Participating in Beth Moore's Siesta Scripture Memory Team 2015

I am so excited! This morning I found out about the Siesta Scripture Memory Team 2015 event and decided to participate. A year long commitment to study scripture shouldn't be too difficult. However, you know I am going to be in conversation with the Lord about selecting scriptures that apply to my current situation in life.

The Short Version of How It Works

• Create a 3x5 or 6x4 Siesta Scripture Spiral
• Print out the cover design,found at the Living Proof Ministries Blog (LPM blog), onto card stock.
• Apply the cover design to the spiral cover
• On the 1st and 15th of the month you will select a memory verse that applies to your current situation in life, or you can select the one provided at the LPM Blog, or scroll down through the posted verses and select one.
• On the LPM Blog, post your name, memory verse, and version of the Bible as a brief comment
• Hand write your verse into your spiral and carry it everywhere to memorize it
• At the end of a year you will have studied and memorized 24 verses that apply to your life.
• A Free Celebration will be held in Houston, TX in 2016. Your Spiral is your ticker. PLUS, you have to log into the LPM Blog on the 1st and 15th at least 21 times out of 24.

To Read the Long Version 

Click HERE to read the blog post and watch the Spiral Notebook Tutorial at the LPM Blog

My Siesta Scripture Memory Verse

My first scripture is already standing out in my mind like a beacon. The sermon at church contained two verses that grabbed my attention when I read them in my Bible. I felt that familiar,"This is for you!" feeling that let's me know the Lord wants me to pay attention. 

Philippians 2:14-15 NKJV

14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 

A December Motorcycle Ride in Missouri

Praise the Lord!

I am praising the Lord as I type away on the keyboard. December 26th was a marvelous day. Respiratory illness and inclement weather have kept me off my motorcycle for over six weeks. However, the temperature in central Missouri was 55 degrees Fahrenheit by noon on the 26th and I have not had to take any medicine for a week. Bill and I decided it was time to take a motorcycle ride. 

Heading Out Twenty minutes later, we both had our hair pulled back, headgear in place, and layers of clothing/coats on. It was time to lock the house up and head for the garage.

Excitement began to course through me as I threw my leg over my gleaming, red bike and settled into the seat. One thought kept flashing off and on in my mind like a neon sign,"I get to ride my bike! I get to ride my bike!" My hand closed on the ignition switch and turned it on. My instrument lights flashed on. Gently, I pressed the engine off switch to engine start position and then pressed the start switch. Immediately my bike's motor fired up and began to rumble. "Thank you Jesus for letting me ride my bike." flashed through my brain as I began to back my rumbling bike out of the garage.

Two minutes later, Bill and I were sitting side by side on our now warmed up, idling motorcycles. We flashed big smiles at each other, our left feet tapped our shift levers into first gear in unison, and we pulled out of the driveway in single file. 

Thank-you Lord
What a wonderful moment to give thanks to the Lord for a beautiful December day, to give thanks for my health, and to give thanks for all the blessings He has bestowed upon Bill and I in 2014. And we did.

We both enjoyed the opportunity to take a two hour ride on December 26, in central Missouri and we will be smiling for days! 

Share Your Marvelous Day
Have you had a marvelous day that you would like to share with me? Leave a comment and share it with me. I would love to hear from you. 

Hope you have an amazing New Year's Day filled with blessings and joy.

SalleeB 

Verse of the Week - Luke 2:30 - Week of 29 December 2014

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Luke 2:30                                   KJV

I believe that this verse needs to be read in context to fully understand what is being said:

 The Prophecy of Simeon

25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man [was] just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,     KJV

Simeon knew who the child Jesus was. Jesus was God's Salvation. Many people saw Jesus, but few of them really understood who it was they were listening to, or following. 

Gill's Bible Exposition states this in a wonderful way:

"...He goes by the name of "salvation", because the salvation of God's elect is put into his hands, and he has undertook it; and because he is the author of it, he has fulfilled his engagements, and has accomplished what he promised to do; and because salvation is in him, it is to be had in him; and in him the true Israel of God are saved, with an everlasting salvation: and he is called "God's salvation" because he is a Saviour of his choosing, calling, and constituting; whom he promised under the Old Testament dispensation and in the fullness of time sent; and who now appeared in human nature, and whom good old Simeon now saw, with his bodily eyes; a sight which many kings and prophets had desired, but were not favoured with; and also with the eyes of his understanding, with the spiritual eye of faith, as his Saviour and Redeemer; for without this, the former would not have been sufficient to have given such peace and tranquillity of mind, in a departure out of this world: for many saw him in the days of his flesh, who never saw his glory, as the Son of God, and Saviour of sinners;..."

Jesus is my salvation. 
Today, I feel peace and tranquillity of mind every day. Why? Because I know exactly where I am going when I die. I am going home to my Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important to me than following God's plan for my life. 

