#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Day 059 | The Wilderness
Deuteronomy 17 – 20, Psalm 59
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Monday, February 27, 2023
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 058 | The Wilderness | Deuteronomy 15 – 16, Psalm 58
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Day 058 | The Wilderness
Deuteronomy 15 – 16, Psalm 58
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Sunday, February 26, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE POWER OF A PRAYING HUSBAND | STORMIE OMARTIAN | CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER SEVEN | HER SUBMISSION
Submit is a verb. Submitting is a voluntary action. That means it is something we ourselves do. It's not something we make someone else do.
Just as we can't force another person to love us, we can't force someone to submit to us either.
Submission is a choice we make. It's something each one of us must decide to do. And this decision happens first in the heart.
Problems often arise in this area because a wife is afraid to submit to her husband for two reasons:
• Reason #1. Her husband thinks submission is only a noun, and he uses it as a weapon.
• Reason #2. Her husband has himself not made the choice in his heart to be fully submitted to God.
Submission is a matter of trusting in God more than trusting in man. But a wife will more easily make the choice to submit to her husband if she knows that he has made the choice to submit to the Lord.
Many a wife has a hard time trusting that her husband is hearing from God if he doesn't appear to be submitted to God in the way he treats her.
While God gives the husband a position of leadership in relationship to his wife, He also requires the price of self-sacrifice from him.
A wife has a hard time giving her husband the reins to her life if she doesn't believe she can trust him to have her best interests at heart as he steers the course of their lives together.
A woman will do anything for a man who loves her like Christ loves the church.
Too often people confuse "submit" with "obey." But they are not the same thing. The Bible give commands about obeying other people only in regard to children and slaves, and in the context of the local church. (Ephesians 6:1,5).
Since a wife is neither her husband's child nor his servant, and the local church isn't part of a marriage, the word "obey" has no application to the relationship between a husband and a wife.
Submission means "to submit yourself." In light of that, when a husband demands submission from his wife, it is no longer true submission.
When a husband is more interested in his wife's submission to him than he is in his own submission to God, then submission becomes a tool to hurt and destroy.
When we submit to God, He doesn't suppress who we are. He frees us to become who we're made to be, within the boundaries of His protection.
When a wife submits to her husband, she comes under his covering and protection, and this frees her to become all God created her to be. And trust me, you want that for your wife. Her greatest gifts will prove to be your greatest blessing.
If you feel that your wife is not submissive, pray for her to have a submissive heart, first toward God and then toward you. Then ask God to help you love her the way He does. I guarantee that you will see her submission level rise in direct proportion to the unselfish love you exhibit for her. And let her see that you are seeking God for guidance. If she knows that you are asking God to show you the way, she will follow you anywhere.
Please pray for your wife that:
1. She will understand what submission really is.
2. She will be able to submit in the way God wants her to.
3. You will be completely submitted to God.
4. She will trust God as He works in you.
5. You will take your position as spiritual leader.
6. She will trust you to be the head of the family.
7. Submission will not be a point of contention in your marriage.
POWER TOOLS
Ephesians 5:22-27
Matthew 10:39
Romans 12:16
Chapter Six | Chapter Eight
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 057 | The Wilderness | Deuteronomy 13 – 14, Psalm 57
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Day 057 | The Wilderness
Deuteronomy 13 – 14, Psalm 57
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Saturday, February 25, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE POWER OF A PRAYING PARENT | STORMIE OMARTIAN | CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER SEVEN | MAINTAINING GOOD FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
One of the things the enemy of our soul likes to do is get into the middle of God-ordained relationships and cause them to mis fire, miscommunicate, short-circuit, fracture, or disconnect.
When you cover your family relationships in prayer, whether it be with children, parents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, husband, or wife, there will be far fewer instances of strained or severed
relationships.
How many family relationships are left to chance because no one prays about them? Far too many, I suspect. It’s sad to see families split apart and individual members have nothing to do with one another when they are grown.
In Isaiah 58, God tells of all the wonderful things that will happen when we fast and pray. He says, “You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach” (Isaiah 58:12). God wants us to restore unity, to maintain the family bonds in the Lord, and to leave a spiritual inheritance of solidarity that can last for generations.
