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Using Technology to Piece the Past Together

2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting article detailing how thousands offragments of ancient scrolls are spread out across the globe, and how a computerprogram can virtually "glue"the pieces back together even thoughthe pieces belong to different museums and storage facilities and neverphysically meet up again.

Too cool.

The researchers arenow applying the … technology to fragments of the DeadSea Scrolls, a collection of hundreds of text found along the Dead Sea inthe 1950s, as well as other scrolls.

"It's a morecomplicated challenge," Wolf said, referring to the Dead Sea Scrolls. "Thefragments are for the most part much smaller, and many of the texts are veryunique. These texts shed light on the beginnings of Christianity."

Technology…..a curse at times, but such a blessing , too!

Paul's Secretary

2011-10-18T20:58:00.000-04:00

My mom was a marathon letter and journal writer. I can still see her seated at our kitchen table each morning writing, writing, writing. Even after Dear Sister gave her a computer, Mother continued to scribble away in her spiral notebooks she always seemed to have on hand. I have to agree with her. There is something about moving a pen across a clean page of paper and making it all your own.

Mother created the most interesting letters regarding what was going on in our lives, pondering current events of the day, or relating some little anecdote from her past.

When I meet up with one of her dear friends they all tell me the same thing - I miss her letters so much. I know how they feel. I LONG for one myself.

Mother didn't just love to write letters. She loved to read them as well. Paul was her favorite letter writer with his letter to the Romans as a particular favorite.

While Mother did all of her letter writing at a kitchen table Paul would have followed the custom of the day and would have sat with his writing perched in his lap or on his knees.   Yes, I know there are very famous paintings of Paul sitting at a desk with an oil light, but it just isn't an accurate picture regarding most of the letters.

What many also don't realize is that during ancient times teamwork and cooperation was just as important as they are today. Paul had a team working along with him.   We know he had traveling companions such as Barnabas and then Silas (Acts 15:36-41), but he also had assistants who wrote his letters.

Yes, an assistant - a secretary. Scholars are familiar with this since etiquette of the day called for the use of a secretary. It was customary and expected. Romans 16:22 identifies one such secretary....."I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter greet you in the Lord."   If Paul wrote the letter himself he would say so as he does at 1Corinthians 16:21.

In Paul's day literacy did not have the same meaning as it does today. People who were literate could read, but that did not mean they wrote. Researchers believe Paul was literate regarding reading, but his writing skills were probabably very basic. Paul tells us at Galatians 6:11....."See what large letters I use as I write to you in my own hand."

There were people who specialized in writing during Paul's day.   They knew how to cut and paste as well as cut and sharpen the pens.   They learned how to mix the inks, prick and line the sheets of papryus and most importantly they knew the conventions of writing for the time period - correct forms and phrases for each specific situation.

The first letter to the Corinthians begins, "Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God and our brother Sosthenes."   Many believe a mention at the beginning of a letter was meant to honor the person, but if people were meant to be honored they were mentioned at the end of a letter.  Sosthenes was mentioned at the beginning because he was writing the letter for Paul. Though a scribe would have written most of the letter etiquette also dictated that Paul finish the letter, and many scholars have noted this.

Mother's letters followed a very folksey type of journal entry. She just let the words flow from her much like she would converse with you in person. Paul planned his letters very carefully, but unlike many contemporary preachers who lock themselves in their study until they have their message put together Paul talk about the subject of the letter with those around him.   What we study today as the letters of Paul are very well thought out messages that were discussed among others sitting by the sea, over a midday meal, or while riding out a storm at sea. After discussing the topic Paul would have dictated his letter. Some scholars have suggested 1 Corinthians took over ten hours to dictate.

Of course, Christians believe each of Paul's letters were inspired by God. The Lord works through human processes as well as human writers through each step of the writing process.

Yes, writing a letter during Paul's time was a complex task. It was also expensive. Scholars suggest in today's dollars it would cost Paul approximately $2,000 to write each letter. That price include the costs of the papyrus and ink, the cost of paying someone to deliver the letter and the secretary or scribe had to be as well.

Colossians 4: 16 begins, "After this letter has been read to you...." indicates Paul's letters were meant to be read publically.   This means they could not have been written messily - appearance would have been important - there would have been a first and possibly a second draft.

Paul's letters, of course, are timeless. Though they were written to groups of people in ancient times the letters still speak to us today.   We are able to learn about the beliefs and controversies of early Christianity, and we often discover that the passage of time is the major difference between the early church and the church of today.

13 Things Regarding the Sinai Peninsula

2011-08-17T20:51:00.000-04:00

The Search For The Real Mt. Sinai

1. The Sinai Peninsula is an important region to readers of the Bible and also serves as a land bridge between Africa and Asia. Notice on the map the region appears to be an upside down triangle.

2. Three significant events occurred there regarding the Israelites. First the Peninsula is the location where Mount Sinai is located…the place where God appeared to Moses more than once. Moses interacted with God for the first time while he was on the mountain herding sheep for Jethro. The second time Moses was there God established his covenant with the Israelites at the foot of the mountain after their exodus from Egypt. Sinai is also the place where Moses ascended the mountain and God gave him the Ten Commandments.

3. Mount Sinai is referred to as “the mountain”…. Exodus 19:2; “the mountain of God”… Exodus 3:1; “the mountain of the Lord”…Numbers Numbers 10:33; and “Horeb”…Exodus 3:1.

There are five areas mentioned in the Bible in relationship to the mountain.

4. The Wilderness of Shur is the location on the northern border of Egypt where the Israelites found themselves after crossing the Red Sea. This place was between the Red Sea and Marah where the people complained because there was no water…. Exodus 15: 22-24.

5. The wilderness of Sin is a region between Elim and Sinai where God provided food for the Israelites…Exodus 16:1.

6. The Wilderness of Paran is where the Israelites camped after they left Mount Sinai, and is the location where they were sent out to explore the land.

7. The Wilderness of Zin saw the Israelites pass through on their way to Canaan. The wilderness is on the border of Palestine and more than likely included Kadesh-barnea.

8. The Wilderness of Sinai takes its name from the mountain and is where the people camped in anticipation of receiving God’s law

9. Several significant events happened at Sinai for the Israelites….they received the law….Exodus 19: 1-6; they were numbered…. Numbers 1:19, Numbers 3: 14-15, and Numbers 26:64; they celebrated the Passover… Exodus 9: 4-5; and Elijah made a pilgrimage to the mountain when he was running from Jezebel…1 Kings 19:8.

10. Think about the route God gave to the Israelites to the Land of Canaan. He could have sent them on a shorter route….by the Mediterranean through the land of the Philistines… Exodus 13:17. This route was known as “The Way of the Sea”. The Israelites wanted to avoid it because the Egyptians had the area fortified with sentries…sentries who protected the military and trade routes into Egypt. The Egyptians considered the peninsula important because they obtained turquoise and cooper from there and in turn used those items for trade with other nations.

Instead the Israelites traveled south along the eastern shores of the Gulf of Suez.

11. The Sinai was not a friendly place to travel through. There was no water and no vegetation except for a few areas that were classified as oases and wadis. River beds remained dry except during winter floods. Besides the shortage of food and water there were diseases, snakes, scorpions, and the possibility of attacks from enemy tribes.

Most of the Israelites felt the challenges of living in the wilderness were beyond their capacity to adapt. They faced the perils of the wilderness and their faith eroded with the cruel reality of life in the desert.

12. What they forgot was the Lord was always there in the Wilderness providing for their needs. He had given them the pillar cloud during the day and the pillar of fire at night… Exodus 13: 21-32; the Ark of the Covenant moved ahead of them to show them where to rest…Numbers 10:33; and the Lord provided food and water.

The Israelites complained constantly and the received the Lord’s gifts with disdain….and then finally the refused to go into the Promised Land… Numbers 14: 1-25.

