Honor our Heroes - Stop for a Moment

Armed forces members make a commitment and swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Sometimes, this commitment leads them to laying down their lives for love of this country. Stop a moment and reflect on the sacrifice these brave men and women have made. 

Psalm of the Week - 8:1 - May 22, 2016

Verse of the Week - Hebrews 8:1 - May 22, 2016

• Jesus is high priest for every Christian. He is my high priest. He is your high priest. 
• Jesus is the son of God - Ben Elohim
• Jesus who was once a man and is now set on the right hand of God the father - Elohim HaAvwa
• Jesus' death on a cross, as a man, served as a sin sacrifice for all generations - past, present, and future
• Jesus intercedes for each and every Christian with God, the living God - Elohim Chayim
• My God is alive and living! He doesn't reside in a statue, or a building. 
• My God resides with me as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
• At His right hand resides my high priest, Jesus Christ.
• Jesus loves me and is with me and is for me. 

Thank-you Elohim Chayim - the living God,  

for having a plan to reconcile all of your children to yourself.

Thank-you Ben Elohim - Son of God, 

 for being obedient and providing me with redemption by paying the ultimate price, loss of your earthly life.  

A Biker Wedding at the Park

Original photo by Robin Hutto. Artistic effects by Sallee Bonham

It was a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding.
The brilliant blue sky contrasted with the tops of the vivid green trees. A slight breeze contained just a hint of coolness, but the sunshine felt warm no matter how long you stood in it.

The first indication that this wedding was a little different.
 A line of polished, chrome-bearing motorcycles were parked across the long side of the parking lot.
Additionally, a large percentage of the people standing in conversational knots were dressed in black leather and blue denim clothing. Black boots seemed to be the popular choice for footwear. Yes, the majority of the people at this event are bikers, Christian bikers.

On the west side of the park pavilion
Neat rows of white folding chairs sat beneath the leaf-laden limbs of several large trees. As Bill and I sat down I noticed tiny, snow-white violets blooming amid the verdant grass that formed a carpet beneath our chairs. "Isn't God great?" was a silent thought inside my head.

As the denim and leather clad guests all sat down for the ceremony
The rumbling of two, slow moving motorcycles was heard. It was the groom and the preacher riding their bikes slowly across the parking lot and up to the edge of the grassy area. Two more motorcycles slowly approached and parked too. The matron of honor, the bride, and their escorts had arrived. The wedding party was dressed just like the guests - black boots, jeans, and leather vests. The bride had a garter around the top of her left boot and held a small bouquet.

Acoustic guitar music accompanied the bride's walk down the natural, grassy aisle toward her fiancee and preacher. The vows were said amid laughter and smiles. The best man patted all of his pockets, as if searching for the bride's ring.

Finally, Mr. and Mrs. were introduced and the sound of rolling thunder filled the air. 
This rolling thunder was formed by the roaring engines of a half dozen motorcycles announcing that a new Mr. and Mrs. had been sealed in holy matrimony.

Suddenly, the roaring motors were silent. The marrying part was over and the eating part was about to begin. Everyone started walking to the pavilion where the scent of charcoal and roasting brats was filling the air.

Bill and I loved that the preacher used Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
As he began to read the verses, we looked at each other, and I quietly whispered ,"Our marriage verses!" Yes, in that moment Bill and I remembered our own own wedding, six years ago, and how excited we were to become Mr. and Mrs.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

Psalm of the Week - 73:25 AKJV- May 15, 2016

Photo by Sherry King    Photo Editing by Sallee Bonham

About God

• He, and none but he, who made the soul, can make it happy.            Benson Commentary

• He must have our heart, our whole heart, and no creature in earth or heaven must be permitted to share with him.                                                                               Benson Commentary

• All who commit themselves to God, shall be guided with the counsel both of his word and of his Spirit, the best counsellors here.                                                  Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

• I feel my need of him; and I must and do find my supreme happiness in him.  Barnes' Notes on the Bible

• There is no other person nor thing in the world from which I can seek or hope for happiness, or which I am willing to accept as my portion. Let sinners have an earthly prosperity, I am satisfied with you, and with your favour.                                                          Matthew Poole's Commentary

All of the quotes come from the commentaries found at biblehub.com

Verse of the Week - Colossians 3:3-4 AKJV - May 15, 2016

Photo by Debbie Peeler         Editing by Sallee Bonham

The resurrection is regarded in Scripture in three aspects:

1. as a fact establishing Jesus' Messiahship
2.  as a prophecy of our rising from the dead
3. as a symbol of the Christian life even now.