We need to pray for humility and unity.
WEAPONS OF WARFARE
Matthew 5:9
Psalm 133:1
Romans 15:5-6
Romans 12:18
1 Corinthians 1:10
Chapter Six | Chapter Eight
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 056 | The Wilderness | Deuteronomy 10 – 12, Psalm 56
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Day 056 | The Wilderness
Deuteronomy 10 – 12, Psalm 56
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Friday, February 24, 2023
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 055 | The Wilderness | Deuteronomy 7 – 9, Psalm 55
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Day 055 | The Wilderness
Deuteronomy 7 – 9, Psalm 55
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Thursday, February 23, 2023
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 054 | The Wilderness | Deuteronomy 4 – 6, Psalm 54
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Day 054 | The Wilderness
Deuteronomy 4 – 6, Psalm 54
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE ONLY BUDGETING BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED | TERE STOUFFER | CHAPTER NINE
Chapter 9 | Watching What You Spend
What Freezing Really Means
Freezing means going cold turkey on your spending—you temporarily stop buying.
You freeze your spending for a predetermined amount of time—usually six to twelve months—and just stop shopping. Of course, you can still buy groceries and the required supplies for your home, but you don’t buy anything else.
Establishing What’s Really a Need
Understanding the difference between a need and a want is really the crux of sorting out your financial difficulties.
In an effort to make ourselves feel better about being consumers, we continually elevate wants to the level of needs. But we actually have few needs, at least in the realm of products that you can buy:
Shelter
Clothing
Food and water
Humans need a way to stay warm and dry, but they do not need ten suits or eight pairs of jeans.
And while everyone needs food and water to survive, that food does not have to come from a five-star restaurant. You also only need enough calories to survive, not enough to add three to five pounds each year,
Identifying the Consequences of Not Meeting a Need
After you’ve listed all your needs, identify what would happen to you if you didn’t get each one, asking yourself the following questions:
Would you or others around you die?
Would you or others suffer physical pain or extreme physical discomfort?
Would your health or the health of others suffer in the long term?
Do you know for sure that you would lose your job without this item?
If none of these would happen, it isn’t a need, it’s a want, and you have no business buying it during a spending freeze. Remember this the next time your mind tries to talk your wallet into giving in.
Establishing—and Sticking to—a Shopping List for Your Needs
Before you leave the house and head out to spend money, write out a shopping list of your needs (which are likely to include only groceries and toiletries). Be sure that they’re needs, and don’t pad the list because you’re in the mood to buy. Keep in mind that you are probably feeling deprived, so you may try to satisfy your spending itch by splurging on groceries and toiletries.
Don’t justify veering from the list because something is “such a good deal.” Instead, remember that the best possible deal is to spend $0, so even if an item is half price, you can’t buy it unless it’s on your list.
Put Away Your Credit Cards
For six months, pay for all of your day-to-day purchases with cash and pay your bills with a check.
Tuck Away Your Debit Card
If you take $80 in cash to the grocery store, you’ll be very careful not to exceed that amount with convenience foods. But if you take a debit card, you’re not likely to be nearly as careful. Put the debit card in the same place you put the credit cards—your best bet is in a safe-deposit box.
When you feel the itch to spend, go online or look at a friend’s catalogs and write down the item number, description, page number, and so on, of any item that looks interesting. Act as if you’re really going to buy the item. But don’t. Just add the item to your list and let the list sit for a while. The act of writing the item down will feel, strangely enough, very similar to how you feel when you actually buy something. It sounds completely crazy, but it works!
Chapter Eight | Chapter Ten
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 053 | The Wilderness | Deuteronomy 1 – 3, Psalm 53
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Torah: The Book of Deuteronomy
Day 053 | The Wilderness
Deuteronomy 1 – 3, Psalm 53
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE ONLY BUDGETING BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED | TERE STOUFFER | CHAPTER EIGHT
Chapter 8 | Saving on Transportation
How Many Cars Do You Need?
If you and your family own two or more cars, begin by asking yourself, how many do you really need?