They didn’t trust God, and they didn’t trust each other either. A whole generation failed to see and trust God…even though He was providing the entire time.

13. Moses addressed a new generation at Moab after defeating the Canaanites…Deuteronomy 8: 3-5……He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

The most important words Moses said…Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Where Can I Find a Urim and Thummim?

2011-08-02T17:08:00.000-04:00

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just go to God and ask Him to lay it all out for us regarding the directions we need go when we reach a crossroad?

What subjects to study in school? Which jobs to take? How to discipline and advise our children? When we should take action or just sit back and observe our surroundings?

Sometimes we know the right thing to do, but the actions of others….justified or not….keep us from acting. Sometimes our own wants….our selfishness… takes over preventing us from hearing God. Sometimes as the background noise in our lives becomes louder and louder it becomes more difficult to hear God.

Why can’t the path be clear instead of clear as mud?

Reading through the Bible it seems the ancients had several opportunities to hear God when they needed guidance, and the Pentateuch was very clear on what NOT to do when seeking answers.

Deuteronomy 18: 10-13 provides a list of things that were detestable including interpreting omens, witchcraft, casting spells, and consulting the dead. These practices were so detestable they were punishable by death per Leviticus 20:6.

The people of Babylon practiced divination so well they are the go-to culture when researching various ways the ancients used to contact the gods. They used astrology, analyzed cloud formations, the peculiar actions of animals and pouring liquid into basins to read the bubbles that were formed. There were even specially trained priests who read the livers of sacrificed animals. To the ancients it appeared the liver was the source of blood in the body and therefore must be the seat of life.

Divination was distasteful to the Israelites because it was detestable to the Lord, and the Lord couldn’t stomach it because it broke their faith in Him.

It makes sense to me, but even though certain things were detestable the Israelites still used methods we would find odd today.

They actually analyzed the pouring of water to determine God’s will.

1st Samuel 7:6 states, when they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed thus connecting the pouring of water with confession of sin and fasting.

Lamentations 2:19 calls for Israel to pour out your heart like water. Many scholars think the pattern the water made was analyzed, and the direction the water ran revealed God’s will.

I’m not sure if this would do me any good because the water always runs the same way at my house whether it’s on the floor or in the driveway.

By New Testament times we can see how the use and imagery of water evolved with the emphasis on baptism along with repentance and forgiveness of sin.

Other customs to seek out the divine including “putting out the fleece” as mentioned in the 6th chapter of Judges. Gideon actually asked God for more signs to show him what to do. This can be a dangerous thing to do. We are not to test God, however we can analyze the situation to see if God is providing indicators regarding which way to go, but which are indicators and which are just static and don’t really mean anything?

A more reliable way of learning God’s will was the Torah. Its basis ….the first five books of the Bible or Pentateuch held the highest authority in Israel since it expressed God’s will for his people. Yes, reading the Bible does give you the rights and the wrongs, but sometimes situations are a little gray. For example, Solomon told the women who both claimed an infant a lie when he said he would split the child in two. So, this means sometimes it’s necessary to lie, right?

See, we are back to murky stuff again.

The most fascinating way the early Hebrews used to determine God’s will involved the Urim and Thummim. They provided yes or no answers from God by physical means.

There we go! Yes or no….plain and simple. I like that!

The Urim and Thummim were carried in the priest’s breastplate of judgment. They even received explicit instructions from God regarding who could use them and where they should be placed.

Exodus 28:30 provides God’s instructions….Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

Where’s Aaron and his breastplate when I need him?

Often a question was placed before the Lord through prayer first such as the one Saul prayed where he asked why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim. Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared….. 1 Samuel 14:41-42

Some scholars state the Urim and Thummim were stones and might have been white and black. Others state the objects were made of wood, bone or some other material. At some point the Urim and Thummim are no longer mentioned mainly due to the rise of the prophets, and the objects along with the breastplate of judgment have been lost to the ages.

The casting or drawing of lots was similar to the Urim and Thummim but not exactly the same. Scholars aren’t sure what the lots looked like or were made of, but there are many educated guesses they were colored stones. Receptacles were used to cast or draw the lots.

The idea behind casting lots is that it removed human volition and allowed God to make the choice. We are told in Proverbs 16: 33 the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

We need to remember the first king of Israel was chosen by lot….1 Samuel 10:20-21, inheritance was not chosen by a Last Will and Testament, but by lot…. Joshua 14:2, and even Judas, the ultimate betrayer, was replaced by lot …Acts 1:26….Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

If you look a little further, however, you don’t see lots being used for decisions anymore after Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to be dwelling in believers.

Folks in the Near East felt that dreams came from the spirit world and nightmares came from evil spirits, but in various sections of the Bible we see all dreams originated from God. Genesis 20: 3-7 tells us that God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and 1 Kings 3:5 shares that the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream.

Those dreams were very easy to understand but some dreams required interpretation such as the passage recorded at the 2nd chapter of Daniel.

Numbers 12:6 states when there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams, and proves the Hebrews believed God spoke to people and prophets through dreams and visions.

There were the prophets, of course. Some interpreted dreams while others spoke directly for God. Deuteronomy 18:18 states, I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.

I’m not really sure how an interpreter would explain my dreams. I’ve reached an age where I pray for them sometimes, but the don’t happen, or if they do…..I don’t remember them, and unfortunately the prophets are long gone or are possibly turned into fools by the media.

Prayer was also an acceptable means of asking God for help and still is. Moses prayed to God, spoke with God, and even questioned God……Numbers 11: 1-15

Often a question was placed before the Lord through prayer as 1 Samuel 14:41-42 indicates.

I’ve often wondered how many prayers God listens to every day. Sometimes it doesn’t seem as if He’s listening, but I know He does….and He answers in His own time, we just have to know when we receive the answer.

That’s the hard part….since our humanity gets in the way.

That little voice in me…..perhaps the Spirit of the Lord dwelling in my soul….tells me prayer is the way…..pray and study…..and a little time, but durn wouldn’t it be nice to have your own personal Urim and Thummim?

A Diet of Worms? Hardly....Just Remember the "V" Sound

2010-11-01T11:35:00.000-04:00

Worms Cathedral….Just the name alone doesn’t sound very religious or very soul soothing, does it?

The place IS very historic and as far as cathedrals go, and it is beautiful.

The name comes from the Latin Borbetomagus which means “settlement in a watery area” which eventually morphed to Vormatia……

Vormatia. Now when you realize that you don’t pronounce the “W” when saying the word “Worms” and you substitute a “V” sound as in Vorms it all makes sense……

Actually….it should be pronounced “Varms”

There are no worms and there never were any. :)

In fact, Worms Cathedral is also known at St. Peter’s Cathedral.

Worms Cathedral…consecrated in 1110…. is known as an Imperial Cathedral which means it was built under the reign of an emperor. The building is unique in that it has two quires or choirs…..one at each end of the nave. The second choir was set aside for the emperor to attend church.

The oldest section of the cathedral….the east choir…..is an example of an architectural trick. The walls are straight on the outside of the building but are rounded on the inside.

Speaking of emperors there are a few royal members buried at Worms Cathedral……

*Conrad I and II, the Dukes of Carinthia

*Conrad, Duke of Lorraine

*Queen Matilda, consort of Henry I of France (she was also the daughter of Conrad II the Holy Roman Emperor

Sadly the original windows were destroyed in 1943 by the bombs of World War II, but over time during the 1960s they were all replaced.

The major historical significance of the Worms Cathedral is that it was the location for the Diet of Worms in April 1521.

Ugh. Again, it doesn’t sound too appealing, right?

The Diet of Worms was called by the Holy Roman Emperor who was actually the German king, Charles V. It is helpful to understand a Diet was a general assembly of the Imperial states of the Holy Roman Empire. So, a diet is a formally called meeting. There were many different diets that took place at Worms Cathedral, so like many treaties that share the same name it is important to know which year you are talking about.

