Luke 7:22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. I read this as part of the Bible Study we are doing. The study is on Miracles and their purpose. In this case, the miracles are for pointing to Jesus as God's chosen who we should listen to and respect. When I read this the last phrase stuck out.  Remember those exercises in grade school where we were supposed to pick the object or thing that didn't fit with the rest of the list?  Well, this last phrase struck me as something that didn't fit with the rest. The blind seeing, the lame walking, healings, deaf hearing, and the dead living are without a doubt miracles.  But what about good news being preached to the poor?  How does that fit with the rest?  My only original guess is that it is one of the prophesy ...

I don't have much today. I've been looking for full-time work. I've been converting to my new computer. (I managed to transfer my email contact list and my favorites!) I'm up to date with my readings....but I'm stuck for a blog post.  Not that I haven't had some thoughts of God today. My readings today included some of Lamentations. I also read a verse in Psalms. I wrote down Psalm 139.8: If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! I haven't been able to spend time evaluating, or investigating this verse. I just wonder about it.  I think Sheol is another word for hell, or the grave. But that confuses me.  That would mean that God is even there, in hell. And maybe He is. Isn't God everywhere?  How can He be everywhere but not in Hell?  But how can God be in hell? Isn't that place too evil, immoral, bad for God to be? I don't know. Maybe I'll get around to doing some research to see what the experts ...

Psalm 119:105 : Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.   This verse is too familiar. When I see it, I don't spend any time on it. I don't THINK about what it means....until I force myself. I need to do that for passages that I "know" too well, that I have heard often enough that I just dismiss them as though there is nothing more they can say to me.  How silly is that thought?! After some thought, I picture darkness. Night. Outside. Alone. Sounds are all around. Some familiar. Some very unfamiliar, scary even. The ground is uneven, strewn with tree roots and rocks, pits and dips in the earth. I need a light to see so I don't fall. I need a light so I take the right path, so I don't walk off the path altogether and get lost. So I pull out the flashlight.... to shine light onto the path in front of me. Now I feel safe.  Now I feel prepared. Now I feel able. This verse tells me that God's word, my Bible, is my flashlight for the path in ...

Ezekiel 28:2: ..... " 'In the pride of your heart        you say, "I am a god;        I sit on the throne of a god ....." This verse was spoken by God to Ezekiel about the ruler of Tyre. When I read it this morning, I stopped at the phrase: In the pride of your heart.   What can this mean for me? Anything?  Am I hiding pride in my heart?  Do we even understand that when we carry pride in our hearts, that we are really saying we are gods?  Well, we are. Aren't we? On some level? We must reflect on whether we have pride in our hearts, especially hidden pride that causes us to believe somewhere deep down inside that we are in control, that we have power, that we know the answers, that we are gods, our own gods. That we don't need another all-powerful, all-knowing, saving God. I'm certain that there are times that I think I am in control, when I'm really not. Times when I think that I can deal with it, or h...

This summer has just been splendid. Others say it's been too hot. It has been hot...and dry but I'm okay with that. I might not be if I were a farmer, or working in a hot factory but I'm not either so I've enjoyed the sunny, hot days. And there have been few clouds, at least few rain clouds.  We've been able to enjoy the bright, clear sunshine and sky during the day.   And we've been able to witness the many iterations of the moon this year. The sky has been very very clear and just beautiful. We've seen the moon slivers slice through the night sky. (Similar to this photo) And we've seen spectacular full moons . (Similar to this photo) This morning I was blessed to see the full moon hiding behind the clouds against the horizon just before the sun came up behind me. I was walking my dog heading west. The sky was filled with puffy gray clouds, patches of deep blue sky and the full moon tucked just behind the clouds. It was wonderful to see the dark sky...

We are studying Miracles - I've already mentioned that in an earlier post .   I just completed my first pass at doing this week's lesson which is about the parting of the Red Sea. Then I picked up another study I was doing with another group of people called Fruit of the Spirit . The rest of the group has already completed the study but I wanted to do it anyway. The "fruit" for this lesson is self-control.  This is one I would have liked to do with other people. I think this is one of the fruits I'm most lacking!! Anyway, the lesson uses 1 Samuel 26 to illustrate self-control. David has the opportunity to kill Saul, who'd been pursuing him relentlessly. David exhibits an extreme amount of self-control when he chooses not to kill Saul and not to let his comrade kill him either. You see, they sneak into Saul's camp full of 6000 of Saul's chosen men and steal Saul's water jug and spear that were near Saul's head.  Saul was sleeping in the cent...

