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Where did he go??
OK, so it appears the author of this blog dropped off the face of the earth back after his end of May posting. So the 1 year bible is looking more like the 1.5 to 1.75 year bible:) As life goes on and we go through our seasons of ups, downs and sideways it's good to reflect back on the things that really matter. Staying focused on God is #1. His guidance will take care of the rest......It appears he's vearing me back on coarse:)
May 28 - May 31 - The Hour Has Come
Ok, so now I'm on my own reading schedule:) Not exactly hitting the days on track but still reading, learning and always experiencing. We left off with David sinning with Bathsheba and paid dearly for it by the death of their son. Then he slept with her and they had another son Solomon. Now David had another son named Absalom who's mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur. Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar and her half brother, named Amnon, was obsessed with her. Amnon raped her then suddenly his love turned to hate and he hated her more than he loved her. Absalom eventually has Amnon killed and fled to his grandfather the king of Geshur. He stayed there for 3 years. There's a cool quote a woman from Tekoa says to King David. "Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him." aaaaaaawwwwesome:) Now things motor on and Absalom gets a big head and he stirs up a rebellion against King David because he wants to become king. Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel and they began to follow him not David. He looked to Ahithophel and Hushai for advice and went with Hushai's advice on how to defeat King David and his people. Now all of this was happening as part of God's plan. "For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!"
Ahithophel realized that this advice had not been followed so he killed himself. uhhhhhhhhhhh OK taking it a little hard but part of God's plan!
David went to Mahanaim and was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash and by Makir son of Ammiel and by Barzillai of Gilead. they brought him and his people mats, pots, food...etc to feed and give them and let them sleep.
New Testament for the end of May Jesus is crucified in the manner as written in the scriptures. Jesus is with his disciples and he looks up to the sky and says "Father the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began."
Jesus is captured and nailed to the cross. Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
It was the day of preparation and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies hanging there the next day which was the Sabbath and Passover. So they asked Pilate to speed up their deaths by breaking the prisoners legs then the bodies can be taken down. The soldiers broke the legs of the two people that were hanging with Jesus but when they came to him they saw he was already dead so they didn't break his legs. They did pierce his side with a spear and blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, "Not one of his bones will be broken," and "They will look on the on the pierced."
Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus got permission from Pilate to take the body away and laid it in a tomb near by. Following Jewish custom they first wrapped Jesus' body with spices in long sheets of linen cloth.
Ahithophel realized that this advice had not been followed so he killed himself. uhhhhhhhhhhh OK taking it a little hard but part of God's plan!
David went to Mahanaim and was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash and by Makir son of Ammiel and by Barzillai of Gilead. they brought him and his people mats, pots, food...etc to feed and give them and let them sleep.
New Testament for the end of May Jesus is crucified in the manner as written in the scriptures. Jesus is with his disciples and he looks up to the sky and says "Father the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began."
Jesus is captured and nailed to the cross. Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
It was the day of preparation and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies hanging there the next day which was the Sabbath and Passover. So they asked Pilate to speed up their deaths by breaking the prisoners legs then the bodies can be taken down. The soldiers broke the legs of the two people that were hanging with Jesus but when they came to him they saw he was already dead so they didn't break his legs. They did pierce his side with a spear and blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, "Not one of his bones will be broken," and "They will look on the on the pierced."
Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus got permission from Pilate to take the body away and laid it in a tomb near by. Following Jewish custom they first wrapped Jesus' body with spices in long sheets of linen cloth.
May 11 - 27 New Testament
Lots goes on in the past couple of weeks worth of reading for John. We go all the way from John 6:43 - 16:33 pretty powerful first day where Jesus tells the people of Capernaum "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh." Everyone was confused and couldn't understand. His disciples start complaining and Jesus is aware they don't understand.
Jesus said to his disciples "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend into heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
Jesus travels around some more speaking in parables and teaching his disciples. The bible says that on the last day of a festival Jesus stands and shouts to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
The Pharisees continue to be critical and Jesus continues to speak and some believe he is the Messiah others rat him out and claim he speaks blasphemy and others just think he's nuts.
Jesus spoke to the people again "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
Later Jesus tells the people he is going away and where he's going they can't follow. They're wondering if he's going to commit suicide. "You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. that is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins."
"When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he."
He continues to point out flaws in what the people are saying and tell them "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. so if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there's no room in you hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father."
"Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of god. But you don't listen because you don't belong to God." Ya that statement fired the people up saying Jesus is a devil and possessed by a demon.
Jesus does incredible miracles but the people still don't believe he is the Messiah. He heals a blind man who has been blind his entire life. His disciples ask "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"
"It was not because of his sins or his parent's sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him." This is just like Exodus where God saved the Hebrews from Egypt. God wanted to show His power. Yet they refuse to believe Jesus was the Messiah. The Pharisees hear about this healing and investigate. The parents of they guy healed are afraid to say Jesus is the Messiah they tell them to talk to their son. The sons answer is classic......
For the second time the Pharisees called in the man who had been blind and told him, "God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner."
The blind man replies "I don't know whether he is a sinner, But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!" It's the same when you come to Christ. Until I actually realized he is our connection to God and died for our sins I was blind....now I can see!
Jesus gave his life for us. He says in John 10:18 "No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my father has commanded." That's pretty awesome!
Jesus''s friend Lazarus lives in Bethany and becomes sick. Jesus heard about it and said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this." Jesus stayed where he was for two more days. Martha and Mary, Lazarus's sisters, wished he was in Bethany so he could heal Lazarus like he had done so many others. But this was going to be a much bigger miracle. Jesus goes the Bethany and tells Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this Martha?"
"Yes, lord," she said. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God."
Jesus has people roll the stone back from Lazarus's tomb and shouts "Lazarus, come out!" And he did, hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Many of the people who were there believe in Jesus when they saw this happen. Some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Jesus continues on teaching and heads to Jerusalem. The people shouted,
"Praise god! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
"Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming riding on a donkey's colt." His disciples didn't understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.
Jesus says "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. but its death will produce many new kernels-plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity."
"Now my souled is deeply troubled Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name."
then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus told the crowd, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."
Jesus and his disciples gather for the last supper. Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his robe and wrapped a towel around his waist and begins to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
After washing their feet, he put on his robe and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord," and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. do as I have done to you."
Jesus breaks bread and Satan enters Judas Iscariot. Jesus tells Judas "Hurry and do what you're going to do." Judas leaves.
Jesus says "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved, you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." Jesus tells Thomas one of his disciples "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. Form now on, you do know him and have seen him!"
Things that make you go hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Jesus goes on to say "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." So when Jesus died and rose to heaven the Holy Spirit was sent in his place! That hole you may feel in your heart.....I'll bet the puzzle piece that fits EXACTLY is the Holy Spirit which you can have by accepting Jesus into your heart.
Jesus's commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.
Not a bad way to live I don't think!
We finish up today with John 16:1-33 "The worlds sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged..........At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.........I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world!"
You really should read the entire section I just tossed out some of the strong points:) I truly believe that my life is saved because Jesus gave his on the cross. Just like he says I have trials and sorrows but I also have peace in him and believe that if your struggling, searching for some sort of answer you can have peace in the truth too..........That's the way I see it.:)
Jesus said to his disciples "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend into heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
Jesus travels around some more speaking in parables and teaching his disciples. The bible says that on the last day of a festival Jesus stands and shouts to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
The Pharisees continue to be critical and Jesus continues to speak and some believe he is the Messiah others rat him out and claim he speaks blasphemy and others just think he's nuts.
Jesus spoke to the people again "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
Later Jesus tells the people he is going away and where he's going they can't follow. They're wondering if he's going to commit suicide. "You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. that is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins."
"When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he."
He continues to point out flaws in what the people are saying and tell them "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. so if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there's no room in you hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father."
"Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of god. But you don't listen because you don't belong to God." Ya that statement fired the people up saying Jesus is a devil and possessed by a demon.
Jesus does incredible miracles but the people still don't believe he is the Messiah. He heals a blind man who has been blind his entire life. His disciples ask "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"
"It was not because of his sins or his parent's sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him." This is just like Exodus where God saved the Hebrews from Egypt. God wanted to show His power. Yet they refuse to believe Jesus was the Messiah. The Pharisees hear about this healing and investigate. The parents of they guy healed are afraid to say Jesus is the Messiah they tell them to talk to their son. The sons answer is classic......
For the second time the Pharisees called in the man who had been blind and told him, "God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner."
The blind man replies "I don't know whether he is a sinner, But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!" It's the same when you come to Christ. Until I actually realized he is our connection to God and died for our sins I was blind....now I can see!
Jesus gave his life for us. He says in John 10:18 "No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my father has commanded." That's pretty awesome!
Jesus''s friend Lazarus lives in Bethany and becomes sick. Jesus heard about it and said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this." Jesus stayed where he was for two more days. Martha and Mary, Lazarus's sisters, wished he was in Bethany so he could heal Lazarus like he had done so many others. But this was going to be a much bigger miracle. Jesus goes the Bethany and tells Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this Martha?"
"Yes, lord," she said. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God."
Jesus has people roll the stone back from Lazarus's tomb and shouts "Lazarus, come out!" And he did, hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Many of the people who were there believe in Jesus when they saw this happen. Some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Jesus continues on teaching and heads to Jerusalem. The people shouted,
"Praise god! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
"Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming riding on a donkey's colt." His disciples didn't understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.
Jesus says "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. but its death will produce many new kernels-plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity."
"Now my souled is deeply troubled Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name."
then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus told the crowd, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."
Jesus and his disciples gather for the last supper. Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his robe and wrapped a towel around his waist and begins to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
After washing their feet, he put on his robe and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord," and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. do as I have done to you."
Jesus breaks bread and Satan enters Judas Iscariot. Jesus tells Judas "Hurry and do what you're going to do." Judas leaves.
Jesus says "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved, you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." Jesus tells Thomas one of his disciples "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. Form now on, you do know him and have seen him!"
Things that make you go hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Jesus goes on to say "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." So when Jesus died and rose to heaven the Holy Spirit was sent in his place! That hole you may feel in your heart.....I'll bet the puzzle piece that fits EXACTLY is the Holy Spirit which you can have by accepting Jesus into your heart.
Jesus's commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.
Not a bad way to live I don't think!
We finish up today with John 16:1-33 "The worlds sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged..........At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.........I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world!"
You really should read the entire section I just tossed out some of the strong points:) I truly believe that my life is saved because Jesus gave his on the cross. Just like he says I have trials and sorrows but I also have peace in him and believe that if your struggling, searching for some sort of answer you can have peace in the truth too..........That's the way I see it.:)
May 17 - May 27 War, War and more War
That's one thing that goes on a ton in the old testament is war. David fled from Naioth in Ramah from Saul. He asks Saul's son Jonathan why he wants to kill him and Jonathan won't believe it. Jonathan does finally figure out his dad does want to kill David and tells David "Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord's name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever." So David leaves.
Saul continues to hunt David killing those who help him. During the chase Saul goes into a cave to relive himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that cave.
"Now's your opportunity!" David's men whispered to him. "Today the Lord is telling you, 'I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.'" So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul's robe. David's conscience began to bug him "The Lord knows I shouldn't have done that to my lord the king," he said to his men. "The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the Lord's anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him." So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.
Once Saul left the cave David came out and shouted after him asking him why he listens to the people who say he is trying to kill him. David tells him "This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn't true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back in the cave." he tells him "Look my father at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn't kill you."
David finishes speaking and Saul says to David "You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil."
Now no one is trusting anyone and of coarse Saul starts to chase David again. He even approaches him and his men in a cave while they are sleeping and Abishai, who is with David, says "Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won't need to strike twice!"
"No!" David said. "Don't kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord's anointed one? Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. the Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let's get out of here!"