The Diet of Worms in 1521 is significant in church history became it the meeting where Martin Luther was required to answer the papal bull of Pope Leo X.

A bull is simply a form of communication sent out by the Pope, and this particular bull……also referred to as Exsurge Domine (Arise O’ Lord) denounced Martin Luther’s 95 Theses on the Power and Effacy of Indulgences Luther had nailed to the door at Wittenberg (again, the “W” is pronounced with a “V” sound).

The whole “nail” thing is still argued by historians…..we aren’t sure if Luther really nailed his theses to the door, but church doors were commonly used as bulletin boards at that time and the story does make sense.

….and what happened to Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms? A formal statement was issued condemning Martin Luther, but he was allowed to leave Worms without being arrested. It was commonly known, however, that at some point he would be arrested and punished.

His supporters hid him away at Wartburg Castle (again…..remember the “V” sound) and while there Luther began his German translation of the Bible.

Athiest Don't Have No Songs......

2010-09-03T17:09:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting song with Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers

Jeremiah's Confessions

2010-08-25T00:29:00.000-04:00

I receive an email everyday from Merriam Webster’s Word of the Day and along with an entymology.

Today’s word was jeremiad which means a prolonged lamentation or complaint; also : a cautionary or angry harangue.

The email goes on to explain:

Jeremiah was a naysayer. That Jewish prophet, who lived from about 650 to 570 BC, spent his days lambasting the Hebrews for their false worship and social injustice and denouncing the king for his selfishness, materialism, and inequities. When not calling on his people to quit their wicked ways, he was lamenting his own lot; a portion of the Old Testament's Book of Jeremiah is devoted to his "confessions," a series of lamentations on the hardships endured by a prophet with an unpopular message. Nowadays, English speakers use "Jeremiah" for a pessimistic person and "jeremiad" for the way these Jeremiahs carry on. The word "jeremiad" was actually borrowed from the French, who coined it as "jérémiade."

Now…..regarding those confessions of Jeremiah. He’s not confessing all….telling us his sins. He is sharing the struggle of his soul……similar to those dialogues we all have with God and with ourselves regarding how we relate to God and if we are on the right path for God’s will or not.

These verses are usually noted as Jeremiah’s Confessions and can be found at the following links:

Jeremiah 11: 18

Jeremiah 12: 6

Jeremiah 15: 10-21

Jeremiah 17: 14-18

Jeremiah 18: 18-23

Jeremiah 20: 7-18

The picture with this post is Jeremiah as he appears on the Sistene Chapel by Michelangelo….

Cha cha cha Changes

2010-06-13T08:52:00.000-04:00

Though I was in the fourth grade in 1972 I remember vividly the song Changes performed by David Bowie being played on Atlanta radio stations over and over…..I believe my sister and I had the single, and even today it’s still played on various classic rock stations.
Believe it or not Changes is one of David Bowie’s best known songs, but it failed to make the Top 40. In the book Strange Fascination-David Bowie: The Definitive Story, David Buckley reports the lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality throughout the 1970s. I can understand this as it seemed Bowie remade himself everytime you saw him during the 70s and 80s, but John Mendelsohn wrote in a Rolling Stone article from 1972 that the song could be construed as a young man’s attempt to reckon how he’ll react when it’s his time to be on the maligned side of the generation.

Well, Bowie’s certainly there by now, isn’t he? Born in 1947 he’s not exactly the younger generation anymore. He’s still producing music though and still changing with the times. He’s the same David Bowie….he’s just merely presenting himself using modern methods
Bowie has branched out as an actor over the years most recently playing the role of Nikola Tesla in The Prestige released in 2006. If you are a SpongeBob Squarepants fan you heard Bowie’s voice used for the role of “Lord Royal Highness” in the episode titled SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis. Many of my students came to school talking about the soundtrack to Shrek2 in 2004. They told me all about a great song titled Changes, a duet by Butterfly Boucher and SOME OLD GUY. They’d sing it over and over on the playground. They were amazed when I told them about “the old guy” and that I listened to the same song in 1972 or as one child remarked, “Oh, in the olden days.”

Changes….sometimes we do have to turn and face the strange.

Ecclesiastes 3, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Perhaps it ranks right up at the top of meaningful text because it involves the concept of time…a concept which is always near and dear to the heart of any history teacher such as myself.

The passage reminds us everything has its own time during the span of our lives. Sadness, happiness, death, new life, planting and harvesting, love and hate, war and peace----they all have a place at one time or another in our lives since Scripture tells us God created those things to be appropriate in their time and for His purpose.

In order to experience these things we have to also experience change. You can’t get from death to healing without change. You can’t get from throwing stones to gathering stones without change. You can’t get from tearing down something to building something up without change. None of it will happen without change. Life can’t exist without change.

Even so, many of us spend a large amount of our time here on earth resisting change, including myself.

I actually hate change. Change is the unknown. Change is scary. Change is uncomfortable, but the Bible shows us that change is necessary, and my own life experiences have shown me this is true. You can probably think back on great and not so great changes in your own life and see that while there were negatives with the change there were also postive things as well even though it might take some time for those results to be seen.

Last Sunday’s Bible Study lesson involved Abram and changes he made in his life. It was titled “Moving Out of Your Comfort Zone”. Using Scripture from Genesis 12 and 13the lesson reminds us about God’s call to Abram to leave his homeland and his people in order to follow a promise God has made to him.

Genesis 12:4 explains Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.

Between verses one and four of Genesis 12 we see the Lord commands and Abram goes. He doesn’t question, he doesn’t do any research, he doesn’t argue, he doesn’t discuss God’s command with a focus group, and most importantly he doesn’t ignore God’s command. God said go, and Abram went.

We see that Lot goes with Abram with no reservations as well. This amazes me. How many of us would pack our things and move simply based on the fact a relative told us God had spoken to him and promised he would become the father of many nations?

The most interesting thing is the last part of verse four……Abram was 75 years old. This isn’t exactly a time in someone’s life when change is easy. Now I’ve never been 75. I hope I get to 75 and beyond, but one thing I know from being around many who are 75, 85, 95, and even one important lady in my life who made it to 102, change isn’t easy for these folks even though they have the most wisdom to provide regarding life.

Yet we see Abram at at 75 setting out on a journey that our lesson compared to what we know about Columbus and his journey to the New World. I’m not sure I really know what I would do if the Lord spoke to me today, and told me to tell my family to pack up because we have to go on journey.

How many of us truly like getting outside of our comfort zone?

As an educator I have survived a firestorm of change in the last ten years. American History is still American History, but due to needed reforms I go about teaching it differently than the teachers who taught me. Instead of just reading a textbook or “sit and get” type lessons where students listen to me, I provide guided situations where students uncover content on their own. I provide opportunities for students to be motivated and involved in the learning process through various strategies that hit on multiple intelligences and learning styles. I don’t demand that students meet me at my level…I hunker down and meet them where they are even if that means providing content five different ways.

Now, don’t for one minute think that I and my colleages accepted these types of changes willingly. Believe me when I tell you there was much gnashing of teeth, snarling, and to and froing. I’ve stamped my foot and kicked my fair share of door jams over the last few years because I hung onto the notion that patience was the watchword. At some point and time I would receive that group of students that would be successful simply because they did it my way. I didn’t want to change, but I’m awfully glad I did because the benefits were amazing.

Reasons for the changes weren’t merely because legislators and educrats up on high told me to. It wasn’t really due to the latest research or fad. The changes were necessary because our clientele---our students---had changed. You cannot use early twentieth century methods with early twenty-first century students. Folks today aren’t just merely the television generation. They are the instant and constant information generation via their cell phone, their Ipod, their video games, their Internet, and any other type of technology I could list.

