Christian Paradigm Shifts

Christian Image Source Scripture: Genesis 24:15-20 ~ New Living Translation Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.  Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” “Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels. Observation: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible ~ She was so well qualified that in

William Anderson - Merchant Ships Under Sail and at Anchor of a Town Scripture: Proverbs 31:14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. - NIV She is like a merchant's ship, bringing her food from afar. - NLT She has been like a merchant's ship that brings its merchandise from far away. - Aramaic Bible in Plain English She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread. - Young's Literal Translation Proverbs 9:1-2 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.  - NIV Wisdom has built her house; she has carved its seven columns.She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table  - NLT Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars. She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has set her table. - GWT Oberservation: Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

www.emblibrary.com Scripture: Proverbs 31:!3 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. - NIV She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. - NLT She has sought wool and fine linen and her hands have worked according to his pleasure. - Aramaic Bible in Plain English Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, - NIV Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. - NLT Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, - NASB Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans. Observation: The Proverbs 31 woman works eagerly and with pleasure. She does so to please the Lord and not just man. Application: Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible- She sought all opportunities of doing good works externally, as believers do; and sought after the kingdom of Go

Scripture: Proverbs 31:12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. - NIV She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. - NASB She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. - KJV She has done good things for him and not bad things all the days of her life. - Aramaic Bible She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life. - GWT She will not hinder him but help him all her life. NLT 1 Kings 11:4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. - NIV For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. - NASB In his old age, his wives tempted him to follow other gods. He was no longer committed to the LORD his God as his father David had been. -GWT Observation: Gill's Expo

ChristianCliparts.net Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. ~ NIV And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks (Shavuot) had come, they were all with one mind in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and settled on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Set- apart Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them to speak. ~ The Scriptures

Today is my 16th wedding anniversary! Dan and I have been together for a total of 19 years. I'd like to share with you my experiences on this journey called married life. It all began on that warm spring morning. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. I put on my wedding dress, had my hair and makeup done by two wonderful friends, and then I was off in the limo to our church. I walked down the aisle to the altar where my handsome groom was waiting for me. With veiled face, I exchanged my vows. I recited a passage from Ruth - "Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to return from following after thee. For whither thous goest, I will go. Where thou lodgest I will lodge. Thy people, shall be my people and thy God my God. Where thou diest, will I dies and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." As we left the sanctuary that day to begin our life, my friend Jann played a song called "Build Your Hous

Scriptures: Proverbs 16:20 - Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful. NLT Proverbs 28:25 - Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity. NLT Proverbs 29:25 - Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety. NLT Observation: Trusting in the Lord brings joy, prosperity, and safety. Application: Instead of trusting in people and things, I should trust in the Lord. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, today I choose to put my trust in you and not in people or things. Today I will trust in you and not my own understanding. In all my ways I will acknowledge you and you will make my paths straight. In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture: Proverbs 31:11 NIV - Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. NLT - Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. NASB - The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. GWT - Her husband trusts her with [all] his heart, and he does not lack anything good. Proverbs 11:28 - NLT - Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring. Proverbs 28:26 - NLT - Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. Observation: From the ESV Study Bible - He does not maintain jealous guard over her or keep his valuables locked up so that she cannot access them as was a common ancient practice in a house of distrust. She demonstrates impeccable loyalty to her husband, and her thrift and industry will add to his wealth. From Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary - She can be trusted, and he will leave such a wife to manage for him. He

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10 NIV- A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. NLT - Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. NASB - An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. KJV- Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. GWT - Who can find a wife with a strong character? She is worth far more than jewels. Douay-Rheims - Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her Observation: From the ESV Study Bible - this verse reminds the reader that a good wife is from the Lord: Proverbs 12:4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones; Proverbs 18:22 - He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD; Proverbs 19:14 - House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. Application - For a wife to be valiant, virtu

www.sermoncentral.com Proverbs 31:1-9 The introduction to this proverb is all about a mother giving advice to her child. She instructs her child not to spend his time in a wanton fashion. Spending time, energy, and money to court women would only bring him ruin. She tells him that drinking alcohol in excess would influence him not to be just in his decrees. He would deprive the oppressed of their rights. She reveals to him the importance of speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves. May we as mother's be as wise with our words. May our words influence our children for the better. Do not discount how much your children rely on you to help them navigate through this journey called life. Remember, you are not alone in this endeavor. God is with you. He is in you. He is at work for you to do his good pleasure.  Do not loose heart. Do not give up. Keep pressing on.