David climbed the hill opposite the camp until he was at a safe distance. He shouts down again he could have killed Saul and wanted to know why he was chasing him. Saul exclaims he has sinned and will chase David no more. David knows better so he escapes to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hinting him in Israelite territory.
David continues to conquer but only after consulting the Lord! When the Lord gives him the thumbs up and lets him know that He will be with him, David and his men attack.
A day comes when the Philistines attacked Israel. They closed in on Saul and his sons and killed three of his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. Saul was wounded severly and takes his own life by falling on his sword rather then be captured and tortured. His arm bearer does the same so Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
David and his men hear of the death of Saul and all mourned and wept all day for Saul, his son Jonathan and the Lord's army because they had died by the sword that day.
Now that Saul is dead David and his families all moved to Judah and the men of Judah came out and crowned him king over the people of Judah. David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, he sent this message to them: "May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Juday, who have anointed me as their new king."
But Abner the commander of Saul's army had already proclaimed Ishbosheth, Saul's son, king of Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of Sahurites, and all the rest of Israel.
So of coarse eventually there was a battle between David's men and Abner and the men of Israel. David's forces were victorious. There was a long war between those who were loyal to saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul's dynasty became weaker and weaker.
Abner, commander of Ishbonesheth's armies, makes and agreement with David to make him king over all of Israel then heads back to his camp. Joab and his brother Abishi call Abner back and kill him becaus Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon. David is furious and says "May the family of Joab be curese in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!"
David makes a vow "May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown." This pleased the people very much. Everything the king did pleased them!
Ishbosheth loses all courage when he hears of Abner's death and became paralyzed with fear. He is then killed in his sleep by Baanah and Recab two brothers who were captiain's of his raiding parties. They cut off his head and took it to David expecting to be praised instead David has them killed for killing an innocent man in his own house.
David and his men then then head to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. David captures the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
David became king over all of Israel he was 30 years old and reigned for 40 years. And David became more and more powerful because the Lord God of Heaven's Armies was with him. He asks the Lord "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?"
The Lord replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you." David conquers the Philistines. He then leads his trouops to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God. On their way the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the Lord's anger was aroused against Uzzah and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God. No one was to physically touch the Ark of God.
David was angry because of Uzzahs death and instead of taking the Ark home to the City of David he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. The Lord blessed Obed-edom's houshold and everything in it because of the Ark of God. So David went and brought it home to the City of David.
Now you may or maynot know about the story of David and Bathsheba. David is walking on the roof of his palace and noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." David sends messangers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She becomes pregnant. David writes a letter to Joab instructing him to "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is firecest. Then pull back so that he will be killed." So he stationed him close to the city wall and he Uriah the Hittite the wife of Bathsheba was killed.
When the period of mourning was over David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. She gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
The Lord sends Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms liek a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of th rich man. but instead of killan an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."
David was furious. "As surely as the Lord lives any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He musty repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."
Nathan said to David, "You are the man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the workd of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on , your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own. This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."
Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
Nathan replied, "YA THINK?!?!?" Ok no he didn't he replied: "Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you and you won't die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this, your child will die."
And an illness came upon the child he had with Bethsheba and David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. On the seventh day the child died. David washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes and went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and ate.
His advisors said. "We don't understand you, while the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the chiild is dead, you have stopped your mounring and are eating again."
David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live' But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me."
David then comforted Bethsheba and she became pregnant with a son. They named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means "beloved of the Lord")
Throughout all of this reading I kept going back to why things would happen and wouldn't understand why the Lord wouldn't just raise his hand and wipe evil from the earth and we could all live in Pleasantville. I think there is a bigger picture that we couldn't even fathom! How that plan unfolds is mostly up to God. The plan will unfold as Stovall preached this past week the in our "Suffer Well" series our mistakes or bad choices will NOT change the outcome of God's will if we seek Him. I don't think God wants to be a puppet master and make us do what he wants. He created us to worship him but he gave us free will to make choices. We don't always choose wisely. When we don't there is a stirring up inside us like what happened to David when he had a chance to kill Saul. Now it's even stronger with the Holy Spirit stirring inside of us it's just a matter of if we listen or not.
It is written that the earth to Satin that's why you hear quotes of "Be in the world not of the world." And the Lord shows his power through everyday people like David and us. But as you can see by his HUGE mistake with Bethsheba there are consequences for bad choices. And the punishment seems to be right at the heart sometimes. We might think it's not fair that the son had to die because David was a meathead but David had to live with that scar on his heart for the rest of his life. I'm sure that made him even more passionate about doing the Lords will.
When people say "If there was a God then why is there shootings in schools and needless death." My thought is we fight so hard to keep God out of School and open this Pandora's box of believe whatever that He's letting us make the choice. All throughout the battles when they wouldn't seek God's direction or would want a king to rule them and fall away from God and worship idols things got messy! Then they would turn back to the Lord and God would take them back in his arms and clean thing sup. The world is messed up.....I say be in the world with God and do what you can to make it better but realize that life is just a mist in eternity and true peace comes in being part of the body of Christ....Well that's the way I see it:)
Saul continues to hunt David killing those who help him. During the chase Saul goes into a cave to relive himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that cave.
"Now's your opportunity!" David's men whispered to him. "Today the Lord is telling you, 'I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.'" So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul's robe. David's conscience began to bug him "The Lord knows I shouldn't have done that to my lord the king," he said to his men. "The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the Lord's anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him." So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.
Once Saul left the cave David came out and shouted after him asking him why he listens to the people who say he is trying to kill him. David tells him "This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn't true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back in the cave." he tells him "Look my father at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn't kill you."
David finishes speaking and Saul says to David "You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil."
Now no one is trusting anyone and of coarse Saul starts to chase David again. He even approaches him and his men in a cave while they are sleeping and Abishai, who is with David, says "Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won't need to strike twice!"
"No!" David said. "Don't kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord's anointed one? Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. the Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let's get out of here!"
David climbed the hill opposite the camp until he was at a safe distance. He shouts down again he could have killed Saul and wanted to know why he was chasing him. Saul exclaims he has sinned and will chase David no more. David knows better so he escapes to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hinting him in Israelite territory.
David continues to conquer but only after consulting the Lord! When the Lord gives him the thumbs up and lets him know that He will be with him, David and his men attack.
A day comes when the Philistines attacked Israel. They closed in on Saul and his sons and killed three of his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. Saul was wounded severly and takes his own life by falling on his sword rather then be captured and tortured. His arm bearer does the same so Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
David and his men hear of the death of Saul and all mourned and wept all day for Saul, his son Jonathan and the Lord's army because they had died by the sword that day.
Now that Saul is dead David and his families all moved to Judah and the men of Judah came out and crowned him king over the people of Judah. David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, he sent this message to them: "May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Juday, who have anointed me as their new king."
But Abner the commander of Saul's army had already proclaimed Ishbosheth, Saul's son, king of Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of Sahurites, and all the rest of Israel.
So of coarse eventually there was a battle between David's men and Abner and the men of Israel. David's forces were victorious. There was a long war between those who were loyal to saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul's dynasty became weaker and weaker.
Abner, commander of Ishbonesheth's armies, makes and agreement with David to make him king over all of Israel then heads back to his camp. Joab and his brother Abishi call Abner back and kill him becaus Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon. David is furious and says "May the family of Joab be curese in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!"
David makes a vow "May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown." This pleased the people very much. Everything the king did pleased them!
Ishbosheth loses all courage when he hears of Abner's death and became paralyzed with fear. He is then killed in his sleep by Baanah and Recab two brothers who were captiain's of his raiding parties. They cut off his head and took it to David expecting to be praised instead David has them killed for killing an innocent man in his own house.
David and his men then then head to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. David captures the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
David became king over all of Israel he was 30 years old and reigned for 40 years. And David became more and more powerful because the Lord God of Heaven's Armies was with him. He asks the Lord "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?"
The Lord replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you." David conquers the Philistines. He then leads his trouops to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God. On their way the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the Lord's anger was aroused against Uzzah and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God. No one was to physically touch the Ark of God.
David was angry because of Uzzahs death and instead of taking the Ark home to the City of David he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. The Lord blessed Obed-edom's houshold and everything in it because of the Ark of God. So David went and brought it home to the City of David.
Now you may or maynot know about the story of David and Bathsheba. David is walking on the roof of his palace and noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." David sends messangers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She becomes pregnant. David writes a letter to Joab instructing him to "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is firecest. Then pull back so that he will be killed." So he stationed him close to the city wall and he Uriah the Hittite the wife of Bathsheba was killed.
When the period of mourning was over David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. She gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
The Lord sends Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms liek a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of th rich man. but instead of killan an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."
David was furious. "As surely as the Lord lives any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He musty repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."
Nathan said to David, "You are the man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the workd of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on , your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own. This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."
Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
Nathan replied, "YA THINK?!?!?" Ok no he didn't he replied: "Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you and you won't die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this, your child will die."
And an illness came upon the child he had with Bethsheba and David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. On the seventh day the child died. David washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes and went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and ate.
His advisors said. "We don't understand you, while the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the chiild is dead, you have stopped your mounring and are eating again."
David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live' But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me."
David then comforted Bethsheba and she became pregnant with a son. They named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means "beloved of the Lord")
Throughout all of this reading I kept going back to why things would happen and wouldn't understand why the Lord wouldn't just raise his hand and wipe evil from the earth and we could all live in Pleasantville. I think there is a bigger picture that we couldn't even fathom! How that plan unfolds is mostly up to God. The plan will unfold as Stovall preached this past week the in our "Suffer Well" series our mistakes or bad choices will NOT change the outcome of God's will if we seek Him. I don't think God wants to be a puppet master and make us do what he wants. He created us to worship him but he gave us free will to make choices. We don't always choose wisely. When we don't there is a stirring up inside us like what happened to David when he had a chance to kill Saul. Now it's even stronger with the Holy Spirit stirring inside of us it's just a matter of if we listen or not.
It is written that the earth to Satin that's why you hear quotes of "Be in the world not of the world." And the Lord shows his power through everyday people like David and us. But as you can see by his HUGE mistake with Bethsheba there are consequences for bad choices. And the punishment seems to be right at the heart sometimes. We might think it's not fair that the son had to die because David was a meathead but David had to live with that scar on his heart for the rest of his life. I'm sure that made him even more passionate about doing the Lords will.
When people say "If there was a God then why is there shootings in schools and needless death." My thought is we fight so hard to keep God out of School and open this Pandora's box of believe whatever that He's letting us make the choice. All throughout the battles when they wouldn't seek God's direction or would want a king to rule them and fall away from God and worship idols things got messy! Then they would turn back to the Lord and God would take them back in his arms and clean thing sup. The world is messed up.....I say be in the world with God and do what you can to make it better but realize that life is just a mist in eternity and true peace comes in being part of the body of Christ....Well that's the way I see it:)
May 11 - 16 Saul Falls....David Arises
So battles happen and the Lord is with the people of Israel. Saul continues to ask the Lord for His help and guidance in what to do. Then the things of this world take over Saul.
One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the Lord who told me to anoint you asking of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation-men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys."
So Saul goes with his men and wipes them out. But he captures the king Agag and keeps him as prisoner. And he kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs-everything in fact that appealed to him and his men. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
So you can see here that they didn't completely trust in the Lord. The Lord says to do one thing and they do almost everything he asks but hey this stuff looks good so let me keep it.
Then the Lord said to Samuel, "I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command." wouldn't want to be in his shoes.
Samuel approaches Saul and he says that he kept all of that stuff to create an offering for the Lord. Sounds like back peddling to me but who knows....only God knows his true heart. Samuel says: "What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams."
It's that simple. The Lord just wants our obedience to Him just as we want our kids obedience to us. He's a truly loving God and only wants the best for us but things of this world can certainly get us entangled with things we don't need or are even bad for us.
