Bible Prayers: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

by atozmom, posted in Bible Prayers

Genesis 2:15 “And the Lord God took the man, and  put him into the garden of Eden to dress and to keep it.”       

Bible Prayers

The Lord God planted a garden of Eden. And there He put man who he had formed. Life in the garden of Eden would be life in the Kingdom of God. Lived in the presence of God, a place of grace and blessing upon humanity.

I am amazed at the immense variety of birds and animals and the beauty you created. The Garden of Eden, where you placed the first two human beings, Adam and Eve, was paradise. Everything about your creation was perfect. When you finished it, you said, “It was very good.” Imagine living in a world with perfect temperature, without sickness, no injustice, no poverty, being able to commune with you everyday with no separation, because there was no sin. This was life as God intended it to be and because of you, Jesus, I can look forward to someday living there. When everything here seems to be in chaos, please remind me that this is not my home.

Let me go into my heart and examine myself daily. No one knows when their time on this earth will end. Death approaches me everyday, I want to be prepared, ready to meet the one who died for me. I pray that the way I live my life will not bring shame when I stand in front of you.

I remember the first time that you revealed yourself to me. My enthusiasm, my joy! Lord, rekindle that love for you in me. May it never get cold. I earnestly pray to receive this grace.

I am saved. I have the hope and conviction of life after death. I also know that salvation means more than life after death. When I was saved, you touched me, Lord, something became possible in my life, not because of my power, but because of your power. I am saved and everyday continue to be saved. Your blood cleanses me as I walk through this world full of sin. I have access to you as a child has to its father. You knew me and knew that I would be yours before the foundation of the earth. Make me worthy, Lord.

By Lissette Trahan                                                 

Bible Study Plans: Who is Jesus?

by atozmom, posted in Studying the Bible

WHO IS JESUS?

Another loaded question that when asked (even believers), sometimes we stumble. Below are some simple ways to describe Jesus the next time you are asked. Contact me today!

TOP 10 SAYS TO DESCRIBE JESUS

  1. Jesus is God’s Son.
  2. Jesus is God, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
  3. Jesus is the Savior of the world, you and me.
  4. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
  5. Jesus is the Son of David.
  6. Jesus is the king of kings.
  7. Jesus is love.
  8. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega.
  9. Jesus is the bread of life.
  10. Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

There are many ways to describe Jesus. In the end, all that matters is who is Jesus to you? Leave a comment below, share this post with friends and family on social media, and contact me today with questions!

Inspirational Quote: Cicero

by atozmom, posted in Inspirational Quotes

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Bible Prayers: In His Image

by atozmom, posted in Bible Prayers

Genesis 1:26: “Let us make man in our image”

In the vastness of this universe, on this tiny little planet, earth, God placed His most perfect creation, men and women made in His image.

                                 We are made in God’s image, we are spiritual beings,                             

  with intelligence. God placed us above everything

else. He gave us authority and dominion. A gift of   

love.

BIBLE PRAYER

You created me, you made me in your image. All my existence from beginning to end is to fulfill the goal of making me more fully what you made me to be, your faithful servant. As I ask for your forgiveness, fill my life—a life so full of flaws and deficiencies—with the hope that your Word promises. I am covered with your blood, Jesus, all of my sins are forgiven. I can rest in peace knowing that the best is yet to come. Spending an eternity with you in your Kingdom. I rejoice!

Lord, you say I am not of this world, yet you command me to go into the world. I need your help to not sit back and see the world go by and do nothing. I selfishly am only concerned with my small world around me. Let me reach out to my neighbors, to whomever you put along the way and show them by my attitude and actions that I care. I need to give of myself and serve so that people see the joy and love that comes from you.

Give me the ability to  recognize beauty and truth when I see it. Holy Spirit, let me always be open to your promptings—convict me when I am blind and deaf to your guidance. Give me discernment to know evil; if I go the wrong way, help me to quickly turn and repent. Don’t let me become spiritually deaf, keep me aware and sensitive so that I will always obey and follow your leading.

Lord, give me a heart that is dedicated completely to you. I want to renounce anything in my life that is not your will for  me.

By Lissette Trahan

Bible Study Plans: Who is God?

by atozmom, posted in Studying the Bible

WHO IS GOD?

Such a big question that many of us (even us believers) don’t have an easy answer to.

That’s because God is everything all at the same time. He’s unfathomable, hard to describe, and oftentimes, we’re too overwhelmed by Him to begin.

