 Like the Borg in Star Trek ( "Borg" was a derogatory abbreviation of "cyborg" used by many inhabitants of the galaxy, including those residing on Aduba-3, in contrast to "normal organics." Google), Rome would conquer the Tribes or cities in their path and assistmilate them into their New World Order.
Each of the families that were conquered were adopted by a Roman Family and became fully vetted by the Romans as heirs with an inheiritance, be sealed, and learn how to conduct themselves as Romans. This Star Trek analogy may help us understand that we, those in Jesus are:
More reminders to the Jewish and Gentile Believers in Ephesus and to believers today that spiritual blessings are different than earthly blessings. so set your affections on those things above and not on things on earth. There is a world beyond the one in which we live that will last forever, unlike this one, which is a blessing because when all things are made new there will be no more crying and no more pain. Spiritual Blessings explained simply in this Episode:
Episode # 155 "Our Treasures in the final frontier of Heaven" posts Tuesday March 29, 2022. More at the Blog Moments with Moni Email me at Momentswithmoni1@gmail.com This week's Sponsor: The Quilter's Life Guard your heart with all dilligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 Moni
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 Episode #153
There is much talk of being prepared for the ugly times ahead that many are predicting and encouraging you to be prepared for the worst but hope for the best. There is also much talk about the loss of strength and power of the United States but with all that talk, I don’t hear much talk about being spiritually prepared for what is coming at the end of this Church Age. Barna Group Statistics claimed that:
When I was young and learning the Word and then sharing with others I was always reminded about the saying that the Truth of the scriptures is only one generation away from being lost forever. With statistics like this, it looks like we are very close to another prophecy, a forth telling of God’s word that may soon come to light. In this Church Age we are to defend the faith and keep the scriptures pure and yet if we look around we see more opinions than doctrines. For quite some time, words have been changed to confuse listeners and attacks on absolute truth have made way fro circular logic. Such Non-conclusionists give us pretty firm absolute comments when their aim is to convince others that they are not irrational in their belief of differentiating knowledge from belief and then question belief to deny religious truth. For example Nihalists that “believe” that all values are baseless and reject the general, fundamental aspects of human existence, such as “objective truth” which is just another example of circular non-logic. They say it is not provable to the intellectual theist, only interpretive. Which makes me wonder how they can believe that statement since they can’t believe in anything. So, a ”religious” fear, would overwhelm their so called “rational thought”, with their truth being science, technology and evolution. In the end with these “beliefs” they are only “closer to their truth” with no real conclusion as the circular logic goes round and round. Sure makes for great intellectual conversations, but we were warned that these last days that the longer the King is gone, the worse it will be and the endless intellectual conversations, and quest for intellectual interpretiveness, will not bring them to the the knowledge of the Truth. God has clearly said to take hold of the truth, but where are we to find it in a world where the meaning of words are being changed to confuse and divide. How are we to gather a Literal, foundation of the truth if Literalism now defines literal as a bad word. It wouldn’t be so bad if these things were going on outside of the church because we wouldn’t expect unbelievers to act according to the scriptures, but it goes deep into the heart of the churches which is reflected in the statistics we heard earlier. Another saying from days past that has swirled about is “Don’t preach to the Choir” God is also clear when He says, judgement begins at the House of God, perhaps it’s time to preach to the choir once more. Now that we are finished with the Book of Ruth, it might be time for a “spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down,” Oh wait no, that’s from a fairytale. Time for some doctrine and definitions along with application in the arena of life. Gather your notebook, and pen or pencil, and listen in as we begin with some background and History of the culture. Let’s grab hold of the truth together as we dig into the Book of Ephesians. Historical Background Cultural Insights Ephesians 1:1-3 If you enjoy the Podcast:
Feel free to email me with comments or questions Momentswithmoni1@gmail.com  Going Deeper into Ruth Chapter 4 I mentioned most of the following on Episode #152, however I thought it might be nice to have this in print for you to be able to read and reference. In verses 11 & 12 of Chapter 4, the crowd pronounced blessings on Ruth and Boaz that had to do with fertility and referred back to Genesis 29-30 and Genesis 38. You might like to read why the blessings had to do with Rachel and Leah, and Tamar. Between the verses of 12 and 13, the wedding ceremony would have taken place, but was not mentioned. We may forget that time and life passes quickly from one verse to the next without much detail. So let’s dig a little deeper. Boaz, as God had declared, had found a virtuous woman. This brings a picture of full restoration to the land and the family. The Hebrews are married under what’s called a Huppa, which is like the covering on the threshing floor. The Huppa signified the covering of God on the couple. A picture of the covenant between God and the married couple. Culturally, the Huppa was a promise from God that if they go His way in life He would cover them. Under the Huppa, God’s covering, Boaz made it possible once more for Ruth and Naomi to live on their land. As you have read through your Bible, what is it that God promises to do for Israel? Yes, to bring them back to their land as a Nation which is in the process of happening. There is another Covenant promise that God made to the Hebrews, and the Millennial Kingdom will be the fulfillment of this promise. What kind of promise does God make to the Church in the verses below?
