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Journey's Bible Study, Kalamazoo, MI (2026)

12/14/2022

Aren't babies the best idea ever? They're so sweet and tiny and smell so good! They are also so vulnerable and needy. Isn't it amazing that Jesus would come as a little baby, totally dependent on humans. That's not how I would of did it. God doesn't do things the way we think He should, he does it the best way. Jesus had to be fully human to be able to die for us. He had to be born. The next part says "a Son is given!" God's son is given. Jesus was also fully God, He was given. The best part of this verse says that unto us. Unto us - Jesus was born to us. He was given for us. In the story The Christmas Carol scrooge asks the ghost "why are you here? " The ghost answers, "I'm here for you!" These verses are telling us why Jesus came, He came for you. He came for all of us! He knew what we needed. He knew we needed a savior. God gave us the perfect gift that first Christmas. John 3:16 says "God loves us so much He gave His son." He gave His son to give us life. Abundant life while we are here on earth and for eternity. The greatest gift ever given! Let's hold on to that this Christmas. Christmas is a gift given out of undeserved, unexplainable love! It really is wonderful!

12/09/2022

He will swallow up death forever and wipe away tears from all faces. Isaiah 25:8
Sometimes Christmas seems too hard. Too much work, too much busyness, and what's the point of it all? You might say, "that's a bit grumpy!" But it the reality of many people at Christmas time. They are missing someone they love or they are going through difficult circumstances. Some of the reason they are feeling that way is because we forget the reason for the season. We celebrate Christmas because Jesus came to earth as a little baby. He came into this broken world, wrapped in human flesh to be broken for us. To fix our biggest problem - death and to wipe away every tear from every face. Because Jesus came death will be swallowed up forever. Death is a terrible thing. We've lost so many this year and we miss them so much. Our hearts are broken. That is why we celebrate. The whole world is having a party (Christmas) to celebrate that Jesus came and won the victory over death. The might not know what the party is for but they still party on! So this Christmas when you think about the little baby in a Manger remember why he came - to swallow up death forever and to wipe away our tears! Join the party because He has done marvelous things! Merry Christmas!

11/17/2022

Be still and know that I am God. This is a favorite verse from Psalm 46:10. But what does it mean for our lives? The first verse in this Psalm says God is very present help in times of trouble. Then it talks about terrible things that could happen, the mountains could fall into the sea and the earth could melt away. Armies could rise up against us. The world could end but then it says, be still and know that I am God. When your world is falling apart and it seems as if everything is going wrong God says be still and know me. It's in these terrible times God shows us His nature. He will be our very present help in times of trouble. He asks us to be still. What does it mean to be still? I think it means to quiet our soul. To stop worrying, to stop striving, to rest in the knowledge that you have a great God who loves you. He's got everything under control. Even if the world would melt away God is still our help, our refuge and our strength. I hope you can take a few minutes today to be still and spend some time with the Lord. Be still and ask Him to be your help. Be still and rest in Him.

03/24/2022

Mark 4:36 Let us go to the other side.
Jesus says let's go to the other side. His friends took Him in their boat and headed across the lake. Jesus was tired from a full day of teaching and healing and lay down to sleep while they sailed. Soon they encountered a deadly storm. They fought the storm and Jesus slept. When they were sure they had lost the battle they woke Jesus and asked "don't you care that we are dying?" Jesus woke up and spoke directly to the storm and said peace, be still. His friends had forgotten who was in the boat with them. God was in the boat. We have Jesus in our boat if we have asked Him to be there. He has told us many things and we can trust what he says is true. He said "I go to prepare a place for you" and "I will give you rest" and "all things things will be given to you." He said many more things and we can believe every one. But some how we get in a storm and like the disciples we forget who we have in our boat. We forget all things God has already brought us through. And why do we wait until we are sure we will not make it to call on Jesus for help. Jesus didn't enter their storm until they asked Him. I hope to remember that God is with me through good times and my storms and He promises to see me through it all! I want to pray before I just about lose hope. I want to remember the wind and waves still obey His voice and so do the storms that we go through. I hope you can remember it too! Let's not forget who's in our boat! Love you all!