So the Lord is no longer with Saul he picks another to Lead His people named David son of Jesse. Now Jesse had eight sons. The one the Lord picked was the smallest and youngest of the group. Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought for sure he would be the anointed one. But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Isn't that the truth. Humans are so driven by what looks good or intimidating not even noticing that the inner person is downright rotten!
The Lord uses David to kill Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, a giant man. The army of Israel was afraid when Goliath came out and they began to run away. For days Goliath comes out taunting them saying to send one and if he kills Goliath then the Philistines will be their slaves but if Goliath kills him then Israel will be their slaves. David shows up on the scene picks up 5 rocks. There's actually a cool Veggie Tales version of this:) David knows the Lord is with him. David tells Saul " The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from the is Philistine!" On his first throw he hits Goliath in the head he falls to the ground and David takes Goliaths sword and cuts off his head. The Philistine army scatters.
David returns to Saul. After he is done talking with Saul he met Jonathan, Sauls son. There was an immediate bond of love between them, and they became the best of friends.
Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. Saul made him commander over the men of war. When the Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!" This ticked Saul off. So from then on Saul kept a jealous eye on David for fear they people would make him king.
Saul tried to make it so David would be killed at war by offering David his daughter for the price of 100 Philistine foreskins. He hoped David would be killed at war but the Lord was with David and he and his men killed 200 Philistines and brought the king the foreskins so Saul gave David is daughter Michal who had fallen in love with him.
Saul realized the Lord was with David and his daughter loved him and that made him more afraid of him. He remained David's enemy for the rest of his life. He tried to kill David a couple of times once with a spear and once by sending his men to Davids house but David had escaped to Ramah to see Samuel. He sent troops to capture David but every time the Spirit of God would come on the troops and they would start prophesying. Then Saul himself went to get him and the Spirit of God came upon him and he tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The Spirit of God is a powerful thing. Does that mean I'll be ripping off all my clothes and praying in the streets. Only if I want to show up on YouTube for about a billion hits. I don't understand certain things in the old testament about the incredible depth of praise and worship with the tearing of the clothes and speaking in tongues. I haven't felt the spirit of that fall upon me but I do know that the Lord is with me and my family and he is first in our lives. I'm human so yes just like everyone else I slip a little from time to time but am thankful that He is a loving, forgiving God and always forgives.
One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the Lord who told me to anoint you asking of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation-men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys."
So Saul goes with his men and wipes them out. But he captures the king Agag and keeps him as prisoner. And he kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs-everything in fact that appealed to him and his men. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
So you can see here that they didn't completely trust in the Lord. The Lord says to do one thing and they do almost everything he asks but hey this stuff looks good so let me keep it.
Then the Lord said to Samuel, "I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command." wouldn't want to be in his shoes.
Samuel approaches Saul and he says that he kept all of that stuff to create an offering for the Lord. Sounds like back peddling to me but who knows....only God knows his true heart. Samuel says: "What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams."
It's that simple. The Lord just wants our obedience to Him just as we want our kids obedience to us. He's a truly loving God and only wants the best for us but things of this world can certainly get us entangled with things we don't need or are even bad for us.
So the Lord is no longer with Saul he picks another to Lead His people named David son of Jesse. Now Jesse had eight sons. The one the Lord picked was the smallest and youngest of the group. Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought for sure he would be the anointed one. But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Isn't that the truth. Humans are so driven by what looks good or intimidating not even noticing that the inner person is downright rotten!
The Lord uses David to kill Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, a giant man. The army of Israel was afraid when Goliath came out and they began to run away. For days Goliath comes out taunting them saying to send one and if he kills Goliath then the Philistines will be their slaves but if Goliath kills him then Israel will be their slaves. David shows up on the scene picks up 5 rocks. There's actually a cool Veggie Tales version of this:) David knows the Lord is with him. David tells Saul " The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from the is Philistine!" On his first throw he hits Goliath in the head he falls to the ground and David takes Goliaths sword and cuts off his head. The Philistine army scatters.
David returns to Saul. After he is done talking with Saul he met Jonathan, Sauls son. There was an immediate bond of love between them, and they became the best of friends.
Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. Saul made him commander over the men of war. When the Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!" This ticked Saul off. So from then on Saul kept a jealous eye on David for fear they people would make him king.
Saul tried to make it so David would be killed at war by offering David his daughter for the price of 100 Philistine foreskins. He hoped David would be killed at war but the Lord was with David and he and his men killed 200 Philistines and brought the king the foreskins so Saul gave David is daughter Michal who had fallen in love with him.
Saul realized the Lord was with David and his daughter loved him and that made him more afraid of him. He remained David's enemy for the rest of his life. He tried to kill David a couple of times once with a spear and once by sending his men to Davids house but David had escaped to Ramah to see Samuel. He sent troops to capture David but every time the Spirit of God would come on the troops and they would start prophesying. Then Saul himself went to get him and the Spirit of God came upon him and he tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The Spirit of God is a powerful thing. Does that mean I'll be ripping off all my clothes and praying in the streets. Only if I want to show up on YouTube for about a billion hits. I don't understand certain things in the old testament about the incredible depth of praise and worship with the tearing of the clothes and speaking in tongues. I haven't felt the spirit of that fall upon me but I do know that the Lord is with me and my family and he is first in our lives. I'm human so yes just like everyone else I slip a little from time to time but am thankful that He is a loving, forgiving God and always forgives.
May 3 - May 10 Along Comes A King....Saul
The latest readings we finish up Judges, cruse through Ruth - it's a short book:), and climb right into 1 Samual. In Judges there is more idol worshiping and Israel was without a king so all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. How many of you know that spells Trouble! More towns were conquered, people forgot God and worship more idols or other peoples idols. We her about deception, rape and murder. Lot's of evil stuff goes on when God's not in the midst. The tribe of Benjamin had lost it's way and God was angry. The Israelites attacked the men of Benjamin but were beaten back. They went to fight against them again and were beaten back again. 40,000 Israelites were killed in those two battles. Then all the Israelites went up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the Lord and fasted until evening. They also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord.(In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel, and Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron was the priest.)
The Lord said, "Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you." And the next day the Israelites destroyed the tribe of Benjamin killing 25,000 of their strongest warriors, leaving only 600 men who escaped to the rock of Rimmon, where they lived for four months. The Israelites returned and slaughtered every living thing in all the towns-the people, the livestock, and everything they found. They also burned down all the towns they came to.
Then the tribes of Israel meet at Mizpah and held an assembly in the presence of the Lord. At that time they had taken a solemn oath in the Lord's presence, vowing that anyone who refused to come would be put to death. So they sent 12,000 of their best warriors and they completely destroyed all the males and every woman that was not a virgin. They found 400 young virgins and they were given to the tribe of Benjamin as wives because the people felt sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made this gap among the tribes of Israel. That wasn't enough women so the remaining men caught a women of Shiloh that came for the annual festival and kept them as wives. "In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes."
In the days of Ruth judges ruled in Israel and a severe famine came upon the land. Elimelech a man from Bethlehem left his home and went to live in Moab with his wife Naomi and two sons. Elimelech died and Naomi's two sons married moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later both her sons died leaving Naomi with her daughter in-laws. They heard the Lord had blessed Judah with good crops again so they took a road heading back there. On the way Naomi said to both girls "Go back to your mother's homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage." They both refused they wanted to go with Naomi and be with her people. While still there Orpah reluctantly did leave kissing them goodbye.
"Look" Naomi said to Ruth, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same."
But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!"
Things move forward and Ruth eventually becomes the wife of Boaz a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem. God blesses them with a son they name Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.
1 Samual gives a record of Hannah the wife of Elkanah. She is one of two wives of Elkanah but was unable to give Elkanah children unlike Peninnah who had children with him. Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Hannah was deep in anguish and prayed to the Lord "O Lord of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut." From this came the 1980's rock bands...ok just kidding:) When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the lord remembered her pea, and in due time she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel.
Hannah nursed Samuel until he was weaned. She then brought the child to the Tabernacle in Shiloh and gave him to Eli to serve the Lord by assisting Elin the priest. Eli's sons were scoundrels and had no respect for the Lord. This cost Eli his heritage the Lord vows to have his family die off at young ages and have both his sons die the same day. Meanwhile Samuel served the Lord. The Lord visits Samuel and tells him "I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgement is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn't disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings."
As Samuel grew up the Lord was with him and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.
So it moves on and Israel is at war with the Philistines. Eli's two sons are both defeated in battle the same day and the Ark of the Covenant is stolen. Talk about robbing from the wrong house! Eli heard the news and fell back from his seat and broke his neck and died. The Philistines took the Ark and placed it by the idol of Dagon in their temple. The statue is found fallen face down in front of the Ark and his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. People started dieing and becoming afflicted with tumors. The Ark of the Lord remained in Philistine territory for seven months in all. So they sent it back with a gift, a guilt offering to stop the plague.
Samuel says to the people of Israel if they are serious about wanting to return to the Lord they have to get rid of all the idols. So they did. Samuel pleaded with the Lord to save them and he did. They defeated the Philistines.
Samuel grows old and the elders of Israel tell him to give them a king to judge them like the other nations have. They just don't get that the Lord is their King. The Lord tells Samuel to do everything they ask so he does. He appoints Saul the son of a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin as king because the Lord tells him to.
New Testament - We're still in John and he is talking about Jesus' journey. A famous quote so to speak is one that's held up at basketball games all the time John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." Talk about love for a sinful race that was created in perfection but fell into sin.
John 5:24 "I(Jesus) tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."
Jesus as usual is firing out the parables which are so crucial to our salvation if we would only choose to listen. Written almost 2000 years ago but as relevant today as it was the day He spoke the words! He goes on to do many miracles. In this reading He has the massive fish fry and feeds 5000 with five loaves and two fish and had 12 baskets of scraps left over! Back up Costco we have a bulk producer like you've never seen!
Jesus explains to his disciples "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. and this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."
Well that's a lot of reading and I'm catching up I'll post the next stuff soon. As I continue to read and pray I become more and more at peace with things going on in my life and the world understanding that God is in control. That doesn't mean I should just sit around and wait for things to happen. We definitely need to stand up and do with great Fervor the stuff that God places on our hearts! And we should do it all in the name of God. I'm not here to receive praise I'm here to give God the praise for the incredible things He does for me and my family! I've got an incredible beautiful wife and two crazy kids thanks to Him!
The Lord said, "Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you." And the next day the Israelites destroyed the tribe of Benjamin killing 25,000 of their strongest warriors, leaving only 600 men who escaped to the rock of Rimmon, where they lived for four months. The Israelites returned and slaughtered every living thing in all the towns-the people, the livestock, and everything they found. They also burned down all the towns they came to.
Then the tribes of Israel meet at Mizpah and held an assembly in the presence of the Lord. At that time they had taken a solemn oath in the Lord's presence, vowing that anyone who refused to come would be put to death. So they sent 12,000 of their best warriors and they completely destroyed all the males and every woman that was not a virgin. They found 400 young virgins and they were given to the tribe of Benjamin as wives because the people felt sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made this gap among the tribes of Israel. That wasn't enough women so the remaining men caught a women of Shiloh that came for the annual festival and kept them as wives. "In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes."
In the days of Ruth judges ruled in Israel and a severe famine came upon the land. Elimelech a man from Bethlehem left his home and went to live in Moab with his wife Naomi and two sons. Elimelech died and Naomi's two sons married moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later both her sons died leaving Naomi with her daughter in-laws. They heard the Lord had blessed Judah with good crops again so they took a road heading back there. On the way Naomi said to both girls "Go back to your mother's homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage." They both refused they wanted to go with Naomi and be with her people. While still there Orpah reluctantly did leave kissing them goodbye.
"Look" Naomi said to Ruth, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same."
