Treasure Hunt in the Bible: Jewels of Hebrews

Who wants to go on a treasure hunt in the Bible? It’s my pleasure to introduce a writer friend for today’s guest post, Stephanie Pavlantos. I had the honor to read through her Bible study, Jewels of Hebrews, and happily endorsed it.

By Stephanie Pavlantos

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matthew 13:44 ESV

I’m a scientist and a researcher. I have always loved science—biology and anatomy, mainly. I worked in cancer and AIDS research, and later I worked as a histotechnologist in a hospital pathology lab. Researching comes naturally to me, as does teaching. 

Teaching is my first love. I taught biology, chemistry, and anatomy in homeschool co-ops, and the Lord called me to teach Bible studies over twenty years ago. Researching the biblical languages, culture, and history are exciting to me. 

Treasure Hunt

However, when the Lord told me He wanted me to write my own Bible studies, I was not a fan. I had no desire to write. Science people write about science, and I didn’t even care to do that. 

As I was wrestling with the Lord about writing, the Lord reminded me of the parable of the man who found a treasure in a field and sold all he had to buy the field. The Holy Spirit impressed me with an understanding of myself; I was a treasure hunter when it came to the Bible. I read scripture like someone who is searching for gems and when I find one I want to show it to everyone who will stop and look.

After I had written half of my Bible study on the book of Hebrews, the Lord reminded me of that parable again. He gave me the theme of the jewels for each chapter—a treasure hunt through Hebrews.

Family Fun: Laugh and Play More Together

In our hurry-up culture, fill-every-spot-on-the-calendar life, and present social media world, we sometimes lose sight of simple pleasures like family fun.

And we forget in all the planning and going and doing to spend quality and fun time with our family…those who mean the most to our hearts. 

Because we all need to laugh more and play more.

But you may wonder how to plan enjoyment for family members including adults and kids of various ages. Yet, most of us are big kids at heart anyway. 

Even if we’ve been adult-ing all day or all week, what better way to bring out the child in us than by a little creative recreation. Then, sometimes add in extended family like grandkids/grandparents or cousins and their parents.

So here are a few ideas with the acrostic “family fun.” I hope these activities inspire the laughing and playing often missing from our lives.

Playing and Laughing More

Fly a kite. While on our beach trip one year, we enjoyed watching a dad and his kids flying a kite near the ocean’s edge. I bet it was one of their trip’s highlights. With so many electronic devices in the hands of kids these days, why not show them a different activity by putting a kite in their hands. And take advantage of windy days in our yard or nearby park.

Assemble something as a team. Maybe a puzzle, a model car, rocket ship, new play set, swing, tent or teepee, a kite, and so on. Kids love to help and they’re invested when they get to try out the item after putting it together. What’s more rewarding and fun at the same time.

Make cookies or cupcakes and decorate. Messy hands and a messy kitchen are the recipe for both yummy and hooray. Whether small kids or teens, icing or sprinkles, admiring or tasting, baking simply produces enjoyment. A glass of cold milk never hurts either. 

4 Things That Never Define Who We Are

It seemed like she looked right through me. 

You’re the pastor’s wife? You’re not what I expected.

Have you ever been anyone’s “not what I expected”? 

If you’ve lived any amount of time on this earth, it’s highly likely. And this certainly wasn’t my first rodeo for not meeting someone’s expectations, and it wouldn’t be my last. 

The Wrong Definitions

Because all the wrong ways others attempt to define us or we attempt to define ourselves, have circulated for countless ages. Really, these false dictionary-attempting claims started in the beginning and in our beginning. 

So, let’s look at 4 things, 4 R’s, that never define who we are.

With each one, we discover how God defines who we are from the book of Truth. 

(1.) Roots never define who we are.

Plants have roots. Those of us who color our hair have roots. People have roots from childhood and family experiences.

Although I started going to church in elementary school, I didn’t have a spiritual upbringing or grounding in God’s Word. So when my parents divorced, I felt unseen and unheard and unloved. 

But when I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior at sixteen, and later had mentors in college and as a woman, I began to grow spiritual roots. 

Our root-system in Christ most accurately describes us: loved, chosen, forgiven, and redeemed. 