There were other obstacles. Deuteronomy 23:2-3, God’s own words tell us that if there be a child with a Jewish Father, and a heathen mother, that for ten generations they are not to enter the congregation of the Lord. An Ammonite or a Moabite was not to enter into the congregation for ten generations. Why? I was just reading this in my personal study time recently. Deuteronomy 23:4 tells us because the Ammorites and Moabites did not meet Israel with bread and water when they came out of Egypt and because they hired Balaam, the one who spoke with donkeys, to curse Israel. However once more, God’s mercy shines through.
All things work together for our good and His glory! May we as the Church all be serving worshippers of the Lord most High, as we are grafted into Israel, provoking each other to good works, comforting each other with the Hope of our parallel futures of the wife of God, and the Bride of Christ. Our next stop on our Journey through the Word of God will be revealed on next week’s Episode of Moments with Moni. God bless you as you dig deeper into His Word and come to know Him more intimately. Guard your heart with all dilliegence, for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 Feel free to email me with comments or questions. I'd love to hear from you.   The World seems to be spinning faster in the direction of self destruction. Conflicting News reports from all angles bombard us as we seek to live our lives. We are reminded in the scriptures to pray without ceasing, that we might live quiet and peaceable lives. If we have read the rest of the story, the answers are at the back of the book. Revelation reveals first Jesus, and then the end times prophecies, the forth telling of God's Word. Sometimes we may feel like we are at the end of our rope, until we remember we have Hope. This world is not our Home. While we are on this earth, we are sojourners, just like Ruth and Naomi. There was a proposal in this weeks podcast, albeit a strange one. At this point, it's a bit complicated, but aren't all relationships complicated? Romance and Redemption all rolled into a story from the past that helps explain a story in Revelation 5, that makes clear our Eternal Redemption. Layer upon layer the mystery is revealed. No need to panic, for our Redeemer has already handled the matter and sits at the right hand of the Throne waiting for word from the Father to Come for His Bride. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come quickly. Tune in to Episdoe 150- Ruth Proposes to Boaz. Rest assured, God will take care of your too. Naomi replied, “Be patient my daughter, until you learn how this works out, because the man won't rest until he finishes everything today.”  
 In this week's episode #148, our Heroine seeks refuge in Bethlehem and jumps straight into action to find food for herself and Naomi. Ever been in a difficult situation and find all you can do is take one more step? Ruth took that step and found herself in the field of a kind and generous man who offered to let her stay safely on his land while she gleaned after his servants who were harvesting his fields. Levitical law gave Ruth the right to do what she was doing, but she still asked in humility for the permission to do so. We find that her humility and hard work are rewarded greatly by someone who is a stranger to her.
Who is this man that Ruth has encountered? Naomi was wondering the same thing when Ruth came home with 30-50 pounds of grain after one day's gleaning. I imagine Naomi sitting, listening to Ruth tell her story of the day's events, while waiting for the bottom line. Ruth shared her tale of the day and not till the very last word did Ruth reveal a bombshell. At this point Boaz knows, Naomi knows, but Ruth is still left in the dark. If you have listened in to the Podcast you would know what this bombshell is. Have you ben keeping up with the worksheets? Have you at least printed them out for future reference? I make them a smiple black and white download so it doesn't use alot of ink. Today's Worksheet for Week 5 will be at the bottom of this post. As for last week's Worksheet, I shared about making some bread for a neighbor or friend or family, so I decided to take some time last Saturday when we were under a few inches of "snow cone" type ice crystals, to bake some Stollen. Stollen is a German Christmas Bread that contains fruit and nuts and maziparn, an almond paste. I usually make it for Christmas, but it's was in the 70's here in Arkansas this past Christmas and the last thing I wanted to do was turn on the oven with a houseful. In fact, we turned on the airconditioner for a few hours just so it would remind us of cold winters back in North Idaho. So I took advantage of the cold snap to bake using the oven. I took pictures of my endeavour to show you how it turned out, but here is the Link with instructions and the recipe for German Christmas Bread. I also made some White Chocolate Lavender Scones, and Sourdough Cranberry Pecan Scones. It was all to share at a Party, so there were plenty of people to enjoy the charchuterie Board with slices and dried fruit. I did change the recipe a little. I used rum extract and hot water to soak the fruit and nuts, instead of actual rum. The Stollen also keeps well, if wrapped, in the freezer for those Moments with Moni and and impromptu Kaffee Klatsch at the Table. There is always room at God's Table. 
