IS BLACK FRIDAY A GOOD FRIDAY TO GO SHOPPING?

PARABLE OF BLACK FRIDAY

BLACK FRIDAY SALE

Best friends wait outside a clothing store for the doors to open on Black Friday.  The manager unlocks, letting the line of shoppers enter.  The Scottish gal, sees the 40% off sign beside a rack of blouses.

SCOTTISH GAL

"I know where I'm heading.  It's a good Friday to be shopping."

The Senorita and Asian lady, entering the store for the first time, looking around at all the other items on sale.

The Senorita stares at the price of a pair of pants, putting it back on the rack and wander over to talk to the Scottish gal.

SENORITA

"Too much Dinero.  Let's look at another shop."

ASIAN LADY

"Maybe they inflate the price 40% and mark it down, to make you think you're getting a great deal."

SCOTTISH GAL

"You want to look nice for the Christmas party.  It's just money, you can't take it with you when you die."

ASIAN LADY

"Money is the root of all evil.  I learned that in our Women's Bible study."

SCOTTISH GAL

Money is neither good or evil.  We get paid and buy things with money.  It becomes evil if we love money more than God.

"For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."  (New Living Translation, 1 Timothy 6:10)

SENORITA

"Everyone has the right to spend their Dineros.  But if I don't have the money, I won't use my credit card."

ASIAN LADY

"Can we shop at a thrift store next?  I don't think this is a good Friday to go shopping."

SENORITA

"I think Black Friday and Good Friday are opposites.  Black Friday is all about the god of money, and Good Friday is about God giving his only begotten Son."

SCOTTISH GAL

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money." 

(New Living Translation, Matthew 6:24)

ASIAN LADY

Are you going to buy or not?

SCOTTISH GAL

"I love God, not money; but the Scottish pinch every penny.  Everything in this shop is too expensive. Who would be interested to go shopping with me at the thrift store?

All three Christian ladies smile at the manager, walking out the door without buying anything.

SENORITA

Good Friday is much better than Black Friday!

WHAT TO WEAR FOR WINTER HIKES & SNOWSHOEING

OWJ HIKING NEWS

SNOWSHOEING

For our winter snow hikes and snowshoeing in Utah, you'll need insulated SNOW BOOTS; your feet will get very cold in regular hiking shoes and boots.  Avoid snow boots with heals.

SNOW HIKING, we recommend that you bring ICE CLEATS CRAMPONS, (spikes), to attach to your snow boots and bring adjustable snowshoe poles.  

SNOWSHOEING, make sure you bring poles with baskets.

WINTER ACTIVITIES DRESS IN LAYERS, the colder the temperature the more layers you'll need.  Avoid cotton.

WATER PROOF PANTS, (insulated)

WEAR LAYERS,

GATORS,

INSULATED SNOW BOOTS (Keep you feet warm all day)

THICK WOOL SOCKS,

WOOL KNIT HAT OR BEANIE,

INSULATED GLOVES (Your hands may freeze with Mittens)

SUNGLASSES,

SUNSCREEN (We are closer to the Sun in the Winter)

WATER,

HANDWARMERS,

ENERGY AND SALTY SNACKS,

THERMOS WITH HOT DRINK OR SOUP,

CELL PHONE OR CAMERA

OPTIONAL SACK LUNCH

ARE YOU THANKFUL TO GOD?

 DAY OF THANKSGIVING

 "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving."

Psalm 69:30  KJV  (King James Version)

JESUS RAISES A 12 YEAR OLD GIRL FROM THE DEAD

 STORIES FROM THE BIBLE

JAIRUS' DAUGHTER IS ALIVE

"Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee in a boat. It landed at the other side. There a large crowd gathered around him.  

Then a man named Jairus came. He was a synagogue leader. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.  He begged Jesus, “Please come. My little daughter is dying. Place your hands on her to heal her. Then she will live.”  So Jesus went with him.

A large group of people followed. They crowded around him.  A woman was there who had a sickness that made her bleed. It had lasted for 12 years.  She had suffered a great deal, even though she had gone to many doctors. She had spent all the money she had. But she was getting worse, not better.  

Then she heard about Jesus. She came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes.  She thought, “I just need to touch his clothes. Then I will be healed.”  Right away her bleeding stopped. She felt in her body that her suffering was over.

At once Jesus knew that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd. He asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people,” his disciples answered. “They are crowding against you. And you still ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

Mark 5:21-31  NIRV  (New International Readers Version)

"But Jesus continued looking for the one who touched him.  The woman knew that she was healed, so she came and bowed at Jesus’ feet. She was shaking with fear. She told Jesus the whole story.  