But what do you say to this question when you’re asked? Here are some suggestions below, and contact me with questions.

TOP 10 WAYS TO DESCRIBE GOD

  1. He’s the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
  2. He’s the supreme being.
  3. He’s omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnipresent (always present).
  4. He is infinite.
  5. He is incomparable.
  6. He is unchanging.
  7. He is good.
  8. He is love.
  9. He is judge.
  10. He forgives.

Your turn. Who is God to you? Leave a comment, share with social media, and contact me with questions!

Bible Prayers: The Beginning

by atozmom, posted in Bible Prayers

Introduction to Bible Prayers for this summer:

My hope in writing this collection of prayers is that it would be an aid anyone struggling with their prayer life. To be used, not as a substitute, but as a primer for the times that we yearn to approach God and cannot find a starting point.

The comments accompanying each Bible illustration come from sermons that have inspired me or my heartfelt feelings.

I hope it will help readers create the communication with God that is so essential in our lives, and that it will establish that intimate relationship that God wants us to have with Him.

Sincerely,

Lissette Trahan

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

The universe had a beginning. Before God spoke it into creation there was no universe, no planet earth. The sense of how small we are, how fragile the earth is shows me the creator in all his power and glory. The order throughout the universe proves to me  that we have a creator holding it all together. As we search for meaning we can know that there is a God in control. We are alive, a speck, in this huge universe, but we are not alone.

BIBLE PRAYER

One clear night I looked up and really saw the stars, the galaxies. the huge universe and I felt awe. Then I read in the Bible:

Psalm 19:1

       “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God;

          the Skies Proclaim the Work of His Hands.”  

I look at our small planet. It is the size of a grain of sand compared to our universe. How can I not believe that there is a God holding it all together? Let me never forget, Lord, to stay in awe, to say WOW! At the beauty of nature, when a baby is born, how we are suspended in this vast universe. The human spirit longs to experience awe. The ability to awe is the first step of faith. Thank you, Lord, for giving us a life full of awes.

Lord, help me to be constantly aware of your presence. I want to form a habit of continually talking to you through each day. Forgive me for the times I have ignored you. Help me to reject any thoughts that distract me when I am praying.

Never let me lose the sense of your presence. I have confidence in your goodness. In the same way that you pursued me I know you will keep me always by your side guarding me from sin.

When I awake in the morning, my first thought is of you, when I lay down to sleep, my last thought is of you. Continue to bless me, Lord, I want you to be the center of my life, the anchor of my soul.

By Lissette Trahan

Bible Study Plans: How to Study the Bible in the Summer

by atozmom, posted in Studying the Bible

The summer is full of fun adventures, time outdoors, and a relaxed routine. However, it is just because of this change in routine that keeping up with your Bible study can be a challenge during the summer months. After all, you’re tempted away by so many fun and varied outdoor activities. In this blog post, I’ll examine ways to stay in the Word during the summer months away from a structured Bible study. Contact me today!

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS

  • Set aside time first thing in the morning. When God is first in your life, you should put His Word first as well. In the morning, set aside time to study God’s word, and make it part of your routine. For example, wake up, make coffee, pray, and then open the Word and see what God has to say to you.
  • Don’t make Bible study in-depth. Sure, God wants us to study His Word closely so we can apply it to our life. However, that doesn’t mean we should wait until we have a three hour block free to do so because, for most of us, that will never happen. Hence, set aside just 5 or 10 minutes a day to be in the Word.
  • Make Bible study a play date. Invite your friends over and their kids and while the kids are running around with their heads cut off, you can study the bible with your friends.
  • Do a lunch Bible study at work. Gather some friends at work to eat lunch and read the Bible together or do a small group Bible study.
  • Coffee and God. Coffee shops are great places to hold summer Bible studies. You can enjoy coffee (my favorite drink) with the company of friends while you discuss God’s Word. It might not get any more perfect!
  • Picnic and God. With the call of nature beckoning, you can study God’s word either alone or with friends by having a picnic in God’s creation. There’s something about nature that connects us to our Creator. Quite possibly you’ll hear from Him like you haven’t ever before.

These are some of my favorite ways to stay in the Word during the summer. Feel free to comment below with your favorite ways to stay close to God during the summer months, or share this with your friends on social media with the share buttons below. Contact me for more information!

