It’s almost July, so let’s celebrate with a Christmas in July frozen hot chocolate bar! My hot chocolate bar is always a family favorite during Christmas time, but why wait? Let’s make one together for a Summer family movie night! Crank up your air conditioning, grab your frozen hot chocolate and put on your favorite Christmas movie for a fun Christmas in July movie night with your family and friends.
Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipe: 1 cup of your favorite hot chocolate mix (I make my own with just 2 ingredients. 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to 3/4 cups of sugar.)
2 cups of chocolate milk (because we want this extra chocolatey!)
3 cups of ice
In a blender add milk, cocoa mix and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses. Top with whipped cream, marshmallows (freeze marshmallows for some extra fun!) sprinkles and shaved chocolate.
At Christmas time I make a hot chocolate bar and it’s so fun for the kids (and adults too!) So for the frozen hot chocolate bar, here are a few ideas. Frozen marshamallows. (make sure to bring them out, just before you are serving so they stay frozen.) Your favorite candy toppings. Chopped up peppermints, White Chocolate chips, Sprinkles, and Whipped Cream. (make your whipped cream instead of buying it and add in a fun flavor like caramel or hazelnut.)
Let everyone make their own frozen hot chocolate creation and then put on a Christmas movie and have a fun Christmas in July movie night! Have fun!!
As Christian parents, it is imperative to teach our children at a young age, that prayer is our greatest strength and weapon against sin and the evil in this world. It not only strengthens us as Christians living in a fallen world, but it turns our focus from ourselves, to God and His will for our life. Praying should be like breathing. It should be something that naturally happens each day.
For parents of small children. If you’re trying to explain prayer to a younger child, try this: “You know how daddy asks you how your day was when he gets home from work? He likes to know what you did. And you tell him all about it.” –“It’s the same with God. He is our Heavenly father, and He wants to know all about our day. He wants to hear if you’re happy or sad or excited, because He loves you so deeply.” Then you can say. “What if daddy came home from work and you didn’t talk to him. Do you think he would be sad? Yes, of course he would. Now think about God. He created you. He loves you so much! Don’t you think He wants to hear from you?” We can’t hear God speaking in a big voice like daddy’s, but when we pray, we can talk to Him and He can hear us. And when we read our Bible, we can “hear” Him.
My son is fourteen and he has known since he was old enough to speak, that God is ALWAYS there listening to us. (even when we don’t want Him to be. ;) He knows that when he is mad or sad or frustrated or even happy, that he can pray and talk to God. It is his first instinct to pray in trying times and that truly warms my heart as a mom when he says he is praying for me.
We’re all busy. But never let yourself get too busy to pray. That’s when life really will start falling apart. I hope that over the next month you are dedicated to setting aside some quiet time to pray intentionally for your children. Depending on your personal situation, you may not get a block of uninterrupted time for more than a few minutes. And that’s ok. Shoot for ten-fifteen minutes in the morning before the kids are up. If that doesn’t work, pray while you’re in the shower, or while you’re brushing your teeth. Whatever you do, just stick to it. I hope and pray that it will not only bring you closer to your children, but closer to God as well.
Day 1: Pray for the dedication and focus to follow through with a month of praying for your child/ren. You may get distracted, or frustrated and want to give up. Scratch that. You will. That’s a fact, but I hope and pray that you will continue on with this for the whole month. I pray that whatever you are dealing with, with your child, that there will be progress and breakthrough. I pray in Jesus name that you will be blessed for seeking God’s will for your children and I ask that God will strengthen not only your relationship with Him, but your child’s.
Day 2: Pray that your child would have a strong prayer life. Prayer. That’s literally what this is all about. It’s our weapon against the wages of war. I spent every single night as soon as my son was born, praying over him. Praying out loud with him day and night. Praying was something I did so often in front of him, that by the time he was 3 or 4 his response to a problem was to pray. (such a beautiful sight and sound!) If you aren’t already praying with your child, start! It’s never too late. And if they are very young, just start praying out loud with them and it will soon become something they recognize. Let them know that prayer truly changes things and more importantly, it changes us!
Day 3: Pray for your child to share the gospel with others. It’s one thing for someone to say they are a Christian. But it’s another thing to actually share what being a follower of Christ is. To share the gospel with someone may very well change their life forever! And how amazing would it be to know that your child helped save another child’s life. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
Day 4: Pray for your child’s eyes and heart to be protected from the enemy’s lies. Let’s be honest. Any chance he gets, the enemy will try to trick you with a lie. To a child, that may be a whispered lie that says, you’ll have fun if you do _________. Don’t listen to your parents, they don’t want you to have fun. He lies to us any chance he can get. So as parents, we need to first, let our children know about the devil and how he will work HARD at getting you to second guess God. He wants to steal your joy, cause you to stumble and get caught up in sin. Pray boldly that your child will not only be protected from the enemy’s lies, but that they will be able to discern when something is from him and not of God. The truth is, that the devil isn’t some scary, ugly person. He is sometimes wrapped up with a pretty bow. He is tricky like that. So I encourage you to let your child know that we have power over the enemy in Jesus Christ. Encourage them to pray and ask Jesus when they aren’t sure about a thought or feeling or situation.
Day 5: Pray that your child will speak the truth in love. This does not mean having a weak demeanor. It is about the way the truth and love go hand in hand. Because as Christ followers, we know THE truth and we are called to share it, even when it is not popular. We as Christians are to train others in the truth. The gospel truth. Sharing these from a selfless love (agape love. Truth about who God is and what He has called us to do. Truth about correction and what is right and wrong in God’s eyes. For a young child, this may seem unnecessary to pray for, but I encourage you to pray that your child (and you) will grow confidently into a person who always speaks THE truth in love, even when you are silenced, censored and hated.
