Comments for January 27,2014

It was a quiet week-end. Saturday exercise was literally a walk in the park (almost four miles…we picked up Kim and met Bob and his cousin Mike at Rudy’s for a late lunch or early dinner (5:00). After that we came back to Bud’s house and played cards. On Sunday, B and K picked us up for church. After church we all took a Bike ride from Tumbleweed Park to Gilbert and Warren. Round trip 11 miles. Later we met Rusty and Crystal for pizza and a beer. My reading is up to date but have not written for a couple of days. Now in Genesis I’m getting to the story of Moses and how God uses him to get the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses has been hiding out for about forty years. He is about eighty now and just getting prepared for the biggest adventure of his life. Think about the the things in the Bible that seem to be most unlikely. God an do anything. He especially can and will do things that we cannot do. Some believe the Universe just happened by accident.. It is much easier for me to believe that for every effect there is a cause. Stuff does not just happen. The evidence around us is very clear. Makes it difficult to believe that the more important things just happen by accident. How can one man possibly get the people out of Egypt? Try to imagine a series of events Moses could cause that would result in Pharaoh expelling the Israelites from Egypt. Or, try to imagine God selecting you for the job. Where would you begin? How is it that we do what we do and go where we go? Is it just by chance? Or, is there a cause? There are some important questions I think we need to answer. Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Was Moses thinking about these question? Do you think about these questions? Do your children think about these question? Do your friends think about these questions? Why not ask them? Can we ask God these question? Should we? Maybe He has been answering the questions without our asking? Maybe we haven’t been listening? How many burning bushes have you walked by without noticing?

More from January 5, 2014

Proverbs 1:17 If a bird see a trap it is wise enough to stay away from it.. Are we? This is question is  raise by part of my Bible Reading for the day. Am I wise enough to stay away from the trap of a den of sinners? Do I not know how dangerous it is to fall into that trap? Do you have a natural fear of going too close to a steep and high cliff? Do we naturally fear falling? Where does that safety feature come from. When we were first born, as an infant, did we posses these safety features? Or, were we taught them by parents, other family members, friends and the experiences of getting hurt? How do we learn these seemingly natural responses to danger?  I believe our Father in Heaven teaches us these things. Sometimes I get the point and pay attention. Other times I don't do so well. What is the best way to live life? How do we find out? Who can teach us? Should we just do it ourselves? Or, should we choose a guide? Perhaps we already have the best guide available to us, but refuse to follow? Think on these things. Is it better to drift along or, to have a plan? If you decide on a plan, how would you build it? Where would you get your information? I have found the readings in these scriptures loaded with good advice. The advice is helpful in worldly living. The advice is also helpful in planning life for eternity. In fact, it is probably mandatory. 

Comments January 25, 2014

Once again, I skipped a day. The readings from the Tyndale One Year Bible were completed. The writing yesterday was not. The story of God’s people moves on. Readings from OT and NT are to a degree parallel. Same continuing story, much different time frames and places. In the NT we are much closer to the final act of revelation. God is about to make a most mysterious announcement and will provide a tortuous solution to the plight of His people. They have disobeyed and He will provide a solution that will deliver us all from eternal damnation. The deliverance (forgiveness) is very costly. Here he points out the cost of forgiveness. It is impossible to forgive someone without given up much. When you forgive someone, truly forgive, you sacrifice much. It costs you. You are required to pay for their mistake. If you require them to pay, it is not forgiveness on your part. Just overlooking the the injury they have done to you is not good enough. The event and all its damage must be put behind us. It is not as if it never happened. No, we have to pay dearly for our friends mistake. It cost us, it hurt us. You can excuse them for nothing. But, forgiveness is expensive. Jesus not only died for our sins, He also lay separated from the Father for three days. It was agonizing. This is the good news of the Gospel. The Gospel is the story of our redemption. The entire Bible tells the story of God’s redeeming love. Every step of the way from the fall in Genesis 3 is a revelation about what God is doing to redeem His creation. In Genesis we are learning how God is preparing to bring His chosen people out to Egypt and eventually get them to the Promised Land. In Matthew we learn about the preparation for the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus tells how He will build His church on the Rock (Peter). The Church continues to grow around the world today. Not so much in Europe and the US now. But, more in China and South America. It will happen, it is happening. Satan and his army are still at work. Satan will lose. As for me and my house, We will serve the Lord!

Reading for January 22-23,2014

These thoughts are covering both the 22nd and 23rd of January. Seems I missed yesterday. Joseph is still working to get his father, brothers and their families to Egypt. This is another part of God’s plan for the Israelites and for all of us. How important is this story to you? How important do you think it should be? These writings from the hand of God’s servants are another aspect of His all consuming love. These writings are His story, our story, your story and my story. I proclaim to you that there is one and only one living God. He alone is responsible for all that you and I can see or do in this, His creation. Read His words. Those who embrace the words and believe will go on to live in eternity with the living God. Those who reject these words are doomed to eternal damnation. While God loves and cares for all His creation He will not change the outcome. He has provided a way to salvation and eternal life for all His creation. But, He will not force it on anyone. We must choose. In the same way, it is impossible for us to force a way of life on any of our friends, family or neighbors. We can boldly suggest and recommend. But, we cannot make them choose. We observe attempts at this all the time. People through governments, federal, state, local and even HOAs try to impose rules (a way of life) on their friends and neighbors. Mostly, I hope, they do this with good intentions. God has already given us the rules. He continues to explain no more are needed. Do we believe? These stories are the communication of the journey or trip God has given us. When we were created we were given a place in this journey. You have a part to play. You have an important role. You are proceeding down that path. Whether you like it or accept it is up to you. We can go willingly or kicking and screaming. It is our choice. The end result for us is up to us. God’s end result is assured. He has the power and the majesty to accomplish that which He set out to do. Because of God I love all you who do or don’t read these words. I urge you to listen to the supreme, one and only true God. You will be glad you did. So, the story goes on. We are given information about the future in the Bible. We do not however see it all clearly. We cannot. Did God create the Earth and the other heavenly bodies. We have no proof of that. Also, there is no proof He didn’t. Scientist continue to search and are unable to see how something has been made out of nothing by nobody. For me its much easier to believe in God than in nothing.

