Yesterday morning I was enjoying our praise & worship service and I had a sort of Freudian slip I guess you can say or was it the Holy Spirit? You make the call. I am not sure what the title of the song is but the words are as follows:
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Jesus is Lord
Lord of all my Heart
He is the Way
He is the Truth
He is the Life
I am singing the song with my eyes closed and hands raised when it came to the final line "He is the Life" I inadvertently said "He is my Life" and when I said that I believe my spirit leaped for joy within me. My heart started racing and even though I didn't really try all that hard I kept singing that line with "my" instead of "the", I felt this rush come over me that I needed others to sing it that way as well, but I also didn't want to disturb the service. As I was looking around everybody was lost in the moment so I kept it to myself and decided to tell Jock, our song leader, after church. Which I did and as I was telling it to him I saw him putting it together in his head and he liked it as well.
There is a little more to the story as well. As I was enjoying the message our pastor preached which was good as well, the Holy Spirit kept playing the song in my head and I believe also told me why the words were changed when I sang the song. Now I am not a mother, but I have been around a few and I am pretty sure most have said this at one time or another. That as soon as they held their child or children in their arms for the first time that child had their heart and became their life at the same time. And I believe that to have a true and meaningful life with Christ that has to happen to you as well. If you are going to give your heart over to him then you also have to give him your life too, the items are interlocked and you can't have one without the other. Like I said I am not a mother so I can't really speak from experience but when I decided to date and marry I couldn't exactly just be there, in order for my marriage and pretty much every marriage to work you have to put your heart and life into it. Yeah I can tell Daniel I love him but if I don't really mean it then I am not just cheating myself I am cheating him as well. And yeah I can go thru the motions of everyday life such as making dinner or laundry or even just watching TV but if I don't try and make the most of it then what is the point of even bothering and I will admit that I even get that attitude sometimes. But when I give my husband and our relationship all of myself, watch-out things start happening and I am not just talking in the physical sense either, even though that is much better too. hahaha
So in order for things to start happening in my life I need to start giving all of my heart to God and he will take care of the rest.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
April 29, 2009
Jealous Much?
Today I was reading Numbers 12-14. Now I know most bibles have headings for certain sections or maybe we should call them mini-titles. The mini-title for Chapter 12 in my bible is "The Complaints of Miriam and Aaron"
I actually had to read this chapter a couple of times and even in a different translation because after the first verse I got a little confused on the subject matter. It starts out with Miriam and Aaron, who are Moses' siblings, complaining to someone not sure if it was just each other or just in general, but in verse 1 it states, "...Miriam and Moses criticized Moses because he married a Cushite woman." But what they were saying had nothing to do with this woman. In verse 2 they said, "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? hasn't he spoken through us too?" Verse 3 "But the Lord heard them." So that statement right there makes me think they obvioulsy weren't out in the open shouting that they didn't approve of this woman. They thought if they could just talk amongst themselves God would not hear them, but we know better. (By the way they don't mention the Cushite again)
My question to Miriam and Aaron is are you mad because Moses married the Cushite woman or the fact that God seemed to have favor on Moses and not them. Now in verses 4 thru 8 when the Lord spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam he explains why he talks to everybody differently which you would think would be fine but noooooo the Lord has to go a step further to prove his point and he turns Miriam ashen white with Leprosy, which naturally freaked Miriam and Aaron out and they begged for Moses to talk to God to heal her.
Now for some reason at this point another story came to mind and that is of the prodigal son. In the beginning Miriam and Aaron were the brother who had stayed behind with the dad and was jealous when he saw what a big deal his father made of the prodigal's return but in the end they became the prodigal himself and repented of their foolish ways and came running back after dealing with the uncleanliness of the leprosy, much like how the prodigal came to his senses after he was eating with the pigs.
Ok this totally didn't go how I had it in my head but hopefully you can get something out of it at least go grab your bible and read it yourself, lol.
Oh yeah one last thing if I was the Israelites I would have been mad at Miriam because of her jealousy the whole tribe had to wait for seven days while she became clean again in the site of the Lord because of the leprosy. That is a whole seven more days that they didn't get to the Promise Land which yes I know in the whole grand scheme of things that really shouldn't matter because they still didn't enter the land of Canaan but they didn't know that at the time. So imagine getting to go to Hawaii but you have to wait because someone in your group screwed up, not sure about you but I think it might put a damper on the rest of the trip.
Today I was reading Numbers 12-14. Now I know most bibles have headings for certain sections or maybe we should call them mini-titles. The mini-title for Chapter 12 in my bible is "The Complaints of Miriam and Aaron"
I actually had to read this chapter a couple of times and even in a different translation because after the first verse I got a little confused on the subject matter. It starts out with Miriam and Aaron, who are Moses' siblings, complaining to someone not sure if it was just each other or just in general, but in verse 1 it states, "...Miriam and Moses criticized Moses because he married a Cushite woman." But what they were saying had nothing to do with this woman. In verse 2 they said, "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? hasn't he spoken through us too?" Verse 3 "But the Lord heard them." So that statement right there makes me think they obvioulsy weren't out in the open shouting that they didn't approve of this woman. They thought if they could just talk amongst themselves God would not hear them, but we know better. (By the way they don't mention the Cushite again)
My question to Miriam and Aaron is are you mad because Moses married the Cushite woman or the fact that God seemed to have favor on Moses and not them. Now in verses 4 thru 8 when the Lord spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam he explains why he talks to everybody differently which you would think would be fine but noooooo the Lord has to go a step further to prove his point and he turns Miriam ashen white with Leprosy, which naturally freaked Miriam and Aaron out and they begged for Moses to talk to God to heal her.
Now for some reason at this point another story came to mind and that is of the prodigal son. In the beginning Miriam and Aaron were the brother who had stayed behind with the dad and was jealous when he saw what a big deal his father made of the prodigal's return but in the end they became the prodigal himself and repented of their foolish ways and came running back after dealing with the uncleanliness of the leprosy, much like how the prodigal came to his senses after he was eating with the pigs.
Ok this totally didn't go how I had it in my head but hopefully you can get something out of it at least go grab your bible and read it yourself, lol.
Oh yeah one last thing if I was the Israelites I would have been mad at Miriam because of her jealousy the whole tribe had to wait for seven days while she became clean again in the site of the Lord because of the leprosy. That is a whole seven more days that they didn't get to the Promise Land which yes I know in the whole grand scheme of things that really shouldn't matter because they still didn't enter the land of Canaan but they didn't know that at the time. So imagine getting to go to Hawaii but you have to wait because someone in your group screwed up, not sure about you but I think it might put a damper on the rest of the trip.
Monday, March 30, 2009
March 30, 2009
"OK I get it"
Some people say that when God speaks they hear a voice of some kind either in their head or sometimes from somewhere they are not quite sure. Well this weekend I think God was speaking to me in probably the only way that I can understand and that is repetition. I may hear something or even read something but it doesn't always sink in until I see it again in a different way.
This Saturday I was reading Luke 12:22-34, in these scriptures Jesus is talking about money and worldly possessions. Like most people lately my husband and I have hit a little bump in the finance department. And I am a worrier in that when my mind isn't forced to think about anything else I will sit and worry and play bad situations in my head, such as losing the house, losing a job, or car, or what if something bad happens to myself or my husband can we survive.
(Now I am not saying either of those situations are happening, just giving an example of where my mind goes when it is left idle for to long.)
Well so I was reading the passage in Luke and of course I have read them many times in the other Gospels (Matt. 6:25-34)but because of my situation I wasn't truly hearing or paying attention to what I was reading. After I read a couple more chapters I was praying and happened to look at my bookcase (yeah I don't always close my eyes)and a book was kind of sticking out and caught my attention, so I got up and grabbed it. The book was "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyers. I had started reading it a few months back but had got distracted at one point and never really picked it back up. But since it stuck out to me and I knew that my imagination was running away from me and that was why I was in a constant state of worry so I started reading where I had left off and wouldn't ya know the scripture references for the chapters I was reading in Joyce's book were the same ones that I had just got done reading in Luke. At first I didn't believe it so I had to compare and had to say "OK God I get it. You will not let me fail, you will take care of me just like you take care of the birds and beautiful flowers."