Day 6: Pray that your child doesn’t have jealousy in their heart. Jealousy will eat you alive. It may not be something you think about as your child is young, but as they start to get older jealousy will most likely creep in. So I encourage you to be praying about this before it happens. “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”Proverbs 14:30
Day 7: Pray for your child to have Godly friendships. Pray that they not only would have Godly friends, but that they would be a Godly friend to others. Pray for people to come into their life that would encourage your child to draw closer to God, especially when things get tough. Ask God to help them be able to discern who they should and should not be friends with. “A perverse man stirs up disssension and a gossip separates close friends/ A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good. Proverbs 16:28-29 –“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20
Day 8: Pray for your child to have self control. With self control, we are able to control our thoughts, words and actions. Because our fallen nature is to sin, when we have the Holy Spirit we are able to die to our sin and live in Christ. Pray that your child would die to their earthly desires, and always seek God and His will over their own. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12
Day 9: Pray for your child’s faith. Our faith will always be tested, mocked and tried in this world. But we must hold strong to the promises we have in Christ. Pray that they always have “faith like a child.” –“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12
Day 10: Pray for your children’s future spouse. Pray that your child will find someone who loves the Lord and who keeps His commandments. Someone who is loyal and trustworthy and respectful to their parents and to their future spouse (your child.) Pray that their parents are God fearing parents who are praying the same thing for their child. –“But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Mark 10:6-9
Day 11: Pray for their relationship with YOU! Pray for your child to always keep the lines of communication open with you whether they are a young child or a grown adult. And to trust you as a safe person to talk to, no matter what the situation is. There will be many outside voices in your child’s life; God’s should be first and then yours. –“Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16 –“Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” Proverbs 23:22
Day 12: Pray that your child uses their gifts and abilities for the glory of God. It’s easy to get caught up in the approval of peers. Your child may think that their gift of singing would be amazing for a TikTok career. (though I hope your child does not have a TikTok.) Yes, it’s fun to have people cheering us on. But when we use our gifts for the glory of God, we are richly rewarded. Ask God to help your children know that their gifts are from Him and that they desire to use them for His glory, not their own. Pray that they know it’s a blessing to let God work through us to reach other people for His glory. –“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God. Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11
Day 13: Pray that your child will not be fearful. This may seem irrelevant if your child is older, but fear creeps in at all stages of life and it keeps us from fully trusting God and His plan for our life. Pray that your children are not afraid of any situation or person. Let them know they are safe in God’s arms. Pray that they know Jesus has overcome death and is bigger than any scary situation or person. Pray that God helps them be strong and courageous, because truthfully we know that at some point, they will be scared of something or someone. Pray that they know that in their weakness, God’s power is made perfect. –“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.” Psalm 23
Day 14: Pray that your child knows they were created by God, with a purpose, for a purpose. It is important to not only pray about this, but to also tell your child that their worth and purpose is ONLY found in Jesus. Pray that they do not fall into the trap of trying to fill a void that only Christ can fill. “For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
Day 15:Pray that your child would be compassionate towards others. Ask God to help your child have compassion towards others and to love as Christ loves us. “…encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15
Day 16:Pray that your child would grow in maturity. Ask God to help their minds and hearts grow in maturity and wisdom from Christ. “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching…instead, speaking the truth in love, will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ.” Ephesians 4:14-15
Day 17: Pray for your child’s health. Not just for their physical health. But their mental and spiritual health as well. Pray that they will take care of their body and honor it as a temple. That they will fill their minds and bodies with healthy thoughts and food. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own. For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Day 18: Pray for your child to always hears God’s voice above the noise of the world. There are so many loud “worldly” voices all around us. This world is not going to think like we do, so pray that your child always goes to God’s Word to find answers, hope and strength. This also starts with us as parent’s giving our children a strong foundation in the Bible and what God says. The more we know what God says is right, the less we will listen to the things the world says are “right.”
Day 19: Pray that your child takes every thought and makes it obedient to God. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Day 20: Pray for your child’s safety. If you have a wild child, you may already be praying this. :) My son was one of those kids, that had no fear. I can remember when he was about 4 and I bought him a shirt with a cape. He thought he was Superman and jumped off the brick planter in our backyard and ended up breaking his arm. :( I am no stranger to praying for his safety and protection and do every day. I actually probably do more as he has gotten older and is now a teenager. And though, yes your child will get hurt from time to time, that’s just life. I still always pray for extra protection over him. Pray that God will hold your child securely in His arms. Ask God to watch over and protect them every day.
Day 21: Pray for your child’s attitude towards you (their parent.) Pray that they are respectful and seek to always keep God’s commandments. (honor your father and mother.) Pray that they would not be rude, angry or disrespectful. Yes, there will be plenty of times they will, especially as they get older, but again, as their parent, set them up for success. Pray for them. Teach them God’s ways. Guide them to be respectful to you, to God and to others. Teach them to pray that their words and actions reflect God. Pray that they will not be bitter or resentful towards you as you make decisions they may not like.
Day 22:Pray that your children will have a good work ethic. Ask God to instill perseverance in your child. That they would keep going strong even when things get tough. And that they would be humble to do whatever they do for the Lord. Not for glory, riches or fame. That is especially hard in this world where people have zero drive to work hard and just expect to get rich and famous from being a “youtuber.” “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
Day 23: Pray that your child puts their trust in God. Ask God to grow your child’s trust in Him. You want your child to trust God so that He is the one they seek out in times of trouble, pain or sorrow. “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” Jeremiah 17:7
Day 24: Pray for your child’s mind. Pray that God would protect and guide their mind and thoughts. Pray that they get sucked into thoughts of depression, or anxiety. Pray their minds and thoughts stay pure and on things of Christ, not things of this world. “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
Day 25: Pray for your child’s integrity. Ask God to fill them with integrity and have a desire to do what is good and pleasing to the Lord. That they would not lie or try to hide or cover up their wrong doings. “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” Psalm 25:21
Day 26: Pray for your child to grow in wisdom from the Lord. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever..” Psalm 111:10
Day 27: Pray for your child to listen to Godly instruction and obey. “My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.” Proverbs 1:8-9
Day 28: Pray for your child’s heart. Pray that Christ rules their heart, mind and body. For them to honor and glorify God above themselves. And to repent and be saved. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
Day 29: Pray that your child’s words reflect a follower of Christ. This goes with praying for their heart. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34 As a follower of Christ, not only should our lives reflect Him, but also our words.