So, if the folks outside the school walls are looking for something particular does it make sense for me to say leave technology out and forgo various teaching methods because I’m not comfortable with them. Instead of merely leaving a child behind it’s more like I would be tuning the student out and off.

With that in mind do we tune people out and off due to a resistence in the church regarding change?

I think we do.

Over the last two thousand years there have been great upheavals and change in the church, and yet it’s still here. It’s not going away. Those changes were necessary to allow God’s plan to come to fruition.

Where would the Christian church be today if we still ignored Paul’s encouragement for congregational singing (Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19) and only opted for liturgical hymns sung by the special few who could sing in Latin?

Where would the church be today without the struggle that was created with the Protestant Reformation? Back then the slogan was “the reformed church, always being reformed by the church of God.”……always being changed by the church of God…..

Where would we be if Martin Luther had not prepared a Mass in German, so that ALL of the congregation could recite and sing the texts?

Where would we be without Charles Wesley’s hymns that actually provided a new focus….one that expressed personal feelings in the relationship with God as well as simple worship seen in much older church music?

Where would we be without Wesley’s new style of hymn and a period of history in America known as the Great Awakening which led to another distinct style of church music we know as gospel?

Thomas Aquinas said, “If the primary aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.” Applying this idea to the church how sad it would be if in our zeal to not bend to the needs of congregants we run the ship aground.

In his book, A Church for the 21st Century, Leith Anderson questions the goal of a church. If the goal is to preserve everything in pristene condition then it will be “defensively protected.” However, if the goal is to go out and do something those involved will be willing to take the risk.

Change, of course, does not mean turning your back on the foundation of Christianity. There are certain things that cannot be denied or ignored. Much like my subject matter of American History…..I can’t change the events, but I can change the methods I use to convey the foundational doctrine (John 3:16). The New Testament provides for us two things Jesus told us the true purposes of the church. Those are the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19-20) These two things are paramount were until Christ returns. Over the years God’s people have stayed true to these purposes through ever changing styles and methods, but their eyes were always on the same common mission.

It’s clear to me from reading Acts 2 and listening to Bible scholars teach the text the church membership must be of one mind as the disciples were …..all together in one place. This is reemphasized at the end of the passage…..all the believers were together and had everything in common.

As believers we are all given the Holy Spirit, our guide to help us lead a Christian life. The Holy Spirit strengthens us, and it can be used to do things we have never done before. I’m just thinking that in order for the Holy Spirit to move within us we have to be open and willing for change to take place.

Are we, no matter our generational experiences, willing for that to happe

Grandmother's Hands

2010-06-08T19:11:00.000-04:00

This post first appeared here in September, 2007…..HERE

Last night at church one of our associate pastors read the following poem. Even though it is about a grandmother’s hands I couldn’t help but think about my own mother and her hands. She passed away in July, 2006, and I think I miss her hands most of all…..They did so much for me.

The pastor had to stop a couple of times as he read the poem, and I simply lost it.

At first I thought, “Durn, why did you go and read that? I certainly didn’t need to cry.” However, after some reflection time I realized I should be grateful that the pastor did read the poem because anytime something can trigger a memory of Mother it is indeed time well spent....even if it is also a tearful time.

The only copy of the poem I could find has been altered a bit from the one the pastor read but the majority of it is intact.

Grandmother’s Hands

I saw my grandmother sitting alone staring at her hands. I thought something was wrong and asked her about it. Grandmother asked, “Have you ever really looked at your hands?”

Grandmother continued, “Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout the years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.”

“They embraced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.”

“They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.”

“They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn’t understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

“These hands are the mark of where I’ve been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when He leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.”

I don’t think any Christian after reading this could ever look at their hands the same way again.

I Think My "Wanter" Is Stuck....AGAIN

2010-06-03T09:37:00.001-04:00

This post first appeared here in August, 2009. Look for the link to the second part at the end. Both postings were written after hearing a great sermon from my pastor.

By Friday evening I was worn down…..Dear Daughter had had a bad case of the “wants” all afternoon. She wanted to talk to me which in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, but conversation isn’t all she wanted. She wanted a snack, she wanted to be taken out to eat, she wanted a replacement pet for our dear kitty that has gone missing, she wants her room painted, and she wants to decorate it in black and white (always wanted a black and white room).

Then she wanted to drive My car over to a friend’s house – seems the friend had wrecked her car and Dear Daughter wanted to see it. No, she didn’t get to go. Then she wanted another friend to come over and spend the night. I said yes. Then she wanted to go out to eat for dinner. I said no. Then there were the reminders about her class ring needing to be paid for, and I had forgotten to order her letter jacket (for golf) once again.

After dinner she wanted to drive MY car to get some cookies. We (by this time Dear Husband was home) said no.

She argued. I blasted her. I had had it with the “Can I?”, “I want”, “Get me”, “Can you”, “Let me” direction of every single thing out her mouth since 3:30 that afternoon. I went through the long laundry list with her of everything she had wanted since she arrived home from school.

I ended my listing by telling her, “Sweetie, I think your “wanter” is stuck.”

Don’t we all do that, though? Think about all the things or situations you want right now. I bet we could fill up a page or two with all the things we want from the insignificant (removing a hangnail) to the very significant (world peace)…..from the small (a bracelet at the local department store) to the very large (a new car, a cruise, or a new home).

Yes, from time to time my “wanter” gets stuck. I get into an acquiring mode where I hunt and gather little treasures as I shop. My closest friends joke about my very large collection of jewelry, and I do seem to have a bunch of stuff. I eye my friends and their stuff, and from time to time I see something I covet and simply must acquire for myself.

Covet….now there’s a Bible term for you. Exodus 20:17 tells us in the big 10….You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor. Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t covet a friend’s possessions to the point that I might slip a lace napkin or silver creamer into my purse and walk away with it, but I do usually try to find where they got the item and attempt to purchase my own.

But is this a good habit to get into? Is the hunting and gathering of “stuff” a good thing?????

To covet means you have an uncontrolled desire to acquire. Notice I bolded “uncontrolled”……this is where the word covet takes a very negative turn and it’s the negative part of wanting something that the covet commandment addresses, and like all of God’s commandments there are very valid reasons why we need to keep our “wanter” from getting stuck.

Always wanting more causes fatigue. Proverbs 23:4 advises…Do not wear yourself out to be rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. This verse isn’t telling us that wealth is wrong….it’s telling us there is a smart way to riches and a not so smart way.

Always wanting more causes debt. For some reason our “wanters” get stuck and our wants exceed our needs and that leads to greed with a capital “G”. Ecclesiastes 5:11 states the truth…..The more money you have, the more money you spend…..

Always wanting more causes worry. This effect of a broken “wanter” would naturally follow debt, wouldn’t it? Greed leads to exceeding our needs and we can become overextended and exceed our finances as well.

Always wanting more can lead to conflict. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the desires that battle with you? …..so says James (4:1). Hmmmm….one of the leading causes of divorce involves money, doesn’t it?

Always wanting more can lead to dissatisfaction. You will never be satisified if you long to be rich. You will never get all you want….Ecclesiastes 5:10

No, I don’t take all the verses I’ve referred to here as a condemnation of being rich. These verses do not mean I should throw out everything I own, down-size my residence, or become complacent with a minimum wage occupation.

Hardly…..

These verses refer to riches as in the over-acquiring of stuff and financial means. There is a fine line regarding being successful or having all you want, and you can cross that line very easily.

That is when our “wanter” gets stuck.

So, how do we unstick our “wanter”?

One way is by remembering the words of Jesus….A man’s true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be……Luke 12:15

….and we need to learn how to be content. I address contentment in part two of this post found here.

Memorial Day-2010

2010-05-31T14:48:00.000-04:00

We honor and remember today.......

