ve read the first two books:   “Sunrise” and “Sunburst”. “Sundown” is another fast-paced, suspenseful story with strong characters in whom the reader can invest.   Susan May Warren is a gifted storyteller.   I always enjoy her books and consider each story entertaining with valuable life lessons.   I highly recommend this book.

First, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, and Natalie Walters and their publisher for sending me a copy of "Targeted" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. “Targeted” is an anthology of three romantic suspense novellas:   On the Run by Lynette Eason, Deadly Objective by Lynn H. Blackburn, and Caught in the Crosshairs by Natalie Walters.   All three novellas are fast-paced and suspenseful, well-written and entertaining.   The characters are well-developed for such short reads.   All three authors are very talented with developing fairly complex plotlines quickly.   They also tie up those plots quickly and neatly.   All three novellas were very enjoyable reads.   I highly recommend this book for an entertaining few hours by the fire with a nice warm drink.

Divisions ( run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture/Principles are Aims for each Division – a truth about God, a truth about man, a truth about God’s relationship to man; a sin to avoid, promise to trust, example to follow, command to obey, truth to believe ): 1.Jonah ran away from the Lord (Jonah 1:1-17) Principle:   There is nowhere you can run to get away from God. 2.Jonah prayed from inside the fish (Jonah 2:1-10) Principle:   Challenging circumstances entice people to pray. 3.Jonah preached and Nineveh believed (Jonah 3:1-10) Principle:   God’s Word changes hearts. 4.Jonah became angry (Jonah 4:1-11) Principle:   Our Christlikeness is revealed by our attitude toward our enemies’ redemption.   Subject Sentence ( 10-word sentence with proper structure showing exactly where you are in Scripture ): Jonah ran away, prayed, preached to Nineveh, and became angry.   Aim (“ To Cause My Audience To…” Know, See, Learn, Underst...

 First, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Amy Lynn Green and her publisher for sending me a copy of "The Blackout Book Club" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. “The Blackout Book Club” by Amy Lynn Green is a sweet novel that is a terrific tribute to librarians and libraries and a love of books!  Set during the Second World War, the story of Avis Montgomery and her book club is a story of relationship and connection, and overcoming fear and hardship, and life, joy and love. I really enjoyed Amy Lynn Green’s writing style!  The story is told from the perspective of four “leading ladies,” who are the members of this book club.  Each character has a unique viewpoint from a different town or walk of life, that gives the story a beautiful, rich, life-like thickness.  This is an engaging, enjoyable, deep, contemplative book, not a...

  When have you experienced a miracle?   When have you experienced or witnessed God’s power?   Today, we’re looking at 2 Kings 4:1-6:7.   There are several wonderful stories in these verses about Miracles and about God’s Power .   Elisha helps, awakens a boy, feeds, heals leprosy, floats iron.   When we walk away from our time together today, I want you to know God miraculously glorifies Himself through willing servants.   We have a lot to cover and think about today.   Let’s begin with prayer.   Holy Father, would you provide the time to engage this material today?   We ask that your Word would change us, and stretch us, and mold us, and arm us for spiritual battle.   May we think more like Jesus Christ when our time together is done today.   It’s in His matchless name we pray. Amen.   Originally, I think I had five divisions for this set of verses.   Then four.   Then I started typing out my co...

  Content ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ): 1.wife:husb dead,creditor coming tk boys;E:what have? Sm jar OO;ask4jars;shut door pour oil(2Ki4:1-4) 2.kept pouring;jars full oil stopped;sell oil pay debts,live(2Ki4:5-7) 3.Shunem,wm>husb:holy moG;sm rm,stay;E went rm>Gehazi:call Shunammite(2Ki4:8-12) 4.what done4u: son ,husb old;next yr hold son;pregnant,next yr son;child grew;>fr:my head!(2Ki4:13-19) 5.svt carried>moth,sat lap noon, died;laid him bed moG;>husb:I go moG;Mt Carmel saw her(2Ki4:20-25) 6.ask:everythg all rt;she hold ft;did I ask4son;E>G:lay staff boy’s face;G went,boy awakened (2Ki4:26-31) 7.E reached hs;prayed;lay on boy,body warm;boy sneezed7x,opend eyes;bowed,took son(2Ki4:32-37) 8.E>Gilgal,famine,cook stew;wild vine into pot;death in pot;flour into pot,nothing harmful(2Ki4:38-41) 9.man 20 loaves barley bread,E:give2ppl;how set this b4 100 men,gv2ppl,L:some left over(2Ki4:42-44)   10.Naama...