Day 30: Pray for your child and the choices they make. Kids are going to mess up from time to time and that’s ok. But as a Christian parent, we want our children, especially as they are a teenager and an adult, to make decisions based on their life and future as a Christ follower. Pray that your children will always make good choices and not be pressured by the world to make choices that are not good or Godly. “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
Day 31: Today is the last day of the month. I encourage you to pray for your children to grow and mature daily in their Christian walk. For them to have a strong faith in God and who He is and who He says they are in Him. Pray that they will pray and seek God’s will for their life, each and every day.
As Christians, we are to be praying about everything. (Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7) and the beautiful thing about being a follower of Christ is that we don’t have to walk through life alone. This means marriage as well. Too many couples give up on their marriage because they think there is no way to fix it. But there is. Husbands and wives, surrender your relationship to Christ and watch things change. Marriage is a gift from God and we are to always work at glorifying Him through our marriage. Both husbands and wives should be praying for their spouse daily. But what is even more wonderful than taking time each day to pray for your spouse, is to be praying with them.
After creating “A Month of Intentional Prayers for Your Husband” several years ago and having great feedback and praise on it, I wanted to get even deeper with it and came up with, “A Month of Praying Together; for husbands and wives.” My hope is to get husbands and wives to set aside some intentional time each day to pray together. Whether it’s first thing in the morning or the last thing you do before bed. All that matters, is that you are consistent and dedicated to this month together with you and God. I want to provide you with a prayer prompt each day to get your conversation going. Some days the prayer prompts will be harder and more intense, and my hope is that this will help you be open and honest in areas that you might not already be communicating about.
Each day as you do these prayer prompts, take at least 15 minutes together in a quiet place without interruptions, meaning no cell phones, no tv, no emailing work clients….just you and your spouse and God. Read the prayer prompt and then pray together. Ask each other questions or share your thoughts or anything on your heart that the prayer prompt may have brought up.
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” Ephesians 5:22-24
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27
Day 1: Take today, the first day of your month of praying together to thank God for each other. You may not be feeling all “lovey dovey” and thankful for your spouse today but set aside those feelings and take time to pray out loud together today, uninterrupted. Each of you should think of at least one thing that you are thankful for about your spouse and thank God out loud for that. Bonus points if it’s something that you don’t often say to them. Take a minute to talk together and decide out loud to dedicate a month of giving your relationship to God.
Day 2: Pray and ask God to guard you and your husband’s hearts, mind and eyes from the lies of the enemy. Let me tell you. He is going to try every thing possible to attack your relationship during this month. The enemy hates when we trust God and he will be working hard at convincing you that God isn’t to be trusted with your relationship. Pray hard against this. God has the power to conquer all. The devil only has the power YOU give him. Don’t forget that!
Day 3: Pray to see your spouse through God’s eyes. Each of you hold hands and pray together and ask God to help you see each other through His eyes. Ask Him to help you see the good and Godly things your spouse brings to your relationship, rather than the bad things that are often so easy to get focused on.
Day 4: Pray for your relationship with Jesus. Both of you should be praying to deepen your relationship with Christ each day. Today, be praying for each other’s relationship with Him. No pointing fingers or thinking you have a stronger prayer life or relationship with God. Pray that you would both would be able to fully trust not only your relationship to God but your life and your expectations for your marriage.
Day 5: Husbands, pray that you have a strong desire to walk with God daily and to be a Godly head of the house. Wives, submit yourselves to your husband’s lead. I know this is hard to submit, but it is imperative to let your husband know you fully trust and support him to lead your family in Christ. Pray together today that you are both thankful for and ready to fully embrace the individual roles that God has given each of you for your marriage.
Day 6: Pray together for your roles as husband and wife. This goes along with yesterday’s prayer. Pray today that you as the husband are always looking to God for His will in your life and marriage and not to your own desires. Pray as the wife that you will submit to your husband’s lead and not try to control things that you are not meant to. Remember that God designed these roles as His perfect design for family and these roles as Godly husband and wife which compliment each other when put into practice.
Day 7: Today’s prompt might be a little harder. Pray together for your husband’s family. (your in-laws) You may all get along wonderfully, or things might be hard between you guys. Maybe your husband isn’t talking to his side of the family. Either way, pray together for whatever your situation is and pray for them, selflessly. If they aren’t Christians, pray that they would soften their hearts to hear the Lord and become Christ followers. If your husband isn’t speaking to them. Pray that God mends their broken relationship. It may be hard, but whatever you do, don’t let yourselves get angry or frustrated today with this prayer prompt.
Day 8: Today we are praying for your (the wive’s) family. Same as yesterday. Regardless of your relationship with them or your husband’s feelings about them, pray selflessly for them. For broken relationships to be mended. For them to become Christians if they aren’t. For whatever you know you need to be praying about for them.
Day 9: Pray today for your husband’s job. Whether he is a CEO, a farmer or a construction worker, pray that he always works as though he is working for the Lord. Thank God for providing a job for him and for income for your family. Husbands, if you want to pray about something specifically about your job with your wife today, do it. Don’t keep secrets! If there is something wrong at your job or perhaps there is a chance you may lose your job, don’t sit quietly. Pray about it together!
Day 10: Pray about your friendships. That you both would choose Godly friendships that help you draw closer to the Lord. And that you both would never make decisions while out with friends that would jeopardize your marriage. Also pray that you both are a good friend to others.
Day 11: Today is another hard one. This might be hard to do if you two are newly married, or maybe you guys haven’t opened up about past hurt. Anything from something small to a big, traumatic event. Today is the day to pray together for healing. Ask God to help you both heal from any hurt in your past and that you would be able to forgive the person who hurt you. If it is your spouse who hurt you, try not to bring up the issue in detail and let it cause more pain. That is what the enemy would want. But instead, openly speak about the hurt and pray together that God would heal your hurt and to heal whatever caused your spouse to hurt you. If this is something from your past and not about each other and it is too hard to talk about, you don’t have to get into detail. But don’t skip over today. Just pray in general for God to heal you both from your past hurt; physically, emotionally or spiritually and that you both would be able to live in the freedom we have in Christ as a new creation.
