Proverbs 4:11
The Way of Wisdom
the way of wisdom Proverb 4:11
Tag: bible art journaling
Blessed and defended by an angel Num 22:12
The book of numbers has a collection of lots of stories. One of them is commonly known as Balaam’s Donkey. In my classroom, I have retold this story many times. The kids are amazed or laugh at the talking donkey part. I use a silly voice for the donkey, it is funny. Kids books are filled with stories of talking animals, so the full impact of a talking donkey might be missed by them. Really, my starting point is that I have retold this story many times. To my surprise, I heard some new from it today. That is one of things that is some exciting about the Bible. You can reread it over and over, still find something new that jumps out and pulls at your heart or makes you think.
Today that word that jumped out was “Blessed.”
But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
Numbers 22:12
Let me paint the full picture for you, God said (simply) “do not put a curse on those people, they are blessed (to me). Then he sends a angel with a sword to defend what he called his blessed ones.
Jesus called us blessed.
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29
I like the idea of that he can come to the aid of his blessed ones, even good as far as sending an angel with a sword to protect his blessed ones. That group of Israelites, was less than the perfect group. They were humans that made lots of bad choices, just like myself. We are all prone to make mistakes. It is nice to know that God still comes to our aid, even when are undeserving of it. Sometimes even sending an angel with a sword, to stop something that is coming our way.
For the full story read Numbers chapters 22-24.
Bible references from NIV:
Biblegatway.com . (n.d.). Retrieved April 09, 2018, from http://www.biblegatway.com/
Comparing Water Soluble Crayons to Colored Pencils
Comparing Colored Pencils to Water Soluble Crayons
Psalm 144;145;146;147 :Bible journaling – Bible page 346
This was a test of colored pencils with water soluble crayon high lights.
The basic sketches were penciled in, and I wondered if the crayons would bleed through.
The page was sealed after the pencil sketching was done. I used a little post it notes here, to keep track of which pages are sealed.
Colored pencils were used first to get all the little spaces filled. It looked fine,the color is not very bright, and I know that the color will more fade over time.
This is the difference with crayon high-light added. It brightened up the page and really made the color pop. It gave me some added range of colors for high lighting & definition too.
Started Bible Journaling
The colored pencils that I used to color my early drawings have begun to fade & press on to the other pages. It is nice to go back over them and touch up some of the color, with the water soluble crayons.
How I use the crayons
Using crayons seems pretty easy. You draw, color, blend & add water, that is one way of using them. I have found that drawing directly on the paper is a lot of color. I want them to be more like watercolor paints, it is easier for me to mix and lift the color off a palette or directly of the crayon. See Here.
The Bible that I am using here is:
NIV Gift and Award Bible, Revised 2001 by The Zondervan Corpartion
ISBN: 0310926181
Bible Journaling Job 31 Study Crown
Job 31:35-37
35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!
I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,
I would put it on like a crown.
37 I would give him an account of my every step;
I would present it to him as to a ruler.)—
Job 31:35-37 New International Version (NIV)
35 Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, that the Almighty would answer me,
That my Prosecutor had written a book!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;
37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.
Job 31:35-37 New King James Version (NKJV)
Study Notes
In my clothing topic study, I came across this verse in Job. It surprised me & created a picture in my mind. Wearing indictments on the shoulder & as a crown, how would that look?
“let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,”
It made me think of a long written scroll of indictments, maybe flowing like a cape, charges & accusations brought against Job. Then he said,
“ I would put it on like a crown.”
Wow, not only was he going to wear them on his shoulder, but now he said he would
“put it on like a crown.”
Job is braver then me, I would not be confident to wear all of my accusation proudly and walk towards him. Mostly cause Job, was more righteous that me. I fear most of the accusation against me would be true & I would not want them publicly displayed on my shoulder or as a crown.
But then I think of approaching Him, boldly walking towards the throne of grace.
Hebrews 4:16: Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
I can have confidence, I am forgiven. I have received mercy and found grace in Him.
Those charges & accusation often sneak in and start to play that same old accusing record in my mind. Like waves that push me, into old memories of sin & regret. I beg God’s forgiveness. Then I stop, I remind my self, I am forgiven. I don’t have to keep begging the Lord to do something he has already done. I have repented & turned towards him. My mind set needs to be changed to praise.
Praise
“Thank you Lord, that you have forgiven me. Thank you Lord, that you care for me. Thank you Lord that you have blotted out my transgressions.” (Ps 51:1) Thank you that you are creating in me a pure heart, (Ps 51:1;10). Thank you Lord, that I am the woman of Luke 7, the one who had the bigger debit. (v 43)
Luke 7:47-48 (NIV)
47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Responsible fix-it nature
I want to say that again, another way because as women we tend to take things on as ours. We are the mothers, caregivers, the responsible party trying fix things, the peace keepers of the family. Sometimes that responsible fix-it nature turns inward on us, and we forget to turn to God. We need to be careful that the weight on our shoulder is not a heavy baggage of guilt that we write for ourselves & willing carry it because we feel unforgivable.
At bible study a few months ago this same topic came up: our mind flipping that switch that lists our transgression and it beats at us. The group was reminded, “we need to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor.10:5) For me that personal means when those thoughts start to play in my mind & I hear my self saying “ God forgive me.” I need to change that to thankfulness.
Thankfulness & Praise
I have to change it to praise, say “Thank you God! That you have forgiven me.” He has forgiven me already. I was glad that other women in the room agreed and she needed to hear that reminder too. We all do at times ladies.
2 Corinthians 10:5 – 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.
Bible Quotations from: BibleGateway. (n.d.). Retrieved August 07, 2017, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/
Small Bible Journaling Travel Case
Small Supply Case
This was the perfect size for my small colored pencils, eraser, Pen, mechanical pencil, and Post-it Notes.
At first I used this hinged clear toothbrush case for just for pens, pencils & high lighters that were standard size.
On one of my trips, the eraser on the mechanical pencil wore down to nothing. On that same trip I also was tearing off pieces of scrap paper to make notes of the bible study ideas that I wanted to remember. That is when I decided, that I needed to fit in post-it notes, & an eraser into my small case.
The eraser fits perfectly right where the toothbrush head would be, pencils and post-it’s fits snuggly in line.
Mini Post-it Notes are a great solution.
A hard sunglass case might work too, if you can’t find this size toothbrush case. This was a bit larger than the other thin cases I normal find.too