The scum walks a prior viewer.

13 Events in the Bible That Are Confirmed Elsewhere...

2010-04-13T16:28:00.007-04:00

It often amazes me when people try to tell me the Bible is just a fairy tale. There are numerous events that can be found documented in other places.

Check these events out by following the links to other sources.

1. 1 Kings 14:25-26 advises in the fifth year of King Rehobaom, Shishak king of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem. He seized the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything. He took all the gold shields that Solomon had made. This campaign of Pharoh Shishak is also recorded on the walls of the Temple of Amun in Thebes, Egypt seen in the picture to the left.

2. During the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign a king of Assyria named Sennacherib attacked cities of Judah and captured them. When the King Hezekiah said, “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me. Whatever you demand from me, I will pay” the Assyrian king demanded 11 tons of silver and one ton of gold. King Hezekiah had no choice but to strip the gold from the doors of the Lord’s sanctuary (see 2 Kings 18: 13-16). This entire episode is recorded on the Taylor Prism.

3. The Moab Revolt against Israel is found in 2 Kings 1:1 and 2 Kings 3:4-27. It is also recorded on the Mesha Stele.

4. The Fall of Samaria to Sargon II, King of Assyria is recorded on his palace walls, but it can also be found in 2 Kings 17: 3-6 and 2 Kings 18: 9-11.

5. Also on Sargon’s walls is the account of his defeat of Ashdod. It’s also found in Isaiah 20:1….In the year that the commander-in-chief, sent by Sargon, king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it.

6. The Lachish Reliefs. records the Siege of Lachish by Sennacherib just as 2 Kings 18: 14, 17……See number 2 above.

7. One day, while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. Then his son Esar-haddon become king in his place…..states 2 Kings 19: 37. This account refers to the assassination of Sennacherib and is also recorded in the court records of his son Esarhaddon.

8. The prophets Nahum and Zephaniah (Zephaniah 2:13-15) predicted the Fall of Ninevah. The prediction was also recorded on the Tablet of Nabopolasar.

9. 2 Kings 24: 10-14 tells of the Fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Bablyon. Of course it is also listed in the Babylonian Chronicles.

10. Ever hear of the Bablyonian Ration Records? They confirm the captivity of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, in Babylon. It is also mentioned in 2 Kings 24; 15-16.

11. The Fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians was mentioned in Daniel 5: 30-31...That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of 62...the Babylonian Chronicles also provides the account.

12. Ezra 1:1-4 and Ezra 6:3-4 recounts how the captives in Babylon were freed by Cyrus the Great. Once again the Cyrus Cylinder provides an accounting as well.

13. The four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John give us the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The writings of Josephus, Seutonius ,Thallus, Pliny the Younger , the Talmud, and Lucian mention Jesus as well.

This post first appeared here at “Got Bible?” in November, 2007 .

If you are wondering why I’m re-posting past articles read the explanation HERE .

Being Thankful for My Southern Heritage

2010-04-07T17:21:00.005-04:00

The following post first appeared here in March, 2007as part of a weekly blog activity I was taking part in called Sunday Seven. For this particular “Seven” I decided to discuss my Southern heritage. The picture that appeared with this post is my cousin Ray on his bike in front of my great grandmother’s home.

Here in the great state of Georgia it would seem that we are still trying to come to terms with our ugly past regarding slavery and our secession from the Union. Currently many African American groups are demanding that our General Assembly make a formal apology for slavery. It looks like a done deal and I have no problems with this at all. What I do take issue with is some of our Southern heritage groups have tried to retaliate by demanding their own month long observance for the history of their heritage. I could go on and on and on about this issue and how absurd it all is but I won’t. I would like to show in my seven though there is much more to southern heritage than some might imagine…..

1. I am thankful for my father who has researched our family back at least seven generations. There is something quite satisfying to know how you are connected to the early history of a place and to know that your children have that family history to hold on to and to pass on.

2. I am from a long line of English men and women who tilled the land. They arrived in South Carolina and at one point crossed the mountains into Georgia where they obtained land in the lottery. I know that they were made of much sterner stuff than I…..before the advent of superhighways and Wendy’s drive-thrus they trekked across mountains that I now vacation in and rent fancy cabins with fantastic views from my outdoor hot tub (not to mention the funnel cakes).

3. I’m thankful for my grandfather many times over named Isaac who fought in the American Revolution at the Battle of Cowpens and other places in the South. I’m also thankful for my ancestors who fought in the Civil War. Sadly I have no journals, letters, or other primary sources to let me know why they fought. Census reports from the years before the war do not indicate any slaves were owned so it can be concluded that they didn’t have a stake in the outcome of the war in that regard, however, they did fight for the south. Was it states rights? Was it hope that their fortunes would improve allowing them the same lifestyle of the minority wealthy planters? I’ll never know, but obviously they felt a certain way and made a stand and stuck to it. I guess all Americans must grapple with this problem since many of the architects of our liberty from English tyranny held slaves while stating all men are created equal. I guess you just have to put yourself in the context of the times.

4. I’m thankful for my Great-Uncle Homer who could always be counted on to gather up young and old alike following our dinner-on-the-ground during our annual family reunions. He would shoo us all into the church for singing. He couldn’t sing a lick but it was such fun to see how enthusiastic he was standing up and leading all of us while we melted in the hard backed pews since there was no air conditioning for the church back in the 70s. There were always plenty of the paper fans with funeral home advertisements on one side and pictures of Jesus on the other for us to revive one another with though.

5. I’m thankful that here in the south you can get away with more political “UN”correctness as far as talking about Jesus, the Bible, and other matters of church without offending anyone. I mean when you live in a small town and everyone goes to one of the three or four churches, well……it’s just not that big of a deal, you know. The biggest religious controversy is which denomination lets out first and takes up all the booths at the diner.

6. I’m thankful for the 89 acres that has been in my father’s family for three generations. The picture with this post was taken back in the 1960s on ‘the place”. The view is looking across the street from my grandfather's house to his mother's place. It was built in the late 1890s. Since my dad is now surrounded with country club communities I doubt it will stay that way for long, but my children enjoy walking over the same fields their grandparents, great-grandparents, their great-greats, and their great-great-greats planted, plowed, and harvested by hand…….no slaves, no workers----just them and a mule and a plow.

7. Finally, I’m thankful for the heritage of food in the South. Cornbread, Vidalia Onions, creamed corn, fried okra, green beans, Cole slaw, fried apple pies, fried green tomatoes….I could go on and on…..all types of wonderful foods my ancestors never went to the store to buy….they raised it all themselves on the land and prepared it themselves.

It would seem that as I come to the end of this Sunday Seven focusing on heritage you could say mine is tied up in land and God. These are two of things that brought Englishmen to America, so how could my heritage be anything else. God and land…..God and country……God and the United States of America!

If you are wondering why I’m re-posting past articles read the explanation HERE

50 Words Summarizing the Bible

2010-04-01T09:30:00.003-04:00

This particular post first ran in April, 2007. If you wanted to complete a quick read of the Bible this would be it…….however, the longer version is much better.

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.

If you are wondering why I’m re-posting past writings click
here

Mulligan Season...

2010-03-24T18:11:00.001-04:00

Over at History Is Elementary I’ve declared this spring to be the season of the mulligan – see my explanation here.

Basically, it means I will be re-posting past articles here at Got Bible? as well as History Is Elementary and Georgia on My Mind.

I’m doing this so I can concentrate on a book project with a looming deadline.

Don’t worry though….I’ll be checking in often….

Valley of Jehoshaphat

2010-03-01T23:38:00.001-05:00

The Valley of Jehoshaphat is mentioned at Joel 3:2… and translates to “valley where Yahweh judged”. It is the place where the Lord summons the nation’s for judgment.