But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!"
Things move forward and Ruth eventually becomes the wife of Boaz a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem. God blesses them with a son they name Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.
1 Samual gives a record of Hannah the wife of Elkanah. She is one of two wives of Elkanah but was unable to give Elkanah children unlike Peninnah who had children with him. Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Hannah was deep in anguish and prayed to the Lord "O Lord of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut." From this came the 1980's rock bands...ok just kidding:) When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the lord remembered her pea, and in due time she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel.
Hannah nursed Samuel until he was weaned. She then brought the child to the Tabernacle in Shiloh and gave him to Eli to serve the Lord by assisting Elin the priest. Eli's sons were scoundrels and had no respect for the Lord. This cost Eli his heritage the Lord vows to have his family die off at young ages and have both his sons die the same day. Meanwhile Samuel served the Lord. The Lord visits Samuel and tells him "I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgement is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn't disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings."
As Samuel grew up the Lord was with him and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.
So it moves on and Israel is at war with the Philistines. Eli's two sons are both defeated in battle the same day and the Ark of the Covenant is stolen. Talk about robbing from the wrong house! Eli heard the news and fell back from his seat and broke his neck and died. The Philistines took the Ark and placed it by the idol of Dagon in their temple. The statue is found fallen face down in front of the Ark and his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. People started dieing and becoming afflicted with tumors. The Ark of the Lord remained in Philistine territory for seven months in all. So they sent it back with a gift, a guilt offering to stop the plague.
Samuel says to the people of Israel if they are serious about wanting to return to the Lord they have to get rid of all the idols. So they did. Samuel pleaded with the Lord to save them and he did. They defeated the Philistines.
Samuel grows old and the elders of Israel tell him to give them a king to judge them like the other nations have. They just don't get that the Lord is their King. The Lord tells Samuel to do everything they ask so he does. He appoints Saul the son of a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin as king because the Lord tells him to.
New Testament - We're still in John and he is talking about Jesus' journey. A famous quote so to speak is one that's held up at basketball games all the time John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." Talk about love for a sinful race that was created in perfection but fell into sin.
John 5:24 "I(Jesus) tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."
Jesus as usual is firing out the parables which are so crucial to our salvation if we would only choose to listen. Written almost 2000 years ago but as relevant today as it was the day He spoke the words! He goes on to do many miracles. In this reading He has the massive fish fry and feeds 5000 with five loaves and two fish and had 12 baskets of scraps left over! Back up Costco we have a bulk producer like you've never seen!
Jesus explains to his disciples "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. and this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."
Well that's a lot of reading and I'm catching up I'll post the next stuff soon. As I continue to read and pray I become more and more at peace with things going on in my life and the world understanding that God is in control. That doesn't mean I should just sit around and wait for things to happen. We definitely need to stand up and do with great Fervor the stuff that God places on our hearts! And we should do it all in the name of God. I'm not here to receive praise I'm here to give God the praise for the incredible things He does for me and my family! I've got an incredible beautiful wife and two crazy kids thanks to Him!
April 27 - May 2 Gideons 300 Destroys Many
In Judges this past reading Gideon and his army fought with the help of the Lord. The Lord said to Gideon "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, 'Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.'" So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
But the Lord told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not." Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream." Only 300 of the men drank from their hands.
The Lord told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home."
With Gideon and these 300 men the Lord conquered throughout the land. The Israelites said to Gideon, "Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson will be our rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian."
But Gideon replied, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you! However, I do have one request_that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies." Gideon mad a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in the Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family. Throughout the rest of Gideons life, about 40 years, there was peace in the land.
As soon as Gideon diet, the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping the images of Baal, making Baal-berith their god. They forgot the Lord their God, who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them. Nor did they show loyalty to Gideons family. Gideon's son Abimelech sales pitched the people on having him their leader rather then the other 70 sons of Gideon. Then he went to his father's home at Ophrah and killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest, Jotham, escaped and hid. Then he came out of hiding and put a curse on the citizens of Sechem and Abimelech.
Abimelech ruled over Israel for 3 years then God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolded. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideoon's seventy sons. Abimelech eventually had his head crushed by a stone a woman dropped from a roof and he died. All his followers returned to their homes. God punishe Abimelech for the evil he had done and the men of Shechem so the curse of Jotham was fulfilled.
And again the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon and Philisria. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all.
So then over the next 18 years the Israelites were being oppressed. They again cried out to the Lord saying, "We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal."
The Lord replied, "Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonits? When the oppressed you, you cried out to me for help and I rescued you. Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!" They continue to plead and the Lord eventually was grieved by their misery.
This continues to go on and on generations celebrate and live with the Lord and then fall away from the Lord once He's no longer helping them they start getting destroyed and apologize and the Lord comes back and helps them and so on.
Sounds familiar to a lot of what's happening today. We always return to the Lord when things are at their absolute worst. It takes a steady relationship, staying plugged into a bible believing church, hanging out with the right group of friends, prayer and reading of God's word to keep focused on Him. Praise Him in the good times and the bad. It's not easy especially with everything that's going on in this world right now but I can tell you from experience that it's an incredible way to live when the Lord is on your side:)
In the new testament we go from Luke 23 all the way through to John 2. In Luke Jesus is crucified with two criminals. One mocked him and the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
I like this because it just shows that when you ask you shall receive from the Lord.
It was noon and darkness fell across the whole land until 3 o'clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. The Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last breath.
A good and righteous man named Joseph asked Pilate for the body then he took it down form the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. It was late Friday. Very early Sunday morning the women from Galilee went to the tomb with spices they had prepared. They found the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. Two men suddenly appeared clothed in dazzling robes.
"Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day."
So they rushed back and told the disciples but they didn't believe them. Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. He went home again wondering what happened.
That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus as the walked they were talking about everything that happened. Jesus appeared to them but God kept them form recognizing him. Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Jesus then broke bread with them and suddenly their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he disappeared.
How cool would that be! Now we break bread with Jesus every meal but to have him seriously sitting there at the table.
On their way back to Jerusalem the two followers ran into the 11 disciples and told them the story of what happened. While they were telling the story Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you," he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! Jesus calmed them and explained that he told them everything while he was alive "it was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.'" then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power form heaven."
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them and was taken up to heaven.
In John We start of with "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
It goes on to tell how God created John the Baptist to tell about the light but John was not the light.
"The true light came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting form human passion or plan, but a birth that comes form God."
"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one an only Son."
John testified about Jesus when he shouted to the crowds. "Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me."
John testified "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."
Jesus is talking to a man named Nathanael when he says "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."
I LOVE that! Before Jesus it was all about burning in cents and slaughtering goats...etc. Lots of ceremonies and festivals from the law of Moses to please the Lord and be kept from being destroyed. Now all the ceremonial stuff is gone. We have a direct connect with God through our relationship with Jesus! Does this mean we believe any less or care any less because we don't have to do all of the old testament rituals. Absolutely NOT! We believe just as strongly and love the Lord just as much, and appear to be just as wishy washy as the Israelites:) Now salvation is for the Jews and Gentiles...thankfully:)
Jesus goes on to talk about the Temple will be destroyed and in 3 days he will raise it up again. Now everyone is confused thinking he is talking about the rock Temple that took forty-six years to build but he was talking about his own body. After he raised from the dead his disciples remember he had said this and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
But the Lord told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not." Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream." Only 300 of the men drank from their hands.
The Lord told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home."
With Gideon and these 300 men the Lord conquered throughout the land. The Israelites said to Gideon, "Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson will be our rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian."
But Gideon replied, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you! However, I do have one request_that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies." Gideon mad a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in the Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family. Throughout the rest of Gideons life, about 40 years, there was peace in the land.
As soon as Gideon diet, the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping the images of Baal, making Baal-berith their god. They forgot the Lord their God, who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them. Nor did they show loyalty to Gideons family. Gideon's son Abimelech sales pitched the people on having him their leader rather then the other 70 sons of Gideon. Then he went to his father's home at Ophrah and killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest, Jotham, escaped and hid. Then he came out of hiding and put a curse on the citizens of Sechem and Abimelech.
Abimelech ruled over Israel for 3 years then God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolded. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideoon's seventy sons. Abimelech eventually had his head crushed by a stone a woman dropped from a roof and he died. All his followers returned to their homes. God punishe Abimelech for the evil he had done and the men of Shechem so the curse of Jotham was fulfilled.
And again the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon and Philisria. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all.
So then over the next 18 years the Israelites were being oppressed. They again cried out to the Lord saying, "We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal."
The Lord replied, "Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonits? When the oppressed you, you cried out to me for help and I rescued you. Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!" They continue to plead and the Lord eventually was grieved by their misery.
This continues to go on and on generations celebrate and live with the Lord and then fall away from the Lord once He's no longer helping them they start getting destroyed and apologize and the Lord comes back and helps them and so on.
Sounds familiar to a lot of what's happening today. We always return to the Lord when things are at their absolute worst. It takes a steady relationship, staying plugged into a bible believing church, hanging out with the right group of friends, prayer and reading of God's word to keep focused on Him. Praise Him in the good times and the bad. It's not easy especially with everything that's going on in this world right now but I can tell you from experience that it's an incredible way to live when the Lord is on your side:)
In the new testament we go from Luke 23 all the way through to John 2. In Luke Jesus is crucified with two criminals. One mocked him and the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
I like this because it just shows that when you ask you shall receive from the Lord.
It was noon and darkness fell across the whole land until 3 o'clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. The Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last breath.
A good and righteous man named Joseph asked Pilate for the body then he took it down form the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. It was late Friday. Very early Sunday morning the women from Galilee went to the tomb with spices they had prepared. They found the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. Two men suddenly appeared clothed in dazzling robes.
"Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day."
So they rushed back and told the disciples but they didn't believe them. Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. He went home again wondering what happened.
That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus as the walked they were talking about everything that happened. Jesus appeared to them but God kept them form recognizing him. Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Jesus then broke bread with them and suddenly their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he disappeared.
How cool would that be! Now we break bread with Jesus every meal but to have him seriously sitting there at the table.
On their way back to Jerusalem the two followers ran into the 11 disciples and told them the story of what happened. While they were telling the story Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you," he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! Jesus calmed them and explained that he told them everything while he was alive "it was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.'" then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power form heaven."
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them and was taken up to heaven.
In John We start of with "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
It goes on to tell how God created John the Baptist to tell about the light but John was not the light.
"The true light came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting form human passion or plan, but a birth that comes form God."
"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one an only Son."
John testified about Jesus when he shouted to the crowds. "Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me."
John testified "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."
Jesus is talking to a man named Nathanael when he says "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."
