I am starting this study today, feel free to check it out to see what God will speak into your spirit through His Holy Word. God bless.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John 15:4 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.15.4.KJV

If you’ve ever had to complete any projects around the house, you know that having the right tool makes all the difference in the world. You simply can’t turn a screw with a hammer or drive a nail with a screwdriver. This principle applies to studying the Bible as well. Having the right tools saves one time, accomplishes one’s goals, and unlocks one’s greatest potential. You simply could not and would not attempt some projects without the proper tools. This post is all about showing you three tools that can take your Bible study to the next level. By using these three titles, you’ll get more out of your study time, grow in your grasp of the Bible, and open some doors that you never thought would open. The NIV Word Study Bible At first glance, the NIV Word Study Bible simply looks identical to the NIV translation. If you take a closer look though, you’ll notice some words are a slightly lighter shade of color. That’s because we added tags for both Strong’s numbers and the Goodrick/Kohlenberger (G/K) numbering system. Let’s see how this looks in the app. Select the NIV Word Study Bible in your Library. Then select Ephesians 2:1 in the Verse Chooser. Once you’ve navigated to this passage in the Bible, tap on the word mercy in verse 4. Once the pop-up window opens, you’ll see the word in the original language, the corresponding word number for Strong’s or G/K, a dictionary definition, the number of occurrences of the word, and how these occurrences translate the word. With this window open, you can perform a number of additional searches. You can search for this word by its Strong’s number. This will show you every occurrence of the word. Or you can look up this word in the dictionaries you have in your library. NIV Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible Let’s take this study a step further with the Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible. Select this resource in the Resource Guide and you’ll see the different topics associated with this passage in Ephesians. Since we’re studying the word mercy in Ephesians 2:4, tap on that verse. The Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible is a tool that allows you to study topics found in the Bible. The words and phrases under each of the Scripture references show you which topics are found in those verses. Each of these topics is assigned a reference number. The Scripture reference to the right of the reference number is the next verse in the forward referencing system. Tap on the number next to mercy (2297). All the verses associated with the topic of mercy are arranged here under the characteristic of divine. The verse is describing God’s mercy, the mercy that he has shown to sinners. This topic describes the characteristics of God’s mercy. His mercy is divine, eternal, boundless, etc. The Scripture references listed for this topic show you all the references for God’s mercy from the beginning of the Bible to the end. The references in bold are the Chain Verses, the primary Scripture references for the topic in canonical order. Each of the Chain Verses in bold are listed in full below the complete list of references. You can then choose to review all the verses for this topic or just the primary ones. At the end of these verses, there is also a list of other topics and their number related to the subject of God’s mercy if you’d like to broaden the scope of your study. You can also use this tool to search for topics within the Bible by accessing the alphabetical index of topics in the end matter. NIV Greek Interlinear New Testament For those wanting to take their studies to the next level, the NIV Greek-English Interlinear New Testament is a great additional tool. Usable in conjunction with the NIV Word Study Bible or the NIV Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible, this resource prioritizes the Greek text. You can find parsing information for each Greek word, perform searches by the Greek word or Strong’s number, or search the tagged NIV translation by just tapping on the word. This resource displays in the main window or in the Parallel window as in the above image. Getting the Right Tools for the Job Now that you see how using these tools can save you time, grow in your understanding of the Bible, and create new opportunities for you, pick up one or all of these resources today! NIV Word Study Bible with Strong’s NIV Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible NIV Greek-English Interlinear New Testament

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This is a Bible study I am doing on healing. I am studying healing because there are those of us who struggle with past hurts and it seems as if we cannot get over them, so healing has been the main focus that I have been talking about for a while now. So, if you would like to study this with me, feel free to do so, or if you would like to read over this lesson, you are more than welcome to do so.

At some point in our lives, we have been hurt by someone, or something that scared us for life. We do not talk about it because it still hurts just even thinking about it. But I am going to share Scriptures, and verses, prayers, and inspirations from this lesson that I think can be of help to all of us.

Day One:

Scripture Verse- Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee;

Inspiration:

It is evidenced through both Old and New Testament Scripture that God does have the power to heal our physical bodies. Miraculous healings still happen today! Use the following Bible Verses to talk to God about your pain and fill your heart with hope.

Prayer:

Father, help me to keep my focus on you when the pain and hurt are overwhelming. Help me to be faithful and to see the good and blessings that surround me. Please strengthen my mind, heart, and body, and heal me today. May the Holy Spirit guide me in peace and comfort today. Amen.

Scripture Verse:

James 5:14-15-Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil on the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Exodus 15:26- And said, if thou wilt diligently harken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

2 Chronicles 7:14-15- If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place.

Isaiah 57:18-19- I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

Revelation 21:4- And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided light from the darkness.