If your childhood became cut off from a secure source of parents or family. If decisions in your teen and young adult years caused root-damage. Or, if your marriage feels dried up instead of nourishing, the Lord is your source of nourishment for healthy roots, now. 

As we walk closely with the Lord, we become rooted and established in the faith (Colossians 2:6-7).

Jesus establishes our correct identity in Him. 

(2.) Rejections never define who we are.

Find Your Voice and Tell Your Story

Tell us a story, Mama.

My kids often requested to hear a story when they were little. Sometimes from a storybook just waiting for us to get lost in the pages of a narrative. 

They enjoyed everything from classic tales of fictional characters to Bible stories about real people and about Jesus. 

But some of my son and daughter’s favorite stories came from my own childhood. True accounts of my favorite activities, my pets and their names, and what I did to get in trouble and details of my punishment—just to name a few.

As a lover of both the written and spoken word, I’ve always seemed to realize the power of story.

Yet, it took me a bit longer to realize that I have a unique voice and story to share with others, especially my God story.

And so do you, friend.

Look at Psalm 107:2 in the NIV, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe” (emphasis added).

Here are three things to consider as you find your voice to tell your story.

Find Your Voice: Reflect on your life up to this point.

When we look over the chapters of our lives, there are highlights and lowlights and things we’d rather not remember. But we can see it all as something God uses to grow us into His image, help others, and for His glory.

Practice Self-control with Every Fruit of the Spirit

Although self-control begins with the word self, we ourselves can’t nurture it, much less muster up the power to practice it. Because self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.

I’d heard about the “freshman fifteen.” But I set out with ample willpower to avoid gaining fifteen pounds as I entered my first year in college.

And you know what? I didn’t gain fifteen pounds. Instead, I think I gained a little more. Yikes! 

Then, there were girls on the opposite end of the spectrum who starved themselves to be bone-thin. Self-control taken to an unhealthy level.

Whether it’s eating habits or ways we self-medicate to deal with deeper issues, there’s something we often fail to understand about self-control from a biblical perspective. We don’t possess the power to practice it, it’s only through the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5 encourages us to walk by the Spirit, not to gratify the desires of the flesh (verse 16). The chapter provides a list of fleshly desires such as drunkenness, sexual immorality, impurity, rivalry, strife, jealousy, anger, divisions, dissensions, envy, enmity, sensuality “and things like these” (verses 19-21).

But here’s the stark opposite to the works of the flesh. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

I’ve often wondered why self-control is listed last. Have you?

Perhaps self-control is partly gained from allowing the Holy Spirit to grow and cultivate in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. 

So let’s compare and contrast the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit through reflective questions and thoughts.

Self-control practices love over jealousy and envy.

Why We Never Stop Pursuing our Spouse

There’s one thing about a love story that’s my favorite part, pursuing one another.

It goes something like this.

Guy meets girl. A mutual interest piques. So the couple dates and spends time together. 

Love grows and blooms until the storyline reaches an apex, “Will you marry me and be mine forever?” 

But there’s something we often overlook in the best love stories: both guy and girl actively pursue each other.

Most of our own love stories followed the same narrative. During the dating period we pursued and loved our spouse with all our energy and they likely reciprocated. Think back, this was my experience, was it yours?

Sadly, once we are married, the pursuing usually comes to a screeching halt. But that’s not what God intended.

What Pursuing Means

What does pursuing really mean? Take a look at these definitions:

Pursuit – interests and attempts to achieve something. (Collins Dictionary)

Pursue – to follow in order to overtake; to engage, chase. (Merriam-Webster)

Pursuit – an effort to secure or attain. (Dictonary.com)

Pursuit – the act of striving to gain or accomplish something. (The Free Dictionary)

Now that we see what pursuing means, it gives us insight into the reasons why it usually stops after we marry. Notice the words above: achieve, secure, attain, gain, and accomplish.

When the pursuing ended with what we wanted, we got the guy or girl, what reason is there to pursue now?

Why Pursue Now

10 Marriage Blessings to Never Take for Granted

My husband and I celebrated thirty-six years of marriage this week. And I know our marriage blessings always far outweigh the hard times.

Still, sometimes we form a perspective through a lens of what’s wrong with the world and our lives.

So that makes it easy to draw attention to the weak spots in our marriage.

Then we forget the great blessings we receive from God in simply being married.