I LOVE that! Before Jesus it was all about burning in cents and slaughtering goats...etc. Lots of ceremonies and festivals from the law of Moses to please the Lord and be kept from being destroyed. Now all the ceremonial stuff is gone. We have a direct connect with God through our relationship with Jesus! Does this mean we believe any less or care any less because we don't have to do all of the old testament rituals. Absolutely NOT! We believe just as strongly and love the Lord just as much, and appear to be just as wishy washy as the Israelites:) Now salvation is for the Jews and Gentiles...thankfully:)
Jesus goes on to talk about the Temple will be destroyed and in 3 days he will raise it up again. Now everyone is confused thinking he is talking about the rock Temple that took forty-six years to build but he was talking about his own body. After he raised from the dead his disciples remember he had said this and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
Apr 20 - 26 Ah How We Forget
A lot went on over these last few readings. The people of Israel give the Levites the towns and pastureland that was commanded through Moses years earlier by the Lord. There were a total of Forty-eight towns with pastureland within Israelite territory given to the Levites. Joshua summons all the tribes of Israel gives the last decrees and regulations of the Lord and records all those things in the Book of God's Instructions. The people all chose to never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. Joshua dies at the age of 110 and the people of Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him. Over the years the different tribes didn't adhere to the Lords commands and lost wars and battles because the Lord wasn't behind them. They would then cry out to the Lord and he would save them. Then a generation would die and another generation would grow up but did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the things he did for Israel. They would go astray and intermarry and serve false gods and images. They would once again be getting their butts kicked when they would cry out to the Lord and he would rescue them again. Then years later the Israelite's would do evil in the Lord's eye and they would get whoooooped and cry out and he would come and save them. I love how God is always there to forgive. No matter what the people did He would always forgive them when they cried out to Him and he would come to save them. It's nice to know we have that direct connection with Him through Jesus. Heck one poor guy gets a tent stake through the head when the Lord helps out his people. I know I get caught up with all the "junk" that goes on in the world and forget to keep my eyes focused on Him....ya things get a whole lot bumpy when that happens. But he's always there for me when I do finally realize to Matthew 6:33. Should tattoo that on my forehead so I would see it everyday in the mirror. I think that would toss me into the Crazy pile of people though:)
In Luke this week Jesus speaks a lot of parables and of coarse the teachers of religious law and the leading priests continue to try to trick him but only become amazed. One of my favorites is the question he gets on marriage in the resurrection Luke 20:27-40 So remember marriage is for only while we are here. Let's treat it as the incredible gift that it is, we only get it for a mist in time the rest of eternity will be spent in heaven praising the Lord. We'll read more about that later I'm sure:) So Satan enters Judas, he betrays Jesus, a disciple lops off one of the guards ears and Jesus says "No more of this." He then touches the man's ear and healed him. They still take him, beat him and push to have him crucified. I'm sorry but if you make a mans ear grow back on after a zillion other miracles I'm pretty sure I'd be letting him go! But as Jesus said "For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled." Back when Pharaoh wouldn't let God's people leave even after all the miracles due to God hardening his heart I believe the same thing happened here. There had to be a definite path and showing of power while the scriptures were being fulfilled. So that God could show his mighty power and it could stand the test of time for those who believe and feel the Holy Spirit living inside us...Is that you......It can be if you ask Him......That's the way I see it:)
In Luke this week Jesus speaks a lot of parables and of coarse the teachers of religious law and the leading priests continue to try to trick him but only become amazed. One of my favorites is the question he gets on marriage in the resurrection Luke 20:27-40 So remember marriage is for only while we are here. Let's treat it as the incredible gift that it is, we only get it for a mist in time the rest of eternity will be spent in heaven praising the Lord. We'll read more about that later I'm sure:) So Satan enters Judas, he betrays Jesus, a disciple lops off one of the guards ears and Jesus says "No more of this." He then touches the man's ear and healed him. They still take him, beat him and push to have him crucified. I'm sorry but if you make a mans ear grow back on after a zillion other miracles I'm pretty sure I'd be letting him go! But as Jesus said "For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled." Back when Pharaoh wouldn't let God's people leave even after all the miracles due to God hardening his heart I believe the same thing happened here. There had to be a definite path and showing of power while the scriptures were being fulfilled. So that God could show his mighty power and it could stand the test of time for those who believe and feel the Holy Spirit living inside us...Is that you......It can be if you ask Him......That's the way I see it:)
Apr 15 - 19 Teach Me Your Ways
The old testament "Joshua took control of the the entire land, just as the Lord had instructed Moses. He gave it to the people of Israel as their special possessions, dividing the land among the tribes. So the land finally had rest from war." That's exactly what the next four days did was divide the land for all the tribes except for the tribe of Levi. "Instead as the Lord had promised them, their allotment came from the offerings burned on the altar to the Lord, the God of Israel." The bible talks about how the Levites roll as priests of the Lord is their allotment. The Lord promised the tribe of Levi that he himself would be their allotment. I guess if I had to choose between that and some trees I'd take God any day:)
In Luke these past few days Jesus has been firing off the parables and healing like crazy! He heals ten lepers all at once and says "Go show your selves to the priests." As they went they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them came back to Jesus,shouting "Praise god!" He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. He was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" I think this is HUGE in today's world. Even as Christians we get so caught up in what's bad going on that when the good does happen we take it for granted. Sometimes we just need to stop and thank God for the luxury of living.....through the good and the bad. When the good kicks in we can really fire up the praises!
Jesus tells a cool story about two men who went to the Temple to pray. "One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector." The Pharisee basically thanks God that he is not a sinner because he doesn't cheat, he fasts...etc. The tax collector on the other hand prayed "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner." Jesus says "I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." I love the fact that our pastor relates to us in flat out telling you we are all sinners. Him included! The only one to never have sin was Jesus who died for us so that despite our sin we could be close to God. Humbleness....may not get you the big corner office on Park Avenue but it will warm the heart and open the eyes to what really matters in life......well that's the way I see it:)
Be sure to read along in your daily bible!
In Luke these past few days Jesus has been firing off the parables and healing like crazy! He heals ten lepers all at once and says "Go show your selves to the priests." As they went they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them came back to Jesus,shouting "Praise god!" He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. He was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" I think this is HUGE in today's world. Even as Christians we get so caught up in what's bad going on that when the good does happen we take it for granted. Sometimes we just need to stop and thank God for the luxury of living.....through the good and the bad. When the good kicks in we can really fire up the praises!
Jesus tells a cool story about two men who went to the Temple to pray. "One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector." The Pharisee basically thanks God that he is not a sinner because he doesn't cheat, he fasts...etc. The tax collector on the other hand prayed "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner." Jesus says "I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." I love the fact that our pastor relates to us in flat out telling you we are all sinners. Him included! The only one to never have sin was Jesus who died for us so that despite our sin we could be close to God. Humbleness....may not get you the big corner office on Park Avenue but it will warm the heart and open the eyes to what really matters in life......well that's the way I see it:)
Be sure to read along in your daily bible!
Apr 10 -14 Moses Dies & Joshua Conquers!
We move through the rest of Deuteronomy in these readings and into Joshua. Moses goes up to Mount Nebo and climbs Pisgah Peak and the Lord shows him the whole land. Then the Lord says to Moses, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, isaac, and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have now allowed you to see it with your own eyes, but you will not enter the land." Moses died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. Now I would feel to bad for Moses because by the sounds of it where Moses went blows the new land for the Israelites away!
Now Joshua talks directly with the Lord as Moses did. The Lord parts the Jordan river for the people to Israel to cross as he did the Red Sea. The people of Israel cross under the guidance of Joshua who speaks to them the Lords instructions. That day the Lord made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, per the Lords instructions for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.
Now we go into the circumcision dance again. No one had been circumcised after the Exodus during the 40 years in the wilderness. So Joshua did as the Lord commanded and made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel. Once they healed the Israealite men started to conquer all the land under the powerful hand of the Lord. Jericho was kind of cool it was surrounded by a huge wall and the gates were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites, rightfully so. The Lord sent a commander of His army to meet with the Israelites. The Lord said to Joshua You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram's horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams' horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can and the people can charge straight into the town." So Joshua did as the Lord said and when they shouted the walls of Jericho collapsed and they attached and conquered.
They go on to conquer the cities the Lord has promised them but are tricked by Gibeon. They heard of the whopping Joshua did on Jericho and Ai so they sent ambassadors with worn-out pants and moldy bread to make it seem like they travelled from far away. Outside of the area the Lord had told Joshua to conquer. They tricked him into signing a treaty with them guaranteeing their safety but they did this without consulting the Lord. I know about that kind of mistake! They then figure out they were tricked but can't take back the oath to not kill them so Joshua made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the Lord-wherever the Lord would choose to build it.
The King of Jerusalem heard about the Isrealites destroying towns and how they made peace with the Gibeonites so he rallied up several other kings to go destroy Gibeon. Joshua sent the Isrealite army to go destroy all those Amorites as they were going to attack Gibeon. Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon." And they did. It is recorded in the book of Jashar that there has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer.
Joshua conquered the whole region of the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes. He left no survivors just ads the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
Now Joshua talks directly with the Lord as Moses did. The Lord parts the Jordan river for the people to Israel to cross as he did the Red Sea. The people of Israel cross under the guidance of Joshua who speaks to them the Lords instructions. That day the Lord made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, per the Lords instructions for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.
Now we go into the circumcision dance again. No one had been circumcised after the Exodus during the 40 years in the wilderness. So Joshua did as the Lord commanded and made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel. Once they healed the Israealite men started to conquer all the land under the powerful hand of the Lord. Jericho was kind of cool it was surrounded by a huge wall and the gates were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites, rightfully so. The Lord sent a commander of His army to meet with the Israelites. The Lord said to Joshua You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram's horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams' horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can and the people can charge straight into the town." So Joshua did as the Lord said and when they shouted the walls of Jericho collapsed and they attached and conquered.
They go on to conquer the cities the Lord has promised them but are tricked by Gibeon. They heard of the whopping Joshua did on Jericho and Ai so they sent ambassadors with worn-out pants and moldy bread to make it seem like they travelled from far away. Outside of the area the Lord had told Joshua to conquer. They tricked him into signing a treaty with them guaranteeing their safety but they did this without consulting the Lord. I know about that kind of mistake! They then figure out they were tricked but can't take back the oath to not kill them so Joshua made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the Lord-wherever the Lord would choose to build it.
The King of Jerusalem heard about the Isrealites destroying towns and how they made peace with the Gibeonites so he rallied up several other kings to go destroy Gibeon. Joshua sent the Isrealite army to go destroy all those Amorites as they were going to attack Gibeon. Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon." And they did. It is recorded in the book of Jashar that there has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer.
Joshua conquered the whole region of the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes. He left no survivors just ads the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
Apr 3 - 9 Moses Lives To 120
OK, I have to tell you the reading and blogging everyday has become a little overwhelming. Now I read how much stuff had to be done in the old testament with setting up, breaking down and moving the Temple and it seems a little weird that I would be overwhelmed with reading. Then I think about all that we do now adays with work, side businesses, kids and day to day issues I guess it can snowball before you know it. So from time to time I may be doing some bulk blogging. The main thing I want to take out of all of this is my devotional time with God. I can't sacrifice that just to stick to a regiment that I'm finding hard to keep up with now and again. The old testament right now is a lot of reading and zzzzzzzzzzz uh not necessarily boring but very loooooooooooong, drawn out and repetitive.
The big thing I've found over the last few days is that the Lord is a jealous God and he tells the people of Israel that, through Moses, many times. He is going to give them the land across the Jordan but makes it very clear if they stray and start worshipping false gods and statues he's going to turn from them and curse them and their towns, flocks, fruit baskets....etc. "Just as the Lord has found great pleasure in causing you to prosper and multiply, the Lord will find pleasure in destroying you. You will be torn from the land you are about to enter and occupy." I would think that statement alone would keep anyone from going astray after everything they had seen with the Lords power.
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on the heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." This was the statement Moses gave to the people of Israel after he finished giving them all the instructions from the Lord. Moses wrote all the instructions in a book and gave it to the priests who carried the Ark of the Lord's Covenant. He gave them this command "At the end of every seventh year, the Year of Release, during the Festival of Shelters, you must read this Book of Instructions to all the people of Israel when they assemble before the Lord your God at the place he chooses."
The Lord then says to Moses "The time has come for you to die. Call Joshua and present your selves at the Tabernacle, so that I may commission him there." He then gives Moses a song that he recites to the assembly of Israel. He also added that they need to "Take Heart all the words of warning I have given you today." he says the instructions are not empty words-they are their lives!. Then Moses gives blessings to the people of Israel to each individual tribe. I'm just reading about it and am exhausted I can only imagine living it!