With some cooperation and effort, it should be possible to work out a single-car schedule that meets everyone’s needs and saves you money in gas, insurance, and maintenance.
Cars can cost a lot of money: Payments or leases usually run several hundred dollars a month; maintenance and repairs are expensive; over-the-top gasoline prices can squeeze your budget; and registration and insurance can set you back a thousand dollars or more each year.
Looking Into Public Transportation
If you live in an area where you can walk or bike to work and the grocery store, or if you have a reliable mass-transit system in your area, consider getting rid of your car.
Many people wonder how you’ll get home for the holidays or take vacations if you don’t have a car. The simplest solution is to rent a car when you need one.
Carpooling
Carpooling is most effective when you can do it with people who travel regularly to the same place—mostly those with whom you work.
Some employers encourage carpooling by their employees, offering vouchers and other incentives for those who carpool.
Going the Bicycle or Vespa Route
Cycling to work every day gives you two immediate benefits: 1) It saves you money; and 2) it gets you into shape.
Vespas. These economical vehicles are like low-powered motorcycles, and generally run from $2,000 (used) to about $3,500 (gleaming and new). If you can sell your car, buy a Vespa, and saving bundles in gas, insurance, and registration might make getting a little windblown not seem so bad.
Keeping a Paid-Off, Reliable Car
Note that if you have a reliable car that’s paid off, runs well, and costs a reasonable amount in gasoline, maintenance, and insurance, you’re probably better off not selling it. A car like this is just too rare to part with.
Next time you buy a car, purchase the highest-quality model you can afford, put as much money down on it as you can, and arrange for the fewest number of payments possible. Then plan to drive the car—payment free—for as many years as you can after you pay it off.
If you must own a car, don’t lease! Instead, buy a reliable car on the fewest number of payments you can afford and plan to drive it for ten years—or more. After you’ve paid it off, keep making the payments to your savings account so that you can pay cash for your next car.
Stop thinking of a car payment as a fact of life. Just imagine how much more breathing room you’d have each month if you didn’t have a car payment.
Insurance companies change their products and prices all the time. Once a year, do a quick Internet search of insurance prices, and if you find a substantially lower price, ask your current agent to requote your policy to see whether he or she can match what you’ve found.
Drive carefully and safely. If you maintain a good driving record, you may be eligible for a Good Driver Discount at your insurance company. Ask your agent about it.
Raising Your Deductibles
If your insurance payments are still uncomfortably high after you shop around, try raising your deductibles (the amount you pay out of pocket if you have an accident, your car is stolen, or a flood washes your car away).
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 052 | The Wilderness | Numbers 35 – 36, Psalm 52
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Suggested Video
Day 052 | The Wilderness
Numbers 35 – 36, Psalm 52
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Monday, February 20, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE ONLY BUDGETING BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED | TERE STOUFFER | CHAPTER SEVEN
Chapter 7 | Saving Around the Household
What you do in this regard is completely driven by how you balance what you’re doing to save money against your short-term and long-term goals.
My goal in this chapter is not to demand that you save money in all the ways I suggest; it’s to give you options that will enable you to save money if you decide to take advantage of them.
Prepare Your Own Meals
One way to save hundreds of dollars every month is by making your own food. If you can make toast, you can cook. If you’re trying to meet your financial goals and don’t have the opportunity to make more money, you can save a great deal of money by taking the time to cook.
Clean Out the Fridge
If you buy the food, stop eating out until it’s gone. If you know you’re going to eat out, don’t buy the food. You could save a few hundred dollars a month.
Brown-Bag It
You can save quite a bit of money every month by bringing your lunch from home instead. It doesn’t have to be fancy; in fact, if you make just a bit more than you need for dinner every night, you can pack the leftovers for lunch the next day. Or pack a sandwich, yogurt, and fruit—simple and cheap!
Coupons Are Your Friend
As you peruse coupons, cut out only the ones for products you already use or products that you’re willing to use because you’re not loyal to another brand. Coupons should save you money, not promote waste. Look for coupons in the Sunday paper, keeping in mind that coupons usually aren’t offered the weekend of, or just before, a major holiday.