Maybe we can easily jot down what’s wrong in our marriage or what we want out of our marriage. Perhaps we find it difficult to complete a list of blessings. 

Anybody relate? My hand’s raised.

But the most concerning thing is what I found as antonyms of “blessing.” According to synonyms.com the opposite of blessings includes: disapproval, curse, rejection, depreciation, negate, invalidate, dislike, boycott, and dishonor.

Now, take a look at synonyms for blessings: approval, acceptance, grace, support, reward, backing, mercy, and thanksgiving.

Yet, as soon as we said, “I do,” God placed a calling on our lives. Along with this calling, doesn’t it make sense to form our perspective through the lens of God’s grace and mercy, and His blessings? 

Friends, this includes the blessings in our marriage. So, let’s start with a list of 10 marriage blessings.

Wonderful Marriage Blessings 

(1.) The blessing of oneness. To be one with our spouse is one of the great mysteries and rewards of marriage. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31 (ESV)

(2.) The blessing of togetherness. Let’s not take our marriage for granted. Think about how many women and men feel alone with no plus one. “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Mark 10:9 (ESV)

God Bankrupted Heaven to Save Us

God bankrupted heaven for me and for you.

You’ve probably heard it said that Jesus left the splendor of heaven to dwell on earth with mere humans.

So when Christ left the heavenly realm, He left behind all that the word splendor reveals: Great fame or glory, great light or luster; brilliance, magnificent appearance, display or grandeur. (Yourdictionary.com)

Still, there’s more. Jesus also left behind a close and intimate fellowship with the rest of the godhead, God the Father and the Holy Spirit. And He left behind those who never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Revelation 4:8 (ESV)

But He left. And heaven was not the same until He returned.

Heaven Bankrupted: Jesus Saves

Those daydreams of shining knights coming to save the day and us. The people we hope will swoop in as a hero over our difficult circumstances and life’s unexpected curve balls. They all have cracks in their armor or holes in their capes. 

But Jesus steps in and rescues us from areas in our life marked: Rescue needed. 

These are our real needs. These are the areas where a true rescue needs to take place. Such as forgiveness, mercy, and grace for sin. Like unconditional love and real peace only found in our Savior.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV)

Jesus saves. He came to die for the salvation of all people; anyone who believes and accepts eternal life.

Hope was Always Coming and God Knew

One day we will see, hope was always coming and God knew.

Peeking through the curtain and scanning the audience, I hoped my entire family was coming.

I’d landed my first high-school role in the broadway musical, South Pacific. Thankfully, my character as the island girl, Liat, called for more speaking parts than singing—not my strong suit.

With sweaty palms and a rush of adrenaline, I checked the seats again.

If my people were coming, I wondered if I’d make them proud when I took my final bow.

From side stage during the first scene, my gaze spotted them through the blinding light. All my loved ones occupied the entire third row. They’re here, now break a leg.

I found my groove and remembered my few lines with no blunders. But my glory days as an actress ended soon after.

Before History, God Knew

History also recounts a glory day when hope was coming.

Over 2000 years ago, God set the stage for a story of hope to unfold.

The birth of the Christ-child took place in a lowly stable where animals occupied the front-row seats.

Jesus grew and carried out the heavenly Father’s will. The supernatural happened in His presence. He served the community and reached out to wanderers, outcasts, and the wayward lost without hope.

Hope was always coming. And God knew.

Before An Empty Tomb, God Knew

7 Things Our Souls Search For

Do you search for things?

Because most of us search for items almost daily.

Like when our husband questions the whereabouts of black dress socks or a t-shirt (hopefully not to wear together).

Or our teen wonders where the car keys are.

We try to locate our cell phone. Maybe it’s the pen we need to jot down an important note.

Perhaps our toddler misplaces her favorite toy (this makes for a traumatic day).

And the needed spice for dinner’s main dish is somewhere in this kitchen.

But not only are we in need of tangible stuff to function in our daily routine.

Our souls search for the intangible items that make life full and meaningful.

Here are 7 things our souls search for and what God’s Word says about each.

Searching for Hope? 

Every soul in the world searches for hope at some point in life. Yet, hope the world offers eventually fizzles and fades away. But real and lasting hope only comes through God.

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” Psalm 62:5

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

(Scripture ESV, emphasis added)