The Kidron Valley has been associated with the Valley of Jehoshaphat since the fourth century A.D. though there is no proof Joel was referring to any particular valley. Some scholars believe the place reference is merely symbolic.

The Book of Joel advises God promised all nations they would ultimately be called to God’s place of judgement.

Gethsemane

2010-02-25T11:04:00.003-05:00

Gethsemane, or the Mount of Olives, is generally associated with Jesus – the place where he prayed, his his agony took place, and here his arrest took place – Matthew 26:36 and Mark 14:32.

The Mount of Olives is along the main mountain range that happens to run north to south through central and southern Palestine.

With a name like Mount of Olives you would think olive trees would fill the hillside and you would be right. In fact, the word used for Gethsemane in Aramaic and Hebrew means “oil press” as in olive oil. Some of the trees that currently fill the area are over 900 years old, but it might be a little hard to locate an olive tree that would have been around when Jesus walked through Gethsemane.

Josephus, the ancient historian, advises in his work titled Wars the Roman general Titus performed some major tree cutting in the area around Jerusalem around 66-70 A.D. Therefore any trees that existed in the garden were taken down at that time.

The specific location Jesus visited in the area is not know exactly, but many scholars believe the garden was on the western slope between Jerusalem and Bethany.

The School of Tyrannus

2010-02-17T10:40:00.003-05:00

Acts 19: 9 tells us…So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

The lecture of of Tyrannus. Hmmmm…..

Where was that?

What was that?

Who was Tyrannus?

Unfortunately, we aren’t very sure. There are no remains of the lecture hall, and we only have little hints from Scripture regarding Paul’s discussions there. The picture I’ve posted here shows some of the ruins that remain at Ephesus, but not the lecture hall.

Paul was in Ephesus around 52 AD during his third missionary journey. It made sense for Paul to journey there…..Ephesus was the capital of an Asian province and was a major population and trade center. He could reach many people there with his Good News. Acts 20:31 reminds us that Paul spent three years in Ephesus…..Remember for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears, and for two of the three years he lectured and debated in the school of Tyrannus per Acts 19:10….This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

Prior to having his discussions in the leture hall of Tyrannus, Paul had begun his ministry in a synagogue, but was soon forced out due to obstinate people, but why a school? The word used for school in the original Greek….schole….meant “leisure”. Not exactly my definition of school being an educator, but in Paul’s day discussions and debates were done during leisure time, and the word finally came to refer to a group of persons meeting for the purpose of having discussions or the place where the meeting was held. Schools during Paul’s time can be thought of as modern day literary or philosophy clubs.

The Greek manuscript of Acts, the Codex Beza, advises discussions were held between 11am and 4 pm…..the part of the day when men were expected to be conducting leisure activities….not work. During those hours men pursued their hobbies, they rested, or they took part in great discussions in a lecture hall or school, as it were.

During these discussions we know that Paul “reasoned” with others. Acts 17:17-18 states….So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this blabber trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

So….during his hours of leisure Paul was preaching or discussing the Good News. Perhaps Tyrannus allowed Paul the use of his building during the afternoon hours which was very advantageous in that the hours of 11 am to 4 pm would give him the largest audience possible, and it would afford Paul the morning hours to actually work at his trade which was tent-making.

We also know that due to his lectures at the school of Tyrannus Paul gained many contacts with officials in Ephesus that proved to be helpful to him. Acts 19:31 states….Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

Acts also clues us in to the fact that Paul didn’t only share the good news in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, but he also went “from house to house” and “with tears” per Acts 20:20, 31….You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house…So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I have never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

But of Tyrannus….who WAS he?

Some scholars believe he was a teacher or at least the owner of the school/lecture hall. Others have suggested he could have been the donor or the patron of the school…much like our tradition of naming buildings after the people who donate the money to pay for them.

The name “Tyrannus” brings a question to mind as well. The word means “tyrant”.

What mother in her right mind would name her little baby “Tyrant”?

It was certainly not a popular name during the first century, and this very fact has led scholars to believe Tyrannus was NOT his real name. Perhaps a group of students had nicknamed this particular teacher Tyrannus.

Hmmm….I’ve been called lots of things by students. I wonder if any of them ever thought I was a tyrant?

13 Things the Bible Says About Work

2010-02-04T07:11:00.003-05:00

Though we all have varying forms due to our situation we all have some sort of work we must deal with on a daily basis.

We have been focusing on what the Bible says about setting goals and life's big questions over the New Year at church....this is taken from my pastor's wonderful sermon series.....

1. Ecclesiastes 2:22….What does a man get for all of his hard work?

2. One type of worker is the lazy worker….The fool won’t work and almost starves, but feels it’s better to be lazy and barely get by than work hard….Ecclesiastes 4:5

3. The other type of worker is a workaholic….Here’s a man who is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless…and a miserable way to live…Ecclesiastes 4:8

4. Workaholics must readjust their values….I’ve learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is better they envy the things their neighbors have…Ecclesiastes 4:4 So often we work to beat out the competition....our society actually rewards bad behavior....bad habits.

5. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? What can a man give in exchange for his soul?....Mark 8: 36

6. In spite of all our hard work, there’s nothing we can take with us?....Ecclesiastes 5:15 We should ask ourselves: Why am I working so hard? Is the pay off worth it? and Why do I think it will satisfy me?

7. All of us should enjoy our rewards. All of us should eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for. It is God’s gift….Ecclesiastes 3:13

8. It’s better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands….Ecclesiastes 4:6

9. We have to limit our labor….Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself our with work…..Ecclesiastes 10:15 Work should follow an intention schedule, and we should stick to it.

10. You have six days in which to do your work, but the 7th day is to be a day of rest dedicated to Me….Exodus20: 9-10

11. It’s senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night….for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest….Psalm 127:2

12. Anticipate God’s care…Trust God….Don’t worry, saying, “What shall we eat…or drink….or wear? For pagans, run after these things, and your Heavenly Father knows you need them….Matthew 6:31-32

13. Exchange your pressure for God’s peace….”Come to me, you who are tired from carrying your heavy loads and I will give you rest….The yoke I’ll give you is easy and the load I’ll put on you is light…..Matthew 11:28,30

WORK SMARTER.....NOT HARDER.

Other bloggers participate in Thursday 13….you can find them here.

Wordless: Verse 60

2010-02-03T08:04:00.003-05:00

This is the place where Saul camped before the battle of Gilboa mentioned at 1 Samuel 29:1…..The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. The Philistines at this point were being led by Saul’s enemy…..the future King David.

This could also be the fountain mentioned in Judges 7:1 as the Well of Harod

Other bloggers are participating in Wordless Wednesday. You can find them here

What's YOUR Jordan River?

2010-02-01T11:07:00.004-05:00

The Jordan River is the longest and most important river in Palestine.

With Joshua as their leader the Israelites had to cross the Jordan River to achieve their goal of reaching the promised land.

Of course, my title does not really refer to the actual geographical Jordan River, but does refer to all of those little obstacles that get in our way as we attempt to live out the plan God's has for us.

Obstacles such as worrying about the future, paralyzing fear, hypothetical what if situations, procrastination, and so many other things tend to be our "River Jordans"?

Even reading the news can stimulate our fears concerning the future. Reading through the news this morning I saw that hundred of quakes have rattled Yellowstone and there is unrest in Iran . While these things concern me regarding the future I’m not going to allow them paralyze my actions. I have things to do…..I have a life to lead regardless of what might be going on in the world.

Joshua 1 explains that after Moses died the Lord instructed Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River. They had to cross the river to reach the Promised Land. As long as they remained along the banks the Israelites could never experience the life that God wanted them to have.

The people had all sorts of fears and hypothetical situations they worried about, but God doesn’t want us to worry about the future. Matthew 6:34 tells us…Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own. Just simply looking about us at the marvels of nature we have to realize we are NOT in control. If we waste our time worrying about the future then we are attempting to control things. We are attempting to take overpower the Lord. That cannot be done.....