Buy Sale Items in Quantity
If you see a great sale price on an item that you use a lot—and if the item isn’t perishable and you have the space to store it and you have enough money in this month’s budget to pay for a large quantity and you’re sure beyond a doubt that you will actually use this item up—buy a lot at the sale price.
BUDGETING TIP
Constantly look for ways to use food that you know you’re not going to eat right away. If a few of the bananas you bought start to go brown, make a loaf of banana bread. Then put it in the freezer and bring it out when you want a dessert or when you’ve got some company.
If you do buy at a wholesale club, apply the same logic that you would for buying large quantities of any sale item at your regular store: Buy bulk quantities only if you have the storage space, are sure you’ll use it, can keep it from spoiling, and have the money in your budget to pay for it.
For just a few dollars for the seeds, you can grow an entire garden of fresh vegetables every year. And if you have extras of easy-to-grow vegetables like tomatoes, you can freeze them for use in pasta sauces in the winter.
Many veggies grow well in outdoor containers on a patio or balcony, if you’re careful to keep them well watered, well drained, and protected from freezing weather at night.
Growing Organically
To save money and protect your health, grow your vegetables organically. The trick to gardening without chemicals is to start with excellent soil.
An alternative to growing your own garden is shopping at a farmer’s market in your area.
You’ll usually pay lower prices than in a grocery store for fresher, less-processed fruits and vegetables. And you can still freeze the bounty when you find especially good deals on fresh produce.
A simple way to cut your heating and cooling costs is to turn your thermostat down one degree in winter and up one degree in summer. One degree—which you probably won’t even notice—can save you up to a hundred dollars a year on your heating and cooling bills.
If you are always in bed by 11:00 in the winter, program the thermostat to turn down the heat at 11:15, saving you money all night. It then turns the temperature back up at 6:30 in the morning, so you wake up to a toasty house.
Because programmable thermostats actually turn the temperature down, they pay for themselves in a couple of months
Buy Reliable, High-Quality Products
This idea may seem to go against most money-saving advice, but the truth is that high-quality products tend to last longer. If buying the quality item will wreck your budget either save up and come back when you can afford it or make do with the less expensive item. Don’t automatically assume that higher price equals higher quality.
Don’t Go Trendy
Before you buy anything, apply the one-year test: Is this an item you’ll want a year from now? If not, pass it up. eBay can be a treasure trove of bargains, provided that you know what you’re looking for and what matters to you about it.
You don’t have to be the first kid on your block to get everything. Give it a few months, and then make your purchase —if you budgeted for the item!
Shopping Tag Sales, Resale Shops, and Online Auctions
Just because an item is being sold at a tag sale or resale shop doesn’t mean it isn’t a high-quality item. Cheaply made products don’t usually end up at tag sales and resale shops—instead, they get thrown out.
Preparing a Shopping List Ahead of Time
Before you leave home, determine your needs and put them down on paper—and then don’t buy anything that’s not on your list, no matter how wonderful or how cheap it is.
Reducing Gift Expenditures
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to purchase gifts for your friends, family, and coworkers on every birthday, anniversary, or Hallmark holiday. Anyone—from a close friend, to a casual acquaintance, to a family member you don’t see often—will appreciate a simple, handwritten note from you.
Opportunities for saving money around the household constantly turn up. Keep a list on the refrigerator and add to it as you think of other ways to cut down on household expenses.
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 051 | The Wilderness | Numbers 33 – 34, Psalm 51
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Day 051 | The Wilderness
Numbers 33 – 34, Psalm 51
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Sunday, February 19, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE POWER OF A PRAYING HUSBAND | STORMIE OMARTIAN | CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SIX | HER MARRIAGE
If you want anything to grow in your garden, you have to start with the right soil. Just as you cannot build a house without a foundation, you can’t have a productive, life-giving garden without good, rich soil.
What grows in your garden depends on the seeds you plant, so you need to plant what you want to see come up in the harvest.
Water the seeds, diligently pull out the weeds around the sprouts that appear, and be on the lookout for pests, bad weather, and other conditions that can destroy it.
Then you have to plant the right kind of seeds—the good seeds of love, fidelity, respect, time, and communication.