 Yes, some actually consider the Bible an antidote to insomnia. Some consider the Book of Ruth a Romantic Chick Flick script for Women's Bible Study. If we stop to dig deeper into the words, the grammar, the culture, just little bits throughout the book and we begin to see a much bigger picture. Not just a damsel in distress who needs a Hero, but a story that describes the New Testament Principles of surrender, salvation, grace, and sojourning in a forgein land. Ruth's intent is to help Naomi and herself by gleaning in the fields at the time of the Barley Harvest. Naomi came back to Bethlehem with a bitter heart, and empty handed. Those that stayed in Bethlehem during the famine in the land, are now reaping the benefits of God's grace as there is now harvest that is bringing joy to the inhabitants of the land. Might it have been Naomi's heart to come home to die? Perhaps. Sometimes we get to the end of our rope and life looks to difficult to keep going, but God has other plans. Listen in to the Episode #147 and gain some encouragement as you come to grips with the answer to the question we all ask God at one time or another...Who Am I? Worksheet Download Below. PS: The Winner of the Amazon Gift Card Giveaway is announced at the end of this week's Episode. February 1st at 12:15 AM 
 Greetings! It has been such a pleasure to get to know new listeners and get caught up with others. You are such an encouragement to me as I go through the Book of Ruth, and my prayer is that as you go through the study and listen to the Holy Spirit speak to you through the scripture that you grow deeper in love with Your Kinsman Redeemer.My plan was to add some Bonus material on bread baking alongside this study, so I thought I'd share my recent endeavors in this area. For my own health, it has been such a blessing for me to delve into the arena of Sourdough. However, I have let fear hold me back from baking sourdough. It all looked so complicated. There were so many recipes to choose from although the basic ingredients were flour, water, an starter. The first step into this world, was creating a sourdough starter. Sourdough Starter 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup filtered water Stir ingredients in a quart jar Cover with a paper coffee filter and rubber band Let sit for 24 hours Repeat about three times and then Voila! You will see little bubbles rising in your starter. But wait there is more. This starter is not strong enough to make any thing with yet. Second Stage Sourdough Starter In a clean quart jar, mix until all wet 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup filtered water Add 1 cup of the previous jars starter and discard the rest of original starter. Mix thoroughly, cover with filter and rubber band. Feed this new sarter for three days (1/2 cup flour& 1/2 cup filtered water) changing to a new jar each time. Now you have another baby to feed in the house each day, or place covered in the fridge until needed. The tough mental mind shift is over. You have made it past round one. This is where I took a few weeks of feeding my new starter and strengthening it before I found a recipe I was willing to attempt. Mind you, I have baked lots of bread in my life and wasn't afraid of that, but it was stepping out into this new area. It's a good thing that Ruth didn't let her fear hold her back and left Moab to travel to Bethlehem with Naomi. I figured if Ruth can make that journey and follow Naomi, then I can follow a recipe!  Thankfully I have many guinea pigs that are willing to eat my experiments. Unfortunately I am not very good at following recipes and it was still too warm in the South for me to turn on the oven to bake, so I adapted a bread machine recipe of a sourdough and yeast mix, and out came this beauty. The aroma was heavenly. You know Heaven will smell like Bread right? Well, perhaps not but it was a very Pleasant aroma. Perhaps it was Oud de Parfum Naomi, the pleasant one. If you are going through the study, you should get my drift, and if not, when you bake bread, it will fill your senses. Well, now the whole family and extended family was on board with me making Bread and my Christmas Gifts from them, shall we say, encouraged that pleasant direction. This success gave me courage to attempt a complete sourdough recipe. So I searched high and low for a new recipe, and attempted sourdough rolls. The home smelled wonderful all day long as it rose, and they looked beautiful. However, it was a flop. The rolls were tough and not that tasty. We tried them sliced in half and toasted but still not worth the butter to eat them. They would have been great hockey pucks. I also tried to make sourdough crakers with a bit more of the discard, which were too thick, tough and chewy. But I will not give up!  Christmas also brought with it a two paddle Bread machine, which makes a loaf that looks like a store bought loaf. I searched the recipe book that came with the machine and found a recipe that I could adapt and add some sourdough starter and make a loaf. Success! Great flavor and great texture in one. This recipe uses pineappple juice to sweeten the dough. It is a recipe for the bread machine, but you can always use the dough setting to prepare it, or make it in a bowl or misxer, and bake it in the oven. You can find the recipe at the Be Happy and do Good Blog. If you are in the North under all that snow, or even in the South with our cold mornings, the oven will work nicely if you don't have a bread machine. If you have extra, I'm sure a family member, or neighbor would love it if you shared. I'd love to hear about your bread making adventures. The Super Soft Bread Machine Hawaiian Bread Recipe  A few reminders:
Taste and see the Lord, is good. Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8   Radical Ruth Ep #145 will post on Tuesday January 18th at 12:15 AM CST. Make sure you listen in for the Special Annoucement in this Episode. A superficial look at the words in Ruth would make a great Hallmark Card, but when we look deeper we can see history, culture and prophecy blend perfectly into commitment, radical love and redemption. Is your heart grounded in what God wants for you or will emotions and pain redirect your path. Will you turn away from Him, or will you cleave to Him? There is no more male in Naomi's life in this patriarchal society. The choice is now in Naomi's lap and we tune in to see her decision. Orpah and Ruth are given choices as well, choose a forgein land or stick with what they know. Is our heart grounded in what God wants for us or will emotions and pain redirect our path. Will we turn away from Him, or will we cleave to Him? I invite you download the FREE Worksheet for Episode 145 in the link below.