And then to drive the Word home as I looked out my front door a few moments later as I prepared to go outside a beautiful red cardinal came and perched on my archway leading up my front porch and we just kind of stared at each other. And when I went to reach for my camera to take a reminder picture he flew off. But the imagine is embedded in my memory so that when doubt starts to creep back in I will have a reminder that God will not let me fall.
Today's Reading:
Luke 12-15
Numbers 9-11
Some people say that when God speaks they hear a voice of some kind either in their head or sometimes from somewhere they are not quite sure. Well this weekend I think God was speaking to me in probably the only way that I can understand and that is repetition. I may hear something or even read something but it doesn't always sink in until I see it again in a different way.
This Saturday I was reading Luke 12:22-34, in these scriptures Jesus is talking about money and worldly possessions. Like most people lately my husband and I have hit a little bump in the finance department. And I am a worrier in that when my mind isn't forced to think about anything else I will sit and worry and play bad situations in my head, such as losing the house, losing a job, or car, or what if something bad happens to myself or my husband can we survive.
(Now I am not saying either of those situations are happening, just giving an example of where my mind goes when it is left idle for to long.)
Well so I was reading the passage in Luke and of course I have read them many times in the other Gospels (Matt. 6:25-34)but because of my situation I wasn't truly hearing or paying attention to what I was reading. After I read a couple more chapters I was praying and happened to look at my bookcase (yeah I don't always close my eyes)and a book was kind of sticking out and caught my attention, so I got up and grabbed it. The book was "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyers. I had started reading it a few months back but had got distracted at one point and never really picked it back up. But since it stuck out to me and I knew that my imagination was running away from me and that was why I was in a constant state of worry so I started reading where I had left off and wouldn't ya know the scripture references for the chapters I was reading in Joyce's book were the same ones that I had just got done reading in Luke. At first I didn't believe it so I had to compare and had to say "OK God I get it. You will not let me fail, you will take care of me just like you take care of the birds and beautiful flowers."
And then to drive the Word home as I looked out my front door a few moments later as I prepared to go outside a beautiful red cardinal came and perched on my archway leading up my front porch and we just kind of stared at each other. And when I went to reach for my camera to take a reminder picture he flew off. But the imagine is embedded in my memory so that when doubt starts to creep back in I will have a reminder that God will not let me fall.
Today's Reading:
Luke 12-15
Numbers 9-11
Saturday, March 14, 2009
March 14
The Year of Jubilee
First I have to make a confession. I have fallen behind in my devotional time with the Lord and reading the Bible. I have no one or nothing to blame but myself. So I am saying I am sorry that I have not written in a while. But I have been thinking about my next entry the entire time I was away so hopefully it will be worth the wait.
Ok here goes....
I was reading in Leviticus 25 about the Year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee is a type of Sabbath year that takes place every 50 years and no one is allowed to plant or harvest during that year. Now God obviously provided for them in the years leading up to Jubilee and even after until the following crop was harvested.(Lev. 25:21-22)
Also if you sold land the price was based on the number of years til the next Jubilee.(Lev 25:14-17) So basically the price was higher in years 1-25 than 26-49. Because you were basing it on the number of harvests you would be getting out of the land.
Another interesting aspect of the Jubilean year is that everyone was to return to their ancestral homeland. Which to me would be kind of confusing. I mean how far back do you go back to your ancestors cause they moved around a lot. If I was to use it in the current days time since I am considered part of my husband's family. They would all return to Colorado since that is where they remember but do they go back farther than that to either when the family first moved to America from Europe or do we all pack up and take a trip over seas. Of course back in the days of Moses they didn't move around as much as we do now so they obviously already knew where they were going.
But another reason the Year of Jubilee is so fascinating to me at this moment is because in my family we just celebrated a 50th birthday. My mother-in-law just turned 50 this past Monday, but there was no Jubilee in her celebrating. Actually she didn't really want to celebrate it at all. Which is odd to me because I have never been one to really care about my age, shoot sometimes I forget that I am not 21 any more and am about to turn 30 in a little over a year and I really could careless. As a matter of fact when my mother turned 50 several years back she was rather excited about it because she gained lots of perks that she wasn't able to get before, like discounts and special shopping days at stores. Oh and my favorite a good excuse to forget things, hahahaha
I find it amazing how two women can see the same thing from different views like they do. But obviously it was probably how they were raised, I guess. Or even how they saw life in general. Both women viewed raising children as a blessing and loved and still love every minute of it. But my mother went out and worked for a living and taught my brother and I to be independent and you have to work for things you want, but know that God and church always comes first and family will be there if you need a hand. Now my mother-in-law did not work the moment that she was pregnant with my husband (he's the oldest), obviously there is nothing wrong with that but unfortunately my husband and his 2 siblings grew up with the knowledge that they could depend on mom first and not really have to be independent to a point. Now I am not saying she babied them but if I forgot something at home then I just had to deal with it when I was at school but if they forgot something they only needed to place a call to mom or in some weird cases she would show-up at school before they even knew. (I swear sometimes she is psychic but that is another story)
I could on and on about their difference I love them both and I know they did the best they could but what I am trying to say is that once all of their children grew up and moved out they began to view life differently. My mom saw more freedom, where as I believe my mother-in-law feels that she is not needed any more. And also I think because both ladies' mothers died at different stages in their lives they view each birthday differently. My Grandmother Peggy died when she was in her early 50s I think around 52 but my husband's Grandmother Pat died when she was in her 70s I don't think she was quite 80 yet. So naturally I think seeing Grandma Peggy die in her 50s my mom is taking more of a "Yeah another birthday and another year I am alive and I am going to take full advantage of it." But my mother-in-law and I kind of overheard her say this "Why celebrate it, its just another year closer to dieing."
But if you take the difference of these two women into context of Leviticus during the Year of Jubilee all debts were to be forgotten and all slaves were to be set free, (ok maybe only the ones who had been slaves for 50 years). But any way I know that if I had a debt or had been a slave and I hit that 50 year mark and it was wiped away I know I would be shouting. But I wonder how many people weren't that thrilled at the end of those 50 years because they had started to identify themselves as a slave and they were either afraid to do something new with their lives or just could not break-free of the bondage and ended up going thru another 50 years.
Well here is your next Jubilee year, if you have celebrated one already I hope you learned from the years before to do things a little different and if you have reached that milestone I wish you a blessed journey.
Oh yeah as a side note my dad is approaching his 50th in September so mark your calendars.
Today's Reading:
Leviticus 25-27
Luke 7:36 thru Ch 10
First I have to make a confession. I have fallen behind in my devotional time with the Lord and reading the Bible. I have no one or nothing to blame but myself. So I am saying I am sorry that I have not written in a while. But I have been thinking about my next entry the entire time I was away so hopefully it will be worth the wait.
Ok here goes....
I was reading in Leviticus 25 about the Year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee is a type of Sabbath year that takes place every 50 years and no one is allowed to plant or harvest during that year. Now God obviously provided for them in the years leading up to Jubilee and even after until the following crop was harvested.(Lev. 25:21-22)
Also if you sold land the price was based on the number of years til the next Jubilee.(Lev 25:14-17) So basically the price was higher in years 1-25 than 26-49. Because you were basing it on the number of harvests you would be getting out of the land.
Another interesting aspect of the Jubilean year is that everyone was to return to their ancestral homeland. Which to me would be kind of confusing. I mean how far back do you go back to your ancestors cause they moved around a lot. If I was to use it in the current days time since I am considered part of my husband's family. They would all return to Colorado since that is where they remember but do they go back farther than that to either when the family first moved to America from Europe or do we all pack up and take a trip over seas. Of course back in the days of Moses they didn't move around as much as we do now so they obviously already knew where they were going.