  Content ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ): 1.L about tk Elijah, Gilgal;E>Elisha:stay, leave you,>Bethel;proph:L tk master today, be quiet(2Ki 2:1-3) 2.E:stay; leave you,>Jericho;proph:L tk master today, be quiet;E:stay, leave you,walked on(2Ki 2:4-6) 3.50 proph stood,E&E>Jordan;E cloak struck h2o,divide:E:what do for you,dbl portion spirit(2Ki 2:7-9) 4.if see me taken,yours;chariot fire separated,E heaven whirlwind;Elisha saw, tore garment(2Ki 2:10-12) 5.E’s cloak;took,struck water,divided;proph watching:spirit E on Elisha(2Ki 2:13-15) 6.go look master, send ;persisted,searched 3d;ret’d,didn’t I tell you go (2Ki 2:16-18) 7.ppl>E:h2o bad,land unproductive;bring new bowl,salt;went spring threw salt:L healed h2o(2Ki 2:19-21) 8.h2o remained pure;>Bethel,boys:get out baldy;curse,2 bears mauled 42 boys(2Ki 2:22-24) 9.>Mt Carmel>Samaria(2Ki 2:25)   10.Joram son Ahab king, reigned 12y;evil,not as fr...

Content ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ): 1.J troops/garrisons;L with;sought G;wealth honor;devoted L(2 Chr 17:1-6) 2.3 rd y sent officials/Levites;taught Judah;fear L fell;Philistines/Arabs;J more powerful(2 Chr 17:7-12) 3.supplies/fighting men;Judah 300,000;280,000;200,000;Benj 200,000;180,000;srvd king(2 Chr 17:13-19)   4.J allied Ahab marriage;went Samaria;koI:go with?J:we join;1 st seek L;koI proph:go(2 Chr 18:1-5) 5.J: proph L we inquire?;koI:Micaiah;koI:bring M;koI/koJ thrones entr Sam(2 Chr 18:6-9) 6.Zed md horns:gore Aram;All proph same;msgr>M:proph success,agree;M tell G says(2 Chr 18:10-13) 7.king:go war,attack,victorious;tell truth; M:saw Is scattered;koI>J:never proph good(2 Chr 18:14-17) 8.M:saw L sitting;who entice Ahab;spirit:I;L:go;deceiving spirit mouths proph;Zed slap M(2 Chr 18:18-24) 9.koI:tk M;prison bread h2o;if retn L spoken me;koI/J went;koI disguise;koAram:fight koI(2 Chr 18:25-30) 10.char cm...

Content ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ): 1.3y war Aram/Is;3d y Jehos went Is; koI>officials:Ram Gil we doing 0 retake(1 Ki 22:1-3) 2.asked J:go with?J:ur ppl my ppl;J>koI:1 st seek couns L;koI brought prophets:Go, L give(1 Ki 22:4-6) 3.J: proph L we inquire?;one nvr proph good, Micaiah;koI:bring Mic;koI/J thrones entr Sam(1 Ki 22:7-10) 4.Zedekiah md iron horns:gore Aram until destroyed;All proph prophesy same(1 Ki 22:11-12) 5.msgr>Mic:proph pred success,agree;Mic:tell only L tells(1 Ki 22:13-14) 6.king:Mic, go war? Attack be victorious;king:tell truth(1 Ki 22:15-16) 7.M:saw Is scattered,each go home;koI>J:never proph good(1 Ki 22:17-18) 8.M:saw L throne;who entice Ahab;spirit;deceiving spirit mouths proph,L:go(1 Ki 22:19-22) 9.L decreed disaster;Zed slapped Mic:which way spirit go;you find out when hide(1 Ki 22:23-25) 10.koI:Mic send back;put prison bread water;Mic:if retn L spoken thru me(1 Ki 22:26-28) 11.koI/J w...

Content ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ):   Divisions ( run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture/Principles are Aims for each Division – a truth about God, a truth about man, a truth about God’s relationship to man; a sin to avoid, promise to trust, example to follow, command to obey, truth to believe ): 1.The Lord gives Elijah a servant, Elisha, after Elijah runs from Jezebel, afraid. (1 Ki 19:1-21) Principle:   God ministers to the needs of His people to reduce fear and increase faith. 2.The Lord gives Ahab victory over Ben-hadad twice, then Ahab makes a treaty, and returns to Samaria angry (1 Ki 20:1-43) Principle:   God desires obedience from all people. 3.The Lord did not bring disaster on Ahab after he seized Naboth’s vineyard because he humbled himself. (1 Ki 21:1-29) Principle:   God’s servants will sometimes suffer for their obedience.   Subject Sentence ( 10-word sentence with proper struct...