The big thing I've found over the last few days is that the Lord is a jealous God and he tells the people of Israel that, through Moses, many times. He is going to give them the land across the Jordan but makes it very clear if they stray and start worshipping false gods and statues he's going to turn from them and curse them and their towns, flocks, fruit baskets....etc. "Just as the Lord has found great pleasure in causing you to prosper and multiply, the Lord will find pleasure in destroying you. You will be torn from the land you are about to enter and occupy." I would think that statement alone would keep anyone from going astray after everything they had seen with the Lords power.
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on the heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." This was the statement Moses gave to the people of Israel after he finished giving them all the instructions from the Lord. Moses wrote all the instructions in a book and gave it to the priests who carried the Ark of the Lord's Covenant. He gave them this command "At the end of every seventh year, the Year of Release, during the Festival of Shelters, you must read this Book of Instructions to all the people of Israel when they assemble before the Lord your God at the place he chooses."
The Lord then says to Moses "The time has come for you to die. Call Joshua and present your selves at the Tabernacle, so that I may commission him there." He then gives Moses a song that he recites to the assembly of Israel. He also added that they need to "Take Heart all the words of warning I have given you today." he says the instructions are not empty words-they are their lives!. Then Moses gives blessings to the people of Israel to each individual tribe. I'm just reading about it and am exhausted I can only imagine living it!
Apr 2 - Come Follow Me
So in the old testament today the Lord says "Suppose a man marries a woman but after sleeping with her, he turns against her and publicly accuses her of shameful conduct, saying, 'When I married this woman, I discovered she was not a virgin.' Then the woman's father and mother must bring proof of her virginity to the elders as they hold court at the town gate. Her father must say to them, 'I gave my daughter to this man to be his wife, and now he has turned against her. He has accused her of shameful conduct, saying, "I discovered that your daughter was not a virgin." But here is the proof of my daughter's virginity.' Then they must spread her bed sheet before the elders. The elders must then take the man and punish him. They must also fine him 100 pieces of silver, which he must pay to the woman's father because he publicly accused a virgin of Israel of shameful conduct. The woman will then remain the man's wife, and he may never divorce her.
"But suppose the man's accusations are true, and he can show that she was not a virgin. The woman must be taken to the door of her father's home, and there the men of the town must stone her to death, for she has committed a disgraceful crime in Israel by being promiscuous while living in her parent's home."
"If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil."
Now I picked these out directly because I think it shows how incredibly sacred God feels virginity and marriage is. In today's society virginity seems to me to be something that is seen as a negative. If you haven't done the hibity dibity in high school then there is something wrong with you. If you don't score in college then you must be a Eunuch or a prude(in a negative form). It seems that on television, movies and even commercials showing sex out of marriage is as normal as having coffee or milk in the morning. Now I'm not pointing a finger or saying "you'll burn in hell" for such and act. I was there....I felt the need to prove my coolness in that arena before I met Jesus. My wife didn't. Thankfully when I "found" (as it's put) Jesus I was forgiven for all of my sins and was washed clean and made new. I can tell you without a doubt, 100% that a night with my wife, thanks to the blessing of God for waiting until we were married, far surpasses any attempts to try to fill my lustful drive when I was younger.
The old testament ends with "A man must not marry his father's former wife, for this would violate his father." uuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh the only comment I have for that is yuk. Sounds like a talk show topic.
In Luke today Jesus sets out for Jerusalem and meets people along the road who he talks to them in parables about following him. The Lord chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. His instructions to them "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his Fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don't take any money with you, nor a traveler's bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don't stop to greet anyone on the road." He goes on to tell them not to move around from home to home but to stay in one place in each town. When they enter a town if it welcomes them eat whatever is set before them. "Heal the sick, and tell them, 'The Kingdom of God is near you now.' but if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into it's streets and say, 'We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this-The Kingdom of God is near!' I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day!"
I like the verbiage "The harvest is great, but the workers are few." It is so true. You can see it on Easter and Christmas that the Jesus believing churches are packed! Our Christian beliefs that Jesus was the messiah and the only way to heaven is through him is lived by some, preached by even less, but appear to be believed by many. The "workers" walk and talk in the light of Jesus....not in a freaky or crazy way. The "harvest" are all those that don't know Jesus, some go to church every Sunday, some just on Easter and Christmas....others don't know at all. That's a lot of harvest....well That's the way I see it:)
"But suppose the man's accusations are true, and he can show that she was not a virgin. The woman must be taken to the door of her father's home, and there the men of the town must stone her to death, for she has committed a disgraceful crime in Israel by being promiscuous while living in her parent's home."
"If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil."
Now I picked these out directly because I think it shows how incredibly sacred God feels virginity and marriage is. In today's society virginity seems to me to be something that is seen as a negative. If you haven't done the hibity dibity in high school then there is something wrong with you. If you don't score in college then you must be a Eunuch or a prude(in a negative form). It seems that on television, movies and even commercials showing sex out of marriage is as normal as having coffee or milk in the morning. Now I'm not pointing a finger or saying "you'll burn in hell" for such and act. I was there....I felt the need to prove my coolness in that arena before I met Jesus. My wife didn't. Thankfully when I "found" (as it's put) Jesus I was forgiven for all of my sins and was washed clean and made new. I can tell you without a doubt, 100% that a night with my wife, thanks to the blessing of God for waiting until we were married, far surpasses any attempts to try to fill my lustful drive when I was younger.
The old testament ends with "A man must not marry his father's former wife, for this would violate his father." uuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh the only comment I have for that is yuk. Sounds like a talk show topic.
In Luke today Jesus sets out for Jerusalem and meets people along the road who he talks to them in parables about following him. The Lord chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. His instructions to them "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his Fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don't take any money with you, nor a traveler's bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don't stop to greet anyone on the road." He goes on to tell them not to move around from home to home but to stay in one place in each town. When they enter a town if it welcomes them eat whatever is set before them. "Heal the sick, and tell them, 'The Kingdom of God is near you now.' but if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into it's streets and say, 'We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this-The Kingdom of God is near!' I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day!"
I like the verbiage "The harvest is great, but the workers are few." It is so true. You can see it on Easter and Christmas that the Jesus believing churches are packed! Our Christian beliefs that Jesus was the messiah and the only way to heaven is through him is lived by some, preached by even less, but appear to be believed by many. The "workers" walk and talk in the light of Jesus....not in a freaky or crazy way. The "harvest" are all those that don't know Jesus, some go to church every Sunday, some just on Easter and Christmas....others don't know at all. That's a lot of harvest....well That's the way I see it:)
April 1 - Chosen One
Still in Deutoronomy - lots of rules and regs for different stuff, like if someone kills someone accidentally, they can flee to one of three cities that the Lord has instructed to be set apart for refuge. They can live there safely. But if someone deliberately ambushes and murders a neighbor and then flees to one of the cities of refuge then the elders of the murders hometown must send agents to go and get him and bring him back to be put to death buy the dead persons avenger. Lots more rules regarding when they attack towns too.
In Luke today Jesus takes Peter James and John up on a mountain to pray. Peter and the others had fallen asleep and when they woke up they saw Jesus' glory and Moses and Elijah standing with him. A cloud came over them and said "This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him." When the voice finished Jesus was standing all alone. The next day after they came down the mountain A man calls out :Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn't do it."
"You faithless and corrupt people," Jesus said, "how long must I be with you and put up with you?" Then he said to the man, "Bring your son here." Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy.
While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, "Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies."
But they didn't know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from the, so they couldn't understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
The reading ends with John talking to Jesus "Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't in our group." So even back in biblical days they had clicks.
Jesus said, "Don't stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you." {Plus a few paragraphs back you seem to have some issues casting out a demon so keep that guys number in your scroll nextime you hit a snag he may be able to help you in a jam:)}
In Luke today Jesus takes Peter James and John up on a mountain to pray. Peter and the others had fallen asleep and when they woke up they saw Jesus' glory and Moses and Elijah standing with him. A cloud came over them and said "This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him." When the voice finished Jesus was standing all alone. The next day after they came down the mountain A man calls out :Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn't do it."
"You faithless and corrupt people," Jesus said, "how long must I be with you and put up with you?" Then he said to the man, "Bring your son here." Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy.
While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, "Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies."
But they didn't know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from the, so they couldn't understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
The reading ends with John talking to Jesus "Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't in our group." So even back in biblical days they had clicks.
Jesus said, "Don't stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you." {Plus a few paragraphs back you seem to have some issues casting out a demon so keep that guys number in your scroll nextime you hit a snag he may be able to help you in a jam:)}
Mar 31 - Jesus Feeds 5,000
Today in the old testament it talks about Passover and the 3 festivals. The Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these 3 festivals and on each occasion, all mean must appear before the Lord at the place he chooses, with a gift. They must give as they are able, according to the blessing given to them by the Lord. So it seems that the restrictions on specific sacrifices are being loosened up a little. But it still applies that you can "Never sacrifice sick or defective cattle, sheep, or goats to the Lord your God, for he detests such gifts."
In Luke today Jesus pulls a rabbit out of his hat....or should I say takes five loaves of bread and two fish and feeds 5,000 men. Everyone at as much as they could and when it was all over the disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftovers! In today's reading also Jesus pops the question to his disciples. "Who do people say I am?" they replied "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead." Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah sent from God!"
Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. "The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things" he said. "He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priest, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead." How would you like to have that piece of information you couldn't share. Reminds me of the handful of Friends episodes where Joey finds out Chandler is dating Monica but they don't want him to tell anyone. OK not quite the same but funny to watch anyway:) I can tell you I am PHENOMENAL at keeping secrets from everyone but my wife. That's because the minute someone tells me something important I have to tell her because I'm going to forget 10 minutes later! Anywho back to the Word! I personally think it's awesome that Jesus knows all that he is going to have to go through for us, those who are most obviously not worthy! Yet he doesn't miss a beat...."Your will be done not mine".....that's the way I see it:)
In Luke today Jesus pulls a rabbit out of his hat....or should I say takes five loaves of bread and two fish and feeds 5,000 men. Everyone at as much as they could and when it was all over the disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftovers! In today's reading also Jesus pops the question to his disciples. "Who do people say I am?" they replied "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead." Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah sent from God!"
Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. "The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things" he said. "He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priest, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead." How would you like to have that piece of information you couldn't share. Reminds me of the handful of Friends episodes where Joey finds out Chandler is dating Monica but they don't want him to tell anyone. OK not quite the same but funny to watch anyway:) I can tell you I am PHENOMENAL at keeping secrets from everyone but my wife. That's because the minute someone tells me something important I have to tell her because I'm going to forget 10 minutes later! Anywho back to the Word! I personally think it's awesome that Jesus knows all that he is going to have to go through for us, those who are most obviously not worthy! Yet he doesn't miss a beat...."Your will be done not mine".....that's the way I see it:)
Mar 30 - No Eating Bats
Still reading through Deuteronomy its a lot of reminder stuff. Some of it's on what they can and can't eat when they move into the land promised to them by the Lord......Pigs are still off the list!! No bearded vultures or bats either....bummer. Repeatedly Moses says "And do not neglect the Levites in your town, for they will receive no allotment of land among you." It goes on to talk about setting aside a tithe of crops each year to bring to the place of worship. When they bring the tithe they can eat it at the place of worship not give it to anyone or burn it up they just have to eat it at the place of worship not their towns. The rules don't seem to be as intense when they get into the new land. He is also explicit about taking care of the poor and giving generously to them. The best one is "at the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money." I'm photocopying that page and sending it to my mortgage company:)
In Luke today Jesus raises a families daughter from the dead and a lady is healed by simply touching his garments while he is walking through the crowd. "One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 'Take nothing for your journey,' he instructed them. 'Don't take a walking stick, a traveler's bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake it's dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate' So the began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick." How cool would that be! Go all across the lands healing and casting out demons! I wonder if they had other tricks up their sleeves.....maybe make a goat talk or something fun like that? OK so Jesus most likely wouldn't trust me with those abilities or put a heck of a restriction on them so I wouldn't be freaking people out by raising a little girls dead cat that just got run over by a cart.
