WOW – Women Opening the Word blog – Week 2, Days 1-2

We started this new series, for Week 1, on Friday and Saturday.  That was Week 1, Days 1-2.  We are now on Week 2, Days 1-2.

We talked about the Bible being 66 books, starting with Genesis and ending with Revelation.  The Bible is divided into 2 large sections called the Old and New Testament (NT).  The Old Testament (OT) includes stories about the creation of the world all the way to prophets of GOD prophesying about JESUS coming to earth 400 years or more before HE actually did come to earth.  So, the end of the OT was written about 400 years before JESUS came to earth at the beginning of the NT.   

The OT is full of GOD explaining the victorious way to live on the earth, yet giving people choice about whether to live HIS way or their own way.  We learn that the word “sins” refer to the things that are contrary to how GOD designed us to live.  Yet, HE doesn’t force us to live HIS way; we each make our own choices. GOD’s way is just the right way (righteous way) to live. 

Since we've already talked about JESUS being there at creation, let's consider these 2 names of JESUS.  HE is:

• Alpha and Omega
• Beginning and End

Many people have only heard of the 10 commandments given by GOD in the OT, but in fact there are a total of 613 commands in the OT.  Bible scholars have divided those 613 commands of GOD into 2 categories of positive and negative commands.     The 248 positive commands tell of good things to do and the 365 negative commands tell what not to do.  They are all found in the first 5 books of the Bible, called “The Books of Law”. 

In children’s Bible classes, I usually teach kids to remember the books of the Bible in this way:

5-12-5-5-12:

·         5 books of Law  (as described above)

·         12 books of History (History of GOD’s people)

·         5 books of Poetry  (diverse books of encouragement)

·         5 books of Minor Prophets (minor refers to shorter books)

·         5 books of Major Prophets (major refers to longer books)

 

4-1-21-1:

·         4 Gospels (telling of JESUS life on earth from 4 different people/perspectives)

·         1 book of History (JESUS’ return to heaven and the beginning of the church)

·         21 Letters (written to encourage new Christians and local churches)

·         1 book of Prophecy (the end times and our future after this world)

This visual might help you grasp how the 66 books are divided:

Day 1 Assignment:

1)    Spend some time trying to internalize/memorize the 5-12-5-5-12 pattern and what it stands for.

2)    Spend some time trying to internalize/memorize the 4-1-21-1 pattern and what it stands for.

 

Day 2 Assignment:

1)     Become familiar with the pictures in this OT Timeline that I compiled many years ago. 

2)     If you have the time and motivation, see if you can eventually internalize/memorize the 16 pictures, in order, that tell the overview story of the OT – Enjoy!:

a.     GOD

b.    Creation

c.     Given choice

d.    Covenant

e.    Tower of Babel

f.     Family of Abraham

g.     Family of Jacob

h.    Tribes of Judah

i.      Plagues/Passover/Red Sea

j.     Ten Commandments

k.    Tabernacle

l.      Pleasing GOD in the wilderness?

m.   Promised land/Judges

n.     Kingdom United

o.     Kingdom Divided

p.    WAP: Prophets Warn, Announce, and Point to JESUS 

WOW - Women Opening the Word - Week 1: Days 1-2

 Today, I am choosing to begin writing on this blog again.  Hopefully, I will be able to post 3-4 times a week, giving you material to internalize WHO JESUS is and learn to know HIM intimately.  I'll continue to highlight names of JESUS and if a name is not on our list on the right, I'll make sure it is added.   

Currently, most weeks I meet with a group of ladies who get together for WOW, which is the acronym for...

Women

Opening the

Word!

We look at the word "Word" from two different perspectives:

• The written word of GOD, called the Bible.
• The LIVING WORD, JESUS.

How much do you know about the library of 66 books compiled into one book, the written word of GOD, called The Bible? Years ago, I had a conversation with a well known editor who was encouraging me to write books. She said that she would only consider reading a complete book if the first and last chapter connected well. She said that would be one indication to her that it would be a great read.

Genesis is the first part (first book) of the Bible and Revelation is the last part (last book). Enjoy the connections!

Not only does the Bible make marvelous connections, but it fits together like a giant puzzle that needs to be understood by fitting pieces together. The first verse of the Bible says,

"In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth."

It's important to know WHO our GOD is!

It's explained really simply in this kids book that you can easily buy,

GOD is "3 in 1":

GOD the FATHER
GOD the SON, JESUS
GOD the HOLY SPIRIT

In the Bible, when we see the word GOD, sometimes it refers to THE FATHER, sometimes it refers to THE SON, sometimes it refers to THE HOLY SPIRIT, and sometimes it refers to our 3 in 1 GOD.