But another reason the Year of Jubilee is so fascinating to me at this moment is because in my family we just celebrated a 50th birthday. My mother-in-law just turned 50 this past Monday, but there was no Jubilee in her celebrating. Actually she didn't really want to celebrate it at all. Which is odd to me because I have never been one to really care about my age, shoot sometimes I forget that I am not 21 any more and am about to turn 30 in a little over a year and I really could careless. As a matter of fact when my mother turned 50 several years back she was rather excited about it because she gained lots of perks that she wasn't able to get before, like discounts and special shopping days at stores. Oh and my favorite a good excuse to forget things, hahahaha
I find it amazing how two women can see the same thing from different views like they do. But obviously it was probably how they were raised, I guess. Or even how they saw life in general. Both women viewed raising children as a blessing and loved and still love every minute of it. But my mother went out and worked for a living and taught my brother and I to be independent and you have to work for things you want, but know that God and church always comes first and family will be there if you need a hand. Now my mother-in-law did not work the moment that she was pregnant with my husband (he's the oldest), obviously there is nothing wrong with that but unfortunately my husband and his 2 siblings grew up with the knowledge that they could depend on mom first and not really have to be independent to a point. Now I am not saying she babied them but if I forgot something at home then I just had to deal with it when I was at school but if they forgot something they only needed to place a call to mom or in some weird cases she would show-up at school before they even knew. (I swear sometimes she is psychic but that is another story)
I could on and on about their difference I love them both and I know they did the best they could but what I am trying to say is that once all of their children grew up and moved out they began to view life differently. My mom saw more freedom, where as I believe my mother-in-law feels that she is not needed any more. And also I think because both ladies' mothers died at different stages in their lives they view each birthday differently. My Grandmother Peggy died when she was in her early 50s I think around 52 but my husband's Grandmother Pat died when she was in her 70s I don't think she was quite 80 yet. So naturally I think seeing Grandma Peggy die in her 50s my mom is taking more of a "Yeah another birthday and another year I am alive and I am going to take full advantage of it." But my mother-in-law and I kind of overheard her say this "Why celebrate it, its just another year closer to dieing."
But if you take the difference of these two women into context of Leviticus during the Year of Jubilee all debts were to be forgotten and all slaves were to be set free, (ok maybe only the ones who had been slaves for 50 years). But any way I know that if I had a debt or had been a slave and I hit that 50 year mark and it was wiped away I know I would be shouting. But I wonder how many people weren't that thrilled at the end of those 50 years because they had started to identify themselves as a slave and they were either afraid to do something new with their lives or just could not break-free of the bondage and ended up going thru another 50 years.
Well here is your next Jubilee year, if you have celebrated one already I hope you learned from the years before to do things a little different and if you have reached that milestone I wish you a blessed journey.
Oh yeah as a side note my dad is approaching his 50th in September so mark your calendars.
Today's Reading:
Leviticus 25-27
Luke 7:36 thru Ch 10
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Feb 26
Yesterday was the start of Lent for the Catholic community. As some of you know my husband and his family are Catholic. Don't get me wrong but sometimes I am not sure why they do the things they do because they don't even know why they do them. But hey I just humor them and play along.
In respect to this blog I have decided that for Lent instead of "giving up" something (its their form of fasting along with giving up meat on Fridays) I am going to try to do something else which actually is basically giving up more of my time so I guess I am sacrificing something. I have decided to try and read "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. As usual I am a little behind the trends, yes I know the book has been out for years but until I started diving deeper into the Bible (plus my Grandmother had the book and gave it to me) did I decide maybe it was time that I read the book and since it is a 40 day read and the Lental season is 40 days long then what better time than now. Which if you have read Warren's book or even the Bible for that matter you would know that anytime that God needed to change a person he did it in 40 days. So by Easter I will have read the book and maybe even come out a slightly better person or with more of a purpose about myself. But then again I do know that my purpose on this Earth was to please God so if anything the book will probably just cement those ideas better.
Ok on with the message. I had been doing some research about the purpose of Lent and why the Catholics take part in this ritual every year. I haven't exactly gotten my answer to that yet so I am still searching but I did find something that I didn't quite realize, I may have known it but for some reason this time when I read it I was a little more understanding.
No, Lent and the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter are not part of the Bible they are entirely a man made ritual but what I was not fully aware of was that it is to represent the 40 days that Jesus had spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil after he was baptisted by John the Baptist.
Luke 4:1-13 talks about Jesus time in the wilderness. During the time of Lent a person is supposed to give up something of importance or that is some kind of sacrifice to them personally. Some people give up TV, sweets, smoking, or other bad habits. To me and maybe it is because I was taught that when you fast you are to pray as well, hence why I am reading the book, but also to some people those items they give up, like TV can help steer them away from God so I would hope that if you choose to give that particular item up you use the time that you would have spent staring at the screen to grab your Bible or even just a good Christian book to help you become a better person. Because like Jesus says in Luke 4:8 You must worship the Lord you God; serve only him." You may not think you are worshiping the TV but anything that takes your time and attention away from God is in part worshiping something other than him. As far as giving up sweets or other bad habits that maybe you do mindless, such as reaching for the candy dish while you are at work maybe you should instead find a few scriptures write them down and each time you think oh a candy bar would taste good about now, pull one of those scriptures out and quote it several times.
Today's Reading:
Luke 3-4
Leviticus 17-20
In respect to this blog I have decided that for Lent instead of "giving up" something (its their form of fasting along with giving up meat on Fridays) I am going to try to do something else which actually is basically giving up more of my time so I guess I am sacrificing something. I have decided to try and read "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. As usual I am a little behind the trends, yes I know the book has been out for years but until I started diving deeper into the Bible (plus my Grandmother had the book and gave it to me) did I decide maybe it was time that I read the book and since it is a 40 day read and the Lental season is 40 days long then what better time than now. Which if you have read Warren's book or even the Bible for that matter you would know that anytime that God needed to change a person he did it in 40 days. So by Easter I will have read the book and maybe even come out a slightly better person or with more of a purpose about myself. But then again I do know that my purpose on this Earth was to please God so if anything the book will probably just cement those ideas better.
Ok on with the message. I had been doing some research about the purpose of Lent and why the Catholics take part in this ritual every year. I haven't exactly gotten my answer to that yet so I am still searching but I did find something that I didn't quite realize, I may have known it but for some reason this time when I read it I was a little more understanding.
No, Lent and the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter are not part of the Bible they are entirely a man made ritual but what I was not fully aware of was that it is to represent the 40 days that Jesus had spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil after he was baptisted by John the Baptist.
Luke 4:1-13 talks about Jesus time in the wilderness. During the time of Lent a person is supposed to give up something of importance or that is some kind of sacrifice to them personally. Some people give up TV, sweets, smoking, or other bad habits. To me and maybe it is because I was taught that when you fast you are to pray as well, hence why I am reading the book, but also to some people those items they give up, like TV can help steer them away from God so I would hope that if you choose to give that particular item up you use the time that you would have spent staring at the screen to grab your Bible or even just a good Christian book to help you become a better person. Because like Jesus says in Luke 4:8 You must worship the Lord you God; serve only him." You may not think you are worshiping the TV but anything that takes your time and attention away from God is in part worshiping something other than him. As far as giving up sweets or other bad habits that maybe you do mindless, such as reaching for the candy dish while you are at work maybe you should instead find a few scriptures write them down and each time you think oh a candy bar would taste good about now, pull one of those scriptures out and quote it several times.
Today's Reading:
Luke 3-4
Leviticus 17-20
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Feb 21 Part 2
Just to let some of you know this Wednesday is a holy day called Ash Wednesday and it is the offical start of Lent. My dear husband is Catholic and we will be par-taking in some of the rituals that go along with this holy season that leads up to Easter.
I myself am still learning about the reasoning behind Lent so bare with me and I will try to help get what I have learned out to you. But what I do know is that on Ash Wednesday and every Friday until Easter we are not allowed to consume meat other than seafood so if anybody has any ideas as far as meals to plan please please pass along to me cause a person can only eat so many grilled cheese sandwiches and PB&Js.
I myself am still learning about the reasoning behind Lent so bare with me and I will try to help get what I have learned out to you. But what I do know is that on Ash Wednesday and every Friday until Easter we are not allowed to consume meat other than seafood so if anybody has any ideas as far as meals to plan please please pass along to me cause a person can only eat so many grilled cheese sandwiches and PB&Js.
