Biblical Shakers

If you would like a weekly Blog Post emailed to you, just click on the three lines in the corner and hit subscribe. Click on Title for Video Introduction Monday, Romans Introduction Romans Introduction Alan Ruden THOUGHT AWAKEN all ye Salt Shakers.  Live from Wichita, Kansas. Yours truly, Al! I called Jeanie this evening and asked her if I could lead Salt Shakers for the week. She graciously allowed me to do so.  AWAKENING (insert ringing alarm clock here) was our theme for Promise Keepers this weekend. We really had a great weekend. It was great to spend time and fellowship with Tom and Rory on a closer level. Have you ever seen ten thousand men go on a one hour lunch break; or have you ever seen an auditorium full (yes completely full) of men singing for Jesus?   As I read through this introduction, I'm thinking wow; I mean "WOW"!!! This relates to this weekend and Promise Keepers. The book of Romans is a letter written by the Apostle Paul. He had never been to Rom...

If you would like a weekly Blog Post emailed to you, just click on the three lines in the corner and hit subscribe. Click on Title for Video Intro      Monday, Ecclesiastes Chapter 9 Ecclesiastes 9 Verse 9a Jeanie Boldt Verse 9a:  Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun. THOUGHT I couldn’t help but think of a couple of things when I read this chapter. First of all it spoke of “Our Destiny”.  I asked Rory what he thought of the word when I threw it out to him, and he thought the same thing that I did.   He feels that the word “Destiny” gets way too much attention.  We need to focus on our lives being in the ‘Will and Way of the Lord’.  Yes, no matter who we are - we will die.  However, by knowing the Lord and receiving Christ as our Savior, it is how we live that is more important and should receive more time and attention.  This is the very reason I chose t...

Click on title for Video Introduction Monday Ecclesiastes Chapter 5 Ecclesiastes 5 Verse 2 Tanya Ruden Verse 2:  Do not be quick with your mouth. THOUGHT First of all I just really liked the second verse.  One thing I admire about Alan, which I have learned over the years, is that he is not very quick with his mouth.  He will think about something for a while before he makes a comment.  It may be even days.  Sometimes he doesn’t talk about it with me because he has either resolved it or decided it wasn’t important or relevant. There are times he will share when it is all over, whether it be a situation at work, home, family or friend.   It is so important to think before we speak and so important for us to respect that about other people. You can usually sense when someone has an issue or something on their mind.  It is good to ask if they want to talk about it; but if they refuse, leave it alone.  Respect them for wanting to think it out bef...

Click on video for Video Introduction Monday, Ecclesiastes Introduction Ecclesiastes Intro Heather Williams THOUGHT My application Bible does a great job outlining and summarizing each book of the Bible, so I can’t take any credit for my devotion today.  I found it interesting that the purpose of this book (according to the Life Application Study Bible) is “to spare future generations the bitterness of learning through their own experience that life is meaningless apart from God”.  My first thought was, ‘Yeah right. Whoever listened to their elders?’ I mean you can tell a kid not to do something, but most of the time they have to learn the hard way.  I pray that as we read this book our ears and minds will be open to what we are learning, and we can take to heart Solomon’s wisdom.  In this book, we will see what Solomon learned in his life.  He learned that the only place to find true happiness in life is through God alone.  And think about where this is co...

  Click on the Title for a Video Introduction Monday,  Numbers Chapter 34 Numbers 34 Jane Jones THOUGHT  The Promised Land was given by God as an Inheritance. WOW!! In today’s world one great item of purchase that is so expensive and a worthy investment is land. Land in Iowa is an easy $5,000/acre. (June 2009)  But yet the Lord led His people to the Promise Land and gave it away. He did not charge for it, bargain with it, set up a lottery, gamble it away.  He just gave it away. He did not let the tribes claim it. He had it all allotted out and gave it away. In today’s world it is very rare where receiving land as a gift is ever done. It is too valuable a tool. Do you think ‘God’s People’ truly appreciated what God gave them? I can’t help but think of the Strayer farm. That farm goes back into the history of time over 130 years, and one day Matt and Bart will be recipients of that land. What an awesome gift that will be. But whether it be land, house, jewels, a F...

Click on the Title for a Video Introduction Monday, Numbers Chapter 30 Numbers 30  Delores Little THOUGHT This is quite the chapter on vows, and how serious they are to God.  Moses reminded the people that their promises to God and others must be kept.  In ancient times, people did not sign written contracts.  A person’s word was as binding as a signature.  To make a vow even more binding, an offering was given along with it.  Breaking a vow meant a broken trust and a broken relationship.  Trust is still the basis of our relationships with God and others.   I’m going to go to Matthew 5:33-37, “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord. But I tell you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And you cannot make even one hair white or bl...