Genesis 22 :12 " Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." I have to be very honest about the story surrounding this verse. It bugs me.  First God tells Abraham to take Isaac, his son, the one he'd been promised, Abraham's ONLY son born to him when he and his wife were very old, to a place on the mountain and offer him as a burnt sacrifice.  This is a very difficult request to understand and an even more difficult one to comply with! But let's not get into that. After Abraham takes Isaac to the mountain, he ties him and places him on an altar that Isaac probably helped build for the sacrifice.  Abraham is ready, with knife in hand, to slay his son. At the last second, an ANGEL appears to tell Abraham not to harm the boy.  An Angel. Not God, but an angel. He personally told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac but sends an angel to tell him...

For the last two weeks, I've been driving past various cornfields. I can't explain why they caught my attention. I've lived here all my life and have seen cornfields all around me forever. They were next to the factory where I worked. They cover both sides of the roads on various road trips. Perhaps it is the time of year that put them in the right condition for me to notice them.  If you didn't know what a cornfield looked like, you could have guessed this was one.   This one particular field, which is just below the level of the road, was perfect, by its symmetry, the sameness of each stalk, the consistency of color and placement of the ears . The stalks were green. The ears were a golden bushy yellow. The ears were exactly in the same place on each the stalk. It was like the ears were placed exactly this far from the ground, this far from the next ear, and colored just perfectly to contrast against the stalk and leaves. I didn't have a camera with me and the c...

Jeremiah 48 :10a: "A curse on him who is lax in doing the LORD's work!"  Doesn't that verse sting!? This is from a message from God through Jeremiah against Moab. I don't know the circumstances, or which modern country used to be called Moab.  I don't think that matters when looking at this one statement. I have to admit that sometimes I am lax in doing the Lord's work. I stall. I make excuses. I hope others will pick up the slack. I pretend I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I am not like that all the time, of course.  But I have done all the above, been lax in doing the Lord's work.  I hope that the curse is imposed upon me is imposed as a missed opportunity rather than as punishment. Missing opportunities to be blessed when doing God's work is bad but I don't think I could endure God's punishment.  Thankfully, Jesus stands in the gap. Jesus has taken the punishment for those times I am lax.  God, This passage stings. I fe...

On Tuesday, I wrote a post about Psalm 71 saying that we are to pass along what we know about God to the next generation.  On Wednesday, the post was from Ezekiel saying that we should continue to pass along God's love and our knowledge of Him regardless of whether anyone listens or not.  Then I read Hebrews 2:1-4. " We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will." Now to be really honest about this, I didn't see the connection, until I looked at the Bible Study we are starting on Miracles . One of the questions ...

Ezekiel 3:10 - 11 "And he said to me, "Son of man, listen...Go now to your countrymen....and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen." This passage seems appropriate to follow the post of August 17, 2010 titled Pass it on . Most of us want to see results. If we don't, we feel like we've failed. If our children don't attend church, if our spouses don't do as we like, if the youth in the youth group get into trouble, if things don't go as we think they should, we feel like our efforts to spread the word of God's might and God's love are in vain. We are a results-oriented culture. We give and take tests. We keep track of how many people we get through the drive through window in a certain amount of time. We count how many people we help during our busy day so others will know that we've been successful. We count. We test. We track results.  We reward results with bon...

Psalm 71:17-18 Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,        and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.  Even when I am old and gray,        do not forsake me, O God,        till I declare your power to the next generation,        your might to all who are to come. I am so blessed and thankful that the generations before me have " declared [God's] power to the next generation". I would know nothing of God or His Son, Jesus if those before me had not passed it on.  When I was younger, or maybe I should say when I was less mature in my faith, I had the misguided thought that my relationship with God was personal, confidential.  That is true, except that I also thought it was no one's business. That is not true.  It is other people's business that I have a relationship with God.  It is their business because they need to know Jesu...