Day 12: Pray for each other’s confidence. Maybe one of you are reading this thinking, my husband or my wife is extremely confident. We don’t need to pray about this. But I’m not talking about someone who is sure of themselves because on the outside they are attractive. ;) I am talking about truly knowing your worth is found ONLY in Christ and who HE says you are. Today pray together that you both would know your worth is from Christ. Ask God to help you both look to Him, not looks, money or status or any things of this world to give you confidence.
Day 13: Pray together for your relationship. That you would both desire to fall deeper in love with each other each day. Doesn’t matter if you’ve been married 5 years or 50 years. We are about two weeks into praying through the month and maybe you feel like things are going well, but maybe you’re feeling hopeless, or angry or frustrated with the lack of results. I encourage you two to keep Christ at the center of your marriage. I know that is something you have probably heard a thousand times, but truly you need Him to be at the center holding things together. Pray that you both would see each other through God’s eyes and that you would love each other with an unconditional love, as He first loved us.
Day 14: Pray for you both to be bold in your faith. If you know somewhere you need to be more bold in your faith, share it and ask your spouse to pray for you. Perhaps you need to be more bold in your faith at work or in your group of friends. Wherever it is, pray about it together.
Day 15: Pray to be quick to forgive. Today’s prompt shouldn’t cause you guys to bring up past arguments and dwell on that. But instead it should help you guys resolve any resentment and help you to forgive each other and move forward. Holding on to resentment only eats away at us and causes us to be bitter. It doesn’t solve anything. Ask God to help you both be able to forgive and forget in your marriage and not to hold a grudge towards one another.
Day 16: Pray for your physical intimacy together. That you both would honor your commitment to your marriage and the marriage bed and that you both would grow stronger in love each day. Ask God to help you both keep your eyes on each other and not to let them wander. This should be a daily prayer, because the enemy is always trying to turn our eyes from God and from our spouse in a Christ centered marriage.
Day 17: Pray about your honesty today. If one of you feels like the other lied (or maybe it was confirmed and you have lost trust in your spouse.) Don’t let today’s prayer prompt bring up your hurt and anger, and cause you to get mad and not pray together. Instead, pray that you are able to fully trust your spouse again. And the spouse who lied should pray that God helps them always stay faithful and honest to their spouse. Ask that God helps you both have a desire to always be truthful and honest in your marriage and that you wouldn’t lie or keep things from each other. Ask God to help you both be virtuous and a man/woman of their word.
Day 18: Ask God to help you both lean on God’s strength and not your own. Pray that you both choose to seek God’s strength in trying times, rather than thinking you can do it all on your own. Pray that you both are able to put aside your pride and ask each other for help when you need it. You are together for a reason. You don’t need to carry the burdens of life on your own. Asking for help or prayer isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength.
Day 19: Today is going to be a hard one. It might be the hardest one yet. So I am already praying for you, anyone who is doing this month of prayer that today is a day you are able to be set free from the chains of addiction. Today’s prayer prompt is, pray that you are able to break free from any addiction you may have. Maybe you’re drinking too much and you know it but your spouse hasn’t said anything in awhile so you think you’re fine. Or maybe you are really caught up pornography and it is tearing your relationship apart. Whatever the addiction is, whether your spouse knows about it or not, you need to fully surrender it to God today before it’s too late.
Day 20: If you are still doing these prayer prompts together, I am so proud of you both! Marriage is a beautiful thing designed by God and there are going to be good days and bad days. That is a guarantee. But you both should be fully committed to both God and each other so that you never give up. Today ask God to help you both find peace and joy in Jesus. If you both are dedicated to Christ and finding your peace and joy in Him first, you won’t be as easily tempted to get upset with your spouse when they “let you down.” When we look to others to make us happy, we will almost always be disappointed. Look to Christ for your joy and peace and not to your husband or wife to make you “happy.”
Day 21: Pray that you both would be Godly parents to your children. Ask God to help you live out your life as a man and woman of God, so that your children see that daily and desire to walk with Christ as well. If you don’t have children you can take today to pray for the children in your lives and that you would be a Godly example to them.
Day 22: Pray to have humility. Ask God to help you be humble in all things and know that anything good in your life is from Him. Being prideful causes problems because you think you have it all together. You think that you are the reason you have money, nice things or success in your career. But humility is knowing that you only have anything because of the grace of God. Pray that you both have a humble spirit and know every good and perfect gift is from God.
Day 23: Pray for your health. Both physically and emotionally. Now husbands and wives, this isn’t a time to point fingers at each other if one of you is physically more in shape or if one of you is more emotionally immature. (this can mean anything from being angry, to anxious or depressed.) Pray for each other and for yourself to be healthy in all aspects of life. Pray that you are eating like you love yourself and exercising and taking care of the body you were given. And ask God to help you not be controlled by your emotions, so that you are emotionally mature and able to address things in life and your marriage maturely, not in an emotional fit.
Day 24: Pray about your finances. That you both are good stewards of your money. This may be hard and bring up a fight, money has a funny way about causing arguments. But don’t let it. Instead work together through prayer and communication on how to be wise with the money God has blessed you with. Whether that is a lot or a little. Our money is God’s and we should be using it to glorify him.
Day 25: Today I want you guys to open the lines of communication and pray together about anything you are personally dealing with. Pray about your situation together and ask God to help you get through your trial victoriously. It will strengthen your relationship the more you put your trust in each other and the more you let down your walls and open the lines of communication with each other.
Day 26: Pray that you both would be protected from the lies of the enemy. It isn’t a matter of “if it will happen.” It’s a matter of when. Because we know the enemy is looking to destroy anything and everything of God. And our marriage as Christ followers is definitely a target. Pray that you are able to see the lies and temptations clearly as they come that they are from satan, and not from God. Pray that God gives you the strength to walk away and not to be tempted. Not all temptation will look the same. Unfortunately satan knows your weakness and will prey on that. So be alert, stay in prayer and don’t try to go at it alone.
