Verse for Thought

Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Q: What is "sacrifice"?
A: According to Wikipedia, Sacrifice is commonly known as the practice of offering food, objects, or the lives of animals or people to the gods as an act of worship. The term is also used metaphorically to describe selfless good deeds for others or a short term loss in return for a greater gain, such as in a game of chess. Recently it has also come into use as meaning doing without something or giving something up.

A: According to Dictionary.com,
–noun

1. the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.
2. the person, animal, or thing so offered.
3. the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.
6. Also called sacrifice bunt, sacrifice hit.
–verb (used with object)
7. to make a sacrifice or offering of.
8. to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.
9. to dispose of (goods, property, etc.) regardless of profit.

When we come into the knowledge of Jesus as our Savior and King, we come into a new way of life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." We no longer are to be who we used to be. We are to put our lives, hearts and minds and physical being, up against the Word of God. We are to get rid of that which is contradicting to God's Word and foster the things which are in line with his Word. It's not popular; it's not "cool", but it's the way of truth.

When you hear or read these words "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind", what do you think of?

Preparing to Be a Help Meet Chapter 1

The book opens up with this:

There is a thread...

a bright thread running,

weaving, tying bows

and underlining our lives.

Sometimes the thread is

narrow and barely perceptible;

other times it is FLAMBOYANT,

creating showers of wide

dashing ribbons falling

from every corner of our lives,

bringing VIBRANT COLOR

to our otherwise ordinary existence.

And so your thread begins...

Chapter 1 Summary

In Preparing to Be a Help Meet, Debi Pearl shares her own love story and how she prayed for and fell in love with her husband. In the chapter she focuses on the importance of prayer in her pre-marital life and how it effected her marriage to Michael. She was thirteen years old when she started to pray for her husband.

She says about her prayers for her husband that "God was looking for a help meet that would pray, not for herself to have a wonderful prince, but for a help meet to start HELPING this warrior of God to do the job God had for him to do."

She talks about specific things we are to pray for and WHY God wants us to pray. In her focus on prayer, Debi says "God designed His Will to come through PRAYER...If you want a Thread to weave through your life and marriage, if you want a godly prince to hold you in his arms, loving you wtih all his heart, then know this: it starts with prayer!"

Daniel is an example of persistance and perseverance in prayer. Battles are happening in the heavenlies when we pray. The enemy doesn't want our answers to come from God to us through his messanger angels. We are to pray, but not to pray amiss. We are to pray until we have an answer. Matthew 7:7 says "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Moral to the Story: God wants, no, he NEEDS us to pray.
A Caution: Don't pray amiss.

At the end of each chapter there is "Your Treasure Chest".

• Chapter 1 Treasure Chest:
• Pray for your future beloved; that he'll be strong and walk faithful.
• Establish lifelong habits of prayer
• Make a list of people you are committed to praying for and then PRAY for them.

My questions for you:

1. If Debi had not listened to God when He told her to pray, do you think she would have still married Michael, her husband? Why or why not?
2. Could it be that you are missing out on God's best option for you right now because you are not praying?
3. If God spoke to you, how would you answer?

My Challenge for you:

• Verses for meditation: Matt 9:38; Like 10:2; John 15:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:1&2; Matt 18:18; Matt 7:7 Luke 11:9; John 16:23; James 4:3-4
• Try to pray for someone who has made you mad or hurt your feelings for 1 week and see how God can change your heart towards them.
• Do a word study on prayer:
• Look up definition
• Look up the word on a computer program or on the internet such as on BIBLEGATEWAY or BLUE LETTER BIBLE
• Find out how many times the word is used in the Bible
• Read a few of the passsages so you know how God uses it in contex

Be sure to check out my other postings about this book HERE. You can also read the Chapter 2 summary.

Preparing to Be a Help Meet

I have decided to read a book by Debi Pearl called Preparing to be a Help Meet. I am really excited about the book in relation to this blog. As I go through it, I will post excerpts, thoughts, and summaries of each portion I read. Once I am done reading the book, I will be giving away a copy of it, at random, through my blog. So, if you like the postings I put about it and you want to read it for yourself, be sure to watch for the giveaway!

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8 Terrific Topics for Conversation

8 Terrific Topics for Conversation

Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board

Recent vacations. Talking about a trip you took could quite naturally then segue into crazy (and humorous) travel experiences you've had, or a trip that you've both taken and that you both really enjoyed.

A hobby you love. "This is a great way to connect," Kaiser says. "You may find that you both love going for long walks or something else that you might enjoy doing together..."

A recent news story...as long as it's not too politically or emotionally charged. You don't necessarily want to start talking about national politics, health care reform, or who you voted for in the last Presidential election. But if it's about a new smart phone application, the latest shenanigans of some celebrity, or some interesting sports news, that's perfectly okay.

What's happening around you. "I don't mean what is going on between the two of you, but with other people," Kaiser says. "Say you are in a restaurant and the waiter has an unusual quirk, or the menu is way too large. This might give you something to laugh about. You are trying to connect with the person on different levels." Talking about your surroundings and seeing if the other person has similar responses to a situation may clue you in as to whether the two of you share a similar sense of humor, and this can be very important in a longterm relationship.

A movie you have seen or want to see. Discussing a film keeps the conversation light at the same time that it lets you figure out if you have similar tastes and interests in cultural areas. And if there's a movie that you have both been wanting to see, it could make a great destination for your next date.

Siblings. Don't get into a discussion with your date about her or his parents (a divorce or separation might make this topic get depressing), but if you mention sisters and brothers, it shows that you have a caring side and an interest in her life. Plus a mention of sibs often can trigger positive feelings.

Food. Unless she's got issues surrounding food and alcohol, this is a fairly safe topic that can turn lively and enjoyable as you debate the merits of various types of cheese, what kinds of wine you prefer, and what your favorite types of cuisine are.

Friends. Most people enjoy talking about their friends, how long they've known them, where they met and how much their friends mean to them. With minimal prompting from you, your date will probably be able to talk endlessly on this topic. And let's face it, when it's your turn to share about your friends, you'll enjoy it just as much.


Topics to Avoid
Not every topic is so approacable. Here are some examples of what to remain mum on:

• Divorced parents
• Whether or not she wants a big wedding
• The fact that you've got 5 cats that you'll never give up
• How many children you want to have