Your life is hid with Christ

•  The Apostle Paul believed that the Christian is so joined to Jesus that he has, not in symbol only, but in truth, risen with him.
• faith joins us in a most real and close union to Jesus Christ, so that in His death we die to sin 

We cannot make too much of ‘Christ our sacrifice,’ but some of us make too little of ‘Christ our life...

• We are, as Christians, bound to be true in our conduct to the facts of our spiritual life, and to turn away from the world, which is now not our home, and set our mind on things above. 

• Surely union with Him in His death will lead us to die to the world which is alien to us, and to live in thought, desire, love, and obedience with Him in His calm abode, from where He rules and blesses the souls whom, through their faith, He has made to live the new life of heaven on earth.

Text adapted from the MacLaren Exposition of the Holy Scripture, Colossians 3:1-15 found at biblehub.com

Slammed, but Encouraged

Anonymous has been struggling this week. 

Satan has slammed Anonymous with near driving accidents, cancelled health insurance, and a sick child. 

Missing work because of a sick child is frowned upon. You can't stop your child from getting sick, but bosses don't like it when you miss work. 

Yes, Satan is trying to weaken Anonymous and stop them from continuing to draw nearer to Jesus. That's how our enemy works. 

The scripture that I shared with Anonymous is Deuteronomy 31:6 AKJV

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD your God, he it is that does go with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you.

I know that the Sword of the Spirit will cleave through Satan's plan and give encouragement.

Hebrews 4:12 AKJV

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Plus, the Lord set up a divine appointment for Anonymous in the parking lot of the local discount store.

A stranger kindly offered to take the shopping cart to the cart corral. After thanking the stranger, Anonymous was encouraged by the stranger's following remark,"It's the Christian thing to do." 

Yes, this one small remark was a beacon of encouragement. 

A simple remark spoken at exactly the right time by a Christian was a divine appointment that served to encourage Anonymous's faith that God was right there in that parking lot. 

Join Bill and I in praying for Anonymous. Jesus knows who it is.

Psalm of the Week - 16:11 - May 9, 2016

Verse of the Week - Colossians 3:1-2 - May 9, 2016

Riding for the Son - May 8, 2016

Group Photo of Redeemed Riders.  ‪#‎rftsmo‬

Rather than writing this weekend, the hubby and I began our summer of "Riding for the Son"  by going on the annual Run for the Son ride that is held on the first Saturday in May. What a beautiful day to be riding a motorcycle!

Unfortunately, my bike is in the shop waiting for a part. Instead, I drove my Nissan Versa as a support vehicle with a cooler full of iced down water bottles in it.

Happily, a friend took the great picture below of  Bill and the other riders leaving the Mobil station in Hermann, MO. My car is in the picture too.

The yellow arrows are pointing at Bill and myself leaving Hermann, MO  ‪#‎rftsmo‬

Christian Motorcyclists Association members around the world participate in the Run for the Son ride. The video below will explain more about the 2016 Run for the Son.

                                     

Here are some pictures of the ride we participated in.  ‪#‎rftsmo‬ 

Our late lunch stop, about 2:00 P.M., was at Oscar's Classic Diner in Jefferson City, MO.

Sallee Shares - War Room Bible Study Session 2

I am sharing the parts of the bible study that were significant to me, or that seemed to be just for me. 

Note: A bible version was not included with the bible verses in the War Room bible study. I normally use the New International Version and/or the American King James Version and have chosen to use those bibles in my posts about the bible study. 