Day 27: Pray that you two have a strong desire to spend time together and make each other feel loved and desired. Ask God to help you selflessly love your spouse and learn how to show them love in the way they desire. If your spouse wants to spend time together, spend time together. Do something they enjoy doing. If your spouse needs to hear verbally that they are loved, tell them. Treat your spouse as you want to be treated. Let them know daily how loved and appreciated they are.
Day 28: Pray for your future together. Pray that you two would always make decisions that will bless not harm your future together. Take time to talk about your future together. If you are newly married, that might be about buying a house or starting a family. If you’ve been together for many years, that might be what you want to do when the kids are out of the house and you retire. Dream together and pray that you love and honor your marriage until the day you die.
I hope this month has been a blessing. I am praying for every husband and wife who has decided to take a month and give it to God. For everyone who has prayed together and not given up. I hope you see God’s hand in your marriage and I hope that you both fell deeper in love with each other and with God.
I have several variations of these cookies that I bake, but this one is probably my favorite. Many years ago I was looking for a new cookie recipe and came across one that looked so pretty with pink frosting, so I clicked it. I baked them, tweaking the recipe here and there as I always do. (I love putting my own spin on things.) Friends and family loved them, so I kept baking them. Year after year. Changing up the flavors for different occasions. To this day they’re a family favorite, so I thought I’d share them with you. :)
For this Christmas version, I combined an old family recipe with this recipe and came up with almond candy cane. It may sound weird, but it’s a perfect combination. Unlike most cookies, you serve these cookies frozen. Which was weird when I first read about frozen cookies. But there is just something about the frozen cookie and buttercream that really makes these unforgettable. Ok enough chatting. Let’s get baking! :)
Almond Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (2 sticks) 3/4 cup avocado oil (or whatever oil you prefer. Canola, Vegetable….) 1 1/2 cups white sugar 3/4 cups powdered sugar 2 Tablespoons water 2 eggs 5 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda
Directions: Cream butter & sugars (white & powdered) once creamed (about 3 minutes) add in your oil, eggs and water. Mix well.
In a large bowl whisk together; flour, salt and baking soda.
Add dry to wet and mix until combined.
Roll into balls and put on parchment lined baking sheet.
On a plate put about 1/4 cup of white sugar & get a drinking glass and wet the bottom with water and press down firmly on the cookies (You’ll need to dip the glass in sugar before pressing each cookie otherwise it will stick to the cookies.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Take cookies out of oven, just as the bottoms are starting to brown. You do not want to overcook them. Remove from hot cookie sheet and put cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes until cold to the touch. Frost with almond buttercream (recipe below) and sprinkle crushed candy canes (put candy canes in a bag and crush them up) then put cookies back in the freezer for at least an hour. Once they’re frozen you can put them in freezer bags and store for up to a month. When you want one, just take it out and eat. You can let them sit for a few minutes, but I don’t recommend more than 5-10, because they are truly best eaten frozen.
Buttercream frosting recipe
Ingredients: 1 cup—2 sticks of butter 1 bag of powdered sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp almond extract 1+ Tablespoon of milk (if you need to thin frosting out add a splash more. You want this to be pretty thick.) 2 drops of gel food coloring if using. Typically I don’t like adding it because of the artificial dyes. But you can either omit it which I typically do or get dye free gel food coloring.
Beat butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the powdered sugar, and continue beating until the sugar is fully incorporated. Then add vanilla and almond extract and milk and beat on low until incorporated. Turn mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for another 5-7 minutes. It should be light and fluffy. If the buttercream is too thick, add in a splash of milk until it’s your desired consistency.
To me, there is no better way to start the day, than with a homemade muffin and cup of coffee. That is truly the best thing about the cooler weather. Slow mornings spent baking are my favorite. It’s also the only time of year when I drink hot coffee. (If you know me, you know that I drink iced lattes 99% of the time, but when eggnog hits the shelves, I am there!–let me clarify, I am not into eggnog lattes. Warm eggnog is vulgar. I use a splash of eggnog in my coffee as creamer. It’s honestly something I look forward to all year!) These muffins are (dare I say the “M” word?) so moist and delicious. They will be your family’s new favorite morning treat! So grab a cup of coffee and let’s get baking!
Ingredients:
3/4 of a can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup avocado oil
1+1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs (at room temp)
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup water
1+1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
For the crumb topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon and a sprinkle each of; nutmeg and ginger
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your muffin tins.
In a large bowl whisk together; oil, sugar, eggs, water, vanilla and pumpkin puree.
In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Flour, salt, baking soda and spices.
Add dry to wet and combine. (I recommend a Danish whisk. They are awesome!)
In another bowl, add the dry ingredients for your crumb topping. Pour in melted butter and with a fork combine so that it comes together in a crumbly topping.
Pour batter into muffin tins and top with crumb topping.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15-17 minutes depending on your oven.
The end times are a heavy subject to breakdown and digest and so I think because of that, a lot of people would rather just avoid it. Reading the book of Revelation can be hard to understand (or maybe even a little scary to some people) but I don’t think we should avoid any book in the Bible just because we don’t understand it. My hope in writing this post is to break down the key points of the end times in chronological order to help make learning about this a little less daunting.
There are many passages throughout the Bible that link to the end times, not just in Revelation. But when you start studying the Bible as a whole you will understand Revelation a lot better. I absolutely LOVE digging deeper in the word because there is ALWAYS something new to learn. I have been reading and taking notes for awhile now for this post and I don’t know about you, but when I read one scripture it leads me to another and another and well, I can probably write a book on The End times. It’s fascinating to me. But I tried my best to stay in simple terms and focus on a few key points to make it easier to understand the overall message of what is to come. (I also will say, I don’t think we are currently in “the end times” but I do think it is getting closer.) I encourage you to read this post once through and then reread it with your Bible in hand.
Like anything in life, there are different views on the end times and I think that is mostly because there is confusion when reading the passages about it. Like Post-Tribulation vs Pre-Tribulation. In the words of Chuck Missler, “If the rapture happened after the tribulation, it would be like the Bridegroom saying: come let’s get married, then I will beat the living daylights out of you and then we’ll go have dinner.” —-Jesus says to us in the Word, that we as believers will be spared from the wrath. “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” Revelation 3:10 We also know that it says in 1 Thessalonians, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” People argue that this is speaking about sparing us from Hell, but notice how the promise is not preservation through the trial, but from the time period of the trial. It isn’t saying we will be spared from hell, because we already know that as Christians we are spared from that because Jesus died on the cross.
