scripture Archives • Page 20 of 22 • Called to Life Coaching

Facebook Bible

We all know about the Bible. But did you realize there is also The Photography Bible, Cooking with the Bible, The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, The Original Beauty Bible, The Crochet Bible…you get the point. But guess what there is not…a Facebook Bible. Remember the old Arsenio Hall skit, “Things That Make You Go Hmm?” Does it make you wonder why there is no Facebook Bible? There’s even a Pinterest Marketing Bible and an iPhone case that reads, “Blogging Through the Bible.” Maybe there already is a Facebook Bible, it’s just wrapped to look like the Bible-Bible.

Or maybe the Bible and Facebook are incompatible? Surprisingly…or maybe not…the book of Sirach is filled with wise counsel for Facebook users.

Three Ways to Spend More Time with God

Today we’re going to consider Three Ways to Spend More Time with God, all taken from the book of Sirach.

Do you regularly spend time with God? I’m not talking about Sunday’s or Wednesday’s. I’m not talking about being surrounded by your own little tribe of people either next to you in the pew, at your feet at the breakfast table or in your lap in the comfy chair. I’m not talking about your weekly Bible study, time with your prayer group or even praying with your husband. So let me rephrase the question; do you regularly spend time alone with God?

If not, you need to. Please, do not think I am trying to add one more thing to the pile of life you may already be under. But I am telling you…and myself, Oh how I am preaching this to my choir of one right now…we have to spend one on one time with God…each day. And I don’t everyday. Writing about it does not make me an authority on it. Writing about it does show I have a heart for it and I am a continual work in progress.

The Fear of the Lord

I think the book of Sirach is a gold mine few have discovered, much less dug deep into. I relate the book of Sirach to the story of Cinderella. A hidden gem kind of kept locked up and hidden. Once revealed, my oh my it sparkles. It’s beauty could almost surpass the more well known book of Proverbs, yet it’s simple thoughts and words of humility, keep it from doing so.

The Book of Sirach: Wisdom Comes from the Lord

I am reading Sirach for 31 and writing to tell about it. A brief history…Sirach is accepted as part of the Christian biblical canon by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and most Oriental Orthodox. The Anglican Church does not consider it canonical, but says it should be read, “for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth not apply them to establish any doctrine.” Similarly, theLutheran Churches include it in their lectionaries, and as a book proper for reading, devotion, and prayer. Its influence on early Christianity is evident, as it was explicitly cited in the Epistle of James, the Didache , and the Epistle of Barnabas.

Choosing Joy…The Laws of Emotional Strength

Tommy Newberry lists Three Laws of Emotional Strength: the Law of Attention, the Law of Exchange and the Law of Reversibility. In this post I look at the Law of Attention.