Motivational Quotes: Theodore Roosevelt

by atozmom, posted in Inspirational Quotes

“Do what you can with all you have wherever you are.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Bible Study Plans: How to Study the Old Testament

by atozmom, posted in Studying the Bible

One big hindrance to studying the Bible is the Old Testament. And this is one big hindrance considering there are 929 chapters in the Old Testament in 39 books. Below, we’ll examine how to study the Old Testament when you begin to study the Bible. Contact AtoZMomm today to learn more!

HOW TO STUDY THE OLD TESTAMENT

As with most large tasks, breaking it down into easy-to-manage parts makes the whole process doable and not overwhelming. Unlike the New Testament where we follow Jesus’s life from beginning to end and then the life of his apostles, the Old Testament is not in chronological order. Below is my recommendation for organizing the Old Testament for study.

  • Read Genesis. This is where it all began, so you have to start there. Some of the best stories of the Bible are in Genesis, including the fall of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Joseph, and Noah. Powerful stories with equally powerful lessons to teach.
  • Exodus through Deuteronomy. These books teach the Law, otherwise known as the Old Covenant, which is how God’s people where to live their lives before Jesus’s crucifixion.
  • Joshua through Esther. These books are known as the historical books of the Old Testament. It is here that we learn how God’s people survived after they inherited the Promised Land. You’ll learn the history of the period of the judges, the history of the kings, and the prophets Ezra, Nehemiah.
  • Next, read the books of wisdom and poetry.
    • Job. Job is the epitome of faith when all is seemingly lost in life. Said to be the oldest recorded book, Job follows his story of how he was tested by God, how he endured, what he learned, and what God expects of us.
    • The Psalms are writings by the various kings of Israel (including David and Solomon). These are full of life lessons of how to live a life following God.
    • The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, was written by King Solomon in his youth before he fell into sin. This is one of the greatest love poems ever written.
    • Proverbs. Proverbs was written again by King Solomon, but written by him when he was on the throne of Israel. They show hard lessons of life to live by.
    • Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is the opposite of Proverbs per se. This book teaches you how not to live your life. It was written by King Solomon when he was an old man as he looked back on his sinful life
  • Next, are the five major prophets of Old Testament times:  Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, & Daniel.
  • Finish up the Old Testament with the 12 minor prophets.

Reading three chapters per day of the Old Testament will take you 10 months to finish. Remember, everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus. Yes, there are exceedingly dense sections of the Old Testament that you’re just going to have to slug through. But remember, every word in the Old Testament is not there by accident. God is speaking; you just have to listen.

If you get bored, skip that section, save for later, and find an exciting story such as Esther or Joseph. The Old Testament is just as valuable as the New Testament and has many truths to teach us. Contact me if you have questions!

Bible Study Plans: The Top 5 Advantages of Group Bible Study

by atozmom, posted in Studying the Bible

Bible study groups can be very fun as well as informative. You meet in your small group Bible study, catch up on life’s events, and then study the Bible and learn the Bible from others. In this blog post in our continuing series of how to study the Bible, I’ll discuss the advantages to group bible study. Read more on AtoZMomm’s blog today!

TOP 5 BENEFITS OF GROUP BIBLE STUDY

  1. Accountability. Many of us struggle to actually make time to do our Bible study. When you join a group Bible study, you will be held accountable for actually reading the Bible. And when you skip out on your group Bible study, you will be missed. What you learn is valuable to the group, so don’t take that for granted.
  2. Community. Many of us struggle to maintain good quality friendships. When you join a group bible study, such as a women’s Bible study, a men’s Bible study, or a small group Bible study, you will form connections with other Christians that will only enhance your life and your spiritual life. You’ll be able to share what’s on your heart, what you’re struggling with, and the wins in your life with others who will pray for you along the way. Now that’s powerful.
  3. Encouragement. Satan and sin are of this world, and we can become dragged down in the muck of it all. When you join a Bible study group, you’ll be encouraged by others, and your life will be enriched because of it. Furthermore, you’ll have an opportunity to encourage others, blessing others lives’ in return.
  4. Learning. The fact of the matter is you’ll learn more in a small group Bible study than you will on your own. You’ll see the Bible passage you are studying in a different light, and you’ll be challenged on what you believe, fostering more in-depth Bible study on your part which you never would have done on your own.
  5. Inspiration. We all know our mission in life is to be more like Jesus, but in the daily mill of life, how many of us consciously strive for this? In a small group Bible study, you’ll be inspired by others’ journey with Christ to grow, learn, and develop into a better person.

“that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Romans 1:12

Christians are called for community, and group Bible study not only affords community, but it also offers you an enriched life through Christ. Contact me for questions!