 Hello one and all~ So happy to have you join the journey through Ruth! Tragedy and & Death are the first things we encounter in this epic story of Theological Art. I would be remiss in allowing you to consider this just a Women's Bible Study Book when there is Romance as well as Redemption woven through this little book. It all begins in Genesis, weaves it's way through other Old Testament Books, including Leviticus, you know the book you read when you can't get to sleep and suddenly, you sleep. Well, we follow the thread that weaves this all together, we will see it end in the Book of Revelation. The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, is not mentioned in Ruth, but His Covenant Plan of Redeeming Israel and The Church, comes to life when we meet this family and the Kinsman Redeemer. Episode 144 Tragedy & Death posts at 12:15 am CST on Moments with Moni After listening to the Episode, remember to apply S.O.A.P. liberally this week. S. Choose a Scripture from today's lesson O. Write down you Observation of the text A. Consider how to apply it to your own life. P. Write a love letter to the Lord in Prayer Thank you for sending in your questions and comments! Q & A 1. Do I need to purchase a book for this Study? No! No extra book is needed. Only Your Bible, a journal or notebook, and a pen. 2. Is there a fee for this Study? No! There is no fee for this Study. Freely I have been given and freely I give. 3. What if I miss a week? You can always come here to Moments with Moni and listen to every single podcast I have recorded for FREE! If you fall behind, you can binge listen on your own time. 4. If I want to go deeper in the study than what is on the Podcast, how can I do that? I will be adding some worksheets to the Blog post that corresponds to the Episode that you can dowload with more information to help you dig deeper on your own. The Worksheets will be helpful wether you go for a deeper dive into your Bibole or not. 5. How can I help support Moments with Moni? A. I ask for your prayers, that the Podcast would continue to be salt and light in dark world. B. You can share an episode with a friend, or leave a review on one of the Podcast platforms. C. Click on the bright yellow button on the Homepage of Moments with Moni and "Buy me a Coffee" D. Fill out the popup request on Moments with Moni, to sign up for the Newsletter so you don't miss an episode or miss information on upcoming events. If you haven't noticed by now, everything you need is at Momentswithmoni.com The Midline Markers that I mention on the Podcast come highly recommended by Glori Winders! Thanks Glori! They are no bleed markers that I like to use in my journaling Bible, and my journal. With all the house details taken care of, don't forget to download your worksheet at the bottom of this post. May the Lord bless you as you come to know Him more intimately through the love letters He has left for His Bride. 
  The Book of Ruth is known as a work of "Theological Art" well as a story of:
So as we dig into the story and it's historical and cultural facts, we are bound to find something new to help us understand God's grand plan for mankind. Join us this Tuesday, January 4th, 2022, as we begin with the Intro to Ruth Episode 143 of Moments with Moni Podcast The episode will usually post by Tuesday 12:15 am You can download a FREE pdf of The Ruth Study Book mark below to help you remember the S.O.A.P. method of study. Download in black & white or color and resize or double the print to give to a friend or relative to go through the study together. Suggested Study Supplies: Bible Journal or Notebook (It doesn't have to be anything fancy. In the past, I covered a composition book with fabric using a glue gun, or make it as fancy as you would like. Be creative.) Pen or pencil Coffee or Tea is optional but nice on these cold winter days. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at momentswtihmoni1@gmail.com or text Moni at 1-703-951-3077 I look forward to hearing from you. We can also share our thoughts on the Moments with Moni Private Facebook Community Group www.facebook.com/groups/300492231127901 Episode 143
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