In Luke today Jesus raises a families daughter from the dead and a lady is healed by simply touching his garments while he is walking through the crowd. "One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 'Take nothing for your journey,' he instructed them. 'Don't take a walking stick, a traveler's bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake it's dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate' So the began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick." How cool would that be! Go all across the lands healing and casting out demons! I wonder if they had other tricks up their sleeves.....maybe make a goat talk or something fun like that? OK so Jesus most likely wouldn't trust me with those abilities or put a heck of a restriction on them so I wouldn't be freaking people out by raising a little girls dead cat that just got run over by a cart.
Mar 29 - I Am Legion
Moses continues on today reiterating that they must obey the Lord and obey all his requirements, decrees, regulations and commands. "Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him. Then the Lord will drive out all the nations ahead of you, though they are much greater and stronger than you, and you will take over their land." Sounds like a fair deal to me:) Moses tells them they can eat their meat in any town whenever they want whether they are ceremonially clean or unclean but they must not eat the blood. But they cannot eat their offerings in their hometowns. They are to take their sacred gifts and offerings given to fulfill a vow to the place the Lord chooses and eat them in the presence of the Lord. Ultimately Moses finishes with "So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything form them." I would be getting an outline of the commands, I can't remember what I'm doing this weekend let alone offerings, sacrifices...etc:)
Today in Luke it's the day when Jesus and the disciples are in a boat to cross the lake when a storm starts kicking the boat around like crazy and Jesus is taking a siesta while the disciples are freaking out. They wake him up and with one command he rebukes the wind and waves and everything goes calm. He asks the disciples "Where is your faith?" I think I would have to side with the disciples on this one. I wouldn't know if God was trying to wash all of us out of the boat and just keep his son aboard? Plus how could he sleep through that.....OH, uuhhh just checking to see if you were still alive but hey while your up you mind killing these winds.
When the arrive to the region of Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. Jesus is climbing out of the boat and a man possessed by demons falls down in front of him. "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please I beg you, don't torture me!"
Jesus demanded, "What is your name?"
"Legion" he replied, for he was filled with many demons. The demons begged Jesus to give them permission to enter the herd of pigs near by. Jesus gave them the thumbs up and they left them man, entered the pigs then ran down the steep hillside and plunged into the lake and drowned.
All the people in the region begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swpt over them.
I definitely think Proverbs is worth mentioning today being that my wife fits into the crown catagory 110%! Proverbs 12:4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a discraceful woman is liek cance in his bones.
Love you Boo;)
Today in Luke it's the day when Jesus and the disciples are in a boat to cross the lake when a storm starts kicking the boat around like crazy and Jesus is taking a siesta while the disciples are freaking out. They wake him up and with one command he rebukes the wind and waves and everything goes calm. He asks the disciples "Where is your faith?" I think I would have to side with the disciples on this one. I wouldn't know if God was trying to wash all of us out of the boat and just keep his son aboard? Plus how could he sleep through that.....OH, uuhhh just checking to see if you were still alive but hey while your up you mind killing these winds.
When the arrive to the region of Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. Jesus is climbing out of the boat and a man possessed by demons falls down in front of him. "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please I beg you, don't torture me!"
Jesus demanded, "What is your name?"
"Legion" he replied, for he was filled with many demons. The demons begged Jesus to give them permission to enter the herd of pigs near by. Jesus gave them the thumbs up and they left them man, entered the pigs then ran down the steep hillside and plunged into the lake and drowned.
All the people in the region begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swpt over them.
I definitely think Proverbs is worth mentioning today being that my wife fits into the crown catagory 110%! Proverbs 12:4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a discraceful woman is liek cance in his bones.
Love you Boo;)
Mar 28 - Which Seed Did You Say You Were?
Moses is doing a recount of all the bad stuff the people of Israel did by disobeying and not having faith in the Lord even after seeing all the miracles that happened from Gods anger and through his love. He is telling them so they won't repeat the same mistakes by not obeying the Lord as the are getting ready to cross the Jordan River into the land they were promised. The Lords mighty hand is going to destroy the current inhabitants because they are evil. He points out a few times that they are getting the Land because the people there are evil and worship false gods and because of His promise to their ancestors. Not because they were good. Moses lays it out there saying "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good." "Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn."
You can look at that as a bully God just making us do what he wants and kiss his tush all day. Or you can see it as I believe it to be, that He loves us so much and only wants the best for us. It's not like I see him everyday the best way for me to keep my focus on God is to stay in His word, pray and sing praises. Thankfully I don't need to go all Friday The 13th on some goat twice a week.
I as a father expect my kids to listen and obey what I am telling them not because I'm a bully but because I love them and know, better then they, what is good for them. Doubt I can ever get them to sing praises about me but hey if I can at least keep them from doing incredibly dumb stuff I'll consider that a step in the right direction:) I am blessed to have children but my children are gifts from God so it is also my duty to teach them about Him and what great things He's done for us so they will love Him as much as Boo and I do. I love my kids but it's not even possible for me to love them as much as God loves them......That's the way I see it:)
Luke today it's the cool parable about the farmer scattering seeds. If you've never read it you have to check it out: Luke 8:4-15
You can look at that as a bully God just making us do what he wants and kiss his tush all day. Or you can see it as I believe it to be, that He loves us so much and only wants the best for us. It's not like I see him everyday the best way for me to keep my focus on God is to stay in His word, pray and sing praises. Thankfully I don't need to go all Friday The 13th on some goat twice a week.
I as a father expect my kids to listen and obey what I am telling them not because I'm a bully but because I love them and know, better then they, what is good for them. Doubt I can ever get them to sing praises about me but hey if I can at least keep them from doing incredibly dumb stuff I'll consider that a step in the right direction:) I am blessed to have children but my children are gifts from God so it is also my duty to teach them about Him and what great things He's done for us so they will love Him as much as Boo and I do. I love my kids but it's not even possible for me to love them as much as God loves them......That's the way I see it:)
Luke today it's the cool parable about the farmer scattering seeds. If you've never read it you have to check it out: Luke 8:4-15
Mar 27 - Faithfully Obey
Moses is telling the people of Israel that the Lord will clear away many nations so that they may have inherit the land He promised them. He tells them they must not make treaties with the current residence or intermarry for they will cause them to lead astray and worship false gods. The Lord is a jealous God and would have to destroy them. "The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands." Sounds like a wonderful God to me. "But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him." Wonderful but jealous God:) He promises that if the people of Israel listen to his regulations and faithfully obey the Lord will keep his covenant of unfailing love with them, as he promised with an oath to their ancestors. "He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children."
Moses goes on to tell them to remember how the Lord handled Pharaoh and the land of Egypt so don't be afraid because they are the chosen people. He finishes up telling them to remember the Lord is the one who gives them power but he will destroy them if they do not obey him. Sounds like they probably shouldn't go astray or thew will be toast.....literally in some cases.
In Luke today Jesus is eating at Pharisees house when an immoral woman enters, kneels down at his feet and begins to week. Her tears fell on his feet and she wiped them off with her hair and kept kissing his feet and anointing them with rare perfume. Now think about this love she had for Jesus. It's not like he's been walking across the desert in a new pair of Nike's' with some nice well breathing socks. His feet must have been, as my daughter puts it, Yucky! What's the first thing the Pharisee say to himself "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!"
Jesus answered his thoughts with a parable for him to respond to and "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't' greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you her sins-and they are many-have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love."
Soon afterward Jesus began to tour nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God along with his 12 disciples and some others including Mary Magdalene (check that out she's got her own website!) from whom he had cast out seven demons.
Proverbs 12:1 To Learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
Moses goes on to tell them to remember how the Lord handled Pharaoh and the land of Egypt so don't be afraid because they are the chosen people. He finishes up telling them to remember the Lord is the one who gives them power but he will destroy them if they do not obey him. Sounds like they probably shouldn't go astray or thew will be toast.....literally in some cases.
In Luke today Jesus is eating at Pharisees house when an immoral woman enters, kneels down at his feet and begins to week. Her tears fell on his feet and she wiped them off with her hair and kept kissing his feet and anointing them with rare perfume. Now think about this love she had for Jesus. It's not like he's been walking across the desert in a new pair of Nike's' with some nice well breathing socks. His feet must have been, as my daughter puts it, Yucky! What's the first thing the Pharisee say to himself "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!"
Jesus answered his thoughts with a parable for him to respond to and "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't' greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you her sins-and they are many-have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love."
Soon afterward Jesus began to tour nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God along with his 12 disciples and some others including Mary Magdalene (check that out she's got her own website!) from whom he had cast out seven demons.
Proverbs 12:1 To Learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
Mar 26 - The Lords Covenant At Mount Sinai
Today Moses calls the people of Israel together again and tells them to listen carefully to the decrees and regulations that he was giving them and to obey them because they are from the Lord. "The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Mount Sinai. The Lord did not make this covenant with our ancestors, but with all of us who are alive today. At the mountain the Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire." Then he repeats the 10 commandments that the Lord gave them. "You must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on doorposts of your house and on your gates." You think these commandments are serious for God. Moses repeatedly tells them they must obey the laws and decrees from the Lord and tell their children about how the Lord saved them from Egypt.
Jesus raises the dead today. How would you like to be around to see that! He simply says "Young man, I tell you get up." This of coarse caused the news about Jesus to spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside. John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?" His response to Johns disciples was to go back and tell him about all the miracles they had seen and tell John, "God blesses those who do not turn away because of me." Which I'm guessing John the Baptist knew that was the long answer for yes?:)
I thought the proberb today was cool. Proverbs 11:29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.
One of the last places I would think anyone would ever want to bring trouble is to the family. But as you can see by these high profile affairs and mess ups it certainly brings the winds of a major storm when they do! I use the thought of my children. If I can't say or do it in front of my wife or children then I probably shouldn't do it.
Jesus raises the dead today. How would you like to be around to see that! He simply says "Young man, I tell you get up." This of coarse caused the news about Jesus to spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside. John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?" His response to Johns disciples was to go back and tell him about all the miracles they had seen and tell John, "God blesses those who do not turn away because of me." Which I'm guessing John the Baptist knew that was the long answer for yes?:)
I thought the proberb today was cool. Proverbs 11:29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.
One of the last places I would think anyone would ever want to bring trouble is to the family. But as you can see by these high profile affairs and mess ups it certainly brings the winds of a major storm when they do! I use the thought of my children. If I can't say or do it in front of my wife or children then I probably shouldn't do it.
Mar 25 - Do You Have A Plank?
Moses gives the commands of the Lord to the people of Israel. He tells them to obey them so that they could live and occupy the land God was giving them. "You saw for yourself what the Lord did to you at Baal-peor. There the Lord your God destroyed everyone who had worshiped Baal, the god of Peor. But all of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today-everyone of you." Oh he also mentions a couple more times that the Lord was angry with him because of them so he can't cross the Jordan River with them. One last poke:)
Jesus teaches in parables again today. "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own eye? How can you think of saying, 'Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." Oh I think we all can relate to that at some point in our lives. It's easy to sit back and point out someones flaws and give criticism on how they could change when if you take a moment to look at your own actions you might see you need some work there first. Speaking from experience.....
Jesus teaches in parables again today. "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own eye? How can you think of saying, 'Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." Oh I think we all can relate to that at some point in our lives. It's easy to sit back and point out someones flaws and give criticism on how they could change when if you take a moment to look at your own actions you might see you need some work there first. Speaking from experience.....
Mar 24 - Cliffs Notes Part 2
Moses continues on today with "Then we turned around and headed back across the wilderness toward the Red Se, just as the Lord had instructed me, and we wandered around in the region of Mount Seir for a long time." By this time I would think Moses was pretty irritated:) He gives them the rest of the rundown of everything they had been through and finishes up with.