01/28/2022

They all ate and were satisfied. Mark 8:8 Jesus was teaching to a large crowd in the wilderness. They had traveled far to listen to Jesus and had been there 3 days. They were out of food. Jesus recognized this and fed them with 7 loaves and a few fish. They needed strength for their journey and they need there hunger satisfied. The Bible says they all ate and were satisfied. They wanted to hear a word from Jesus so desperately that they traveled long distances and went without food for days. Are we craving a word from Jesus so much that we would sacrifice to hear it? I'm too often full of excuses. And what am I'm missing when I don't meet with Him, don't read or pray or go to church? What if they hadn't come to learn from Jesus, they would of missed out on a miracle. If we want to see God at work we need to be in His presence and feeding on Him. I want to see Him at work in my life, I want to be full and satisfied. I need strength for my journey. I don't want to miss the miracle. I hope you join me in seeking Him to see that miracle and to be full and satisfied. I hope you find a way to connect with Him today. Love you all!

01/21/2022

Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. Mark 6:31 Jesus knew the importance of getting away by yourself and resting awhile. He was often going away by himself to rest and pray. He wanted His disciples to get away and rest. He cares about their mental and physical health. He calls them to a quiet place. Other versions say desolate place which sounds like camping or the lakeshore to me! Maybe it's just a change of scenery, to get away where you can't be called on to work or serve. We need to get away, maybe it's just a short walk or drive or just getting alone to rest and pray for a few minutes. Notice Jesus says come with me. He's calling them to be alone with Him. This getting away is to spend time with the Lord. He says in Matthew, "come to me all who are working too hard and caring a heavy load and I will give you rest." Jesus is all about rest. This is so different than our world always wanting us to do more and be more. Jesus is different, He calls us to rest. He calls us to Himself. Come way with me to a quiet place and rest awhile. Jesus is calling, I hope you can find some quiet time with Him today! Love you all!

01/18/2022

The disciples gathered around Jesus and told Him everything that they had done. Mark 6:30 Jesus had sent His friends out for a day of ministry in the villages around the area. This was the disciples job, they're activity for they day. When they came back Jesus was there waiting to hear all about what had happened. I'm sure some had great successes and some failed miserably but Jesus was there listening to it all! Didn't He already know? Sure but He listened anyway because they were His friends, His family and they wanted to share. What if we talked to God like this, just telling Him about our day. Not really asking for anything, not even being thankful just talking about our successes and our failures. I think we would get closer to God this way. I think our relationship would be stronger. It's good to be thankful, we should do that and we should pray for ourselves and others too. What if we just talked sometimes? I think He would love to hear all about everything. Let's try it! Love you all!

01/12/2022

In Mark 4:35-41 it tells the story of Jesus calming the storm. Jesus tells his disciples to take the boat to the other side of the lake and while they were on their way a great windstorm came and was going to sink the boat. Jesus was asleep while all this was going on and they woke him up and asked "don't you care that we're going to die?" Jesus immediately said "peace be still" and the wind stopped! Then he asked his friends "why we're you so afraid, don't you have any faith?" What a great story of the power of Jesus. I want to ask Him, why did you tell your friends to go when you knew there was going to be a storm? Does Jesus sometimes lead us directly into a storms path to build our faith? He could of stopped the storm when it started but He waited for them to call out to Him. Didn't they know Jesus was in the boat? Didn't they know if He said let's go to the other side, they would go to the other side? They tried to handle the boat and the storm alone but they had God in their boat. How often do we try to handle our storm alone forgetting that Jesus is in our boat? How often do we wait to pray until disaster is about to hit us? We often forget all the things Jesus had said to us like "you are loved!" and "I am always with you!" We have so many great promises but we often forget. This week I'm trying to remember what Jesus said and remembering that he's in my boat, my home, my life. I'm trying to remember to pray quicker and to not be afraid. I want to remember that storms still obey His voice! I don't want Him to ask me "where's your faith?" I want to remember He's in my boat and I'm going to make it to the other side! I hope you can remember these things too! Jesus is in our boat, it's going to be okay! I hope you're having a good week and happy 2022! Love you!