Yes, I have hectic, stressful days. 
After all, I am an imperfect human being who is trying to follow Jesus' example and teachings, but I still have to deal with traffic, other people, taxes, etc. However, I can meet each daily challenge with an inner core of unshakable faith that gives me peace of mind.

Psalm of the Week - 119:166 - Week of 29 December 2014

LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.

Psalm 119:166                                                                                                           KJV

The psalmist is waiting, or hoping, for salvation. Jesus, the Messiah, had not been born yet. The writer told the LORD he has and is following His commandments, or laws, and hoping, or waiting, for salvation. Would you want to follow God's rules and just hope for salvation? Today, we have a much easier time receiving salvation. 

Salvation is something that you and I already have because of Jesus' sacrifice upon the cross. Yes, we too are following commandments, but we are not hoping for salvation because we already have it. Now that is a cause for celebration and thanksgiving!

Verse of the Week - Luke 2:14 - Week of 22 December 2014

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men 
Luke 2:14                                                                                                KJV

Jesus' birth is a reason to glorify God this week. God had a plan for Jesus and God has a plan for each of his people. He is at peace with the people he favors and has nothing but good will toward men.

Are you willing to be at peace with God and adopt a servant attitude? 
Are you willing to follow God's plan for your life?

Personal Prayer

Father God, 
Do not let me forget to glorify you today because you are at peace with men. Jesus' birth was the beginning of peace on earth. Today, I can be at peace with you and glorify you through my words to others. I am willing to follow your plan as Jesus himself followed your plan. 
Help me to stay focused on your glory as the birth of Your Son approaches.
Amen. 

Psalm of the Week - 96:11- Week of 22 December 2014

Jesus' birthday is almost here. As you prepare for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, remember to be glad and rejoice that a Messiah was born in the city of David.

Personal Prayer

Father God, let me remember to be glad and rejoice the birth of Christ in the city of David. Help me Lord to know peace as I walk through crowded stores, crowded parking lots, and crowded buildings.
Amen

Satan's Battle Banner - The Rainbow

The spiritual battle between God and Satan has been, is now, and will always be present in the world we inhabit.  In my opinion, the battle between God and Satan has a highly visible symbol, the rainbow.

According to the Bible, the rainbow is a visible symbol of God's perpetual covenant with Moses and all living things. Genesis 9 states that the rainbow is to remind God and all generations of living things that the earth will not be destroyed by flood again. 

In the last decade, the rainbow has become a visible symbol for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movement that has swept across the United States. Five to ten percent of the American population has become highly visible in all forms of media and adopted the rainbow, one of God's covenant symbols,  to express their uniqueness.

Satan delights in warping and twisting God's covenant symbols into a shape and form that removes all holiness from them. He did this in the Garden of Eden when he turned Eve from God's intended path.

“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:4-5

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve did not become like God. They did know good and evil, but they removed themselves from God's plan. Eventually, mankind became so far removed from God's plan that God decided to flood the Earth and cleanse it of all mankind, except for a faithful man named Noah and his family. 

And now I am back to God's covenant symbol, the rainbow. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I love to see the multicolored beauty of a rainbow framed against the sky. I am reminded of God's perpetual covenant that is to "remind God himself and all generations of living things that the earth will not be destroyed by flood again."

In comparison with how I see the rainbow, is the secular symbol that the rainbow has become on planet Earth during our modern era. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals,and transgender people march beneath banners emblazoned with rainbows. Supporters of the LGBT movement wear shirts, carry flags, and display items carrying the rainbow during their marches and awareness campaigns. 

Do you see the juxtaposition, or contrast, of God's covenant symbol and the LGBT movement symbol? 

The Bible tells us in Revelation 12:7-9, 

"And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world; he was cast down to earth, and his angels were cast out with him."


In conclusion, The battle between God and Satan is ongoing and current. Satan is God's enemy and he has taken the rainbow as his battle banner here on earth. The ironic usage of God's covenant symbol as a rallying symbol for a cause that is biblically incorrect causes me to shake my head. In my opinion, this is a visible sign of the spiritual battle between God and Satan.  

Verse of the Week - Philippians 4:7 - December 15, 2014

Personal Application

Dear Lord,
I want your peace in my heart and mind. I know Jesus died on the cross for me and through Him comes a peace that passes all understanding. Your peace is what I seek, especially during this holiday season. The stress of shopping, the stress of knowing family have expectations upon me, the stress of preparing food, or bringing food to events, and the stress of working can all combine to keep me far from you. Father, I do not want to find myself outside of your peace during the joyous occasion of Jesus' birth. Flood my heart and mind with your peace. I ask these things through the mighty name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Verse of the Week - Matthew 1:23 - December 8, 2014