HAPPY NEW YEAR! ~~ Testimony and Hope ~~ STUDY

Testimony and Hope
O’ what a Christmas we had!

In years past, many times there was chaos and turmoil in my household, but not so this year. Love and care for one another surrounded us more than I’ve ever witnessed. I believe that my household is not much different than most, perhaps like yours.

Without going into great detail… previous wounds from relationship destruction, divorce and broken homes had caused mountains of ice anger within each heart. Even when we gathered as a family, hoping that peace would present itself, the past haunted every word, breath and gesture. There was no true peace. But many are the prayers that have been offered and GOD has answered. HIS love has been slowly melting the ice. GOD does not force the warmth of HIS love on anyone. We must desire, pray and wait for it, just as HE waits patiently for the recipient to desire HIS love. HE has already given the gift of HIS love through CHRIST JESUS, we only need to receive HIS gift.

This year, although coldness still lies in sections here and there, the mountains of ice are nearly gone. Hallelujah! I believe when this family core is fully warmed by HIS great love then those in our family who are still on the outskirts will draw closer seeking its warmth. The fire has to start with GOD. Our fire started with Bob, my husband and me. Hallelujah! But, we must remember that we are only kindling. GOD sent the fire in HIS SON, JESUS. This fire will never go out because it is a holy fire! There are many embers and each one is a gift. As we continue to grow in knowledge, the smoldering embers reignite. We must continue to stir the fire and give it what it needs to blaze hot.


I will continue to pray for all my loved ones to truly “come home” to the FATHER who loves them. HE continues to patiently wait. As I write this, my thoughts are of my friends who now have families in distress. GOD hears the meditations of my heart and mind. My thoughts have become prayers. May all the prayers of those who love the LORD JESUS, be answered and all be drawn to the love that waits “at home” in HIM. Amen.

When we believe in the LORD JESUS as our SAVIOR, our home is with the KING! We are children of the KING and as the Hallelujah Chorus rings:

And HE shall reign forever and ever
KING of kings,

Forever and ever, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

LORD of lords,

Forever and ever, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Our home is with the KING! Hallelujah!

STUDY FOR THE NEW YEAR!

I’ve been wanting to understand Hebrew better in order to capture more meaning from my scripture studies. Bob knew this and one of my gifts this year included a nine month online class in classical Hebrew. I’ve already had the initial orientation on how to use the software and met the tech support directly from Israel. I’m very excited to begin but at the same time, nervous about it. We are to use the Bible in order to learn the language. That is what was so appealing to me. Now, I’m fairly sure we are just going to use the Old Testament, but perhaps not. On this point I’ll just have to wait and see.

It was difficult to find a good time because so many days I’m very late getting home. When we were trying to find a time to schedule I asked about Saturday and of course that was out of the question. I should have known but I asked anyway. My first real class is Monday, Jan. 4 @ 8 pm. This seemed to be the best time for me. Bob is off on Mondays and if I run into any tech problems, he will be here to rescue me. LOL!  I have a one hour class each week and then another hour to log-in on my own for study and there will be homework. My greatest fear is being able to keep up and still do all the things that need to be done here. GOD will help me. 

The free resource materials are all in English. Yeah! I’ve been exploring and already learned something that I didn’t realize. For instance: although I knew from television and movies that many times the Hebrew scrolls are sung and not merely read. I didn’t know why but thought it was nice. Well, I found out that when the scrolls are sung, it is the center of prayer for the Jewish congregation or individual. The part that struck me was the idea of the scroll being the center of prayer.


Do we, as Christians, think of our Bible as the center of prayer? I know I didn’t. I thought of the Bible as being something set apart from prayer. We are generally taught that scripture is GOD speaking to us and that prayer is us speaking to HIM and usually both are done in perhaps different settings.


But, the nugget of knowledge and picture image that I received is that when we open the WORD and speak aloud from it, we are in prayer! Just think of that, reading the scripture aloud puts us in prayer. Then the extra bit of imagery I received revealed that the scripture is to be sung in a beautiful melody. WOW! This may not mean much to you reading this, but to me it is an enormous revelation. I feel as though I have all these puzzle pieces to assemble and I just found one that fits.


I had learned previously that GOD inhabits the praise of HIS people. My learning of this had been linear in nature. Now, there is more understanding of this idea. When one or many of us read or sing the WORD, then we are within HIM. We are within HIS very WORD. HE delights in this but there is more.


As the sound of HIS WORD (not my word) comes from within me and I release it, then it surrounds me. When I sing with others, we sing HIS WORD in unity. The combined voices saying/singing HIS WORD is released and HE inhabits our praise. The praise is released as sound waves and spread throughout our space as a ripple. The inhabitation begins as HE is within us and finishes as HE surrounds us and ripples outward. What a fantastic thought! This is how HE desires HIS word to go forth!


In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with GOD and the WORD was GOD. The same was in the beginning with GOD. John 1:1,2 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Pray the scriptures:

1Pet 5:6..Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves under Your mighty hand.

1Jn 1:9..Forgive us for our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Heb 10:22..Let us draw near to You with a true heart in full assurance of faith,

Heb 10:22..having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,

Heb 10:22..and our bodies washed with pure water.

Col 3:16..Let Your Word dwell in us richly.

Col 1:9..Fill us with the knowledge of Your will,

Col 1:9..in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

Col 1:10.that we may live and conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of You,

Col 1:10..fully pleasing You, and being fruitful in every good work.

Eph 4:23..And, by being renewed in the spirit of our minds,

Col 3:12..that we put on tender mercies, kindness, humility,

Col 3:12..meekness, longsuffering: bearing with and forgiving one another.

Eph 4:13..That we dwell together in the unity of the faith,

1Thes 5:12..recognizing those who labor among us,

1Thes 5:13..esteeming them highly in love for their work's sake.

1Cor 1:10..I pray we all speak the same thing, with no divisions among us,

Phil 1:27..standing fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith.

Heb 13:9..That we're not carried about with various and strange doctrines,

2Tim 2:15..But we study, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Jude 1:16..That we're not murmurers, complainers, walking after our own lusts,

1Tim 6:18..but are rich in good works, ready to give and willing to share.

Eph 4:16..I pray that the whole body be knit and joined together,

Eph 4:16...and that every part does its share causing growth to the body.

1Pet 4:10...As each one has received a gift, let him minister it,

Phil 2:4...looking out for the interests of others.

1Pet 1:22..Let us all fervently love one another with a pure heart,

2Jn 1:8..so that we do not lose the things we have worked for.

1Pet 4:7..Let us become serious and watchful in our prayers,

Eph 5:16.redeeming the time, for the days are evil.

Heb 12:1....Running with endurance the race that is set before us,

Col 3:2..setting our minds on things above and not on things on the earth.

Phil 3:14..But pressing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God.

Eph 6:11..Putting on the whole armor of God that we may stand against the devil.

Acts 4:29...That we will speak forth Your Word with great boldness

Acts 4:30...and that You will stretch forth Your hand to heal,

Acts 4:30..that signs and wonders may be done in the name of Your Son Jesus.

So let’s remember to speak out
(or sing out)
THE WORD as it is written,
getting the idea that it is the center of prayer.

GOD’s WORD is the center
of the ripple that goes forth.

It goes forth with the human voice.