SEEDS OF LOVE
Seeds of love are some of the easiest seeds to plant, and their growth is so rapid that you can sometimes see results instantaneously.
Weeding is not the fun part of gardening, but it is one of those necessary chores that must be done.
If weeds of hurt, strife, misunderstanding, criticism, selfishness, and anger are allowed to flourish in the marriage garden without being uprooted, they will choke out anything good that is planted.
Sometimes a garden can still look like a garden, but the plants are dead on the inside. They just haven't fallen over yet. Marriages can get that way too.
If you and your wife do not produce enough love to allow each of you to grow into all God created you to be, then your relationship needs to be examined for selfishness, fear, pride, control, or whatever other weed of the flesh is stifling it.
God can work miracles when you pray.
Cling to what is good in your marriage with all sincerity of heart. Despise what the devil is trying to plant there. Pray that God will show you how to plant new seeds of unconditional love.
SEEDS OF FIDELITY
The boundaries of marriage are set up for its protection. If we don't watch over the boundaries, something is sure to be stolen from us.
When we plant seeds of infidelity, we break down the boundaries and invite unwanted creatures of prey to come in.
Everyone gets tempted to sow outside his own garden. The ones who resist, and instead deliberately plant seeds of fidelity, reap a harvest of plenty.
The devil will always look for ways to set a snare for one of you. So your marriage soil is never too good to be beyond the need for enriching prayer.
Pray that God will keep you and your wife from planting anything you will live to regret.
SEEDS OF RESPECT
When we sow seeds of disrespect in a marriage, we are not seeking the other's well-being, and we will reap a crop of bitterness and strife.
Putting our mate's well-being before our own is not only very difficult, it's simply impossible to do on a consistent basis without the Holy Spirit enabling us. That's why we must pray about it.
Your wife does not want to be your mother, nor does she want to be your maid. The former will cause her to lose respect for you; the latter will make her feel that you've lost respect for her. I know there are countless things your wife will do that a mother or maid would do also. But if that expectation becomes a way-of-life attitude on your part, she will begin to think of you as a child or as a boss, and it will adversely affect your relationship. The more your wife feels like your mother or your maid, the less she will feel like your lover.
Ask God to help you see things from your wife's perspective and show you how to plant seeds of respect in your marriage.
SEEDS OF TIME
You can't have a successful garden if you don't spend enough time in it.
In successful marriages the husbands and wives spend time together alone.
If your schedules never allow time for you and your wife to be alone with each other, then you are too busy.
You need that time of togetherness to talk, to work things out, to share interests and dreams, to just be together in silence, and to have intimate times that are not rushed.
Pray that God will help you plant seeds of time together.
SEEDS OF COMMUNICATION
Words are like seeds. They start out small and grow into something big.
One of the biggest problems in many marriages is a lack of communication. Wives say, "My husband doesn't really hear what I'm saying. He doesn't listen." Husbands say, "My wife doesn't understand me. She misinterprets things I say." This comes about because men and women think differently.
In the garden of a marriage relationship, there will always be a harvest time.
If we don't like the crop we're reaping, then it's probably time to plant seeds of a different nature. Seeds are planted through actions, but mostly through words—and when a husband and wife can't communicate well with their words, bad
things start growing.
God can cause a husband and a wife to grow together in a way that makes them more compatible while allowing the two partners to develop their individual gifts and retain their own uniqueness.
When the two people in a marriage partnership relate to one another in the way God wants them to, it brings about a fulfilling of each one's purpose that will not happen otherwise. Through prayer, each one can release the other rather
than control; encourage rather than condemn.
Ask God to help you and your wife appreciate your differences.
The very thing that is designed to be our greatest blessing can often become an irritant because we don't ask God to let us see it from His perspective.
Divorce doesn't happen because people don't want their marriages to work out. It's usually because the husband or wife believes that things will never change.
Through prayer you can invite the light of the Lord to bathe and invigorate the garden of your marriage. Then it will bud, blossom, bloom, and grow into a harvest of joy and fulfillment for both of you.