Proverbs 31: 5-6 Scripture: For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. Listen: http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mcconachie/nasb/Prov.31.5-Prov.31.6 Observation: Proverbs 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. Proverbs 23:29-35 - Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. “They struck me,” you will say,“but I was not hurt; they b

Scripture: Proverbs 31:3-4 Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.   It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, Listen: http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mcconachie/nasb/Prov.31.3-Prov.31.4 Observation: The following is from the ESV Study Bible - "The purpose of vv. 2-9 is to instruct in what the ideal human king ought to look like: he is judicious personally (vv. 3-6). That this proverb refers to mistresses (or a harem) rather than to monogamous marriage is obvious from the plural women rather than “a woman.” Having mistresses is a waste of a man’s strength (perhaps meaning his wealth, but, in the present context of a king, more likely his energy and vigor for ruling well). The calling of kings is to serve the well-being of their subjects....They must never allow their judgment to be clouded by wine or strong drink ." Application: We should not give our

Scripture: Proverbs 31:1-2 NASB The words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him: What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? Listen: http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mcconachie/nasb/Prov.31.1-Prov.31.2 Watch: Observe: King Lemuel shares advice that his mother gave to him. We really don't know who King Lemuel was or where he was king. From the ESV Study Bible - "Most suppose that he was not an Israelite (which is consistent with the fact that the words for son in 31:2 and kings in v. 3b have Aramaic spellings, and with the absence of the special name Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, from any of the sayings). " The ESV translation is "What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?" His mother was trying to get his attention in regards to how a king is reign. While this is not explicitly stated in the text, maybe he was not doing what he was sup

 Crosscards.com I would like to wish all my blog readers a wonderful and blessed Mother's Day!! Enjoy the day celebrating you and what God has done in your life. " Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever." ~ Unknown 

Next week the Proverbs 31 summer book study will begin. This study will be led my Courtney, Angela & others at Good Morning Girls. Their website is www.goodmorninggirls.org . All the materials are available for free download, including the reading schedule. Even Courtney's Proverbs 31 ebook (available in English, Spanish, German and Croatian) is available for free download when you subscribe to her blog at www.womenlivingwell.org . Here are some other resources you may want to consider as we delve into the study: Sara Horn's website for her book My so Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife which is currently on ebook sale for $2.99 - http://www.myproverbs31life.com/ Connie Witter has free MP3s you can listen to and download which are part of her Because of Jesus series based on the Proverbs 31 woman as seen through the lens of who we are in Christ. - http://conniewitter.com/free-downloads Jenifer Jernigan's free download to memorize Proverbs 31 - http://jenife

From the book The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace I thought this picture would be a great visual for our study and a helpful reminder to implant, embrace and enact God's word in our lives. Also, here is a song to inspire you as you discover the character traits of the Proverbs 31:

Proverbs 31 Woman by Eva C. Crawford Next week begins the Proverbs 31 study. I thought I'd share some insights about this woman before we dig in deeper. "Just when you thought you'd seen the last of that Proverbs 31 woman, here she comes again to remind you of how wonderful she is. But don't look at her as someone who is larger than life. See in her all the things you can become with the help of Almighty God." - Women of Character by Lawrence Kimbrough This is an acrostic poem with each verse beginning with next Hebrew letter. The woman described encompasses all of wisdom's skills and virtues, from a to z. From  The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary We are not in competition with this woman. In fact, she is not one woman but a composite of the wonderful attributes of womanhood.  From the ESV Study Bible - "This lofty portrait of excellence sets such a high standard that it can be depressing to godly women today until its purpose is understood

 www.jeniferjernigan.com I have permission from Jenifer Jernigan of Diving Deeper Ministries to share the following resource with you. She asked that I not change anything. So this is a word for word post from her website. Jenifer has developed a wonderful program for memorizing Scripture and hiding it in your heart. "Twelve weeks to memorize Proverbs 31:10-31. Two verses each week, checking off the days as you go. And being held accountable by a friend who will listen as you recite those Words you've implanted, embraced and enacted." "If you are interested, simply do the following to implant Proverbs 31:1-31 deep within your heart." (Other Scripture Memorization Booklets can be found on her freebies page - http://jeniferjernigan.com/freebies . More coming soon!) "1. Download and print out cards and cover by clicking here . Purchase spiral bound 3 x 5 index cards or 3.5 x 5.5 moleskin ruled journals. (We've found both at our local Target

 www.bettycrocker.com The following recipe is a Fix It and Forget It recipe, page 179 (tweaked a little bit) Makes 4-5 Servings Ingredients: 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast quarters 15 oz. can of spaghetti sauce 4oz. can of mushrooms, drained 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning Directions: 1. Spray crock pot with cooking spray 2. Place chicken in crock pot 3. Pour on sauce, mushrooms 4. Sprinkle with seasoning 4. Cover 5. Cook on high 3-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours 6. Serve over spaghetti or rice