Feb 21 Part 1
I just finished reading the book of Mark and just like Matthew it ends with the telling of Jesus being crucified. But a thought came to me while I was rereading about Peter's denial (Mark 14:66-72 & Matthew 26:69-75). That the reason Peter denied Jesus was obviously part of God's great plan for Christianity after Jesus returned to Heaven.
(Maybe we have heard this before or not, I am not sure, but hear me out now as I try to explain it in my terms.)
Back in Mark 8:27 Jesus asks his disciples "Who do people say I am?" Some of the men replied, "John the Baptist, Elijah or other prophets." Then Jesus asked the men directly, "Who do you say I am?" (emphasis mine) and Peter replied "You are the Messiah." Well if you back up to Matthew 16:13 the same conversation is being spoken but from Matthew's perspective who I believe was there (remember Mark was not) after Peter's explamation Jesus proclaimed Peter to be blessed and at that point changed his name from Simon the doubter to Peter which means Rock and that he was going to use him to build his church. And that hell would not be able to conquer him or anything he did on earth. That he was granted the Keys to Heaven.
Well if we flashed forward to the point of Peter's denial if he had said "Yes, I know Jesus," like I am sure he would have if God had not blocked his mouth and tongue (no that is not in the Bible but we know God can do it) and speak the denial for Peter than Peter would have more than likely been right there with Jesus on the cross and who knows what might have happened to the Church that Peter built. Oh I am sure God would have found someone else but he didn't and for that I am very thankful that Peter denied knowing Jesus because to me that made his passion for spreading the Gospel of Jesus that much stronger. The fire that Peter had I think mostly came out of guilt for denying him but like Paul that guilt just fanned the flames.
On a side note upon further examination between the two books Matthew and Mark, I believe I did like Matthew better because it does go into more detail but if you are just looking for the facts then Mark is the way to go. And I am one of the believers that Mark used his conversations with Peter to write the book of Mark as they traveled. I think Peter was a very humble man and didn't want to have a lot of attention drawn to him. If you go back and compare passages especially like the one I just discussed Matthew will point out and name Peter as saying certain things or even doing certain action like trying to walk on water (Matt. 14:28-32), but Mark does not mention Peter at all when he writes about Jesus walking on water, it just says that Jesus walked out to the boat and calmed the storm. (Mark 6:50-51) So either Peter left that part out of his retelling to Mark or Mark had such a respect for Peter that he thought it might embarrass him and just decided to leave it out. I don't think the four men who wrote the gospels knew that others were writting the same thing, so Mark thought no one would be the wiser if he left it out. But the other men thought it was important.
Today's reading:
Mark 15-16
Leviticus 11-14
(Maybe we have heard this before or not, I am not sure, but hear me out now as I try to explain it in my terms.)
Back in Mark 8:27 Jesus asks his disciples "Who do people say I am?" Some of the men replied, "John the Baptist, Elijah or other prophets." Then Jesus asked the men directly, "Who do you say I am?" (emphasis mine) and Peter replied "You are the Messiah." Well if you back up to Matthew 16:13 the same conversation is being spoken but from Matthew's perspective who I believe was there (remember Mark was not) after Peter's explamation Jesus proclaimed Peter to be blessed and at that point changed his name from Simon the doubter to Peter which means Rock and that he was going to use him to build his church. And that hell would not be able to conquer him or anything he did on earth. That he was granted the Keys to Heaven.
Well if we flashed forward to the point of Peter's denial if he had said "Yes, I know Jesus," like I am sure he would have if God had not blocked his mouth and tongue (no that is not in the Bible but we know God can do it) and speak the denial for Peter than Peter would have more than likely been right there with Jesus on the cross and who knows what might have happened to the Church that Peter built. Oh I am sure God would have found someone else but he didn't and for that I am very thankful that Peter denied knowing Jesus because to me that made his passion for spreading the Gospel of Jesus that much stronger. The fire that Peter had I think mostly came out of guilt for denying him but like Paul that guilt just fanned the flames.
On a side note upon further examination between the two books Matthew and Mark, I believe I did like Matthew better because it does go into more detail but if you are just looking for the facts then Mark is the way to go. And I am one of the believers that Mark used his conversations with Peter to write the book of Mark as they traveled. I think Peter was a very humble man and didn't want to have a lot of attention drawn to him. If you go back and compare passages especially like the one I just discussed Matthew will point out and name Peter as saying certain things or even doing certain action like trying to walk on water (Matt. 14:28-32), but Mark does not mention Peter at all when he writes about Jesus walking on water, it just says that Jesus walked out to the boat and calmed the storm. (Mark 6:50-51) So either Peter left that part out of his retelling to Mark or Mark had such a respect for Peter that he thought it might embarrass him and just decided to leave it out. I don't think the four men who wrote the gospels knew that others were writting the same thing, so Mark thought no one would be the wiser if he left it out. But the other men thought it was important.
Today's reading:
Mark 15-16
Leviticus 11-14
Monday, February 9, 2009
Feb 9
Today I would like to talk a little bit about doubt. I will admit it I am some what of a skeptic. I know that God is real and when I leave this earth I will eternally be singing among the choir of angels at the gloriousness of it all, but sometimes I doubt about things that happen here on earth.
What kind of things?
Well mostly the things I can't control. Things that I truly believe in, even people I believe in. Sometimes I even doubt God a little. Oh sure the scripture says, "Ask and it shall be given" But have you every felt after you have asked well, we'll see if I was really meant to have.
Well today I read in Mark 9 about Jesus healing a boy who had been possessed by an evil spirit from a very young age. This boy could not speak and would basically have seizures that would sometimes do harm to him. The boy's father heard about all of the miraculous things Jesus and his disciples were doing decided that this was the only way his boy would be rid of this spirit.
Now to set the scene in case you don't recall the story Jesus had been on top of the mountain with Peter, James and John and had been visited by Moses, Elijah, and God. So lets just say Jesus had a fresh anointing about him, I know he didn't need it but you know there had to be a little more confidence about him, I know I would be feeling it.
But anyways back to the story. This father was among the crowd that had gathered at the base of the mountain and an argument had apparently broken out. When Jesus got near to the crowd he asked his disciples what was going on and the boy's father spoke up telling him that he had brought his son to be healed and that the disciples had tried, I am assuming here, every prayer in the book but they couldn't heal the boy.
Jesus got upset and he called them all faithless and basically I think the spiritual bubble that he had from being on top of the mountain burst and he realized it was going to take more time to teach these people to be true believers in themselves and not just him. He wanted the boy brought up to him and as the boy was brought closer the evil spirit inside I think panicked and threw the boy into another convulsion. Jesus being the compassionate one that he is asked how long this had been going on and the father replied since he was very small.
Now this part is where I start to feel for the father. Because as the end of his dialog to Jesus he made two statements. "Have mercy on us and help us. Do something if you can"
Oh how I love Jesus' reply and I can only imagine the expression on his face as he answered, "What do you mean, 'If I can?' Anything is possible if a person believes."
OK now here is where my heart truly bleeds for the man and I want to say "I understand how you feel!!"
The father instantly replied, "I do believe, but help me not to doubt!"
I don't know about you but that is so me. I have never had a scripture jump out at me like that before. As soon as I read that it almost took my breath away. As a matter of fact I read it several times to make sure I was reading it correctly.
Yes doubt is very tricky and as Christians we tell ourselves I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. But the moment we don't get that answer we want when we want it then that little spirit of doubt comes in and we start thinking we weren't meant to have the new job, or car, or marriage, or family, or healing. Because we didn't have enough faith to believe. I wish I could say its easy and here are the steps to not doubting but its not my friend and I will be the first to admit to you that I have tendency to doubt all the time, especially in myself. But the only thing that I can see that works is going back to Jesus and if you start to feel that doubt creeping back in then just say these words:
I DO BELIEVE, BUT HELP ME NOT TO DOUBT!!!
Because as the story goes on Jesus did heal that boy and I personally believe that father never doubted again.
Course if you let your doubt get the best of you like it did Israel and they built a golden calf to worship and God killed most of them.