SHE SAYS
Pray for your marriage that:
1. Love will grow between you and your wife.
2. You and your wife will resist temptation to stray.
3. You will practice mutual respect for one another.
4. The two of you will not live separate lives.
5. You will be friends as well as lovers.
6. You will work together as a team.
7. There will be no divorce in your future.
POWER TOOLS
Ecclesiastes 4:9,10
Matthew 18:19
Mark 10: 11
Malachi 2:15
Romans 12:10
Chapter Five | Chapter Seven
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 050 | The Wilderness | Numbers 31 – 32, Psalm 50
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Day 050 | The Wilderness
Numbers 31 – 32, Psalm 50
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Saturday, February 18, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE POWER OF A PRAYING PARENT | STORMIE OMARTIAN | CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SIX | HONORING PARENTS AND RESISTING REBELLION
The Bible also says, “Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in deep darkness” (Proverbs 20:20).
The fact that we can affect the length and quality of our children’s lives is reason enough to pray, instruct, and discipline them. Along with that, we must recognize and resist any rebellion that threatens to creep into their minds and causes them to do other than what God commands.
Rebellion is actually pride put into action.
The Bible says, “Rebellion is as the sin of witch craft” (1 Samuel 15:23) because its ultimate end is total opposition to God.
Pride gets us into rebellion, but stubbornness is what keeps us there. Anyone who walks in rebellion has a stubborn idol in his or her life.
When children do not honor their father or mother, it is often the first sign that the idols in a child’s heart—a child of any age—are pride and selfishness. That’s why children who are not taught to obey their parents become rebellious. They say, “I want what I want when I want it.”
Identifying and destroying the idols of pride and selfishness through prayer can often be the key to breaking a child’s rebellion.
The opposite of rebellion is obedience, or walking in the will of God.
We want our children to walk in obedience so that they will have confidence, security, long life, and peace. One of the first steps of obedience for children is to obey and honor their parents. This is something a child must be taught, but teaching becomes easier when prayer paves the way.
If your child is older, an adolescent or even an adult, and rebellion is already clearly manifested in his or her behavior, the discipline and teaching part will be harder, but you still have the power of prayer. Remember, your battle is not with your son or daughter.
Your battle is with the enemy. The good news is that Jesus has given you authority “over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19). Don’t be afraid to take advantage of that.
Rebellion will surface in your child at one time or another. Be ready to meet the challenge with prayer and the Word of God, along with correction, discipline, and teaching. Don’t be intimidated by a rebellious spirit. Jesus is Lord over that, too.
WEAPONS OF WARFARE
Isaiah 1:19-20
Psalm 107:10-12
Proverbs 30:17
Proverbs 1:8-9
Nehemiah 9:26-27
Chapter Five | Chapter Seven
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 049 | The Wilderness | Numbers 28 – 30, Psalm 49
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Day 049 | The Wilderness
Numbers 28 – 30, Psalm 49
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Friday, February 17, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE ONLY BUDGETING BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED | TERE STOUFFER | CHAPTER SIX
Chapter 6 | Okay—You’re Ready to Create a Budget
No matter what your financial situation, you have financial goals, even though you may not think of them that way.
When you create a budget, you keep all of your financial goals as the central focus, figuring out how to cut your current expenses — or increase your current income — to get you on track to meet those goals.
How you decide to cut back or add income will be as unique as your goals are.
Every decision you make will be specific to your financial goals and your current financial situation, which no one else has to know about or agree with.
Keep in mind, though, that you may not be able to meet every one of your goals if you also want to maintain your current level of spending.
Budgeting is often the art of compromise: You have to decide what to give up in order to get what you want.
To stay above water financially, you have to spend less than you make. This simple point is the most important principle for constructing and living within a budget. You simply cannot meet financial goals if you don’t live within your means.
Remember: A product is only a good deal if you’ve planned for it and can afford it within the context of your other financial goals. Nothing — not low interest rates, a sale on shoes, the house of your dreams — is ever a good deal if it requires you to spend more than you make.
Spend Money Only on Budgeted Items
After you set up a budget, you can spend money only on the items that your budget says you can spend money on, while budgets can be constricting, the only force controlling your spending is you — or, to be more exact, your financial goals.
Save for Unexpected Expenses
People often get into financial trouble because they don’t expect the unexpected. By intentionally saving for unexpected expenses, you can break this cycle.
