Word study: “Closet”

Hey there BCU Fam!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • A fun fact about me: I love vocabulary and word etymology (the history of a word or phrase shown by tracing its development and relationship).
  • When studying the Bible, it’s important to get an understanding of the original text (Hebrew|Old Testament or Greek|New Testament).
  • In doing so, we can better comprehend the meaning and see how we can apply it to our daily lives.
  • “Closet” in the Greek is tameion--meaning an inner chamber or secret place where valuables are kept.

Scripture references

Matthew 6:5-6

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Hebrews 4:15

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

When praying in public, we should focus on God versus how we sound to others.

BCUFam, please know that Jesus was not condemning public prayer at all. Rather, He was speaking about the heart and intention of praying in public–the religious leaders were praying to be seen and admired of men, instead of being seen and rewarded by God. When we pray in private, meaning our hearts are sincere and prostrate before God, He sees that and will reward you so all can see. You have His word on it!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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Acknowledging the Lord in ALL….

Hey there BCU Fam!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

  • Proverbs 3:6 reminds us “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, [The Lord] and He shall direct thy paths.”
  • Acknowledge means to recognize or to regard with honor.
  • We need to be intentional in asking the Lord how to direct us in every aspect of our lives, including routine tasks.
  • Sometimes, His path will help us avoid danger; other times, His path will help us deal with adversity properly.
  • When we ask the Lord how to get something done, even in in the worst of circumstances, it will always come out perfectly.
  • Conversely, when we react without including God, the outcome will have consequences we will not enjoy.

Scripture references (KJV)

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:6).

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God…..But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:19-20,22).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

The following Scriptures are excerpts for the podcast. Please read the chapters in their entirety.

Esther 2:21-23

21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.

22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

Esther 3:2-6,13.

2 And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

3 Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?

4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

Esther 4:15-17

15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Esther 6:6-12

6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

12 And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.

See that BCUFam? Mordecai had every right AND an opportunity to expose or even reach out to hurt Haman. Rather, he fasted (acknowledgement) and followed (in meekness)the plan the Lord laid out. In doing so, Haman had to honor Mordecai publicly and then Haman was put to death for his wicked scheme.

We do not have to sacrifice our righteousness, gentleness, love or anything else the Lord has put in us to win a battle. Just know that if we ask Him what to do, how to do it and follow His contrary to popular belief plan, we WILL give us the victory and He will be honored and praised! Amen? Amen! Let’s continue our conversation in the chat box below!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights–we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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I lost some weight….

Hey there BCU Family!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights

~In most relationships, there are times when disagreements pop-up–that is normal.

~The hallmark of mature Christian individuals is successful navigation through the disagreements–at the very least, forgiveness, if not reconciliation.

~Sometimes, people just want to hold on to the [perceived] wrong and make the choice not to forgive–and that can weigh [burden or encumber] you down–but it doesn’t have to! Jesus says so!

KJV Scripture References:

Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Matthew 5:14-15).

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (James 4:17).

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:6-8).

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. rain on the just and on the unjust (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Listen, BCU Fam, with all that extra weight I was carrying around, the Lord came to see about me! After just moments of being in His presence in prayer, I took those heavy burdens to the Lord and I LEFT them there. After that, I felt lighter, more focused, and ever so grateful to God for Him reminding me that once we do our part, it’s His job to deal with the hearts of the people (See Proverbs 21:1). If they choose not to be a part of our lives at that time, or ever, that’s His perfect will, and with His grace, we will submit to that and run on, keeping the Son in our eyes! (Hebrews 12:2). Amen? Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights–we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple Podcasts!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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Introverts Unite (separately)

Hey there BCU Family!

I am so glad you are here! You have the option of listening to our podcast,(you’ll get more commentary by listening) reading the notes or both. Either way I pray the post blesses, informs and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

In a post on random things about me, I revealed that I was a little shy and introverted–which some may have a hard time believing since I teach for work AND for the Lord–on a social media platform no less! Well, much research has been done on introverts (typically quiet and introspective) and extroverts (basically outgoing and expressive) down through the years, so I thought this would be an interesting topic to dive into.

This nifty site, IntrovertDear.com, is where I learned quite a bit on introversion. Here are a few things that especially stood out to me about me:

1. You enjoy spending time alone

Most introverts enjoy social time too, but all introverts enjoy the solitude of spending time alone. If alone time feels refreshing, peaceful, and helps you recharge, you’re probably an introvert.

via elderban

2. You do your best work alone

Introverts rarely work well in crowded environments. The more secluded you are, the more likely you are to focus deeply and produce great work. You may feel more creative, focused, or productive, or you may simply be able to do more in a shorter time. It doesn’t mean you can’t work on teams, but you like to retreat somewhere quiet once the collaborating is done. In an open office, noise-canceling headphones are your friend.