Let's take a look at the first chapter of the book of John and let him explain a few things. The book is written by the apostle John, who spent many days with JESUS, while HE lived in human form on the earth.

John's first verse says that "THE WORD" was not only "with GOD" in the beginning, but HE was GOD.

Let's spend the next 2 days meditating on

the Genesis/Revelation chart above and John 1:1-18 below.

1 In the beginning was THE WORD, and THE WORD was with GOD, and THE WORD was GOD.  

2 HE was in the beginning with GOD. 

3 All things came into being through HIM, and apart from HIM not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 

4 In HIM was LIFE, and THE LIFE was THE LIGHT OF MANKIND. 

5 And THE LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.

The Witness John the Baptist

6 A man came, one sent from GOD, and his name was John. 

7 He came as a witness, to testify about THE LIGHT, so that all might believe through him. 

8 He was not THE LIGHT, but he came to testify about THE LIGHT.

9 This was THE TRUE LIGHT that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. 

10 HE was in the world, and the world came into being through HIM, and yet the world did not know HIM. 

11 HE came to HIS own, and HIS own people did not accept HIM. 

12 But as many as received HIM, to them HE gave the right to become children of GOD, to those who believe in HIS name, 

13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of GOD.

The Word Made Flesh

14 And THE WORD became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw HIS glory, glory as of THE ONLY SON OF THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. 

15 John testified about HIM and called out, saying, “This was HE of whom I said, ‘HE WHO is coming after me has proved to be MY SUPERIOR, because HE EXISTED BEFORE ME.’” 

16 For of HIS fullness we have all received, and GRACE UPON GRACE. 

17 For the Law was given through Moses; GRACE AND TRUTH were realized through JESUS CHRIST. 

18 No one has seen GOD at any time; GOD THE ONLY SON, WHO is in the arms of the Father, HE has explained HIM." 

Questions to meditate on:

Day 1:

1)  So, on the chart, it refers to Genesis 1:16 saying that GOD made the 2 great lights (sun and moon).  Can you explain another "Great Light" from your John 1 reading?

2)  By reading these verses in John, could we also call JESUS, CREATOR? Why or why not?

3)  Can you name up to 14 names of JESUS used in John 1:1-14?

Day 2:

1)  As you look back over the Genesis/Revelation chart, are there some words used there that make you think of other names of JESUS?  What are those names?

2)  The chart refers to THE TREE OF LIFE in Genesis 3. If you have time, read Genesis 3 and consider what happened in that chapter.

May you be blessed by the time you send with THE LIVING WORD in The Word!

20/20 for JESUS - Blogpost #422 on 12/1/2021 - A Summary of our New Testament Posts

 As of yesterday, we have looked at names and descriptions of JESUS, in the New Testament, from the beginning of 2020 until now.  

If you would like to go back and connect with certain scriptures, you can do that on the sidebar, on the right, by clicking the date.  I am listing here the New Testament books, in order, with the dates they were discussed on this blog. May this study continue to bless you, as you grow in your knowledge and relationship with JESUS CHRIST! 

1)  In 2020, I began the blog by sharing some of the scriptures that I often look at.

2)  Then, in 2020, from March through December, we looked at Matthew through Colossians (not in that order) and then ended the year in Revelation:

Matthew: 11/14/2020 to 12/12/2020

Mark:  12/13/2020 to 12/27/2020

Luke: 5/16/2020 to 6/21/2020

John: 3/10/2020 to 5/15/2020

Acts: 6/22/2020 to 7/28/2020

Romans:  8/19/2020 to 9/26/2020

1 Corinthians: 9/27/2020 to 10/19/2020

2 Corinthians: 10/20/2020 to 11/1/2020

Galatians:  11/2/2020 to 11/7/2020

Ephesians:  11/8/2020 to 11/13/2020

Philippians:  7/29/2020 to 8/6/2020

Colossians: 8/7/2020 to 8/18/2020

Revelation: 12/28/2020 to 12/31/2020

3)  In 2021, I returned to continue a 20/20 look at the New Testament in October and November, 

addressing 1 Thessalonians through Jude:

1 Thessalonians:  10/1/2021 to 10/5/2021

2 Thessalonians: 10/6/2021 to 10/8/2021

1 Timothy:  10/9/2021 to 10/14/2021

2 Timothy:  10/15/2021 to 10/18/2021

Titus:  10/19/2021 to 10/21/2021

Philemon:  10/28/2021 only

Hebrews:  11/1/2021 to 11/13/2021

James:  10/29/2021 to 10/31/2021

1 Peter:  11/14/2021 to 11/18/2021

2 Peter:  11/19/2021 to 11/21/2021

1 John:  11/22/2021 to 11/27/2021

2 John:  11/28/2021 only

2 John:  11/29/2021 only

Jude:      11/30/2021 only

NOTE:   At the end of 2021, I will have all the names and descriptions of JESUS that we talked about over on the sidebar that were addressed on this blog in 2020 and 2021. 