Luke 17:11-17 tells the story of ten lepers who were healed. Jesus healed all of them.  He said, "Go....." And as they went, they were cleansed.  Did He heal them because they went when He told them to? Did He heal them because they obeyed?  Did He heal them simply because He was merciful?  We don't know. There isn't enough information for that...but there is enough information! Then one of the healed lepers, a Samaritan, came and fell at Jesus' feet.  He praised Jesus.  He thanked Jesus.  He was overwhelmed with gratitude. This is the attitude we should have when any of our needs are met, when any of our prayers are answered. Where are the others? Jesus asked that very question. Verse 17 says Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? That is all of the story that we have. That's it. There isn't enough information to know what happened with the others....but there is enough information! Here are my questions.  Did ...

I've been out of it for a couple of weeks. Vacation. Starting a new job. I've seen very little news.  I haven't spent much time on the internet or reading my emails. I haven't talked to very many friends or family. This morning I opened my email settings to add some names to the SPAM list (you know the one where you can add emails so you don't receive anything else from that address). My account uses Yahoo so I get a scrolling list of "news items". I looked at a couple of those news items and found God. One is about a a 23 year old professional football player who has abruptly stated he's leaving his professional football career. He's given very little explanation for his abrupt and mysterious departure from a lucrative career. One report says he may be heading for the ministry! What a nice thing to report!  What a wonderful testimony! What courage and obedience! God is in the middle of THAT!!! Then there is the story of another NFL player w...

Romans 14:11 ....'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,    'every knee will bow before me;       every tongue will confess to God. I'm still thinking about the Trinity. ( See previous posts if you are interested: Jesus, Son of God - Trinity and Jesus and the Holy Spirit) I think the "problem" if Jesus is NOT God is whether we worship and praise Him or not.  If Jesus is not God, we'd be worshiping more than one God, something that God strongly disapproves. I had this verse...at least part of it... in my head to get rid of this dilemma. I was thinking that Jesus said, "every knee will bow before me", but he didn't.  God did in the Old Testament. Jesus himself said he was the Messiah or the Christ, or rather confirmed it when others said it.  (See John 4:24-26 , Matthew 16:15 , Mark 8:29 , and Luke 9:20 )  But those terms Christ and Messiah mean anointed one. Jesus said in John 14:6 " I am the way and the truth and th...

Luke 7:37-38, 44-46: When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.... Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  At church on Sunday, this was part of the passage that the pastor used for his sermon.  One part of this passage stuck with me.  I don't even remember if the pastor touched on this idea.  Perhaps that's why it stuck with me. Let me tell you what I though...

by Deanna Etienne - used by permission Zephaniah 2:3a Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,        you who do what he commands.        Seek righteousness, seek humility; When I take time to seek the Lord, I find Him everywhere.  He is in the clouds, in the sunset, in a friend's smile, in my husband's warm embrace.  He is represented in so much if His creation it is hard to miss Him if we only would take the time to seek Him. Seeking righteousness can be hard especially when there are seemingly several righteous solutions.  I read a book once called Right From Wrong by Josh McDowell.  It was a hard book to read because I wanted to argue with each chapter that I didn't immediately agree with.  As I got into each chapter and argument, I had to agree with the author.  We have lots of gray areas where there are two or more seemingly correct, righteous choices but with God there is only bla...

Romans 12:12 (ESV) Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. We need t-shirts imprinted with this verse! I need a plaque on my wall with this verse!  It sums everything up!  Well, there are shirts and posters that I won't be getting but I do need to commit this to memory and put into practice. I can rejoice in hope, and be patient in times of trouble if I am in constant prayer. I think constant prayer isn't repeating the Lord's Prayer, or any of the other prayers that we may memorize, or even repeating praise and prayer requests frequently. I think being in constant in prayer means living a life that is worthy, trying to be what Christ modeled for us, focusing on God and listening intently for His whispers and His commands. I found this website today that I want to share. It's called Whispering Wall .  Now to be really honest it is a little bit of a sales pitch for a new book but that doesn't make God's whispers any less needed or ...

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you,        he is mighty to save.        He will take great delight in you,        he will quiet you with his love,        he will rejoice over you with singing."  The Bible lets us know about the promises God has made. We can depend on each one.  When we know enough of the Bible through study and reading, we understand that many of these promises have "catches".  We have to do our part. There are other promises that don't require us to do anything.   This verse tells us that because God is mighty, He can save us and He is with us.  He takes, or rather will take, great delight in us. We don't know the circumstances of what will cause Him to delight in us. He will also quiet us. I think of a squirmy, fidgety baby who needs quieted before he can fall asleep.  Softly singing, rubbing his back,...