Celebrate 2023 With Us

Celebrate 2023 With Us

Win a study Bible, wall calendar, or membership to Bible Cafe™ University

Congratulations to our winners! Please check your email to claim your gift.

Spurgeon Bible: Sharon L.

BCU Memberships: Lindsay P., Lori T., Susan P., Mary D., Gail S.

Calendars: Martha D., Sherrie W., Tanya V., Pam C., Eleanor K.

 

To celebrate the New Year 2023, we are giving away some Bible Cafe™ treats! We believe every year should begin with a commitment to study, connect, and grow. So we’re giving away a study Bible, wall calendars, and memberships to Bible Cafe™ University. Use the form below and enter your name. We’re excited to see you start the year 2023 with a commitment that leads to personal revival.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How To Enter Bible Study Giveaway

  1. Just click Rafflecopter giveaway box or CLICK HERE TO ENTER
  2. After you visit the page click the “I Visited” button as instructed
  3. When you answer the question “What is your favorite Bible Verse?” in a comment below you’ll earn FIVE BONUS ENTRIES!

 

Terms: Emails are entered into our newsletter list and not shared or sold to anyone else. Opt-out and self-cencel the newsletter anytime. Winner will be announced 48 hours after the end of the giveaway January 15, 2023. US shipping only, must be 18 years or older to enter, void where prohibited by law. Bible Cafe™ leaders not eligible to enter our giveaways. Giveaway sponsor is Bible Cafe™ Ministries LLC and not affiliated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or other sites. Winners are randomly selected by Rafflecopter. Giveaway Terms

 

Written by @BibleCafeCoach

More From Our Blog

Know Your Bible Devotions For Women

Know Your Bible Devotions For Women

Know Your Bible For Women has inspired this one-year devotional, a collection of 365 daily readings that focus on key Scriptures in biblical order—from Genesis to Revelation. This devotional is easy to read and understand. Key themes from the Bible are explained and...

read more
Celebrate 2023 With Us

Celebrate 2023 With Us

Win a study Bible, wall calendar, or membership to Bible Cafe™ UniversityCongratulations to our winners! Please check your email to claim your gift. Spurgeon Bible: Sharon L. BCU Memberships: Lindsay P., Lori T., Susan P., Mary D., Gail S. Calendars: Martha...

read more
Faith Still Moves Mountains by Harris Faulkner

Faith Still Moves Mountains by Harris Faulkner

Faith Still Moves Mountains by Harris Faulkner book review. I still remember the time someone asked me “Does God ever answer your prayers?” She asked with a stone cold heart, expecting me to have no answers for her challenge. Without hesitation, I responded with...

read more

Comments

Know Your Bible Devotions For Women

Know Your Bible For Women has inspired this one-year devotional, a collection of 365 daily readings that focus on key Scriptures in biblical order—from Genesis to Revelation. This devotional is easy to read and understand. Key themes from the Bible are explained and common questions are answered. Someone new to reading the Bible will appreciate the simplicity. Each devotion ends with a three sentence prayer.
woman reading bible

(image: Canva Pro)

This devotional is different, because it does not begin with a personal story. Each day begins with a Bible story. “Know Your Bible Devotions For Women” is a good way to remember key themes and events. Each day starts with a question, offers evidence from Scripture, and ends with a prayer.
 
As a Bible teacher, I enjoyed these daily reminders about favorite Bible stories. Applying the Bible today is a key message throughout. This devotional also includes a Bible reading plan for a deeper experience. Readers of inductive study will appreciate the “who, what, where, when, how, and why” questions before each daily devotion.This devotional book would make a lovely gift.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and purchased a copy for my library.

Book Description

You want to know your Bible. . .
You
need to know your Bible. . .
You
can know your Bible.

Inspired by the 3-million-copy bestseller, Know Your Bible Devotions for Women provides a reading a day for an entire year. Each entry emphasizes an important verse of scripture, offering background, insight, and an encouraging takeaway.

Over the course of twelve months, you’ll get a fascinating overview of all 66 books in order—an excellent primer if you’re new to God’s Word, and a helpful refresher if you’re already familiar with scripture.

Know Your Bible Devotions for Women also includes a complete, 365-day Bible reading plan if you want to go beyond the devotionals themselves. It’s an encouraging resource for readers from the teen years and up.

Letters to an American Lady by C. S. Lewis. 

Summer is a perfect time for sweet tea, iced coffees, and great books. Being outdoors in the garden, at the lake, or by a pool…it seems I always have a book beside me for entertainment. This week during my vacation, I read Letters to an American Lady by C. S. Lewis.

(Image: Unsplash)

If you are reading my Twitter posts, Facebook posts, or newsletter… then you saw me quoting from this C. S. Lewis book. Many of the letters in the book were fascinating. Since I was captivated by the book, I would encourage my friends by sharing highlights and book notes.

What I enjoyed most about Letters to an American Lady by C. S. Lewis was the raw truthfulness of this popular author. Rather than writing words to publish in a book, he wrote personal letters to his friends.

The recipient of these letters was a needy, complaining, and often irritating woman. Yer Mr. Lewis would gently push back and correct her behavior. His response when she provoked him was the role of a professor. Yet he shows endurance in praying for this lady and continued to answer her mail.

Inside these letters, I found pieces of the biography of Mr. Lewis. He writes about war, the monarchy, church division, finding and marrying his wife, and much more. This book is captivating to read.

Quotes From Letters to an American Lady by C. S. Lewis.