Worry paralyzes our actions. It keeps us from doing what we should be doing.
Worry produces procrastination, yet Ecclesiastes 11:4 states….Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

Procrastination comes in many forms but at it’s root is perfectionism. That’s it for me, anyway. I often keep from beginning something, completing something, even trying something new because I want it to be perfect the first time. Even this piece of writing is giving me fits because I want it to be perfect. I want to make my thoughts clear.

I want things to be done the right way at the right time, but that mindset is so flawed. Sometimes the perfect time just isn’t going to happen…..Sometimes I'm just not going to find the exact words I want.

We have to remember to plan our future….to plan our actions. Planning for the future is imperative. It IS where we are going to spend our time….in the future. God never did anything on a whim…..there is no spontaneity with God. He teaches us over and over that we should plan our work and work our plan. Joshua 1: 11…Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your supplies read. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for you own. God had a plan for getting the Israelites across the Jordan River.

Sometimes we need to remember to let certain things go that hold us back. Joshua 1: 2-3 explains how God reminds Joshua that Moses is gone. They can’t sit by the river and worry. They have to move on. God tells Joshua….Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them – to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.

We can learn more about that God wants us to do if we stay in the word. Joshua was reminded of this. Joshua 1:8 states….Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Scripture will give us the guidance we need…..Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance…Proverbs 20:18 and Proverbs 16:9….In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

And of course, we have to build upon faith and remember that faith is an action. We have to be moving through our plans. We cannot allow fear to paralyze us. Joshua 1: 6-7, 9 explains….Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or left. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

We have to have courage…..courage that enables us to move even when we face fear.

Of course Joshua 3 explains how the priests at the direction of Joshua stepped out into the Jordan River on faith, and faith alone enabled them to cross the river on dry land. The text goes on to state that God had caused a dam to form up the river approximately seventeen miles…. and the Israelites were unaware.

Go ahead…..step out on faith. Stay in the Word…..make a plan with God…..step out into the waters of your own personal River Jordan and move on to your reward.

13 Things the Bible Says Regarding Dieting

2010-01-28T08:40:00.004-05:00

1. January.

The month of new beginnings and resolutions, however, the end of the month is upon us and I have to wonder….

How many of us have already broken our resolution to watch what we eat this year?

2. The Bible tells us many things about diets, but one thing it doesn’t say is we should fast in order to loose weight. While we do need to take care of our bodies and we do need to refrain from gluttony, that is no indicate that we are to fast in order to loose weight.

3. Fasting was used during ancient Israel to express grief. 1 Chronicles 10:12 explains the men of Gilead fasted after King Saul’s death to express their sadness and feelings of loss.

4. Fasting was used to recognize times when God delivered His people. Zecharia 8:19…This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”

5. Times when God’s people were repenting and grieving for disobedience and sin also called for fasting…..Judges 20:26…then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening….. and 1 Samuel 7:6….When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”

6. Fasting is also appropriate to exhibit our humility before the Lord…..Levitcus 16:29 and Psalm 69:10….When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn…..

7. For those times we want guidance from the Lord fasting clears our senses and helps us to focus on Him. Exodus 34:28 and 2 Chronicles 20:3-4

8. David fasted to show his repentance once he learned the child he conceived with Bathsheba in adultery would die….2 Samuel 12:16…David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.

9. Once Elijah warned Abhab concerning judgement against him for the murder of Naboth (1 Kings 21:27…When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted…) he was ready to fast to show his repentance.

10. Ezra fasted for travel mercies before journeying from Babylon to Jerusalem. He asked the Lord for His blessing, guidance, and safety …Ezra 8:21 .

11. Daniel fasted on the behalf of the Jewish nation in order to entreat God to restore them from exile in Babylon…. Daniel 9: 3-4 .

12. Jesus also fasted at the start of his ministry ……Matthew 4:2….After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

13. Finally, Paul and Barnabas fasted when they were called by God to undertake a journey taking the Gospel to Asia Minor ….Acts 13: 1-5

Other bloggers participate in Thursday 13….you can find them here.

Wordless: Verse 59

2010-01-27T10:18:00.002-05:00

This picture is Merom in the Golan Heights in Galilee.

It is the place mentioned at Joshua 11: 1-7where Joshua led Israel to defeat a group of Canaanite tribes under King Jabin of Hazor in a surprise attack.

Other bloggers are participating in Wordless Wednesday. You can find them here

Wordless: Verse 58

2010-01-06T09:52:00.001-05:00

This painting is King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba by Konrad Witz. He worked in the early 1400s, and few of his paintings survive.

King Solomon, of course, was the son of King David and Bathsheba….He was the 3rd king of the united Israel and was known for his great wisdom and construction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
This painting is from a panel from the Heilspiegel Alterpiece and can be seen at Staatliche Museen, Berlin.

Of course, in reality King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba would NOT have been dressed in clothing more typical of the Middle Ages….this IS typical of artist from the time period though….they often portrayed Biblical figures in settings and costume that was contemporary for the times.

Find other wordless images published by other bloggers here.

13 Things I Remember About Going to Church When I Was a Child

2009-11-19T01:11:00.002-05:00

1. My pastor was a huge man – an ex-boxer – he had huge hands and used his fists to bang on the pulpit, but he was also very gentle.

2. The walls of our Sunday School building were painted the most icky shade of baby blue and mint green and turquoise.

3. One year we ate some pomegranates and dates….I remember thinking how cool it was to get to eat Jesus food

4. We never went to Sunday night or Wednesday night services….I’m not sure why.

5. When I was 9 I played the angel in the Christmas presentation. I got to stand up on covered boxes way above everyone else.

6. I could never figure out why kids who behaved at school acted like little wildcats when they were at church.

7. I never had the camaraderie of a youth group….I’m glad my children experienced that.

8. My church was extremely plain and basic. Frosted roll out window and no padding on the pews.

9. When I was baptized I remember being momentarily aghast….I didn’t realize the preacher would have on waders!

10. We sang songs like Deep and Wide

11. Crafts during Sunday School and Vacation Bible School were made with white glue and popsicle sticks

12. The church library was very small but always had interesting books I couldn’t get at my public school. They lady that ran our library was also the librarian at the local high school.

13. My favorite part of Sunday morning service was the singing. I was always a bit disappointed when the pastor stood up to preach.

Other bloggers participate in Thursday Thirteen. You can learn more about the meme or find links to other participants here

Old as Methuselah...

2009-10-05T11:39:00.006-04:00

Look at the tree I posted above. It looks old doesn’t it….it’s gnarled and twisted….no branches….no leaves….nothing.

It must be dead, right?

This tree is one of several that live in what scientists with the U.S. Forestry service designate as the Methuselah Grove found in the Owens Valley of California’s White Mountains.

While all of the trees in this grove are ancient one particular tree is known as the Methuselah Tree because it has been dated to be approximately 4,600 years old. Yes, that means the tree was already alive when the pyramids of Egypt were constructed. It also means that the tree was alive during the time of Christ, and according to scientists it’s still here….still alive and still growing. Of course, the world’s oldest known tree and the grove it lives in is named after Methuselah, who the Bible tells us, lived to be 969 years old even though the tree has lived almost five times as long.

The pictures I have here are trees from the grove, but the oldest tree….the Methuselah Tree….is not identified to keep it safe from vandals and to keep folks from climbing all over it to get their pictures taken. The tree’s exact location is kept very secret.

A Nova television site states, Many of these ancient trees are more dead than alive, showing broad spans of exposed heartwood and dead tops. Such trees may only have one thin ribbon of living bark, usually on the downwind side, that shelters a lifeline of cambium connecting the roots to a single living branch. Such a slab-like tree may have been growing downwind for thousands of years, and the original center of the tree may be off to one side or eroded away altogether. Some trees show fire scars from lightning strikes...”