Day 2: Proverbs 4:20-22

Devotional:

Who is his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Inspiration:

Sin, abuse, neglect, rejection, betrayal…all cause great emotional and spiritual pain that hurt just as physical pain does. God, our Great Physician can completely heal our broken hearts and bind our wounds, healing, and making us whole. Spiritual and emotional healing is often a process with steps that we need to put action behind. Use the following Bible verse to guide your heart and mind toward full recovery.

Prayer:

Loving God, I pray that you will comfort me in my suffering, lend skill to the hands of my healers, and bless the means used for my cure. Give me such confidence in the power of your grace, that even when I am afraid, I may pit my whole trust in you; through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Scripture Verse:

Proverbs 4:20-22- My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8- To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; and a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

James 5;6- Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Matthew 11:28-30-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.

1 Corinthians 10:13- There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Day-3 Matthew 4:23-24

Devotional:

Matthew 11:5-The blind receives their sight. And the lame walk. The lepers are cleansed. And the deaf hear. The dead are raised up. And the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Inspiration:

Jesus’s healing is for today just as much as it was when he walked the earth and performed miracles of healing the sick and disabled. The Bible tells us that “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his stripes we are healed”. – Isaiah 53:5. Jesus can still heal today!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering you hallowed earthly pain and gave us the example of obedience to your Father’s will. Be near me in my time of weakness and pain’ sustain me by your grace, that my strength and courage may not fail’ heal me according to your will; and help me always to believe that what happens to me here is of little account if you hold me in eternal life, my Lord and my God. Amen.

Scripture Verses:

Matthew 4:23-24-And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

And his fame went throughout all of Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lipstick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

It is my prayer that you will be blessed by this message. Feel free to leave your comments, and share if you feel the Spirit leading you to do so. God bless us all. Amen.

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I thought I would share something funny this evening. Who remembers Garfield the Cat? Garfield was funny in some ways, but not so much in other ways, but he has made me laugh a lot. I still watch it on the Pluto TV app, which is completely free to watch, download the app and start watching.

Looking at this picture of him, it is only raining on him, and no other place. I can see that this annoys him. Who knows what he’s done for it to only be raining on him? He tormented Odie, and could not stand Nermal, but ordered John around as if he was John’s master. Garfield was sneaky and greedy. If you have watched the show you know what I am talking about.

Don’t get me wrong, but I can see that we can be that way too at times, only thinking about ourselves and not others. We do not want to be that way. Yes, it rains on the just and the unjust just as the sun shines on us all, but do we appreciate the sun and the rain that God provides for us to enjoy? Maybe we do, and maybe we don’t. We complain about both, but what can we do about it, the answer is nothing. We just have to accept it as it is.

Unlike Garfield, he is only a cartoon character made up by someone who had a vivid imagination, but unlike us, we were created by someone who is the creator of all things. We were created in His likeness. We are human beings who have a soul living within us. We have the Spirit of God living inside of us. Without Hus Spirit, we cannot live and have our being.

See, cartoons are just what they are, cartoons. They don’t have a spirit living inside of them. They are not real, but technology makes them look real. When the show is over, it’s over, and the cartoon characters cannot speak, move, or do anything until the film is running again, but it is the same thing over and over again; nothing changes.

When we look at our lives, what do we see ourselves doing? Do we see ourselves doing something different, or do we see a rerun of the same thing over and over again? What can we do differently to have a different outcome in our lifetime? When one gets tired of the same old thing happening, you have to do something different to see a different outcome. No one wants to be compared with a movie reel. When we think about how things happen in our lives, who do we blame? Do we blame God, the enemy, or do we blame ourselves? That’s something to think about.

It is always going to rain on the good and the bad, but we can’t blame God for what we go through. It is not His fault when things go wrong in our lives. I can truly say that we all have blamed God for something when things did not turn out as we wanted them to. He knows that we have, but because of the love He has for us, He helps us to see our wrongs and forgives us. He knows that we don’t have it all together as we appear to but through it all, we love Him as we should. He will discipline us when we need it, but it is for our good and not to harm us. So, the next time it rains, thank Him for it whether you are feeling good, or sorrowful.

As always, stay safe, stay blessed, and thank you for joining me on my journey with Food for the Soul. © by Shaunelius L. Sterns 2022

