Day Twenty-two

                                                           The Book of
                                                             PSALMS

The Book of Psalms is the largest and perhaps most widely used book in the Bible. It explores the full range of human experience in a very personal and practical way. Its 150 "songs" ran from the Creation through the patriarchal, theocratic, monarchical, exilic, and postexilic periods. The tremendous breadth of subject matter in the Psalms includes diverse topics, such as jubilation, war, peace, worship, judgement, messianic prophecy, praise, and lament.
     The Book of Psalms was gradually collected and originally unnamed, perhaps due to the great variety of material. It came to be known as Sepher Tehillim--"Book of Praises"--because almost every psam contains some note of praise to God. The Septugint uses the Greek word Psalmoi as its title for this book, meaning "Poems Sung to the Accompaniment of Musical Instruments." It also calls it the Psalterium ("A Collection of Songs"), and this word is the basis for the term Psalter. The Latin title is Liber Psamorum, "Book of Psalms."  King James Version, Holy Bible.

                                                           Day 22

                                                         Like a tree...
                                      That brings forth its fruit in its season.
                                                                              Psalms 1:3

Timing is everything. If you want to enjoy your garden year-round, plant the right types of flowers, trees, and brushes, and you can enjoy color in your yard from January to December and every month in between. Planting the right combination of vegetables at the right time can ensure garden-fresh eating for months!

The Bible verse for today reminds us that every living thing brings forth its unique fruit in its season-at the proper time. I wonder if the same holds true for the harvest of "fruit" in our own lives. Here's what I mean: When I was young, I wished I was older so that I could sing in our church choir.

About the time I was old enough to join the choir, I wished I could be a teacher in a Christian school. When I was old enough to become a Christian teacher, I dreamed about serving as a missionary. And on it went. As I continually looked to the future, I failed to act on current opportunities for service--the "here-and-now harvest."

Don't misunderstand-I think dreams and aspirations are fine. I also know that preparation and maturity are sometimes a prerequisite for certain types of service. But merely waiting for the right time might mean an opportunity lost forever. It's great to work toward a goal, but the Holy Spirit also wants us to be open to fruit-bearing opportunities all along the way.

Prayer suggestion. Are you waiting for a more opportune "harvest time" in your own life? Could God be opening a door for service for you today? Ask Him to help you see fruitful possibilities in your life right now.
</145494>  King James Version, Holy Bible

Listen: Twenty-First Day

Listen: Twenty-First Day: " &n..."

Twenty-First Day

                                          The First Book of Moses Called
                                                         GENESIS
                                            King James Version, Holy Bible

The first part of genesis focuses on the beginning and spread of sin in the world and culminates in the devasting flood in the days of Noah. The second part of the book focuses on God's dealings with one man, Abraham. Abraham and his descendants learn firsthand that it is always safe to trust the Lord in times of famine, blessing and bondage. From Abraham...to Isaac...to Jacob...to Joseph...God's promises begin to come to fruition in a great nation possessing a great land.
     Genesis is a Greek word meaning "origin,"  "source,"  "generation,"  or "beginning."  the original Hebrew title Bereshith means "In the Beginning."
     The literary structure of Genesis is clear and is built around eleven seprate units, each including the word generations in the phrase "There are the generations" or "The book of the generations":  (1) Introduction to the Genealogies (1:1--2:3);  (2) Heaven and Earth (2:4--4:26);  (3) Adam (5:1--6:8);  (4) Noah (6:9--9:29);  (5) Sons of Noah (10:1--11:9);  (6) Shem (11:10-26); (7) Terah (11:27--25:11); (8) Ishmael (25:12-18); (9) Isaac (25:19--35:29); (10) Esau (36:1--37:1); (11) Jacob (37:2--50:26).

                                                     Twenty-first Day

                              While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest
                 cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night, shall not cease.
                                                                                   Genesis 8:22

Ever wonder why gardeners garden? It's a valid question-one I've often asked myself. Especially as I hunker down in the damp spring soil to carefully cull weeds that are nested between emerging seedlings.

Why garden? I wonder, as I pinch potato beetles and slap at mosquitoes that buzz around my head.

Why garden? is the question I hear in my mind as I wrestle my tomato plants into their cages or apply calamine lotion to my poison ivy spots.

Why garden? I ask, especially when my kitchen temperature tops 90 degrees as quarts of green beans sizzle inside the pressure canner, and I frantically search cookbooks for new ways to use up the never-ending supply of zucchini.

Most gardeners garden because of the harvest--fresh fruit, ripe from the trees; snappy vegetables, bursting with flavor; or beautiful bouquets of fragrant, homegrown flowers. It's the harvest. It's all about the harvest.

The harvest is a reminder of the cycle we call life. Read Genesis 8:22 once more. There is a sure and abiding comfort in this verse. It's a promise that helps keep me focused on the real reason for living-God is growing me for His harvest. There will be difficulties-summer, slugs, and sadness; winter, weeds, and worries- but as long as the earth remains and I have life, God will be with me.  Along with the cold, my Savior will provide warmth of His forgiveness and love. Nighttime won't frighten me, because I know that as  I sleep, my God will not. And in the end-the very end- God will gather up His harvest. It will be a great and joy-filled harvest of believers in Jesus, the Savior.

Prayer suggestion. Picture yourself in the final harvest of believers. Ask Jesus to help you live today with that final harvest in mind.   http://a1itsinthebag.blogspot.com,http//lindagjehoich.blogspot.com,http://listening4u.blogspot.com, http://www.orble.com/Winning

Listen: Day Twenty

Listen: Day Twenty: " &n..."