Something I think people confuse often is, The Rapture vs. The Second Coming. These are two separate events. The rapture will be without warning and can happen at any time. Which is why it is important to know your salvation. Not just believing that you’re “a Christian” and thinking you are all set for Heaven. But truly living your life for Jesus Christ and obeying God’s commandments for us. We are told to “be watchful and ready.” Meaning, to stay focused on Jesus and living a Godly life. Truly following His commandments and being Christ-like. When it’s all said and done. There is only one way to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) The Rapture is when “the Church” (true believers) will be takenup in the air with Jesus. It’s worth mentioning why I say, true believers. Because the term “Christian” is so casually thrown around. Jesus despises wishy-washy Christians. “So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:16 It is easy to think you have all the time in the world to “get right with God.” But like I said, the rapture can come at any moment and your salvation is not something you want to be unsure about.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matthew 7:21-23
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 –The Greek translation of the words “caught up.” mean “harpazõ” meaning “to seize upon with force, or snatch up.”
The word “church” appears 19 times in the first three chapters of Revelation, but significantly, the word is not used again until chapter 22. In the entire description of the tribulation in Revelation, the word church is absent. The Bible never uses the word “church” in a passage relating to the tribulation. (I assume you know that the word “church” refers to Christians, not a building. :)
The second comingwill be after the tribulation period. Unlike the rapture, it will be known and seen by everyone. The Second coming is after 7 years of tribulation, when Jesus returns to Earth and defeats the Antichrist to overthrow evil. He throws the devil into the Abyss (a bottomless pit) to keep him bound and locked up so that he can not deceive the nations until the thousand years are over. (The Millennial Reign of Christ.) During the second coming, the Lord will return to Earth. (As opposed to the Rapture where he comes in the air.) “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” Revelation 19:14 He will set up His Kingdom on Earth for a thousand year reign.
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14
During the Tribulation, the Antichrist will be revealed. He will rise to power during this period. (hence it being hell on earth basically.) During the tribulation period, God will pour out His wrath on the Earth. It will be a horrible time of pain and suffering like you’ve never experienced (and don’t want to.) During this time, many people will still deny God and want nothing to do with Him. (These people will spend eternity in Hell.) But there will also be many people who wholeheartedly repent and become Christians during this time. These people will repopulate the Earth during the Millennial Reign. When Christ followers are taken up with Jesus during the Rapture, we will all be given “Heavenly bodies.” Which means we will not be able to reproduce. But those who were not taken up originally in the Rapture and become Christians during the Tribulation period will still be in their Earthly bodies and they will repopulate the Earth. “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” Matthew 22:30 So only people in their natural, Earthly bodies will be able to have children. “So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28 The word “regeneration” means, “repopulation.”
The Millennial Reign of Christ. This is seven years after the rapture, Jesus will return. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:31-32 He will divide the people into two groups. Those who believe and those who do not. Those who put their faith in Him, will enter into the millennial kingdom where Christ Himself rules over the Nations. During this time, Satan is bound and thrown into the abyss for 1,000 years. It will be a thousand years of peaceful, glorious living without Satan. It says in the Word that everything and everyone will get along. “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, Says the Lord.” Isaiah 65:25 The Millennial Kingdom will be filled with Christians from all throughout history as well as those who came to know Christ after the rapture.
The Millennial Reign of Christ will be on a new Earth and nothing like we can even fathom. “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isaiah 65:20-22
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be let back out of the bottomless pit for a short time. “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.” Notice how it says, “he will go out to deceive the nations….” So he was locked up for 1,000 years and gets let out and the FIRST thing he does is, deceive again! Why was he put in the abyss in the first place? So that he would not deceive the nations any longer. But Satan is the great deceiver. Period. There is no changing him. And that is one reason he will be released, to show that Satan is and always will be evil. I know it may be hard to imagine but when he comes back you see from that verse, that he gathers an army together to go against God, which is the final rebellion of man. It’s impossible to wrap my head around how these people who lived 1,000 years in a utopian environment where everything is perfect. Blessed and in abundance can turn against God. But it just goes to show you that apart from grace, man is a rebel. Now go back to how the Millennial will be populated…by the newly saved people who were saved during the tribulation. So those people are saved, but their children will not be saved and they will need salvation found through Jesus Christ. And not all of them will seek Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Pretty crazy to think about, but that is just human nature…..But then digging a little deeper, you will see that the sinful nature of man is not because of his environment, but because of his heart. Following the final rebellion of man, Satan is thrown into a lake of fire to be tormented forever and ever. “They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.” Revelation 20:9 “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10 I know some people and religions like to believe that there is no hell. But there is. Hell is VERY real and is the exact opposite of where you want to be. It is eternal pain and suffering apart from God. The Bible tells us that the reason Hell exists is for the devil and his angels. “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41
God creates a new Heaven and a new Earth. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4
I know this is a lot of info to take in so let’s wrap it up with this. The New Jerusalem. “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2 “The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” Revelation 21:21 And the scripture that makes me tear up just imagining it is this. “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Friends! Heaven will be a pain-free, joy filled eternity with our Lord and creator, God. Wow! Just typing those words makes my heart sing! I hope this post helped give you a little more understanding about the end times. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at: elizabeth@graceinhisbeauty
It’s pretty crazy to think that in America in 2020 we are being censored. Well, let me rephrase that. We being conservatives. We are not even able to post on our “own” social media about (the truth) and our views on the world. If you’ve been here awhile, you may know, I started my ministry Grace in His Beauty four years ago on here and Instagram as a place where I invited women to be a part of a community to find freedom in Christ. I took great pride that I never once settled for anything less than the truth on my posts. I shared Jesus boldly and unashamed day after day and though many loved what I was sharing, many did not. Now sure, I could have became very “popular” if I would have been promoting something other than Jesus and the Bible. But I always said, I am not everyone’s cup of tea. Which if you know me, is just fine with me. –I like coffee not tea. ;) haha. No but seriously, I am here to point you to Jesus, not myself.