Today's reading:
MArk 8:31- Ch 9
Exodus 25-34
What kind of things?
Well mostly the things I can't control. Things that I truly believe in, even people I believe in. Sometimes I even doubt God a little. Oh sure the scripture says, "Ask and it shall be given" But have you every felt after you have asked well, we'll see if I was really meant to have.
Well today I read in Mark 9 about Jesus healing a boy who had been possessed by an evil spirit from a very young age. This boy could not speak and would basically have seizures that would sometimes do harm to him. The boy's father heard about all of the miraculous things Jesus and his disciples were doing decided that this was the only way his boy would be rid of this spirit.
Now to set the scene in case you don't recall the story Jesus had been on top of the mountain with Peter, James and John and had been visited by Moses, Elijah, and God. So lets just say Jesus had a fresh anointing about him, I know he didn't need it but you know there had to be a little more confidence about him, I know I would be feeling it.
But anyways back to the story. This father was among the crowd that had gathered at the base of the mountain and an argument had apparently broken out. When Jesus got near to the crowd he asked his disciples what was going on and the boy's father spoke up telling him that he had brought his son to be healed and that the disciples had tried, I am assuming here, every prayer in the book but they couldn't heal the boy.
Jesus got upset and he called them all faithless and basically I think the spiritual bubble that he had from being on top of the mountain burst and he realized it was going to take more time to teach these people to be true believers in themselves and not just him. He wanted the boy brought up to him and as the boy was brought closer the evil spirit inside I think panicked and threw the boy into another convulsion. Jesus being the compassionate one that he is asked how long this had been going on and the father replied since he was very small.
Now this part is where I start to feel for the father. Because as the end of his dialog to Jesus he made two statements. "Have mercy on us and help us. Do something if you can"
Oh how I love Jesus' reply and I can only imagine the expression on his face as he answered, "What do you mean, 'If I can?' Anything is possible if a person believes."
OK now here is where my heart truly bleeds for the man and I want to say "I understand how you feel!!"
The father instantly replied, "I do believe, but help me not to doubt!"
I don't know about you but that is so me. I have never had a scripture jump out at me like that before. As soon as I read that it almost took my breath away. As a matter of fact I read it several times to make sure I was reading it correctly.
Yes doubt is very tricky and as Christians we tell ourselves I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. But the moment we don't get that answer we want when we want it then that little spirit of doubt comes in and we start thinking we weren't meant to have the new job, or car, or marriage, or family, or healing. Because we didn't have enough faith to believe. I wish I could say its easy and here are the steps to not doubting but its not my friend and I will be the first to admit to you that I have tendency to doubt all the time, especially in myself. But the only thing that I can see that works is going back to Jesus and if you start to feel that doubt creeping back in then just say these words:
I DO BELIEVE, BUT HELP ME NOT TO DOUBT!!!
Because as the story goes on Jesus did heal that boy and I personally believe that father never doubted again.
Course if you let your doubt get the best of you like it did Israel and they built a golden calf to worship and God killed most of them.
Today's reading:
MArk 8:31- Ch 9
Exodus 25-34
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Feb. 8
Right now I am reading about God's plan for the building of the Ark of the Covenant.
Now most people or I assume most people get a mental image of anything they are reading, espeically when it is written out so vividly as in Exodus. Every time I sing one of my favorite songs in church I close my eyes and can literally put myself into the tabernacle. What helps is that many years ago our Paster at church had the fore-thought to place the tabernacle in our new addition that was being built. So if after you read all of Exodus 25:10-31:18 and you want to really live it then make an appointment to come down to Central Christian Center and 410 N. Main in Joplin and they will be happy to show you what the Tabernacle very well might have looked like.
Here are the lyrics for the song:
Take Me In by Kutless
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy Place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
And the Priests who sing your praise
I hunger and thirst for your righteousness
But it's only found in one place
[Chorus:]
Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
As we sing this song at church I always close my eyes and place myself in the tabernacle and at least for me makes me that more involved in the service and sometimes even that more emotional and drawn closer to God.
If there is something like that for you, please feel free to share.
Today's reading:
Exodus 25-31
Mark 8:1-29
Now most people or I assume most people get a mental image of anything they are reading, espeically when it is written out so vividly as in Exodus. Every time I sing one of my favorite songs in church I close my eyes and can literally put myself into the tabernacle. What helps is that many years ago our Paster at church had the fore-thought to place the tabernacle in our new addition that was being built. So if after you read all of Exodus 25:10-31:18 and you want to really live it then make an appointment to come down to Central Christian Center and 410 N. Main in Joplin and they will be happy to show you what the Tabernacle very well might have looked like.
Here are the lyrics for the song:
Take Me In by Kutless
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy Place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
And the Priests who sing your praise
I hunger and thirst for your righteousness
But it's only found in one place
[Chorus:]
Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
As we sing this song at church I always close my eyes and place myself in the tabernacle and at least for me makes me that more involved in the service and sometimes even that more emotional and drawn closer to God.
If there is something like that for you, please feel free to share.
Today's reading:
Exodus 25-31
Mark 8:1-29
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Jan 31
Ok I have kind of hit a brick wall.
Yes I am still reading my Bible but I can't seem to find much in the way of discussion material. Don't get to discouraged though as soon as an idea hits me I will let you know but I think for now I am starting to feel like Moses during the fight with Amalekites and I need a few Joshuas to fight for some ideas and a few Aarons and Hurs to keep my arms lifted up so Joshua can keep on winning. (Exodus 17:8-15) So please if you are reading this even if you just say "Hey I am reading your blog" it would be much appreciated.
I am now also reading Mark in the New Testament. Which if you have read the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, than you know they are basically the same thing just written from different points of view. In the beginning of every new book in my Bible they give a little background about the time period and the author, if they know who it is. But for some reason Mark unlike the other Gospel writers was not a direct disciple of Jesus. Most of his writings come from listening to Peter and Paul. So unfortunately this book has kind of two strikes against it for me and those are:
1)I have already read this information in Matthew. I am not one to pick up a book more than once, so this is a true test of my commitment to keep reading.
2)It isn't first hand knowledge so obviously some of the excitement is gone in the writing. Mark is just basically writing facts, he doesn't have the same passion as someone who saw all of the Miracles of Jesus first hand would have. Imagine yourself seeing a miracle happening, you would obviously tell everyone you meet and you would be excited and your voice would obviously convey that excitement. But if you didn't see it first hand and someone told you about it , sure you would be excited but you wouldn't have the same passion and conviction that you would have from the first hand account.
So please bare with me I am chipping away at this road block and we will both see the Promise Land soon.
Yes I am still reading my Bible but I can't seem to find much in the way of discussion material. Don't get to discouraged though as soon as an idea hits me I will let you know but I think for now I am starting to feel like Moses during the fight with Amalekites and I need a few Joshuas to fight for some ideas and a few Aarons and Hurs to keep my arms lifted up so Joshua can keep on winning. (Exodus 17:8-15) So please if you are reading this even if you just say "Hey I am reading your blog" it would be much appreciated.
I am now also reading Mark in the New Testament. Which if you have read the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, than you know they are basically the same thing just written from different points of view. In the beginning of every new book in my Bible they give a little background about the time period and the author, if they know who it is. But for some reason Mark unlike the other Gospel writers was not a direct disciple of Jesus. Most of his writings come from listening to Peter and Paul. So unfortunately this book has kind of two strikes against it for me and those are:
1)I have already read this information in Matthew. I am not one to pick up a book more than once, so this is a true test of my commitment to keep reading.
2)It isn't first hand knowledge so obviously some of the excitement is gone in the writing. Mark is just basically writing facts, he doesn't have the same passion as someone who saw all of the Miracles of Jesus first hand would have. Imagine yourself seeing a miracle happening, you would obviously tell everyone you meet and you would be excited and your voice would obviously convey that excitement. But if you didn't see it first hand and someone told you about it , sure you would be excited but you wouldn't have the same passion and conviction that you would have from the first hand account.