"At that time I pleaded with the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, you have only begun to show your greatness and the strength of your hand to me, your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as you do? Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon Mountains.' But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. 'That's enough!' he declared. 'Speak of it no more. But go up to Pisgah Peak, and look over the land in every direction. Take a good look, but you may not cross the Jordan River. Instead, commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead the people across the Jordan. He will give them all the land you now see before you as their possession.' So we stayed in the valley near Beth-peor." I think Moses was a little bitter about them keeping him from crossing. Now he was just telling them what the Lord instructed him to say.....or was he ad-libbing just a little? "Oh did I mention that the Lord was angry with me because of you....ya just wanted to toss that in there.":)
Today Jesus called together all his disciples and chose 12 of them to be apostles:
Simon (whom he named Peter)
Andrew (Peter's brother)
James
John
Philip
Bartholomew
Matthew
Thomas
James (son of Alphaeus)
Simon (who was called the zealot)
Judas (son of James)
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him) - how would you like that to be the tag line to your name for all of history?
When they all came down from the mountain they were on Jesus began teaching, casting out demons and healing the sick of their diseases.
"But to you who are willing to listen, i say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who cures you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also." Ok for the rest of my life every time I see that all I'm going to think of is The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry. 88.1 has played about 8,000,000,000,000,000 times a piece of the movie where he says "If your enemy takes a piece of your pizza, offer him two." I guess it worked because I will never be able to eat a slice of pizza without thinking of that movie www.sperrymovie.com haven't seen it yet but that little old mans voice is forever burned into my brain.:)
My favorite quote from Jesus today is "Do not judge other, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn other, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven." Amen to that. We can all use some reminding and forgiving now and again! Well......That's the way I see it.
"At that time I pleaded with the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, you have only begun to show your greatness and the strength of your hand to me, your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as you do? Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon Mountains.' But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. 'That's enough!' he declared. 'Speak of it no more. But go up to Pisgah Peak, and look over the land in every direction. Take a good look, but you may not cross the Jordan River. Instead, commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead the people across the Jordan. He will give them all the land you now see before you as their possession.' So we stayed in the valley near Beth-peor." I think Moses was a little bitter about them keeping him from crossing. Now he was just telling them what the Lord instructed him to say.....or was he ad-libbing just a little? "Oh did I mention that the Lord was angry with me because of you....ya just wanted to toss that in there.":)
Today Jesus called together all his disciples and chose 12 of them to be apostles:
Simon (whom he named Peter)
Andrew (Peter's brother)
James
John
Philip
Bartholomew
Matthew
Thomas
James (son of Alphaeus)
Simon (who was called the zealot)
Judas (son of James)
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him) - how would you like that to be the tag line to your name for all of history?
When they all came down from the mountain they were on Jesus began teaching, casting out demons and healing the sick of their diseases.
"But to you who are willing to listen, i say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who cures you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also." Ok for the rest of my life every time I see that all I'm going to think of is The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry. 88.1 has played about 8,000,000,000,000,000 times a piece of the movie where he says "If your enemy takes a piece of your pizza, offer him two." I guess it worked because I will never be able to eat a slice of pizza without thinking of that movie www.sperrymovie.com haven't seen it yet but that little old mans voice is forever burned into my brain.:)
My favorite quote from Jesus today is "Do not judge other, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn other, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven." Amen to that. We can all use some reminding and forgiving now and again! Well......That's the way I see it.
Mar 23 - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
OK, I'm sorry but all of this dividing of the land and well if the women get it for this tribe then marry someone in another tribe our tribe loses the land and who gets what. It's like land law 101 going on here. The cool part is about a quarter of the way through the reading for the old testament today Moses does as the Lord instructed him and basically gives an account of everything from when they were at Mount Sinai everything they did and went through along their journey. All the good and bad. Like Cliffs Notes of their journey through the wilderness to the promised land. He points out several times how they wouldn't listen or trust the Lord. "And the Lord was also angry with me because of you. He said to me, 'Moses, not even you will enter the Promised Land! Instead, your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will lead the people into the land." So I guess I shouldn't feel so bad if I don't get something I want eh? Moses poured his life into God's work but even though he so much wanted to see the promised land in the end it wasn't in the cards for him.
Jesus is at Levi's house, one of his new disciples who used to be a tax collector, at a banquet Levi is holding and Jesus is the guest of honor. There were many fellow tax collectors there so of coarse the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained to Jesus "Why do you eat and drink with such scum?" Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent." That is one of the greatest things about our church, Celebration. Our doors are open to anyone and everyone! None of us are perfect nor do we have the right to think we are better then anyone else. Jesus was the Son of Man and he humbled himself to help others all the time. I say if your going to make a change for the better in God's presence is the place to do it!
Jesus is at Levi's house, one of his new disciples who used to be a tax collector, at a banquet Levi is holding and Jesus is the guest of honor. There were many fellow tax collectors there so of coarse the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained to Jesus "Why do you eat and drink with such scum?" Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent." That is one of the greatest things about our church, Celebration. Our doors are open to anyone and everyone! None of us are perfect nor do we have the right to think we are better then anyone else. Jesus was the Son of Man and he humbled himself to help others all the time. I say if your going to make a change for the better in God's presence is the place to do it!
Mar 22 - Divide The Land
Today the Lord instructs Moses to tell the people of Israel to cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan and kick some butt! They must destroy all the carved and molten images, demolish all the pagan shrines, drive all the people out and divide the land up in allotments to their clans. "Command the people of Israel to go to the Levites from their property certain towns to live in, along with the surrounding pastureland." "Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can flee for safety." The Lord then goes into more regulations on what to do if someone kills someone by accident and if they kill them on purpose. "No sacrifice except ht execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder."
In Luke today Jesus heals and teaches and gets harassed by the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. He tells a man "Your sins are forgiven" and the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, "Who does he think he is? That's blasphemy! Only god can forgive sins!" Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked them "Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" So he did. Now at this point I would think that they would never question him again. They've see a bunch of miracles and specifically questioned who he thinks he his.....I think he just showed them.......Why do we now question who he is because he's not in the physical form performing miracles? If you question and then open your heart to the Holy Spirit he will show you....That's the way I see it:)
In Luke today Jesus heals and teaches and gets harassed by the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. He tells a man "Your sins are forgiven" and the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, "Who does he think he is? That's blasphemy! Only god can forgive sins!" Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked them "Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" So he did. Now at this point I would think that they would never question him again. They've see a bunch of miracles and specifically questioned who he thinks he his.....I think he just showed them.......Why do we now question who he is because he's not in the physical form performing miracles? If you question and then open your heart to the Holy Spirit he will show you....That's the way I see it:)
Mar 21 - Preaching The Good News
The tribes continue to conquer the lands the Lord has promised them. The tribes of Reuben and Gad saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were perfect for their flocks and herds. So they asked Moses, Eleazar the priest and the other leaders of the community if they could keep the land as their property instead of getting land across the Jordan River. Moses becomes angry and asks them "Do you intend to stay here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?" "The Lord was angry with Israel and made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation that sinned in the Lord's sight had died. But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing!" They said they just want to build their pens for their livestock and fortify towns for their wives and children. Then they would lead their fellow Israelites into battle until they are safely in their new land.
"The tribes of Gad and Reuben said, "We are your servants, and we will do as the Lord has commanded! We will cross the Jordan into Canaan fully armed to fight for the Lord, but our property will be here on this side of the Jordan." So Moses assigned land to the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph. As they continued to conquer Moses would assign lands to the different tribes.
In Luke today Jesus is in Capernaum, a town in Galilee, teaching and he also casts out demons and heals the sick. This is kind of cool on the CD version of the new testament. The set has sound effects and everything...."Why are you interfering with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-The Holy One sent from God!" Say that in a creepy loud voice and you've got the CD:) Jesus cut him short, the demon was saying this while possessing a man, Jesus ordered him out of the man and the demon came out. Every time a demon tried to say "You are the Son of God!" Jesus would rebuke them and keep them from speaking.
Early one morning Jesus went to an isolated place and the crowds searched and found him begging him to stay. He replied "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent." So he continued to travel around, preaching in synagogues throughout Judea. I heard this preached once as Jesus understood that he couldn't just stay there in his comfort zone and continue to do his daily deal. He knew that his purpose was to go throughout the lands letting people know about the "Good News of the Kingdom of God". How else would people know.....isn't that our purpose as Christians? I struggle with this sometimes because you don't want to come off as pushy or crazy but man I get excited sometimes when I see the opportunity to tell people about Jesus and what he's done us and even more to home what he's done for me and my family!
Everytime someone says I love how you and your wife are or your family interaction is fun to watch or I want what you have....You can have it....it's Jesus.
"The tribes of Gad and Reuben said, "We are your servants, and we will do as the Lord has commanded! We will cross the Jordan into Canaan fully armed to fight for the Lord, but our property will be here on this side of the Jordan." So Moses assigned land to the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph. As they continued to conquer Moses would assign lands to the different tribes.
In Luke today Jesus is in Capernaum, a town in Galilee, teaching and he also casts out demons and heals the sick. This is kind of cool on the CD version of the new testament. The set has sound effects and everything...."Why are you interfering with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-The Holy One sent from God!" Say that in a creepy loud voice and you've got the CD:) Jesus cut him short, the demon was saying this while possessing a man, Jesus ordered him out of the man and the demon came out. Every time a demon tried to say "You are the Son of God!" Jesus would rebuke them and keep them from speaking.
Early one morning Jesus went to an isolated place and the crowds searched and found him begging him to stay. He replied "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent." So he continued to travel around, preaching in synagogues throughout Judea. I heard this preached once as Jesus understood that he couldn't just stay there in his comfort zone and continue to do his daily deal. He knew that his purpose was to go throughout the lands letting people know about the "Good News of the Kingdom of God". How else would people know.....isn't that our purpose as Christians? I struggle with this sometimes because you don't want to come off as pushy or crazy but man I get excited sometimes when I see the opportunity to tell people about Jesus and what he's done us and even more to home what he's done for me and my family!
Everytime someone says I love how you and your wife are or your family interaction is fun to watch or I want what you have....You can have it....it's Jesus.
Mar 20 - Jesus Is Tempted By The Devil
Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, "This is what the Lord has commanded: A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do." Well wouldn't that be nice if we followed that today!
In Luke today Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He ate nothing all that time. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, change this stone into a loaf of bread." But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone.'"
Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me." Jesus replied, "The Scriptures say, 'You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And the will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone." Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the Lord your God."
While Jesus is being tempted I think it's cool to see the devil twist the scriptures into something that can be used for evil.....Jump off God will save you. Jesus completely rebukes what he says about the Scriptures by saying "The Scriptures also say...." I've talked to people before that say well the Bible is an interpretation, it's been written and rewritten and it was written by man in the first place. All I can say to that is pray, seek Him in your heart. Anyone can do like the devil and pick parts out to use for craziness but in the end it's all about your relationship with Jesus and he'll show you what the scriptures mean.....That's the way I see it:)
In Luke today Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He ate nothing all that time. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, change this stone into a loaf of bread." But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone.'"
Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me." Jesus replied, "The Scriptures say, 'You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And the will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone." Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the Lord your God."
While Jesus is being tempted I think it's cool to see the devil twist the scriptures into something that can be used for evil.....Jump off God will save you. Jesus completely rebukes what he says about the Scriptures by saying "The Scriptures also say...." I've talked to people before that say well the Bible is an interpretation, it's been written and rewritten and it was written by man in the first place. All I can say to that is pray, seek Him in your heart. Anyone can do like the devil and pick parts out to use for craziness but in the end it's all about your relationship with Jesus and he'll show you what the scriptures mean.....That's the way I see it:)
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