20/20 for JESUS - Blogpost #421 for 11/30/2021: JESUS CHRIST… MERCY… PEACE… LOVE… SALVATION… THE FAITH… THE GRACE OF OUR GOD… OUR ONLY MASTER & LORD, JESUS CHRIST… THE LORD… THE LORD HAS COME WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF HIS HOLY ONES, TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT UPON ALL, AND TO CONVICT ALL THE UNGODLY OF ALL THEIR UNGODLY DEEDS… OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST… YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH… GOD… ETERNAL LIFE… ABLE TO PROTECT YOU FROM STUMBLING… ABLE TO MAKE YOU STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY, BLAMELESS WITH GREAT JOY… GOD, OUR SAVIOR… JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD… GLORY, MAJESTY, DOMINION, AND AUTHORITY BEFORE ALL TIME AND NOW AND FOREVER...

 

Book of Jude

¹ Jude, a bond-servant of JESUS CHRIST and brother of James,

To those who are the called, beloved in GOD THE FATHER, and kept for JESUS CHRIST: 

² May MERCY, PEACE, and LOVE be multiplied to you.

³ Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common SALVATION, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for THE FAITH that was once for all time handed down to the saints. 

⁴ For certain people have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn THE GRACE OF OUR GOD into indecent behavior and deny OUR ONLY MASTER AND LORD, JESUS CHRIST.  

⁵ Now I want to remind you, though you know everything once and for all, that THE LORD, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 

⁶ And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these HE has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 

⁷ just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

⁸ Yet in the same way these people also, dreaming, defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak abusively of angelic ^[i]majesties. 

⁹ But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him an abusive judgment, but said,

“THE LORD rebuke you!” 

¹⁰ But these people disparage all the things that they do not understand; and all the things that they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. 

¹¹ Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have given themselves up to the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 

¹² These are the ones who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, 

like shepherds caring only for themselves; 

clouds without water, carried along by winds;

autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 

¹³ wild waves of the sea, churning up their own shameful deeds like dirty foam;

wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁴ It was also about these people that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying,

‘Behold, THE LORD has come with many thousands of HIS holy ones, 

¹⁵ to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against HIM.’ 

¹⁶ These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; ^[

they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

¹⁷ But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, 

¹⁸ that they were saying to you, ‘In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.’ 

¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of THE SPIRIT. 

²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH, praying in THE HOLY SPIRIT, 

²¹ keep yourselves in the LOVE of GOD, looking forward to the MERCY of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST  to ETERNAL LIFE. 

²² And have MERCY on some, who are doubting; 

²³ save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have MERCY with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

²⁴ Now to HIM WHO is ABLE TO PROTECT YOU FROM STUMBLING, and ABLE TO MAKE YOU STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY, BLAMELESS WITH GREAT JOY,  

²⁵ All glory to HIM WHO alone is GOD, OUR SAVIOR, through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, 

be GLORY, MAJESTY, DOMINION, AND AUTHORITY

BEFORE ALL TIME

AND NOW

AND FOREVER.

Amen."

20/20 for JESUS - Blogpost #420 for 11/29/2021: THE TRUTH… NO GREATER JOY… GOD… THE LORD… GOOD… PEACE…

 

 

3 John

¹ This letter is from John, the elder.

I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in THE TRUTH.

² Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 

³ Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to THE TRUTH.

⁴ I could have NO GREATER JOY than to hear that my children are following THE TRUTH.

 

Caring for the Lord’s Workers

⁵ Dear friend, you are being faithful to GOD when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 

⁶ They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases GOD. 

⁷ For they are traveling for THE LORD, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.^[

 ⁸ So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach THE TRUTH.

⁹ I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 

¹⁰ When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

¹¹ Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is GOOD. Remember that those who do GOOD prove that they are GOD’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know GOD.

¹² Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does THE TRUTH itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak THE TRUTH.

 

¹³ I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. 

¹⁴ For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.

¹⁵ PEACE be with you.

Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.”