Over the years, I was approached by many different people, companies and brands that did not align with what I was doing so I turned down many collaborations and the opportunity to grow my following. My point in telling you this is because I am proud that I stayed true to what I felt God was calling me to do. And that never changed. Even when it got really uncomfortable with all that came about with C0vid this year. I needed to continue to share what God wanted me to, not what felt comfortable to “keep my following.”
A few months into this “PLANdemic” I decided to speak out about what was happening in the world and with the media. I started sharing about “political” stuff, something I NEVER talked about. It just wasn’t me. But the way things had quickly shifted in the world from bad to worse I knew this was no longer about Democrat vs. Republican. This was a full on a spiritual battle of GOOD vs. EVIL.
One day I went to post something on Instagram and felt like “today is the day” to post something I had been holding inside. I was so nervous as I pressed send and posted something “political.” I think it was “Legalize Liberty.” As the weeks went on, I continued to share my posts boldly as I felt God nudging me. Each time I posted my “political” posts, I’d lose 20+ people. I put political in quotes because it wasn’t as much about politics as it was sharing about what this whole C0viD lockdown and censorship really was. People didn’t want to admit that they had been lied to. They didn’t want to acknowledge that they had been fooled into believing this was “for their health and safety.” Not realizing it was ALL FOR NOTHING!
Hundreds of people “Christians” who had been in this community with me for years decided they didn’t want to hear what I had to say anymore. (You know someone is being convicted when this happens.) I didn’t let that discourage me though and I continued posted what I knew I was supposed to. Several hundred down but in just a short month, they were all replaced and multiplied ten fold with people who like me, loved God and America and wanted to protect our constitution!
Fast forward to the beginning of this month (October) when I went to log on to my account to post something and it was gone. My entire Instagram account deleted. I was upset that I was being censored and that they could delete “my” page without warning, but I didn’t let it get me down. I prayed and then that evening I started fresh. From scratch. A new account, same purpose.
Every year when Halloween is over, I start decorating for Christmas. Too soon you say. Not for me. :) I know there are strong opinions on decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving, but I just can’t help myself. (Especially when the weather gets cooler and they’re playing Christmas movies on tv!) No matter what season it is, I love all things cozy and I try to make every space in our home just that. Cozy. And what says “cozy” more than a cup of hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows?
The first thing I do each year before any decorations go up, is make up a batch of hot chocolate mix. I know you can just go to the store and buy already made hot chocolate powder, but I love knowing exactly what is in the foods we eat and drink. You could search “homemade hot chocolate mix” and get a ton of recipes that I am sure are delicious, but this recipe is SO simple you won’t even need to write it down. So here it is. Ready?!
SUPER SIMPLE HOT CHOCOLATE MIX RECIPE:
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, White Sugar and Cinnamon. Is your mind blown? haha. No seriously though. Trust me. It is really good. I typically do about 1/2 cup of Cocoa powder (I love Droste Cocoa. It’s imported from Holland.) to 3/4 cup of sugar. In a bowl, mix the cocoa powder & sugar together and then add a few dashes of cinnamon and whisk together. That’s all. Simple and yummy. Store it in a mason jar. It will stay fresh all season long! When you are ready to make your hot chocolate, just warm up some milk (if you want it more creamy, I highly recommend using half and half) on the stove and when it starts to heat up, whisk in your hot chocolate mix.
Now for the fun part! All the extra goodies. Front and center you see my favorite Santa Mugs filled with cute holiday straws and candy canes. If you’ve been around Grace in His Beauty for awhile, perhaps you already know that I am obsessed with mason jars and use them for literally everything. And you can’t have hot chocolate without marshmallows. (*edited 11/2022, this was originally written a few years ago) This picture is from last year and I got festive tree marshmallows and peppermint ones. They aren’t the best for you, but they are super cute. (The ones we typically use in our hot chocolate are the ones from Trader Joe’s. There is something magical about them.) I also always have sprinkles because sprinkles make everything better. Next is my favorite white chocolate peppermint chunks. (see the picture below.) –(*edited 11/2022 they have since stopped making the white chocolate peppermint chunks. They were so good! But you can make your own with white chocolate and crushed up peppermint pieces.) You can also add little bottles of flavored syrups like; peppermint and hazelnut to add another fun twist. Get creative and have fun!
The fun of this set up is not only does it double as a cute display, but also that it can be easily switched up to accommodate your family’s favorite things. You can make it into a self serve station for parties with a carafe of hot milk ready to go. Or you can make it for a fun family movie night and then let the kids top with their own mix-ins.
I hope this inspires you to add a little magic to your next cup of Christmas hot chocolate!
Sadly, for most people, reading the Bible isn’t on their top list of “fun things to do.” Sometimes it may seem easier to listen to a Christian podcast or put on your favorite Christian music than to open your Bible and start reading. But as Christians we know that time in the word is crucial. The Bible is the LIVING WORD of God. So the more we read the Bible, the more we understand the heart of God and His will for our lives.
Spending time in the Bible doesn’t have to be a chore. Honestly it can actually be exciting if you let it be. I love reading the Bible because each time I read a chapter or a book, I fall more in love with Jesus, my Lord and Savior!
Here are a few things to help get you started on how to go about actually reading and understanding the Bible.
First and most importantly is to start with prayer. Pray! Don’t just open your Bible and flip through until you find a familiar verse to read and then call it a day. (though on a side note; there are many “popular” Bible verses that are taken completely out of context. So it is always good to look them up and read the verse in context and find out what the verse truly means. :)
Second: Reading the passage in context. I suggest reading at least the entire chapter in one sitting. If you can, read a few chapters to better understand what is going on in what you are reading. Ask yourself: how does this apply to my life and my relationship with Christ. Re-read the chapter(s) to better understand the words and what they mean in the context of the chapter. Sometimes we might read a verse and think we know what it means. But we have to remember that the Bible wasn’t originally written in English so words have different meanings. Find a translation you best understandand enjoy. I love the ESV & NASB & also the King James version which may be a little tricky to understand sometimes. If you’re not ready to jump into the KJV I recommend the NKJV. I have the John MacArthur Study Bible and it is amazing! Please know that the Bible translations matter. There are many watered down translations that completely change what the Bible is saying. Stay away from those. Especially the Passion translation!
