A couple of things I've learned this week: 1) I haven't spent time thinking about the humanness of Jesus and what that means. 2) I have been asking for God's will - but attaching some strings. Let me explain. Jesus was human. He bled when his skin was cut. He sometimes got dust in his eyes like everyone else if the wind was blowing a lot. He got angry. He got hungry. He doubted (think of the Garden, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me...." Jesus says twice in Matthew 26 ). My normal focus on Jesus is that of being supernatural. - able to resist Satan even after 40 days without food and water in Matthew 4 - or able to pray for his killers while hanging on the cross in Luke . I put Jesus on a pedestal, and rightfully so, but I miss the rest of the story by only looking at the divinity of Jesus. We don't know how much Jesus kept himself from knowing. (As God, He knows everything but on at least on occasion Jesus said he didn't kn...

Joh n 14 :1-4 “ Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” A couple of weeks ago, one devotional reading was John 14:1. Nice verse. " Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."  I didn't think much more about it.  I'm not worried (much) about anything.  I do trust in God.  Check - mission accomplished - as far as this verse is concerned. The next day, in a different devotion, I was supposed to read John 14:1-4. Now, as you may know, when I read the same passage that close together, I feel like I'm supposed to pay more attention. So I thought about it, spent some time on it.  I know this passage is used a lot after someone ...

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, have been called according to his purpose. Late last week, I had an interesting job interview. I knew by the time I left that I was not chosen for the position. The interview was a joint interview with several applicants.  As a result I understood why I wasn't chosen. The problem was that I had thought it was perhaps THE job I was going to get. So I left with the knowledge that I was not the best person and the feeling that perhaps I won't be the best person for another job.  Yes, I know that is pessimistic. I'm working on that. The thing is, I was behind on my readings and devotions. On Saturday, I went to a formation - which is a planning/work session for an upcoming Walk to Emmaus three day event.  I am part of the team. During the session, someone talked about Romans 8:28.  I've heard it before, many times. As I caught up with my readings, I read that passage 2 more time...

Job 12:14-23 14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;        the man he imprisons cannot be released.   15 If he holds back the waters, there is drought;        if he lets them loose , they devastate the land.   16 To him belong strength and victory;        both deceived and deceiver are his.   17 He leads counselors away stripped        and makes fools of judges .   18 He takes off the shackles put on by kings        and ties a loincloth around their waist.   19 He leads priests away stripped        and overthrows men long established.   20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers        and takes away the discernment of elders.   21 He pours contempt on nobles        and disarms the migh...

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;    they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;    they shall walk and not faint. This verse was in two devotions today, two.  That means I should pay attention, right?  some translations say "trust" instead of "wait".  When I read the translation with "trust", my attention wasn't stirred.  But when I read the same verse with the translation "wait", it got my attention. You see, I trust God.  I firmly believe that He will take care of me to use for His purposes and to prepare me for life in eternity with Him. But it never occurred to me that one manifestation of my trust was waiting for God.  Psalm 40:1 which was also part of my devotional reading today says " I waited patiently for the LORD..." I'm thinking that the point I'm supposed to get today is that even though I say I trust the Lord, I am not demonst...

Psalm 84:12 (NIV) O LORD Almighty,        blessed is the man who trusts in you. Blessed is the person who trusts in You. How is the person who trusts in You blessed?  The first response is peace.  When I trust You, Lord, really trust You, I have peace that other people can't understand.  This seldom describes me.  I don't know that anyone has ever said that I seem to have peace.  So even if I feel it inwardly, it doesn't show on the outside. In one of my devotional readings today, this verse was used and with it, the term "one day at a time" was used. I have an interview today (I'm writing this on Thursday) and another schedule for over a week from now.  So what have I been doing?  Worrying about the interview. Worrying about getting the job. Fretting over the drive, learning the job itself, getting to know the people, missing out on my present state of free time and time to spend with God.  No, I am not spe...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." How many times do we say we trust the Lord, we believe in His ways, we will follow? Yet oftentimes we will argue with another or demand our own way when it comes to what the Bible says. Each time we do this, we are in effect limiting (what we believe to be) God's power. I know this is a tired debate but I want to bring it up anyway. No where in the Bible does it say that there is no such thing as evolution. There is nothing in Genesis that says "on the first day that God did anything, he created xxx, then on the very next day that God did anything, he created xxxx." No, Genesis uses terms like (Yes, I know the terms are translations from the original text - which was also not the original because the original was not text at all but rather an oral history!) anyway, Genesis uses phrases like "the first day", "the second day", "the third day". ...