The end of Climbing Higher. Where do you go from here?

That is the end of "Climbing Higher". Thanks for walking through this year with God & I. I pray that you have been blessed.

So where do you go from here? I hear you ask. Well, you can go back in time on this blog and find "Steps of Faith" which is dated 11/30/15. It will take you to the Advent Season & into the next year of devotionals.

I pray that God bless you all richly as you seek his Word and Face.
Blessings!
Toni

Climbing Higher~ last Sunday before Advent

Ps. 132:1-12: A song asking God to remember His promise to David to have his heirs sit on his throne.

2 Sam. 23:1-7: The last words of David speaking of God's promise to him of heirs sitting forever on his throne. 

Rev. 1:4b-8: Jesus comes back as the the reigning King.

John 18:33-37: Jesus is declared the King of the Jews.

As we prepare to go into Advent to celebrate the birth of Jesus let us not forget that He did not stay that baby, not did he stay dead. But he now sits in heaven on a throne & will one day come back to set up his kingdom here on earth. 

Challenge of the week:

Prepare you heart, mind and soul for Advent. So that you will be ready for this holy time. 

Accomplishment of the week: 

How did you prepare yourself for advent. 

Climbing Higher~ 26th week after Pentecost

1 Sam. 1:4-20,2:1-10: Hannah asks God for a son, promising to give him back to God. God listened and gave her a son & she named him Samuel./Hannah's song of praise to God when she brings Samuel to the temple to give him back to God. Ps. 113: Praise the Lord on high for he raises up the poor and needy to be important people. He also gives joy to the barren woman after he has given her children.  Heb. 10:11-14 (15-18), 19-25: Because Jesus is the High priest that sacrificed himself to be our final and eternal sacrifice. We can boldly go before God and worship God with the brethren to encourage each other to live holy lives that would please God.  Mark 13:1-8: Jesus prophecies of when the temple will be knocked down.  The Jewish people use to go and make sacrifices to God for their sins in the temple. They also would sing praises to God. One song speaks of how God would answer the prayers of the poor, needy, as well as the barren woman (Ps. 113). One barren woman named Hannah went to the temple to ask God to PLEASE give her a son. Then she promised to give her son back to God if he would just let her bare a son. This pleased God and God gave her a son. This gave Hannah joy and she sang a song of praise to God when she brought her son Samuel to the temple to give him back to God (I Sam. 1:4-20; 2:1-10; Ps. 113). In Mark 13:1-8, Jesus told his followers that the day would come when the temple would be no more. This makes the Jewish people sad these days. But we as His followers should not be sad. Why? Because we no longer need to go and make sacrifices to God as the Jewish did. For when Jesus as our High Priest gave his life and blood for our sins. God ripped the veil of the temple showing that we can now boldly go to God through Jesus (Heb.10:1-11(15-18) 19-25).We should also sing praises to God for doing this for us. Challenge of the week: This week, take time before God praising him for all he has done for you. Accomplishment of the week: How did your challenge bring you closer to God? ReplyReply allForward

Climbing Higher~ 25th week after Pentecost

Ruth 3:1-5,4:13-17: During a famine in Bethelehemjudiah. A man named Elimelech took his wife and two sons to the land of Moab. His sons married wives there. Then this man and his sons died leaving their wives behind. Elimelech's wife was named Naomi. She tried to send her daughters-in-laws back home to their families. But one of the Daughter-in-laws would not leave he for she wanted to go with her to live in the land of the one true God. This Daughter-in-law's name was Ruth.  Ps. 127 or 42: Blessed is a home full of children when God is in it./Lord, my soul longs for you as my soul is cast down, so I look to you. Heb. 9:24-28: Jesus died to be the final sacrifice for all who believe in him. By giving up his life on earth, he saved us for heaven.  Mark 12:38-44: Jesus teaches his followers about giving to God with all we have. Not just our leftovers. Theme: Put God first and he will bless your soul and home.  Challenge of the week: Check to see if your home has put God first. If not make steps to do so.  Accomplishment of the week: So what did you figure out? If corrects need to be done what were they? ReplyReply allForward

Climbing Higher~ 24th week after Pentecost

Ps. 146: A song of praise for all God has done. 

