Bible Study

The Ancient Kings of Israel
Read along with us!

“Only fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart.  For consider what great things He has done for you.”  I Samuel 12:24

As we read through first and second Samuel the past two months, it amazed me how the people of old would seek the Lord faithfully for awhile and then turn to their own wisdom and ways and then go back to the Lord, only to stray once again!

How often am I just like the ancient leaders and people? I earnestly seek the Lord for direction in one area of my life, and then the very next day I’m asking everyone around me what I should do and have not even waited to hear from the Lord! Matthew 6:33 reminds us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

I’m praying that each of us will consider what great things the Lord has done for the ancient kings of the past and for each of us today, and seek Him first!

If you aren’t currently in God’s Word each day, Team Hally would love for you to join us as we read first Kings in March. Visit our website at TeamHally.org for more information and to follow along.

We are so excited to be reading in Leviticus for the Team Hally Bible Study.This book of the Bible shows us just how much Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross means for us as believers today. Before Jesus came to earth, when the people sinned, God required a blood sacrifice and a priest to pay the penalty for their sins. Leviticus explains the different types of sacrifice, and in detail, the requirements for the sinner as well as for the priest. Jesus changed ALL of these requirements for everyone! He took all of the sins of every person upon His shoulders so that we have a way to His Father and He became the only sacrifice needed. Hebrews 7:27 says, “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, since He did this once for all when He offered up Himself.”

If you haven’t started Leviticus yet, just jump in on the current day, pray for God to speak to you, and read through the chapter. Choose a verse that stands out to you, write that verse (along with a prayer) in a journal, and then share what you are learning with someone close to you.

We will continue reading through the next five books of the Old Testament (Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Ruth) until November. The reading takes about fifteen minutes each day and will allow you to learn more about the God who loves you so much and desires to spend time with you every day!

We’re praying that each of you will join the Team Hally Bible Study!

As our family gets ready to “celebrate” Hally’s birthday on March 14, I am filled with such a mix of emotions. Sadness, loneliness, grief, and disappointment bubble up from this mama who loves to give my children gifts, make their favorite foods, tell them how much they are loved, and just spend time with them on their birthdays each year. Thinking about “celebrating” the fifth birthday we haven’t had her here can seem overwhelming.

HOWEVER…..God in His infinite mercy and grace has also shown me joy, love, peace, patience, goodness, and kindness since Hally went to be with her Savior. Reading Job this past month has reminded me that even in the midst of losing all your children, having your wealth stripped away, receiving the wrath of family and friends, and experiencing terrible physical pain — we can hold fast to the Lord. Job 23:11-12 says, “My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

Just as Job held fast to the Lord’s steps even when the path in front of him seemed like a mountain, I pray that you and I will choose to hold fast and not depart from the Lord when this world gives us heartaches and trials. My precious friend who recently lost her son has chosen to “choose joy” every day! I love this act of obedience. Even when her flesh wants to give up, she tells herself to “choose joy.” During this time of suffering for Job, he didn’t know what the end of the story for him would be, or why God allowed him to suffer – yet he held fast anyway! Job 5:8-9 says, “But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause-who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.” As I look through the Team Hally pictures from the past four years, I can definitely see the great and marvelous things God has done without number.

If you haven’t started the Job Bible Study, it’s not too late to join in! The end of Job’s story is full of hope and blessings. Following in my friend’s footsteps, and Job’s, I will choose joy and continue to hold fast to the words God has spoken. One of the ways we are celebrating Hally’s life each year at her birthday is by making pies (since her birthday is “Pi” day!  LOL) so this year we will make 14 and give them away. She loved blueberries, so we always try to make a few blueberry pies.

Praying you will hold fast and trust in Him. Job 13:15a, 16a, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him… He also shall be my salvation.”

Few books of the Bible cause us to pause, reflect on our level of faith and understanding of God’s word quite like the book of Job (pronounced Jōb). Throughout Old and New Testament, we meet individuals that exemplify the miraculous work of Christ. Why, then, many ask, would we look to Job for hope and encouragement? Often when I am feeling bold in Christ and become confident in my own faith, I remember Job. It is then that I examine my heart for God and whether it is worthy of my boasting. Sadly, I am humbled by Job’s tenacity, unwavering faithfulness, and commitment to God; trusting him in hopeless situation after hopeless situation.

My prayer for you (and me) over the next few weeks as we study Job and his commitment to God and his trust in God’s plan, is that we recommit to a deeper trust than we have been willing to enter before. My prayer is that we experience a Job-like faith and strength regardless of the past, current, or future trial. Join us for Job! Please click for moreinformation.

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“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10

The January Bible reading was from the Old Testament book of Proverbs. I have learned so much this month and have had so many opportunities to share (mainly via text) some of these precious words with family and friends. I would encourage you to do the same as we begin our Job Bible Study in February and March.  As I look back over the past four years since Hally went to heaven, I can see how true this proverb is. So many days I fainted from the pain of grief and had no strength to even take my daughters to school. Then, other days I chose to live in hope and joy and could see God using me in spite of my weaknesses: to love people at the Medical Lodge, to laugh and tickle Zoey, to celebrate birthdays and weddings, to give Bibles, to teach my Spanish class, to go on walks with my friends, to enjoy a snowball fight, to truly sing praises to my God and Savior.

Adversity is part of this life. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world, you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.” The truth of this life is that we live in a broken world. Because of the sin each of us has, all of us will face adversity of some kind during our lives. The question is: will your strength be small or will you trust in Jesus to give you peace to face the adversity? Resting in the peace Jesus gives us doesn’t necessarily mean that your circumstances will change or that it will be “all good” as everyone seems to say these days. However, it does mean that you can choose the eternal hope that God promises through His Son, Jesus, “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.” Titus 2:14

As you join us in February and March to read Job’s story, I pray that you will see God’s loving hand through the adversity that Job faced. Please send us your favorite takeaways from your Bible Study!