So please bare with me I am chipping away at this road block and we will both see the Promise Land soon.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Jan 24
Last Sunday morning we had a wonderful Praise & Worship service at Church. I had gone down front myself to be prayed for and I kind of got selfish in demanding that I get my blessing that I felt I deserved. Now let me backtrack a little in saying I had decided that I was going to start tithing on a more regular basis than what I had in the past. And of course once I made the decision and actually took some action with it the devil came in to change my mind. I will admit that I didn't think I was going to tithe at all last Sunday but the Holy Spirit told me to look in my purse and I found a dollar bill and I new exactly where it was going. No it wasn't my 10% but I still believe God saw favor on me.
So now if we fast forward a little bit, I was at the altar being prayed for of course my prayer request sounded selfish in that I wanted to get my blessing, but what I wanted to say was that I wanted someone to help pray strength for me to continue to do what I had made my mind up to do and in doing so I knew that God would bless me and my decision.
Well then if we fast forward a little more, lets say to the evening Daniel called me on his way home from work to tell me that his parents had called him and wanted to know when we would be home that the had something for us. When I found out that they were coming from KC I thought miracle of miracles they had spent the day at the casinos, won lots of money and was coming to share. Daniel not being as strong of a dreamer or believer as myself said I doubt it, mostly the part about them winning at the casino, no doubt they would share if they had enough.
But any ways I get home from church ask Daniel what they gave us and he told me another pork loin from his mom's friend Kathy, my first reaction was we don't even know what to do with the last one. Upon asking where it was, I looked in the fridge and there laying on the top shelf is the huge tube of pork loin. I would say it was several feet long. I kind of felt like Moses in the desert when God turned his staff into a snake, I wanted to run from it.(Exd 4:3-4) Daniel said that he had already talked to his dad about cutting it up into pork chops and maybe a couple of roasts. Ok that I can handle but this thing was huge and kind of scary to a beginner cook as myself. (ok I have been cooking for 7 years but I still don't know much).
I will admit that it wasn't the blessing I was looking for but it is a blessing all the same and I will thank God everytime I eat it.
Today's Reading:
Exodus 4-5
Matthew 24-26
So now if we fast forward a little bit, I was at the altar being prayed for of course my prayer request sounded selfish in that I wanted to get my blessing, but what I wanted to say was that I wanted someone to help pray strength for me to continue to do what I had made my mind up to do and in doing so I knew that God would bless me and my decision.
Well then if we fast forward a little more, lets say to the evening Daniel called me on his way home from work to tell me that his parents had called him and wanted to know when we would be home that the had something for us. When I found out that they were coming from KC I thought miracle of miracles they had spent the day at the casinos, won lots of money and was coming to share. Daniel not being as strong of a dreamer or believer as myself said I doubt it, mostly the part about them winning at the casino, no doubt they would share if they had enough.
But any ways I get home from church ask Daniel what they gave us and he told me another pork loin from his mom's friend Kathy, my first reaction was we don't even know what to do with the last one. Upon asking where it was, I looked in the fridge and there laying on the top shelf is the huge tube of pork loin. I would say it was several feet long. I kind of felt like Moses in the desert when God turned his staff into a snake, I wanted to run from it.(Exd 4:3-4) Daniel said that he had already talked to his dad about cutting it up into pork chops and maybe a couple of roasts. Ok that I can handle but this thing was huge and kind of scary to a beginner cook as myself. (ok I have been cooking for 7 years but I still don't know much).
I will admit that it wasn't the blessing I was looking for but it is a blessing all the same and I will thank God everytime I eat it.
Today's Reading:
Exodus 4-5
Matthew 24-26
Monday, January 19, 2009
Jan 19
Today I read about Jesus and his disciples and the part that really got my mind to going is found in Matthew 17:1-13. The title in my Bible is "The Transfiguration" in short it is when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain and they witnessed Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah.
The first thought I had was I wonder what Jesus, Moses, and Elijah talked about. It couldn't possibly be just a random conversation. Could it have been them giving Jesus encouragement or maybe telling him that the time is near and this is what to look out for?
Then my second thought was why Peter, James, and John. Jesus has lots of disciples what exactly made those 3 men stand out? Now I think he took Peter because of an earlier converstation that I read in Ch. 16:13-20 when Jesus quizzed the disciples about who he was and Peter said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." vs 16 and Jesus replied with a blessing for Peter and told him that he was correct , changed his name and declared that he would now be known as the rock that Jesus built his church on.
But again to my original thought exactly what do three great men like Jesus, Moses, and Elijah talk about on top of a mountain?
Today's reading:
Matthew 13:1-30
Genesis 46-48
**Side Note I am a few chapters ahead in the New Testament readings and few chapters behind in the Old Testament**
The first thought I had was I wonder what Jesus, Moses, and Elijah talked about. It couldn't possibly be just a random conversation. Could it have been them giving Jesus encouragement or maybe telling him that the time is near and this is what to look out for?
Then my second thought was why Peter, James, and John. Jesus has lots of disciples what exactly made those 3 men stand out? Now I think he took Peter because of an earlier converstation that I read in Ch. 16:13-20 when Jesus quizzed the disciples about who he was and Peter said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." vs 16 and Jesus replied with a blessing for Peter and told him that he was correct , changed his name and declared that he would now be known as the rock that Jesus built his church on.
But again to my original thought exactly what do three great men like Jesus, Moses, and Elijah talk about on top of a mountain?
Today's reading:
Matthew 13:1-30
Genesis 46-48
**Side Note I am a few chapters ahead in the New Testament readings and few chapters behind in the Old Testament**
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Jan 13
If I was putting a title on any of these posts today title would go something like this:
Jacob the Baby Factory.
You ever notice how some women feel like that is all men think of them as, baby factories. Now it isn't so much now as it was lets say during the Women's Movement in the 70s and 80s (ok I wasn't born in the 70s but I have read my history books) and even well before that. Actually I guess it was in the 70s and 80s that women started to really prove that they were more capable of doing more than just having babies and families, but any ways the point is and trust me there is a point I promise. At least the times have gotten a lot better since Jacob roamed the earth.
In Genesis 29:31-30:24 it talks about Jacob and his children. Now if you don't know Jacob was in love with Rachel but was tricked by her father, Laban to marry her sister Leah first and then work even longer to finally marry Rachel. Well because God saw that Jacob loved Rachel more her, he provided Leah with children first and quite frequently I might add. But my point here is that there was so much sibling rivalry going on here for children and Jacob's love that eventually each sister gave their servants to Jacob to produce children when they couldn't. Now maybe it is because of the way these passages are written to just to show how many children he had but man this had to be a gentleman's paradise to know that at any time and any place these 4 women were at his mercy. I wonder if at times he had to be feeling like he was a "Baby Factory" and needed a break.
But that also brings me to another point in verse 30:1 Rachel became mad that she was childless and she demanded that Jacob give her a child, I am not sure I quite understand his response, because he got mad and said "Am I God? He is the only one able to give you children!" verse 30:2. I am thinking they obviously did not understand that it takes both male and female in the flesh and bone department to procreate. Or did God play daddy before Mary and Jesus? Surely not. But they obviously placed a lot of a woman's worth on whether or not she could have children.
Being childless like I am I can see the shame that Rachel felt and even Sarah. I try to do everything right but I still wrestle in myself that I must not be worthy enough or I must have done something wrong for God not to bless me with children. And there isn't a day that goes by that I don't pray for God to show me what I need to do in order to bless my husband with children. I not only want them for myself but I do feel like my barrenness is a reflection of my worth and I feel that is reflects badly on him too and I would sooner die then for my actions to shine badly on him.
Jacob the Baby Factory.
You ever notice how some women feel like that is all men think of them as, baby factories. Now it isn't so much now as it was lets say during the Women's Movement in the 70s and 80s (ok I wasn't born in the 70s but I have read my history books) and even well before that. Actually I guess it was in the 70s and 80s that women started to really prove that they were more capable of doing more than just having babies and families, but any ways the point is and trust me there is a point I promise. At least the times have gotten a lot better since Jacob roamed the earth.