The Bible is filled with pictures and metaphors from its extensive cultural context. Often, these metaphors are used in such a way as to encourage us to walk in obedience. Once such metaphor comes from the world of sports. In this case, the world of the arena and the games. This is the metaphor of running a race. The Zondervan Handbook of Biblical Archeology has an interesting article on the use of this metaphor in Hebrews 12:1. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1) Running the Race with Endurance The author of Hebrews used the metaphor of an athletic competition in a stadium to illustrate spiritual truth. This was a common practice of moral philosophers in hellenistic cities during the first century as well as in Jewish synagogues of the Greek-speaking Diaspora. The reference to “a cloud of witnesses” seems to describe a city’s amphitheater with its ascending rows of seats filled with spectators gathered to watch athletic events. The author uses this general background, based on the “witnesses” in his “hall of heroes” in the previous chapter (11:2–40) offered as examples of constancy in faith, to encourage Christian perseverance as they run their spiritual race toward the heavenly goal and its reward. Running The metaphor of running a race is taken from the Greek footrace contests in the pentathlon during the panhellenic games. Bream notes that “at the Olympic Games, the footrace was the only athletic contest for an extended period.” This fits well with the charge here to run with “endurance” (z8Greek hupomonesz8) since in the marathon the prize is won not simply by how fast one runs, but how far. Removing Hindrances In the phrase ogkon apothemenoi panta (“throw off everything that hinders”) the emphasis is upon the term ogkon, “excess weight,” probably with reference to the length of a robe, the extra weight of which could interfere with running or to excess body weight. The use of panta (“all,” “every”) reveals that the analogy is not restricted, and could include whatever compromise in conduct might be made in deference to custom or culture and thereby reduce our spiritual progress. Sin is here described as “entangling” or “diverting,” another idea drawn from the athletic metaphor where there is the fear of losing ground and being impeded in the race due to shifting the runner’s focus from the goal. The writer therefore warns his audience to guard against sin in any form because it will distract them, causing them to look away when they should be fixing their gaze upon Jesus (12:2). Removing Uncleanness Archaeological discoveries have given us examples of the architecture and elements involved in athletic competition. Stadiums in the form of theaters and amphitheaters appear at sites throughout the Greco-Roman world and images of athletic competitors adorn artifacts from vases to tombs. One object common to both the stadium as well as the bathhouse was the strigil. This curved bronze tool was designed to fit neatly over arms and legs and was employed as a scraper. Archaeological examples of this instrument are plentiful, as they were an essential item in the Greco-Roman bathhouse. Preparation for the race required contestants to remove all clothing before running so that nothing could impede them progress during the race. The “excess weight” may refer to clothing, but it may also be a reference to the need to resolve a problem faced by every runner on a track. Athletes would also apply olive oil to their unclad bodies to reduce friction when they ran. However, in the act of running they would become coated with a fine layer of dust they kicked up on the track. If they were to participate in other games, they would have to remove the accumulated dirt and debris before continuing. This practice of “scraping off the excess” may be what the author of Hebrews had in mind when he spoke of “throw[ing] off” or “removing” (Greek apothemenoi) that which slows us down in the race of faith. Running through this world the Christian becomes soiled with the things of this world and so must regularly remove these contaminants in order to persevere and reach the goal, that is, conformity to Christ and completed service for him. Bring the Bible to Life with Archaeology! If you liked what you read here, then check out the Zondervan Handbook of Biblical Archaeology in our store!

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Every day that we see a new day it is a moment in time. Do we ever think about the minutes we waste just doing nothing? When that time has passed, it is gone forever never to return again for that day or night. We are given 24 hours in a day every day, but do we use the time we have wisely? How do we spend our time doing things that matter? How do we make the best of the time we have?

When I think about time, I think about eternity. Eternity is a very long time that goes on forever and ever. Life on earth does not go on forever and ever, there will come a time when we all will be standing before the throne of Jesus Christ to give an account of all the things we did here on this earth while we were alive. One day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day in eternity, so we must make the best of the time we have here because one day it is going to run out. We do not have all of the time in the world to make things right with God. We do not have a lot of time to make things right with those who have hurt us. We should do it while we have time to do it, because Jesus is coming like a thief in the night. When He comes, it will be too late to do anything; it will be time to go.

I have heard some say that there is plenty of time to do this or that, but it is not. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Our next breath is not even promised to us, it is a gift from God to give and to take away as He sees fit. Our problem is that we procrastinate, and procrastination is not a good thing, it makes you lazy. I know that sometimes we may be tired from working, but things still have to be done, and working on our salvation with the Lord is one of those things. We may feel like we cannot go to Him because of our past and present mistakes, but He is always here when we need Him. It does not matter what we have or haven’t done He is always ready to hear from us. We should not only go to Him when things are not going good in our life, but we should go to Him when things are going well. He isn’t someone we can put in and out of a bottle and sit on a shelf at our convenience, we need Him every day of our life.

God is giving us time to get our lives right before Jesus comes back. If you have not ever known Jesus, you have the opportunity to go to Him and pour your heart out to Him, repent of your sins, and accept Him as your Lord and Savior today. He is ready to change your life for the better. He is ready to give you a new life in Him. It will be the best decision you will ever make in your life for your eternal life. Remember, He loves you. He laid down His life for you. Your past does not define you. You are loved by the One who created you. His love never fails, it endures forever. We were all created in His image, and God did not create junk, He created masterpieces; that is what we are in His eyes. It doesn’t matter about our flaws. Our flaws are what make us unique. So, pour your beautiful heart out to Jesus and let Him mend those broken places that’s hurt you for so long.

With that being said, as always, stay safe, stay blessed, and thank you for joining me on my journey with Food for the Soul. c.2022