He said to her, “Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace. You will not suffer anymore.”

While Jesus was still there speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. They said, “Your daughter is dead. There is no need to bother the Teacher.”

But Jesus did not care what the men said. He said to the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him.  They went to the synagogue leader’s house, where Jesus saw many people crying loudly. 

There was a lot of confusion.  He entered the house and said, “Why are you people crying and making so much noise? This child is not dead. She is only sleeping.”  But everyone laughed at him.

Jesus told the people to leave the house. Then he went into the room where the child was. He brought the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room with him.  

Then Jesus held the girl’s hand and said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means “Little girl, I tell you to stand up!”)  The girl immediately stood up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) The father and mother and the followers were amazed.  

Jesus gave the father and mother very strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl some food to eat."  

Mark 5:32-43  ERV  (Easy-to-Read Version)

GOD KNOWS WHO YOU ARE BEFORE YOU'RE BORN

 GOD IS OMNISCIENT

JEREMIAH THE PROPHET

 “Before I formed you in the womb,

   I knew you.

    Before you were born,

    I set you apart for my holy purpose.

    I appointed you to be a 

prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5  NOG  (Names of God Bible)

CAN YOU CORRECTLY TRANSLATE THIS?

 PARABLE OF THE GREEK PLAQUE

HEBREWS 4:12

A tour group is about to enter a Christian chapel in Greece.  A young red haired woman stops and looks at a plaque written in Greek.  Not knowing the Greek language, she asks the tour guide to come over.

Politely, she begs the guide to translate each Greek word into English.  At first he was hesitant, but the young woman smiles, saying, "Please, can you read it exactly into English."

The tour guide speaks loud for the entire group to hear.  "For living the word of God and efficient and sharper than every sword two edged, even penetrating to division both of soul and spirit, of joints both and marrows, and a discerner of thoughts and intents of heart.  Hebrews 4:12"

As the tour guide moves away, a young pastor walks over to the young woman saying, "Sometimes translating from one language to another, we add prepositions and switch the order of the words to make it more understandable and readable."

The young woman replies,  "You're right, it was difficult listening to his exact translation from ancient Greek.

The young pastor recites from the English Standard Version.  "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

After thanking the young pastor, a couple in their 30's walk over to the young woman.  The wife asks, "Do you really understand that verse?'  Her husband speaks, "If you don't understand, maybe instead of a word for word translation, we can look at a thought for thought translation.  My wife loves to read the New Living Translation."

"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." 

The young woman replies, "I am beginning to understand."

A college hipster walks over the young woman next.  He tells her, "You need to paraphrase into words we speak today."

Young woman replies, "OK, what's your take on it.  It better be cool."

The hipster reads from the Message Bible.

"God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what."

A 12 year old girl, tourist walks over to her, saying, "Everyone has big words in their vocabulary.  I believe, simple words are better. That is why I read the Easy English Bible."

The young woman smiles, saying, "OK sweetie, read your Bible."

"So be careful! God's message to us is alive and powerful. It is like a sword that has two sharp edges. Even more than a sword, God's message goes very deep into us. It cuts between our soul and our spirit. It is like a sharp knife that can cut deep into our body between our bones. God's message shows what we are really thinking. It shows what we really want."

The tour group gathers by the door to the church. The young lady asks the tour guide, "Will you allow me a minute to speak to everyone?"

"I never fully understood why there are so many translations of the Bible until now.  Not only are there many ways to translate from Greek to English, but we have different vocabularies and reading levels in America.  After hearing word for word, thought for thought, paraphrase, and easy reading translations, I'm beginning to understand Hebrews 4:14 more."

  

As the pastor passes by, she tells him, "My favorite translation is the word for word." 

Everyone in the tour group smiles at the young red haired woman standing by the door, as they enter the chapel listening to a choir singing inside.

THE WIDOW'S MITES

 STORIES FROM THE BIBLE

WIDOW GAVE ALL TO GOD

"Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box.  He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 

He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”

Luke 21:1-4  NET (New English Translation)

The widow's mites are bronze coins called Lepton's.  It was the smallest Jewish coin, and only worth 1/64th of a Denararius (one day's wage.)

ARE THERE TWO PSALMS THE SAME?

 PSALM 14 & 53

FOOL HAS SAID, 'THERE IS NO GOD' 

Only fools say in their hearts,
    “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
    not one of them does good! 

The Lord looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;

he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God. 
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.

No one does good, not a single one! 

Will those who do evil never learn?
    They eat up my people like bread
    and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord. 
Terror will grip them,
    for God is with those who obey him. 
The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
    but the Lord will protect his people. 

Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?
    When the Lord restores his people,
    Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.

Psalm 14  NLT  (New Living Translation)

PSALM 53 may be the newer version of King David's PSALM 14, meant to be sung and read as scripture.

DO DEAD BOYS TALK?

 MIRACLES OF JESUS

JESUS PRAYS OVER THE WIDOW'S SON

"And it happened that soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain, and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd.  

Now as He approached the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a sizeable crowd from the city was with her.  

And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her and said to her, “Do not cry.”  

And He came up and touched the coffin, and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!”  And the dead man sat up and began to speak.

 And Jesus gave him back to his mother.  And fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!”  

And this report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district."

Luke 7:11-17  LSB  (Legacy Standard Bible)

DANIEL IN THE LIONS DEN

 STORIES FROM THE BIBLE

ONE NIGHT WITH THE LIONS

"It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom;  and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.  

Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.  

So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.  

Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever!  All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.  Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”  

Therefore King Darius signed the written decree."

Daniel 6:1-9  NKJV  (New King James Version)

"When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.  

Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.  

Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” 

The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”  

Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.  

Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” 

Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”  And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.  

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.  As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”  

Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!  My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”  

Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.  

And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces."  

Daniel 6:10-24  ESV  (English Standard Version)

"Then King Darius wrote this letter to all the people from other nations and language groups all around the world:

Greetings: 

I am making a new law. This law is for people in every part of my kingdom. All of you must fear and respect the God of Daniel.

Daniel’s God is the living God;
    he lives forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed.
    His rule will never end.
27 God helps and saves people.
    He does amazing miracles in heaven and on earth.
He saved Daniel from the lions.

So Daniel was successful during the time Darius was king and when Cyrus the Persian was king."  

Daniel 6:25-28  Easy-to-Read Version

TRINITY at CHRIST'S RESURRECTION

WHO RESURRECTED JESUS?

GARDEN TOMB

GOD THE FATHER RAISES JESUS 

"Greetings from Paul, an apostle. I was chosen to be an apostle, but not by any group or person here on earth. My authority came from none other than Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Jesus from death."    Galatians 1:1  ERV  (Easy-To-Read-Version)

HOLY SPIRIT RAISES JESUS

"For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit,"

1 Peter 3:1  MEV  (Modern English Version)

JESUS RAISES UP HIMSELF

"Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?”  But He was speaking about the temple of His body.

John 2:19-21  NASB  (New American Standard Bible)

"No one takes it away from Me, but from Myself, I lay it down. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”  

John 10:18  LSB  (Legacy Standard Bible)

GOD RAISED UP JESUS

"God raised Jesus from death. God set him free from the pain of death. Death could not hold him."  

Acts 2:24  ICB  (International Childrens Bible)

JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS

 40 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING

JESUS IN THE JUDEAN WILDERNESS

"When Jesus returned from the Jordan River, the power of the Holy Spirit was with him, and the Spirit led him into the desert.  For 40 days Jesus was tested by the devil, and during that time he went without eating. When it was all over, he was hungry."

TEMPTATION OF HUNGER

"The devil said to Jesus, “If you are God's Son, tell this stone to turn into bread.”

Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say, ‘No one can live only on food.’ ”

TEMPTATION OF PRIDE

Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place and quickly showed him all the nations on earth.  The devil said, “I will give all this power and glory to you. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. Just worship me, and you can have it all.”

Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:

‘Worship the Lord your God
    and serve only him!’ ”

TEMPTATION OF DEATH

Finally, the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and had him stand on top of the temple. The devil said, “If you are God's Son, jump off.  The Scriptures say:

‘God will tell his angels
    to take care of you.
They will catch you
    in their arms,
and you will not even hurt
    your feet on the stones.’ ”

Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don't try to test the Lord your God!’ ”

After the devil had finished testing Jesus in every way possible, he left him for a while.

Luke 4:1-13  CEV  (Contemporary Engish Verson)

CENTURION'S SERVANT

 JESUS HEALS A GENTILE

CAPERNAUM

"After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum."  

"Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.  When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant."  

"And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”  And Jesus went with them. 

When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.  Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.  For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”

Luke 7:1-9  ESV  (English Standard Version)

JESUS HEALS A LEPER

 LORD IF YOU'RE WILLING

YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN

"Then a man with leprosy came to him and, on his knees, begged him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be made clean.”

Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.  

Then he sternly warned him and sent him away at once, telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 

Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But he was out in deserted places, and they came to him from everywhere."

Mark 1:40-45  CSB  (Christian Standard Bible)