As with most bible study participants, I do not always agree with the author. That's okay. It doesn't mean I believe they are wrong. It just means that I am looking at it from a different perspective.
Session 2  starts with Psalm 141:3-5

3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.
5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it...     Psalm 141:3-5 NIV

The accompanying question that was with Psalm 141 asks: Is this a prayer you would willingly pray?
 Of course my answer is YES!

The lesson theme is accountability and the clip is the scene in the weight room with Michael and Tony.
Michael was willing to speak a difficult truth to Tony, even though it was ill received.

I am going to be very, very honest here.
When I think about someone holding me accountable it makes me feel rebellious. I am very independent and private. My thoughts go straight to,"Stay out of my business."
Yes, I have been held accountable for my actions, and I knew the individuals meant well. However, what I was being held accountable for was an appearance of wrongdoing, not actual wrongdoing. Hence, I became aware of this bible verse:

Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 AKJV

Since this verse became entrenched into my life, I haven't had any issues.

Now, where was I? Oh, yes the Day One personal study. 
Day One is about having an accountability partner.
I have one thing to say about having an accountability partner,"Be Careful!" Not everyone can be trusted to keep what you tell them confidential. Also, in the movie it was implied that Tony and Michael had known each other for a long time, or maybe known each other since they were quite young.

Day Two
Day Two emphasizes that there is great responsibility in relationships and that solo Christians who don't form relationships within their Christian community can leave themselves vulnerable to sin when they are alone.

The verses for this point are:

Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

John 15:13 AKJV
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Job 6:14 NIV
Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Proverbs 18:24 AKJV
A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Another point was made that without one another, the body of believers would be incomplete.

Day Three
One paragraph seemed to stand out to me. It said,

"Being accountable to God because of the great gift of freedom He has afforded us in Christ prompts us toward obedience. Our accountability to one another is a reflection of that freedom lived responsibly."

The verses for this paragraph are:

Psalm 119:45 AKJV
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek your precepts.

2 Corinthians 3:17 AKJV
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Galatians 5:1 AKJV
Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Romans 6:22 AKJV
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life

The study task for the verses is to note what is said about freedom and what this implies about responsibility.

And that concludes my post about what I gained from Session 2 of the War Room Bible Study.

Psalm of the Week - 110:1 - May 1, 2016

Psalm 110:1 was written about the coming Messiah. 

Today, we know (from reading our bibles) that God placed Jesus at his right hand after Jesus arose and ascended to heaven. 

Yes, I am going to quote Matthew Henry again. His bible commentary brings things to life for me. My hope is that you like his writing enough to start reading his commentary too! The word Jesus in parentheses is my addition. 

"Sitting is a resting posture: after services and sufferings, to give law, to give judgment. It is a remaining posture: he (Jesus) sits like a king for ever. All his enemies are now in a chain, but not yet made his footstool. And his kingdom, being set up, shall be kept up in the world, in despite of all the powers of darkness." 

Verse of the Week - Colossians 2:12 - May 1, 2016

Our pastor's sermons have been focused on a believer's relationship with Jesus and God. Colossians 2:12 was part of his sermon for May 1. Our faith, or belief in God's work of raising Jesus from the dead is necessary for our salvation.

Matthew Henry wrote in his bible commentary,
"Through Christ, we, who were dead in sins, are quickened. Christ's death was the death of our sins; Christ's resurrection is the quickening of our souls."                      

I like the word "quickened" that Matthew Henry useed when he was writing abut Colossians 2:8-17. Basically it means that through Christ's resurrection, I was revived and brought to life. I was dead through sin, but brought back to life through my faith that God did indeed raise Jesus from the dead. Jesus' resurrection means I am spiritually risen with Him too. 

An older meaning for "quickened" is: "to cause to burn brighter, or kindle (as in making a fire, or flame to burn brighter)."
 Now I understand where the saying,"He is on fire for the Lord!" comes from. It comes from this older meaning for quickened. It isn't a bad thing for faith to cause us to burn brighter for God.