In Genesis 29:31-30:24 it talks about Jacob and his children. Now if you don't know Jacob was in love with Rachel but was tricked by her father, Laban to marry her sister Leah first and then work even longer to finally marry Rachel. Well because God saw that Jacob loved Rachel more her, he provided Leah with children first and quite frequently I might add. But my point here is that there was so much sibling rivalry going on here for children and Jacob's love that eventually each sister gave their servants to Jacob to produce children when they couldn't. Now maybe it is because of the way these passages are written to just to show how many children he had but man this had to be a gentleman's paradise to know that at any time and any place these 4 women were at his mercy. I wonder if at times he had to be feeling like he was a "Baby Factory" and needed a break.
But that also brings me to another point in verse 30:1 Rachel became mad that she was childless and she demanded that Jacob give her a child, I am not sure I quite understand his response, because he got mad and said "Am I God? He is the only one able to give you children!" verse 30:2. I am thinking they obviously did not understand that it takes both male and female in the flesh and bone department to procreate. Or did God play daddy before Mary and Jesus? Surely not. But they obviously placed a lot of a woman's worth on whether or not she could have children.
Being childless like I am I can see the shame that Rachel felt and even Sarah. I try to do everything right but I still wrestle in myself that I must not be worthy enough or I must have done something wrong for God not to bless me with children. And there isn't a day that goes by that I don't pray for God to show me what I need to do in order to bless my husband with children. I not only want them for myself but I do feel like my barrenness is a reflection of my worth and I feel that is reflects badly on him too and I would sooner die then for my actions to shine badly on him.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Jan 11
On Thursday I was supposed to read Genesis 20 thru 22, but I wasn't able to get to it until yesterday. Those chapters were talking about Abraham and Sarah.
Chapter 20 talked about Abraham betraying Abimelech as him and Sarah passed thru his land because Sarah was so beautiful that Abraham was afraid that Abimelech's men would kill him to get to Sarah. Of course God was watching over Abraham and Sarah and spoke to Abimelech in a dream telling him to give Sarah back to Abraham because it was wrong. Wouldn't you like to know when and I am sure it has happened that, God has spoken to someone on your behalf? I know I would. I am pretty sure there have been sometimes that I am pretty sure it was only because of God and not because of me but to know that he actually talked to someone in only the way that God can would be kind of cool.
Chapter 21 talks about the birth of Isaac. Now being a woman similar to Sarah in that I too have a barren womb the fact that she even had Isaac was a miracle in and of itself. I am not sure how old Sarah was but it states that Abraham was 100 so lets say she was at least well into her 80s or above, so other than God intervening it was next to impossible for her to conceive. So I can see why she was so overcome with joy that she was laughing as his birth. But what I don't exactly agree with is Sarah's attitude toward Hagar and Ishmael. Sarah is the one who let Abraham sleep with Hagar, so technically it is all her fault that Ishmael is even on the earth at all. So I am very glad that God saw favor toward Hagar and Ishmael and took care of them after they were turned away. I can only imagine how hard it was on Abraham to send them away, even if he didn't have any real feelings for Hagar but I am sure that he loved Ishmael with all of his heart and soul and to have to watch them walk away probably broke, I am sure that Abraham prayed for them everyday.
In Chapter 22 God tested Abraham's faith by telling him "Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you." (verse 2) Can you imagine what was going thru Abraham's head, I am sure his heart skipped a beat, but he knew the whole time that God would provide something. Because as Abraham, Isaac, and his servants took out for the mountain and as they were leaving the servants to continue the journey on their own he even told them, "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told the servants. "The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back."(verse 5) or at least that is how I read it that he knew that God would hopefully supply an alternative, but Abraham was so obedient to God that he would sacrifice his own son. But I wonder if maybe Ismael was in the back of his mind on the whole journey.
But also what about Isaac who let his father tie him up and place him on the alter, you know that some where in the past he had seen enough sacrifices by his father that he had to start putting the pieces together that he was to be the sacrifice that God was going to provide that Isaac had asked Abraham about on the way to the mountain top in verses 7 & 8.
If you ever need a good example of putting all your faith in God that is probably one of the best ever.
Now to put a slight human element to it because I know that I think of all of these bible stories as super spiritual and almost not on a real people level. But can you imagine how Sarah reacted when she found out what happened if we know about it I am sure she found out about is somewhere along the way. Even if she wasn't told directly by Isaac or Abraham, but you know that Isaac told his friends and you know how stories get told and rumors are spun. Needless to say I am sure Abraham was in the dog tent for a while.
Today's reading is:
Genesis 27-28
Matthew 8:18-34
Chapter 20 talked about Abraham betraying Abimelech as him and Sarah passed thru his land because Sarah was so beautiful that Abraham was afraid that Abimelech's men would kill him to get to Sarah. Of course God was watching over Abraham and Sarah and spoke to Abimelech in a dream telling him to give Sarah back to Abraham because it was wrong. Wouldn't you like to know when and I am sure it has happened that, God has spoken to someone on your behalf? I know I would. I am pretty sure there have been sometimes that I am pretty sure it was only because of God and not because of me but to know that he actually talked to someone in only the way that God can would be kind of cool.
Chapter 21 talks about the birth of Isaac. Now being a woman similar to Sarah in that I too have a barren womb the fact that she even had Isaac was a miracle in and of itself. I am not sure how old Sarah was but it states that Abraham was 100 so lets say she was at least well into her 80s or above, so other than God intervening it was next to impossible for her to conceive. So I can see why she was so overcome with joy that she was laughing as his birth. But what I don't exactly agree with is Sarah's attitude toward Hagar and Ishmael. Sarah is the one who let Abraham sleep with Hagar, so technically it is all her fault that Ishmael is even on the earth at all. So I am very glad that God saw favor toward Hagar and Ishmael and took care of them after they were turned away. I can only imagine how hard it was on Abraham to send them away, even if he didn't have any real feelings for Hagar but I am sure that he loved Ishmael with all of his heart and soul and to have to watch them walk away probably broke, I am sure that Abraham prayed for them everyday.
In Chapter 22 God tested Abraham's faith by telling him "Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you." (verse 2) Can you imagine what was going thru Abraham's head, I am sure his heart skipped a beat, but he knew the whole time that God would provide something. Because as Abraham, Isaac, and his servants took out for the mountain and as they were leaving the servants to continue the journey on their own he even told them, "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told the servants. "The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back."(verse 5) or at least that is how I read it that he knew that God would hopefully supply an alternative, but Abraham was so obedient to God that he would sacrifice his own son. But I wonder if maybe Ismael was in the back of his mind on the whole journey.
But also what about Isaac who let his father tie him up and place him on the alter, you know that some where in the past he had seen enough sacrifices by his father that he had to start putting the pieces together that he was to be the sacrifice that God was going to provide that Isaac had asked Abraham about on the way to the mountain top in verses 7 & 8.
If you ever need a good example of putting all your faith in God that is probably one of the best ever.
Now to put a slight human element to it because I know that I think of all of these bible stories as super spiritual and almost not on a real people level. But can you imagine how Sarah reacted when she found out what happened if we know about it I am sure she found out about is somewhere along the way. Even if she wasn't told directly by Isaac or Abraham, but you know that Isaac told his friends and you know how stories get told and rumors are spun. Needless to say I am sure Abraham was in the dog tent for a while.
Today's reading is:
Genesis 27-28
Matthew 8:18-34
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Jan 9
Today I received in my email a devotion from Proverbs 21 ministries that kind of spoke a little to me. The scripture reference was Matthew 7:24-27. "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
What speaks to me about that is the fact that here I am trying to read the Bible everyday for a solid year but this time I am trying to meditate on it a little more make that a lot more than have ever done in the past several attempts. I am not just sitting down and reading it like a book which eventually I will hit the parts that will get a little boring to me and I may not see the relevance to my life but if I keep reading and meditating and learn a little more maybe some day it will.
Also what is interesting is because I have recently had a very serious conversation with my husband about the state of our finances and I believe and know with every fiber of my being that we need to be better tithers but he sees it as throwing money away instead of being like Christ suggests in Matthew 6:19-20 of storing your treasures in Heaven. Plus I have always been taught that one way to show that you have complete faith in God is to pay your tithes. God really doesn't ask much of us but that little 10% of our first fruits that we bring into our homes. I am not going to push it with him because he is my husband and God has required of me to submit to him and I try to respectful of my husband's place as the head of my household, but as I ask this of him every year and I get the same reaction from him, (Its not that he is coming right out and saying no, he is basically saying that it will be more of hindrance than a blessing), it makes me wonder if the problems we have had with his job stability has to do with this area in not trusting God to take care and provide for us and God is trying to show us that we can not do this alone.