Ideally, you should keep six months’ income in the bank.
If there are two wage earners in your family, keep six months of each person’s income in savings. Yes, this is a lot of money, but this much money creates choices in your life. You’re never going to feel stuck again.
The trick to having money available for unexpected expenses is twofold:
First, you never dip into your savings unless you’re faced with a truly unique situation. If you have time to plan for an unexpected event, save in advance by changing your lifestyle to free up more money for savings, but don’t dip into your savings unless you absolutely have to.
(Make sure that you have an allotment for savings in your budget, even if it’s just $10 per paycheck for now, and work toward eventually saving up to six months’ salary for every wage earner in your household.)
The second part of the trick to keeping savings on hand for unexpected events is always to replace it after you use it.
If you have six months’ salary in the bank and you use one month’s salary to make up the difference between your disability pay and your normal pay, when you get back to work full time, immediately begin replacing that one month’s salary.
These two concepts — leaving money in savings for unexpected expenses and replacing any money that you borrow from your savings when unexpected situations arise — are not common in our society.
Having this security gives you the power to choose, and that’s the greatest power you’ll ever have
Revisiting Your Goals and Priorities
You can find a way to make more money by getting a second job, doing freelance work, starting your own part-time business, working overtime, or finding a new job that pays more money.
Keep in mind that whenever you work more hours, you give up something very precious — time.
If you haven’t yet written down your goals, you must start there. You’ll need to know your goals before you can establish a budget.
To be useful, your goals must be in financial terms, with actual dollar amounts attached, and must have set deadlines attached to them. Otherwise, what you call goals are really only pipe dreams.
What Expenses Are You Willing to Cut?
Another way to balance your budget is to look more closely at your expenses.
Deciding Whether You Can Increase Your Income
A final way to balance your budget is to find ways to increase your income.
Don’t count on “possible” income when budgeting.
Budgeting is about compromise. You can’t get something unless you give something.
Never forget that you are going to live with this budget every hour of every day until the day you meet your financial goals. If you don’t think you can do that, revise your budget again!
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 048 | The Wilderness | Numbers 25 – 27, Psalm 48
#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan
Day 048 | The Wilderness
Numbers 25 – 27, Psalm 48
Source: Bible Project Reading Plan
Thursday, February 16, 2023
SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE ONLY BUDGETING BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED | TERE STOUFFER | CHAPTER FIVE
Chapter 5 | What Do You Owe?
As of March 2012, the average indebted household owed $14,517 in credit card debt and more than 46 percent of all households carried some credit card debt.
In addition to credit card debt, there are many other kinds of debt. Among the most common:
- Mortgage
- Car loan
- Home equity loan
- Student loan
Credit card and store charge card companies are in the business of making money, and one way is by having you pay a high rate of interest on your debt for as long as possible.
Paying only the minimum is never going to help you get your financial situation under control.
In order to retire debt, you have to pay more than the minimum payment. By only making minimum payments, you’re financially treading water, while paying thousands of dollars in interest to the credit card-issuing companies.
Assuming you were honest in your assessment of your income and obligations, you should have no trouble establishing a budget you can live with.
If you have trouble paying your bills each month, you may have one of two problems. Either your expenses are actually higher than you think or you may have cash-flow problems.
Many people are living just a little above their means. In order to do this, they use credit cards, store charge cards, home equity loans, short-term loans, and so on, to make ends meet.
If you’re short $300 per month and use credit cards to pay for groceries or clothing, at the end of the year, you’ll be $3,600 in debt. Ten years later, even with a credit card that gives you a decent interest rate, you’ll be over $83,000 in debt!
(The major reason people get into debt is that they spend more than they earn.)
Identifying Potential Cash-Flow Problems
Often, if your income just barely exceeds your obligations, on paper you look like you’ll get by just fine, but in reality you may find yourself coming up short at certain times of the year.
In order to manage this situation successfully, you have to reduce your debt (or increase your income) to the point where you’re living far enough below your income that you don’t have trouble paying your large periodic expenses.
Chapter Four | Chapter Six
All Summary Attempts | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.
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