3. You’d rather hang out with a few close friends than a large group of people.

It’s a myth that introverts don’t like to socialize. Sitting with a few close friends, you may enjoy chatting all night, and you may even “seem” like an extrovert. For whatever reason, these types of interactions don’t drain you the way others do. But once you get to a party or large group setting, you know it’s only a matter of time before you feel wiped out.

4. You prefer to stay out of the spotlight

There are exceptions to this, but many introverts prefer not to speak up in large group settings — and would rather hand off speaking roles to someone else. Of course, many introverts are creatives and performers, and some even love getting on stage. Others are business leaders who speak in front of teams or audiences all the time. Introverts are fully capable of learning and mastering these skills, but if your natural inclination is to avoid group participation, you may be an introvert.

5. You’re better at writing your thoughts than speaking them

You may or may not be a natural novelist, but if writing something is more comfortable than saying it in person, it’s a strong sign you’re an introvert. Introverts take time to think about what we want to say, and while that can slow down a live conversation, it makes for very clear and expressive writing.

6. You dive deep, both in your relationships and interests

What exactly do you do with that alone time you like to have? It’s time for self-reflection, of course! You might spend it thinking about your life, the people you love, your career, or the “big questions” in life. Or, you might spend it reading, researching, or creating art. All of these things give you a tendency to go deeper than others into the topics and pursuits that interest you. (Of course, you also spend some of that time just relaxing and recharging.)

7. You have a vivid, rich inner world

You might spend a lot of time pondering, and even dreaming. Or, you might just prefer to think things through before you act. Not every introvert is a dreamer or creative, but almost all have an entire inner world that they find just as comfortable as the world around them.

Important note: There’s No Such Thing as a Pure Introvert

No two introverts are exactly alike. What’s true for one introvert may be be quite different for another. Each introvert has a different level of tolerance for socializing and other types of stimulation.

Above all, there is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. “Such a man would be in the lunatic asylum,” the famous psychotherapist Carl Jung once noted. Introversion and extroversion are on a spectrum, meaning, they are not all-or-nothing traits. Everyone acts introverted at times and extroverted at other times. It’s all about what your preference — in general — tends to be.

When I read this through, BCU Fam it explained things from a historical and even hereditary perspective. My dad—a wonderful man of God and retired transit system operator, interacted with us at home of course, but was generally a quieter, introspective, reserved man. In speaking with some of his co-workers and people who rode his bus, he was pretty much in constant chat mode as a part of his occupation. After a full 8-plus hours of all of that interaction, when he arrived home from work, his conversations were light in content! We used to lovingly tease about that, but I now know that he needed time to recharge from the day.

Similarly, as a facilitator, I spend most of most of my days instructing, and after a full day, I need/prefer a lot of quiet time before heading conversations and social settings. Now, even after talking most of the day, depending on the situation, I can and am often up for a conversation, and as a servant of God, I have to be available to people, as the Lord leads. So if I am not fully recharged, I ask the Lord for some help. He always comes through!

My questions for you: did anything on this list resonate with you at all, BCUFam? Or are you the opposite? Maybe you are a combo (ambivert)? Are you unsure? Take the quiz! Then, let’s continue our conversation in the chat box below!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights–we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple Podcasts!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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Are children ALWAYS a reflection of their parents?

Hey there BCU Family!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

~In my B.C. days (before Christ) and for sometime after, my mouth spoke a LOT of things it should not have.

~ I had a-plenty to say about people and kids who I felt were heading the wrong way because of ineffective parenting.

~The Lord chastened and corrected me on speaking that way, and reminded me of that in a recent conversation.

KJV Scripture References:


~Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby (Hebrews 12:11).

~Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

~The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things (Provebs 15:28).

~Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again (Matthew 7:1-2).

 ~Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge, there is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? (James 4:11-12).

 ~Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (James 1:19).

~The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16b).

BCU Fam, I THANK GOD for the chastening from so many years ago! When speaking to people now, I can encourage them that while we have a responsibility to train up children in the proper way, God gives us all free will, or the ability to make choices. So we are not to walk in guilt or shame about our children’s choices, or worry about what people think about our “reflection”. Our job is to pray and look to the Lord to help our kids make the right decisions, and if they do not, that they will go back to the ways they were taught.

Maybe you did not know the Lord when your kids were young and your teen/adult children are not making the best decisions–guess what? God knows how to speak to their hearts. Proverbs 21:1 declares,”the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turns it whithersoever He will.” Let’s keep loving on and praying in faith for our children, BCU Fam! Jesus is the King of hearts!!! Amen? Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights–we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple Podcasts!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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