When I was going thru a rough patch in my previous jobs and new I deserved better like most people I turned to God for help and part of what I did was trying to tithe on a regular basis, but I made the mistake of not tithing first and trying to tithe my 10% with what I had left after paying bills and spending money on going out to eat and shopping and that put a real burden on my pocketbook, but this time I believe I have learned my lesson albeit the hard way but it was well received this time around. But any ways once I received my current job, which I love I then turned my tithe over with a very thankful and grateful heart and I know looking back that it was all God's doing. As a matter of fact I might have even gotten the job months sooner if I had had my mind and heart in the right place but like many people I had to get desperate for God. But I don't want to do that again.
Today's Scripture:
Matthew 6:19-34
Genesis 20-22
What speaks to me about that is the fact that here I am trying to read the Bible everyday for a solid year but this time I am trying to meditate on it a little more make that a lot more than have ever done in the past several attempts. I am not just sitting down and reading it like a book which eventually I will hit the parts that will get a little boring to me and I may not see the relevance to my life but if I keep reading and meditating and learn a little more maybe some day it will.
Also what is interesting is because I have recently had a very serious conversation with my husband about the state of our finances and I believe and know with every fiber of my being that we need to be better tithers but he sees it as throwing money away instead of being like Christ suggests in Matthew 6:19-20 of storing your treasures in Heaven. Plus I have always been taught that one way to show that you have complete faith in God is to pay your tithes. God really doesn't ask much of us but that little 10% of our first fruits that we bring into our homes. I am not going to push it with him because he is my husband and God has required of me to submit to him and I try to respectful of my husband's place as the head of my household, but as I ask this of him every year and I get the same reaction from him, (Its not that he is coming right out and saying no, he is basically saying that it will be more of hindrance than a blessing), it makes me wonder if the problems we have had with his job stability has to do with this area in not trusting God to take care and provide for us and God is trying to show us that we can not do this alone.
When I was going thru a rough patch in my previous jobs and new I deserved better like most people I turned to God for help and part of what I did was trying to tithe on a regular basis, but I made the mistake of not tithing first and trying to tithe my 10% with what I had left after paying bills and spending money on going out to eat and shopping and that put a real burden on my pocketbook, but this time I believe I have learned my lesson albeit the hard way but it was well received this time around. But any ways once I received my current job, which I love I then turned my tithe over with a very thankful and grateful heart and I know looking back that it was all God's doing. As a matter of fact I might have even gotten the job months sooner if I had had my mind and heart in the right place but like many people I had to get desperate for God. But I don't want to do that again.
Today's Scripture:
Matthew 6:19-34
Genesis 20-22
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Jan 4
Today I was reading about the Tower of Babel. Now for some reason I always thought that the tower was built so the people could reach heaven and that it made God angry and that was why he scattered and confused their tongue. But now as I read it the people I think just wanted a tall tower so that no matter where a person was they could see it, and that God got concerned as to how fast the human race was learning and working together so he either he was scared or decided to have some fun or I guess he wanted to put a stumbling block in their way so that they could continue to learn and try to overcome. Who knows but I have to admit that I think I was taught wrong and maybe that is where most people get confused or disheartened cause they were taught that God was angry a lot. I know I am really starting to look forward to what else I might have been taught that wasn't completely correct.
Also in Gen 11:9 it says that God scattered them abroad from that place, meaning Babel, upon the face of the whole earth. Now I don't know but imagine one moment you are talking, lets say English to your best friend in the village market and then the next moment you are in the wilderness talking and understanding Mandarin. Now do those people remember talking English and being in the market or was that kind of wiped from their memory?
Today's reading:
Matthew 4
Genesis 11-12
Also in Gen 11:9 it says that God scattered them abroad from that place, meaning Babel, upon the face of the whole earth. Now I don't know but imagine one moment you are talking, lets say English to your best friend in the village market and then the next moment you are in the wilderness talking and understanding Mandarin. Now do those people remember talking English and being in the market or was that kind of wiped from their memory?
Today's reading:
Matthew 4
Genesis 11-12
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Jan 3
Ok so I already have slightly failed at my new project. I honestly just read what I was supposed to have read on Jan 1 and 2 this morning. For those of you following along I will post the actual reading toward the bottom of each post.
Maybe I should explain that I have been on Christmas vacation since Dec 23 and I decided while I was off work I would actually clean my house so since Monday of this week that is been what I have been doing. Which it looks great by the way. But on Jan 1 and 2 I along with my family have been trying to empty my Grandmother's house that she has lived in since 1961. So Daniel and I have been rearranging our house to accommodate some of the new furniture we acquired.
But hey the assignment hasn't been a total loss I did get up this morning and read Genesis 1-7 and Matthew 1-3. So that is where I will try to start. I am not planning on using the blog as a platform to preach from that is not my intentions at all. It is mostly for my own benefit but I thought maybe I might say something or I guess type some thought that I have rattling in my head that might help someone else.
I started with reading Genesis and if you have read it you know that obviously it starts out talking about creation. Well as I read along I had several things strike me as Hmm I hadn't noticed that before.
For instance when God is making the Garden of Eden he made TWO trees the Tree of Life AND the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And God told Adam to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge. What about the Tree of Life? What does it do? (Gen 2:9)
Also if you backtrack to Gen 2:8 it states that the Garden was planted in the East, where was God standing when that happened? Yes if you are in the United States we always no where east is but I always think of God being above the earth when he does things so he can kind of have a birds eye view of the land. (One of many questions to ask the Big Guy when I see him face to face)
On ward with the questions. Ok if Adam and Eve where the only people on Earth and then they had Cain and Abel where did their wives come from? (Gen 4)
Ok and the final question that really made me curious enough to check with several translations to make sure I was reading it correctly was who are the "Sons of God" that Gen 6:1-2 is talking about.
So if you have any more questions regarding what I have read so far please feel free to ask or even if you have comments or answers to the questions I posted.
The reading that was discussed for today's post is:
Genesis 1-7
Matthew 1-3
Maybe I should explain that I have been on Christmas vacation since Dec 23 and I decided while I was off work I would actually clean my house so since Monday of this week that is been what I have been doing. Which it looks great by the way. But on Jan 1 and 2 I along with my family have been trying to empty my Grandmother's house that she has lived in since 1961. So Daniel and I have been rearranging our house to accommodate some of the new furniture we acquired.
But hey the assignment hasn't been a total loss I did get up this morning and read Genesis 1-7 and Matthew 1-3. So that is where I will try to start. I am not planning on using the blog as a platform to preach from that is not my intentions at all. It is mostly for my own benefit but I thought maybe I might say something or I guess type some thought that I have rattling in my head that might help someone else.
I started with reading Genesis and if you have read it you know that obviously it starts out talking about creation. Well as I read along I had several things strike me as Hmm I hadn't noticed that before.
For instance when God is making the Garden of Eden he made TWO trees the Tree of Life AND the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And God told Adam to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge. What about the Tree of Life? What does it do? (Gen 2:9)
Also if you backtrack to Gen 2:8 it states that the Garden was planted in the East, where was God standing when that happened? Yes if you are in the United States we always no where east is but I always think of God being above the earth when he does things so he can kind of have a birds eye view of the land. (One of many questions to ask the Big Guy when I see him face to face)
On ward with the questions. Ok if Adam and Eve where the only people on Earth and then they had Cain and Abel where did their wives come from? (Gen 4)
Ok and the final question that really made me curious enough to check with several translations to make sure I was reading it correctly was who are the "Sons of God" that Gen 6:1-2 is talking about.
So if you have any more questions regarding what I have read so far please feel free to ask or even if you have comments or answers to the questions I posted.
The reading that was discussed for today's post is:
Genesis 1-7
Matthew 1-3
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