Comments for January 21,2014

This is the day The Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  We received an email from our friend Sally Holliday this morning. Her husband and our friend died last evening. His brother John died last week. I am saddened and I grieve this loss. Mostly I grieve for Sally. She will miss Ralph greatly.  This life here on earth in the world as we know it is temporary. Ralph has gone on to be in the loving arms of his Father in Heaven. I am blessed by having known and communed with Ralph. With his life, he has made my life richer and more meaningful. Thank you God for Ralph.  Today we read the first 36 verses of Psalm 18. This was written by David. David like many of us is confused regarding our own capabilities. Notice how David speaks of his action being what he David was able to do. And, he talks about the rewards God showers on him for his good behavior. We all know we should be good. And, we want to be rewarded for our good behavior. We even think others should be rewarded for good behavior. Even Pavlov's dog learned behavior that was rewarded. The problem is and thousands of years of experience teach it, we are not able to be good. The best behaved people who have ever lived have some nasty deeds hidden in their closets. With our friends, we have forgiven the bad deeds we know about. In a sense, we have forgiven all their bad deeds...even the ones we don't know about. When one is revealed we might say... Oh! I don't believe that.  Later in Psalm 18, David does give the credit for his good behavior to God. We can do that too. Or can we? Are we able to trust God enough to grant Him the power and wisdom to be responsible for all of creation. Many people seem to believe in a God or, not believe in a God, who is big enough to do it all and more. Can I trust God enough to let Him be God? Or, do I want to make God over into some smaller limited version? Of course, I can only do that in my mind. God is God and none of us individually or collectively can alter the situation. God knows we have tried. Satan at least does it openly and admits his intentions.  Shift gears with me and think more about, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like"... If we didn't have the evil present in the world, how would we be able to understand the contrasting characteristics of right and wrong? Should we be grateful for the sins of our friends, noting that they help us learn more about God and His identity. Perhaps we should just accept our condition. And, be grateful for a loving, merciful Father. We are loved by a God who knows us better than we know ourselves. He loves us more than we can ever know. And, He loves us in our worst condition. He loves us when we are down and out. He loves us when we we can't love ourselves. He wants to grant us mercy and shower us with grace. He sent Jesus to pay the penalty that fulfills the demands of God's justice. He has covered it all. When we decide to wholeheartedly follow Him, He grants us righteousnss. 

Bible Comments for 1/20/2014

Readings from Matthew. What is the Kingdom of heaven like? In chapter 13 beginning at verse 24, we read five parable stories beginning with “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” Then at the end of the section, Jesus begins to decipher the parables for the his disciples. Notice how we are to live in the world amongst the wheat and the weeds. The world will contain good and bad people living side by side. And, we are not to try and remove the bad people. That will happen at harvest time. The angels will come and remove all the evil and it will be burned in the fiery furnace. So then, it is not our job to clean up the world? What is our job? Love God, love people and go make disciples. I notice by looking around how we get that mixed up. We have jails. We lock people up, we even execute the really bad ones. On a smaller scale, we classify and characterize people into the good and bad categories. Think about these statements more. This is one way of describing the a characteristic of “The Kingdom of Heaven.” The passage begins with, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…”. Is the description as simple and clear as I read in verses 36-43? The angels will be able to pick out the righteous because they shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. If we are truly followers of Jesus, we will shine. The angels will be able to distinguish the righteous. Their light will shine. How do we make our light shine? I don’t think we can do it. Only God can make us shine with His brilliance. We don’t get there by trying to be good. We don’t get there by getting rid of the evil around us. We get there by being a follower of Jesus. Follow God, obey Him and he will make your light shine.

Comments from Bible Reading 1/19/2014

Bible Reading Comments from 1/19/2014 Its Sunday. We are still reading from Genesis, Matthew, Psalm and Proverbs. Joseph is in Egypt serving in Potiphar’s house. Why do we get tempted? And, why do we usually handle it wrong? Joseph tried to flee from Potiphar’s wife. But, even that didn’t work. Did God want him to be caught, trapped by this temptation? Did he need to get back into prison? He later became useful to God. Was Joseph supposed to learn something. Or, are we just supposed to be faithful? When we meet others, are we judgmental? Do we ask ourselves, God and others why some people are so ignorant? Is that really appropriate? Read the story again. Think on these questions. Look back on your own life and evaluate. What is your attitude and expectation when it comes to knowing and trying to follow God? The parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed. Or, is it the parable of the Soils? Or, is Jesus just explaining why He talks in parables? Do you understand? Are you supposed to understand? Or, are you just supposed to obey! Do I need to be convinced or just believe? What is this business about election and being chosen? Are you chosen? I think so, but, have you repented? What does it mean to repent? Did we do something wrong? Did I? Have I ever? How can I get out of that hole? Some times I like to pretend I did not dig the hole, its not my fault, its just who I am. Who are you? Who do you want to be? Is it okay to have expectations? Can expectations be avoided? Do you like your friends all the time? Do you have a friend who is always faithful? Are you a friend to someone you have never betrayed? Is it possible? Read the lament of the Psalmist. Does it sound like you feel? The same story is told again in Proverbs today. I am so grateful for the Word of God.