To anyone who might be completely new to reading the Bible; I thought I’d get you started below with a few topics and some coordinating Bible verses for you to look up so you don’t feel overwhelmed when opening the Bible and wondering where to start and what it all means. To EVERYONE reading the Bible, new or old, something to remember: You aren’t expected to understand every single thing you read. There will be plenty of the Bible you won’t understand, especially when you first read through a book. That is why we are supposed to be in the word daily. There is also amazing things to help like the Blue Letter Bible. It helps breakdown the history and origin of words in their original languages. & remember, just like anything else. The more time we spend in the word, the more we will understand what God is saying to us.
The Bible is God’s love letter to us. His instructions for life. Let the words come alive on the pages and in your heart.
Another tip: Read the New Testament before the Old Testament.
Did you know that the Bible is not in chronological order. If you are a new Christian opening the Bible for the first time, you may wonder if the Bible is like any other book where you read the first page to the last page in order. For example. The book of Job was during the days of Genesis. So reading Genesis and Job together would make more sense. But also don’t get tricked into thinking that the Old Testament doesn’t apply to today. Every word in the Bible is for a reason. And it all points to Jesus the Messiah.
Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Because that is the most powerful tool the enemy has over us. Overwhelming us with things to distract us from God. Just pray, open up your Bible and start. You won’t regret any time spent in the Word, I promise you that!
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 16-17
Topical Bible Verse Lookup
Fear/Anxiety- 2 Timothy 1:7, Colossians 1:13, John 16:33, Psalm 23:4
Worship/Obey the Lord- Hebrews 12:28-29, 1 Samuel 15:22, Isaiah 29:13
REMEMBER:
Read the passage in context (read the entire chapter) to better understand what God meant the words and message to mean. The Bible is the Word of God. It is not up to us to decide what it means.
Look up words you don’t understand.
Each time you read your Bible, ask yourself what you learned from what what you read. Then pray & ask God to help you apply it to your life.
Start small. Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed thinking you need to read the entire Bible in a certain amount of time. Go at your own pace. As long as you are reading the Bible each day, you are growing in the word.
If you are new to the Bible, I personally recommend starting in the Book of John. It covers the life and ministry of Jesus.
Reading the Bible should not be a chore. It’s a blessing. You should read the Bible to grow deeper in your knowledge and understanding of God, as well as to know His will. Remember what a blessing it is that you are able to read the Bible. There are many countries that people are killed just for having a Bible.
Most important reminder. Let your heart be transformed. The more you read your Bible, the more you will fall in love with the Lord.
Lastly, are you confused? Let me know if you have any questions! Elizabeth@graceinhisbeauty.com
I’m praying for you ALL and am rooting for you to dig deeper in the Word, TODAY!
There is so much darkness in the world right now. Yes, I know it’s always been here but right now it just seems heavier than usual and if you’re like me, perhaps you are being more diligent about praying for our Nation. I decided to write this post for two reasons. One is to encourage you who are already praying, to keep praying. Your prayers matter and they are doing something, so don’t let the enemy make you believe otherwise. James 5:16 says: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” And two, is to get you to startpraying if you aren’t already. Now more than ever prayer is needed. There is a huge spiritual war going on but thankfully we as Christians already know that GOD WINS.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
If you’re not sure what to say or where to start, just sit quietly and talk to God. Prayer doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You don’t need to “wait for the right time to pray.” You just need to open your heart and start talking to God. ANYWHERE at ANY TIME is the RIGHT time to pray!
Timothy 2:1-5 says: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”
PRAY for the leaders of our Nation. For our President and for all those who are in authorityto do what is good and pleasing to the Lord.
PRAY for God’s light to shine BRIGHTLY through believers over the darkness of the world.
PRAY that we as Christians draw our strength and wisdom from what the Bible and the Lord says is good and true, rather than what the world saysis “the right thing to do.”
PRAY for non-believers. For God to soften their hearts to hear His voice above the noise of the world and to ask Jesus into their hearts.
PRAY for wisdom, discernment and protection over our President.
PRAY for unity in the body of Christ. The enemy wants to divide and start a war between us. But God wants us as Christians to be of one mind joining together as believers of Christ Jesus to work together for the good of our Country.
PRAY for protection from the evil the enemy wants to bringupon believers.
PRAY that ALL GLORY BE GIVEN TO GOD, when things go back to “normal” in theworld.
PRAY that the darkness that is going on in secret is EXPOSED for what it is and pray that the TRUTH comes out and the evilunmasked.
1 Corinthians 1:10 says: “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
Isaiah 60:2-3 says: “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 says “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 sin, and will heal their land.”
Psalm 33:12 says: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He chose for His inheritance.”
Daniel 2:20-21 says: “Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”
Dear friends, God is sovereign over us and wants to bless us. We are His precious children created in His image. He loves us dearly and regardless of the craziness going on in the world, He is SO good, ALWAYS. I encourage you to listen to this song as you pray and read this blog post.
Rest in knowing that NOTHING going on right now is a surprise to God. The enemy thinks he is so smart, but he is not. There are people who will fall for the lies and play into his plan, but that too is not a surprise to God either. 1 Peter 5:7 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Keep praying friends! It’s dark now….but it WILL BE LIGHT because Jesus is the way, the TRUTH and the LIGHT. John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
I’ll leave you with Job. Job chapter 12 is great and I really feel that when praying about it and digging deeper into it, you will see some very relevant things to what is going on today. I encourage you to pray and read it and let it speak to you.
“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; those he imprisons cannot be released. If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land. To him belong strength and insight; both deceived and deceiver are his. He leads rulers away stripped and makes fools of judges. He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their waist. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows officials long established. He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders. He pours contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty. He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light. He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them. He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he makes them wander in a trackless waste. They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards.
I hope this post encourages you. If so, please let me know and feel free to share this with anyone you think would enjoy it!