Day Twenty

                                                         THE ACTS
                                                       of the Apostles
                                           King James Version Holy Bible

JESUS' last recorded words have come to be known as the Great Commissions: "Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (1:8). The Book of Acts, written by Luke is the story of the men and women who took that commission seriously and began to spread the news of a risen Savior to the most remote corners of the known world.
     Each section of the book ( 1-7; 8-12; 13-28) focuses on a particular audience, a key personality, and a significant phase in the expansion of the gospel message.
     As the second volume in a two-part work by Luke, this book probably had no seperation title. But all available Greek manuscripts designate it by the title Praxeis, "Acts," or by an expanded title like "the Acts of the Apostles.' Praxeis was commonly used in Greek literature to summarize the accomplishments of outstanding men. While apostles are mentioned collectively at several points, this book really records the acts of Peter (1-12) and of Paul (13-28).

                                                           Day 20

                                    The gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.
                                                                         Acts 10-45

What kind of gift can you give your favorite gardener? Most gardeners enjoy receiving packets of seeds, bulbs, and plant containers. Tools are useful, as are getting books. But for something a little out of the ordinary, consider giving homemade, organic plant food, better known in gardening circles as "willow water."

For centuries, herbalists and gardeners have used this simple, homemade solution for propagating seedlings and stimulating growth in existing plants.

It's easy to make willow water, or willow tea, as it's sometimes called. Simply cut tender, new-growth stems and leaves from a willow tree.

Trim your gathered foilage to one-inch pieces, and place roughly three cups of the willow trimmings into a five--gallon bucket of water. Let the mixture steep for several days, then strain the tea--colored willow water into jars and refrigerate. This unsual gift is sure to please your favorite gardening friend.

Not many gifts are "poured out" before they become useful. But take another look at today's Bible verse. In fact, you may find it helpful to read Acts 10 in it's entirety. This section of Scripture recounts the apostle Peter's visit with Cornelius. As Peter preaches, the Holy Spirit is suddenly poured out on everyone listening--Jews and Gentiles alike.

Peter made himself available to the Spirit's leading. The Spirit, in turn, worked through the apostle's message to instill faith in the hearts of the many listeners. Many were filled with the Spirit and were baptized.

What do you think happened next? The Spirit continued His work-pouring out God's grace and mercy-through the words and actions of those new believers. And on and on...

Prayer suggestion. How can you better yield to the Spirit's guiding in your own life? What obstacles sometimes prevent you from passing on the Good News of salvation to others? Talk to your Lord about it.
http://www.orble.com/Winning,http://a1itsinthebag.blogspot.com,http://lindagjehoich.blogspot.com,http://listening4u.blogspot.com

The Holy Bible.

Listen: Day Nineteen

Listen: Day Nineteen: " &n..."

Day Nineteen

                                                 The Book of
                                                      Psalms  King James Version Bible

 The Book of Psalms is the largest and perhaps most widely used book of the Bible. It explores the full range of human experience in a very personal and practical way. Its 150 "songs" run from the Creation through the patriarchal, theocratic, monarchical, exillic, and postexillic periods. The tremendous breadth of subject matter in the Psalms includes diverse topics, such as jubilation, war, peace, worship, judgement, messianic prophecy, praise, and lament. The Psalms were set to the accompaniment of stringed instruments and served as the temple hymnbook and divotional guide for the Jewish people.
     The Book of Psalms was gradually collected and originally unnamed, perhaps due to the great variety of material. It came to be known as Sepher Tehillim--"Book of Psalms"--because almost every psalm contains some note of praise to God. The Septuagint uses the Greek word Psalmoi as its title for this book, meaning "Poems Sung to the accompaniment of Musical Instruments.; It also callls it the Psalterium 9A Collection of Songs"), and this word is the basis for the term psalter. the Latin title is Liber Psamorum, "book of psalms." King James Version... Holy Bible.

                                                     Day 19

                          How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
                                   ...With You is the fountain of life.
                                                                  Psalms 36: 7-9

The quiet bubbling of a garden fountain adds peaceful tranquilty to any garden setting.

That's what the newspaper advertisement proclaimed, but I needed no convincing. I'd dreamed about a garden fountain for a long time, and now seemed like the perfect opportunity to act.

I toured several garden shops and home-inprovement stores in search of just the right fountain for my yard. The longer I looked, the more confused I became.

Fountains, I discovered, come in all sizes and shapes. There are stark, sleek, modern designs, as well as elaborately detailed fountains. Animals and human forms adorn some, while other fountains boast of flowers and birds. Each fountain produces its own unique sound, as well--from gentle gurgling to fierce splashing--and every sound in between. Then there are pump sizes, water requirements, installation, and maintence considerations.

The complexity of choosing a fountain suprised me. I'm glad the fountain in today's Scripture verse is a lot simpler! Can you see the picture the psalms paints? God's love and kindness bubble into and over our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. His mercy and grace splash down on us, even though we've done nothing to deserve it. The fountain of eternal life never runs dry, it pours out in continual streams, over and over and over again. Day after day, minute by minute, the fountain pours down blessings--a deeper relationship with Jesus, our Savior, and a continual growth in Him, demonstrated as we serve others in self--forgetful love.

God's beautiful and enduring fountain--aperfect picture of His love.

Prayer suggestion. Think about the first time the fountain of God's grace splashed mercy down on you. How is the Spirit currently refreshing you? Praise and thank Him for His eternal fountain of love. </145494>