12/10/2021

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Isaiah 9:2

When a new baby comes into our family we may send out a birth announcement saying a new member of the family has arrived or these parents have a new son. This birth announcement is unusual because it was sent at least 500 years before the birth. If that doesn't give you pause to think, nothing will. The people who were looking for the messiah weren't looking for a baby born in a barn to very poor parents. He was to be their king, certainly he would come in a much grander fashion. And look who the baby was born to, us! Not Mary and Joseph but us. We could change the verse and include our name, unto Tammy a child is born, unto Tammy a son is given. Jesus came for the whole world but he also came for each of us personally. He came to be our Savior. This is what makes the Christmas story so awesome. A little baby was born 2000 years ago for me! What a blessing Christmas is, to celebrate the birth of our savior. He was our best gift. Unto us a son is given, what a gift God sent to each of us. Hope you feel the presence of Jesus throughout this whole season. Merry Christmas!

11/30/2021

The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light; those who live in a land of deep darkness a light had shone on them. Isaiah 9:2
We all have dark times in our lives, sometimes very dark. When these times come we may have a hard time seeing or finding God. This verse is telling us that even in the darkness there is hope. This verse is talking about Jesus and why He came. He came to shine in our darkness, to bring us hope even in our darkest of times. The Christmas season can seem especially hard during these times but it's good to remember that is why we have Christmas. Jesus left heaven to come live among us so He could fix broken hearts and set prisoners free! He came to shine light into our hearts and lives, to free us from sin and bring us into His family. When we see all the beautiful lights this year I hope we can remember that Jesus is the light of the world and in Him there is no darkness! We can remember that He will make all things new and celebrate our savior who loves us so much He came to die for us. Let us look to the Great Light to fill us with His joy and love. Love you all!

11/24/2021

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 118:1

At Thanksgiving we are reminded to be thankful and remember how we are truly blessed! We give thanks for our families and homes, our health and life itself but are we thankful for God? Not just what He has done for us but just for Him! For His amazing qualities and presence in our lives. That He's here with us and that He cares. We love our children and our spouse and we're thankful for them. Not because of what they've done for us but just because of who they are. We can also be thankful for God in the same way, just because He is and because of who He is. This verse tells us 2 things about Him, He's good and His love never quits. It's not that He does good (of course He does) but that He is good and that His love for us is amazing! I'm going to think and meditate on this during Thanksgiving weekend. I hope you will join me. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving with friends and family and eat lots of delicious food. I'm thankful for you and so glad you're in my life!

11/19/2021

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Psalm 118:14

The Lord is my strength are great words to live by. So often I am trying to get by in my own strength and failing. I need God to be my strength, to get things done what I need to do physically but also emotionally. Strength to stay positive and to be kind, to have a good attitude and be encouraging. I also need a song! A song in the morning to lift my spirits, to help me as I work and interact with others and as I go to sleep at night. We're all singing something, maybe it's not an official song but it's what we repeat to ourselves over and over and often it's not uplifting or encouraging. When Jesus is our song we focus on His love and joy and His presence in our lives. The verse says He's become our salvation. He's become that because we've chosen to trust Him to save us. To save us from our sin and from death. To save us from our guilt, sadness and discouragement that this world offers us. I choose today to let Jesus be my strength, my song and my salvation. I hope you make that choice today. I have to remind myself daily that's it's only through Him and His strength can I really live. It's His amazing grace that gets me through. I hope you're singing that with me today! I hope you're all able to attend church this week, in person or on-line, it's a great way to start your week and fill your heart with strength and a song! Love you!

Journey's Bible Study

12/14/2022

12/09/2022

11/17/2022

03/24/2022

01/28/2022

01/21/2022

01/18/2022

01/12/2022

12/10/2021

11/30/2021

11/24/2021

11/19/2021

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