“How awful it must have been for poor Lazarus who had actually died, got it all over, and then was brought back—to go through it all, I suppose, a few years later. I think he, not St. Stephen, ought really to be celebrated as the first martyr.” -C. S. Lewis

“The precious alabaster box which one must break over the Holy Feet is one’s heart.” – C. S. Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Crazy Devotional Adventure

My crazy devotional adventure started with an answered prayer. Each year for 40 days, I challenge myself and deepen my faith. And so, I remember praying “God, what do you want me to give up for the next 40 days.” Maybe you have prayed this too?

(Image: Unsplash)

Expecting the usual coffee, sugar, or food answer… I was frustrated when my heart tugged with an answer I did not like. It felt like the answer was to read daily devotionals. Then I prayed for discernment on which devotional to read, and I did not like the answer: “Ten per day.”

The rebellious child inside my heart immediately disagreed. And so, I tried to negotiate myself out of this crazy adventure. I wanted a traditional 40 day fast and not something weird. But the more I wanted to fast from sugar or bread, the stronger the conviction was to read devotional books,

Read 10 Devotions a Day For the Next 40 Days

My threshold for boredom and attention to busyness were bookends of complaint. These thoughts were persistent. Yet sitting in the quiet place of my prayer room, it was not negotiable. I knew I would now read a total of 400 devotions. Ugh.

After the first week, I noticed the words in these ten books were blurring together. They were not feeding my soul or guiding my day. Although I selected different authors and themes, my reading became routine. Boring.

The remedy was to split my books into two stacks of five, then read five in the morning and five more in the evening. It was a bit easier. But I wrestled with reasoning “why” I was on this crazy adventure.

After my 40 days were complete, I archived the ten devotional books back onto my bookshelf. It was a strange calling, and yet I faithfully obeyed.

“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.” -Jeremiah 30:2 NIV

Now, years later, I am blissfully writing my own devotional books. Perhaps, God had a plan and a purpose.

He was teaching me sentence structure, format, emotion, and message. What an amazing Father, to know my every need.

Be Blessed!

 

Jesus Our Perfect Hope 365 Devotional by Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley writes beautiful books. His 365 devotional book Jesus Our Perfect Hope is a wonderful book to read. In fact, I enjoyed this so much that I bought 40 copies of the devotional book and gave one to each of my volunteers at the Bible Café™ Ministry. It’s a prefect keepsake book.

(image: unsplash)

Here’s 3 reasons why I enjoy reading (and gifting) this devotional book.

First, Jesus Our Perfect Hope 365 Devotional by Charles Stanley is visually attractive. The outside cover is a soft imitation leather in a warm coffee color. It looks great sitting on the bedside table. Or next to a filled latte mug! The inside pages are visually attractive too. A warm bled of colors highlight quote boxes and daily words to ponder. I like feasting my eyes and heart on these daily truths. And, the book has a bookmark ribbon, which is very convenient and thoughtful for any reader.

Second, the book is rich in wisdom. After years of pastoring and studying the Scriptures, Charles Stanley has a classic voice. He’ll be remembered for his truth-telling stories, even when we don’t like them. He’ll be remembered for his unwavering devotional to God. These are evident in his literature writings, making this devotional book a timeless classic.

Third, this author is not shy about calling for godly repentance and obedience. Refreshing in a modern world. While I enjoy reading modern theologians, pastors, and authors too, sometimes its refreshment to go back to classics. Like Charles Surgeon. Or Charles Stanley.

Charles Stanley Quotes

“My hope is in Jesus because He lifts me up and transforms my life.” – Charles Stanley

“My hope is in Jesus because He satisfies my soul.” – Charles Stanley

“One of God’s great blessings in life is godly friends.” – Charles Stanley

26 Bible Verses About Gardens

The Holy Bible has many verses about the garden. Discover Bible verses about the garden and the Creator. When you read Bible verses about the garden, you’ll learn that that “mother nature” is a New Age fallacy that does not exist! Because, the original garden was created by God.

(image: Unpslash)

Bible Verses About Gardens

Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. (Genesis 2:1 NKJV)

Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. (Genesis 2:8 NLT)

The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. (Genesis 2:15 NLT)

So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”(Genesis 3:10 NKJV)

So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. (Genesis 3:23 NLT)

During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden. (1 Kings 4:25 NLT)

The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden. (Job 8:16 NLT)

As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. (Psalm 103:15 NKJV)

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. (Song of Songs 2:1 NIV)

More Bible Verses About Gardens

Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. (Song of Songs 2:12 NIV)

You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice! (Song of Songs 8:13 NIV)

I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. (Ecclesiastes 2:5 NLT)

You will be like a great tree with withered leaves, like a garden without water. The strongest among you will disappear like straw; their evil deeds will be the spark that sets it on fire. They and their evil works will burn up together, and no one will be able to put out the fire. (Isaiah 1:30-31 NLT)

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8 NKJV)

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. (Isaiah 58:11 NLT)

“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.” (Jeremiah 29:5 NLT)

Because I made this tree so beautiful, and gave it such magnificent foliage, it was the envy of all the other trees of Eden, the garden of God. (Ezekiel 31:9 NLT)

I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. (Ezekiel 34:29 NKJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Gardens?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:28-29 NIV)

Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32 NLT)

The Prayer Garden: Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” Matthew 26:36 NKJV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1 NIV)

So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” (John 18:3-4 NIV)

One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” (John 18:26 NKJV)

The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. (John 19:41 NLT)

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (John 20:15 NIV)

Bible Copyrights For This Article

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.