The entries with bible related stuff, mostly come from my Bible (Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation - Tyndale House Publishers Inc.) The footnotes are intended for further explanation of the actual bible verses. I find them extremely helpful and interesting, insight-wise. I type actual bible verses in italics and personal thoughts about my readings in blue. All these bible entries are my bible study time. I keep the entries here so that should I need to reference them they are in one place. Its also my thought that they are so universal, anyone can get use out of them. If you want to read this phenominal version of the Bible that is in plain everyday english go to Bible Gateway where there are many different versions for you to choose.

Obadiah 1:10, 11 Anyone who does not help God's people is God's enemy. If you have withheld your help from someone in a time of need, this is a sin (James 4:17). Sin includes not only what we do, but also what we refuse to do. Don't ignore or refuse to help those in need.

Obadiah 1:12 How often do you find yourself rejoicing at the misfortunes of others? Because God alone is the judge, we must never be happy about others' misfortunes, even if we think they deserve them (see Proverbs 24:17).

Amos 8: 5, 6 Do you take a day to rest and worship God at least once a week, or is making money more important to you than anything else? When you give time to God, is your heart in your worship? Or is your religion only a front for unethical practices?

Amos 6:1-6 Great wealth and comfortable life-styles may make people think they are secure, but God is not pleased if we isolate ourselves from others' needs. God wants us to care for others as he cares for us. His Kingdom has no place for selfishness or indifference. We must learn to put the needs of others before our wants. Using our wealth to help others is one way to guard against pride and complacency.

Amos 7:10ff Don't let your desire for prestige, authority or money keep you tied to a job or position you should leave. Don't let anything come between you and obeying God.

Amos 5:12 Why does God put so much emphasis on the way we treat the poor and needy? Because how we treat the poor reflects our true character. We know we can expect nothing in return. Do we, like Christ, give without thought of gain? We should treat the poor as we would like God to treat us.

Amos 5:21-23 God hates worship by people who go through the motions only for show. If we are living sinful lives and using religious rituals and traditions to make ourselves look good, God will despise our worship and not accept what we offer. He wants sincere hearts, not praise from hypocrites. When you worship at church, are you more concerned about your image or your attitude toward God?

Amos 1:1 Your job may not cause you to feel spiritual or successful, but it is vital work if you are in the place God wants you to be. God can work through you to do extraordinary things, no matter how ordinary your occupation.

These are my saved articles from my RSS feed. Lots of crafty mostly. You can add it to your RSS feed and see updates when I add stuff I think.

It's right here!

Is that election thing happening sometime imminent?

If you haven't already, go register your phone number on the Do Not Call Registry... It does take 31 days to see any kind of change.

Being born again takes a moment of faith, but becoming like Christ is a lifelong process. Paul compares Christian growth to a strenuous race or fight. Thus, as Paul has been emphasizing since the beginning of this letter, no one in the world is innocent; no one deserves to be saved -- not the pagan who doesn't know God's laws, not the Christian or Jew who knows them and tries to keep them. All of us must depend totally on the work of Christ for our salvation.

We cannot earn it by our good behavior.

I tried, as an adult, beets this weekend, and while I didn't love them, I didn't hate them either. I'm contemplating trying this recipe out, which is from the cookbook 'Eat, Shrink & Be Merry' by Janet & Greta Podleski.

Roasted Beets with Shallots & Thyme
6 medium whole fresh beets (about 680g)
12 small to medium shallots, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
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1. Preheat oven to 425°. Wrap beets individually in foil. Place on middle oven rack and roast for about 1 hour, until beets are tender (you can pierce them with a fork), but not soft. Exact roasting time will depend on size of beets.
2. While beets are roasting, prepare shallots. Place peeled shallots in an 8 X 8-inch baking pan. Add olive oil and thyme and toss to coat. Set aside.
3. When beets are finished roasting, remove from oven and place pan of shallots in oven. Unwrap beets and let cool while shallots are roasting. Roast shallots for 15 minutes, stirring once, halfway through cooking time.
4. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel them. If you cut off the stem end, the skin should come off very easily. Slice each beet into six wedges. Place in serving bowl. Add hot shallots and any olive oil and thyme you can scrap from the pan (using a rubber spatula helps). Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and toss lightly. Serve hot.
Yields: 6 servings