Ruth 1:1-18: During a famine in Bethelehemjudiah. A man named Elimelech took his wife and two sons to the land of Moab. His sons married wives there. Then this man and his sons died leaving their wives behind. Elimelech's wife was named Naomi. She tried to send her daughters-in-laws back home to their families. But one of the Daughter-in-laws would not leave her. This Daughter-in-law's name was Ruth. So when Naomi heard that the famine was over, back home. She and Ruth traveled back to Bethelehemjudiah. Where Ruth took care of Naomi and worshiped the one true God.

Heb. 9:11-14: Christ our High Priest offered up his body for your sin.

Mark 12:28-34:A Scribe asks Jesus what was the best commandment? He told him to love God and man. The Scribe told Jesus that he does this. Jesus told him that he was not far from the kingdom. No One else dare test him with a question.

The theme is loving God and others. In these verses, we see why we should love God and are given examples of what that looks like in the persons of Christ and Ruth.

Challenge of the week: 

This week seek ways to show your love to God and others.

Accomplishment of the week: So in what ways did you show love to God and others? 

Climbing Higher~ 23ed week after Pentecost

Job 42:1-6,10-17: Job prayed for his friends and God forgave them, and blessed Job  with a double blessing.

Ps. 34:1-8 (19-22):A song of praise that also invites others to sing with the singer. It could also be seen as a prayer. 

Heb. 7:23-28:Jesus is the final and eternal high priest because he became our sacrifice. Now he prays for us forever. 

Mark 10:46-52: A blind man asks Jesus to heal him. This is like a prayer. Jesus blesses a blind man because he had unfailing faith that Jesus would do so. 

Theme: prayer

In these verses, we a prayer of praise to God, ourselves,  and prayers that are prayed for others. We also see how the prayer can be blessed as well as the one who has been prayed for. 

Challenge of the week: 

This week, explore the gift of prayer. Prayer is nothing less than you pouring your heart out to God about something or someone that is on your heart. Try it, I believe if you do it regularly you will find that you will become closer to God. 

Accomplishment of the week:

So how did it go? Who did you pray for? Have you seen the answers yet? Do you feel as though it has gotten you closer to God yet?

Climbing Higher~ 22th week after Pentecost

Job 38:1-7 (34-41):God asks Job where he was when he made the earth.

Ps. 104:1-9,24,35c: A song of praise to God who made the earth and used it to save his people.

Heb. 5:1-10:Jesus was made a high priest in the order of Melchisedec, because he was obedient to God and sacrificed himself to pay for our sins.

Mark 10:35-45: James and John asks Jesus to let them sit on his right and left in his glory. He tells them that he is not the one who will decide that.Then he goes on to tell them that God wants his people to serve, not be served. 

All powerful God made the earth (Ps. 104:1-9,24,35c). We mare man should not

try to bring ourselves up to his level (Job 38:1-7 (34-41). But like Jesus be obedient to God's will for our lives no matter what the cost (Heb. 5:1-10). And like Jesus we should lead by serving mankind (Mark 10:35-45).

Challenge of the week:

 This week, examine why you do what you do. Is it for the glory of God or for your own glory? if need be go to God and adjust your actions to glorify God.

Accomplishment of the week:

So what did you find out? How did you and God work it out?

Climbing Higher~ 21th week after Pentecost

Job 23:1-9,16-17:Job feels as though he can not find God, his judge, to plead his case to Him. But he knows that God is good even in this time of illness. 

Ps. 22:1-5: God, where are you? Why have you left me? I know that in times past you have been there for your people when they cried to you. 

Heb.4:12-16: The Word of God is like a sword that can cut through to the heart of what is in our mind and heart. For he knows everything. 

Mark 10:17-31: Jesus talks to the rich man about living the righteous life.

Theme: Where is God when a righteous man goes through hard times? 

There are times when it feels as though God is not listening to you when you feel that you need him the most. These verses show men who were striving to live righteous lives. But may have found themselves in the middle of a touch situation. Remember God knows your heart and mind. Just stay true to him even in the mist of the bad situation and God will see you through.

Challenge of the week:

Stay true to God even in the mist of the bad situation and watch God see you through in the end. Even though it may take more time than you want it to.

Accomplishment of the week: 

How did you do? How has it helped you get closer to God?