Even amidst all of the evidence that would tell us the trees are dead and dying there is life. The grove contains trees of the ancient variety as well as new seedlings. Pine cones carpet the ground and scientists have confirmed that even THE Methuselah Tree still produces pine cones.

The fact that these trees continue to live is amazing consider the growing conditions. There is very little water, no soil to speak of….actually it grows in dolomite which is more limestone than anything else….A bristlecone pine may add to its girth no more than an inch per century.

So, how do they do it? How do the trees continue live year after year….century after century in less than prime conditions?

It’s very simple.

They compensate.

Bristlecone pines have the ability to expand their roots and their crown (the part of the tree that is above ground). This means then can maximize the little bit of resources for growth that they do have. The grove contains very little undergrowth and brush which protects the trees in the event of fire. The needles that bristlecone pines have also live for long periods even on the ground…..they can last 30 to 40 years protecting the ground around the tree. The trees also can resist disease because they have dense, highly resinous wood that acts as a barrier to insects and bacteria.

We also often have less than optimum living conditions in our lives.

Limitations regarding resources and limitations regarding our interactions with people often change the course and direction of our lives. Life isn’t easy. Thing don’t always go the way we want them to.

We’ve all heard the saying but it bears repeating…..bad things happen to good people.

For example….Psalm 105 reminds us about Joseph and all the adversity he faced. Verses 17-19 explains…and he sent a man before them – Joseph, sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true….

Point after point can be taken from Joseph’s life to show that God can take what is bad and turn it for good. Joseph encountered his brothers’ jealousy and was thrown into a pit, later he was sold into slavery, he was falsely accused and then languished in prison for a time.

Yet, Joseph’s life became a blessing for those around him.

Just like the Methuselah Tree….Joseph compensated at every downturn of his life. He remained steadfast in his faith.

The Methuselah Grove and Joseph both have important lessons to teach us all…important lessons regarding faith, remaining focused, and learning how to take what we are given and create a life….. out of the good and the bad.

How Would You Introduce Jesus?

2009-10-02T10:50:00.001-04:00

Steve Harvey has an interesting way of introducing Jesus....

Amazing Laminin

2009-09-24T11:06:00.004-04:00

It would seem that we all DO carry the mark of God. This is from Louie Giglio...need I say more?

Patriot Day...A Day to Remember

2009-09-11T14:48:00.004-04:00

Today is the day that we remember the sacrifice of the 2,993 casualties in the September 11, 2001, attacks.

I’m remembering…..and I’m sure you are as well.

A worthy website to visit regarding that terrible day is The September 11th Digital Archive.

Also…..this link will take you to my past postings regarding September 11th including my own personal experience that very sad an shocking day… here

Current Events...Canaanite Wall Found in Jerusalem

2009-09-07T17:38:00.003-04:00

This article was in Saturday’s news telling about a 3,700 year old wall found inside the City of David….near the old city of East Jerusalem on a slope of the Silwan Valley. The article states the wall is believed to have been built by the Canaanites, an ancient pagan people who the Bible says inhabited Jerusalem and other parts of the Middle East before the advent of monotheism.

Wait……wasn’t Jerusalem a Hebrew city….always inhabited by the Jews?

No, no it wasn’t.

Archeological evidence indicates the oldest part of Jerusalem dates back to the Copper Age, and evidence for permanent settlement dates back to between 3,000 to 2,800 BC.

The earliest inhabitants of the area are not just mentioned in the Bible but are mentioned in the Execration texts…..these are also referred to as the Proscription Lists. These are ancient Egyptian texts that basically served as a list of enemies or troublesome folks in the area. Scholars believe that the city referred to as Roshlamem or Rosh-ramen is Jerusalem.

The Amarna Letters, a record of correspondence between Egyptian leaders and representatives of Canaan and Amurru, also mention the city.

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary states, in the Pentateuch, the city of Jerusalem is not directly mentioned. Moriah…. Genesis 22:2; associated with the site of Solomon’s temple in 2 Chronicles 3:1…and Salem…. Genesis 14:18; associated with Zion in Psalm Psalm 76:2….apparently refer to the same site and establish a link between the city and the patriarch Abraham.

Jewish tradition holds that city was originally founded by Shem and Eber…..ancestors of Abraham. In fact, Genesis 10 mentions the Jebusites through the lines of Ham and Canaan. A Jewish encyclopedia though contends many scholars are uncertain if Melchizedek was actually a Jebusite himself, but could have been a member of another group in charge of the city. The argument stems from the fact that the town is referred to as Salem rather than Jebus in the passages mentioning Melchizedek.

Judges 19:10-11 refers to the city as Jebus and was captured in Joshua’s time…. Judges 1:8…but the Jebusites were not driven out … Joshua 15:63; Judges 1:21

You can find out more regarding the archeology of Jerusalem here.

Getting Your "Wanter" Unstuck....Being Content

2009-08-31T19:50:00.004-04:00

Several days ago I wrote about having a stuck “wanter” meaning that sometimes our need to acquire things can get a little off kilter.

In order to keep our “wanter” in check we must learn how to be content. We must learn how to admire without always having to acquire.

That can be difficult.

Most of our wants originate when we measure ourselves against the folks around us. I think it’s natural to compare ourselves to others. We often find someone we would like to pattern ourselves after, however, what we don’t usually realize is we are often going against God’s plan for our lives. 2 Corinthians 10:12 states….we dare not classify or compare ourselves…it is not wise.

How do you react when a friend acquires something new? Do you secretly harbor ill feelings? Does jealousy rear its ugly head? Are you suddenly tempted to obtain the same thing even if it would cause a problem like living outside of your means, increasing your debt, forgetting financial goals, etc.

1 Timothy 6:9 explains…When we long to be rich we are prey to temptation. We get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge us into ruin.

The ruin comes from the fact that we become possessed by our possessions.

Our weath is not our self-worth. We should rejoice in what we do have. Ecclesiastes 5:19 tells us…We need to rejoice in what we do have. If God gives a man wealth and property, he should be grateful and enjoy what he has…it is a gift from God.

We don’t only need to learn how to keep our “wanter” from getting stuck…..we also need to push the “giver” button a little more as well. We need to release what we have to help others. 1 Timothy 6: 17-19 advises….Tell those who are rich not to be proud and not to trust in their money which will soon be gone. Tell them to use their money to do good…to give happily to those in need, always with others whatever God has given them.

By doing this they will be storing up real treasure for themselves in heave…it is the only safe investment for eternity!

There are several reasons to give. If you live in America you are richly blessed compared to other nations even if you are in the lowest levels of society. I try to look at giving as my security in God….fixing my eyes on things that are unseen. 2 Corinthians 4:18 states…what can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.

Finally, getting that “wanter” unstuck….being content….it isn’t easy. It’s hard work. It involves constantly evaluating how you are giving and your motives being the wants you want.

Philippians 4:12 states…I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

The keyword within the above verse is the word “learn”.

Learning is the key….and unfortunately learning is never easy, but then again….nothing worthwhile ever is.

More Than Life

2009-08-24T14:02:00.001-04:00

The sound is a little low on this one, and it's a little long, but I love the lyrics.

Happy Monday!

Tell the World That

2009-08-17T08:53:00.002-04:00

Once again I'm using video of the youth praise band from my church......Yes, that's Dear Daughter front and center singing.

Have a great Monday!!!!!

Is Your "Wanter" Stuck?

2009-08-16T17:22:00.003-04:00

By Friday evening I was worn down…..Dear Daughter had had a bad case of the “wants” all afternoon. She wanted to talk to me which in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, but conversation isn’t all she wanted. She wanted a snack, she wanted to be taken out to eat, she wanted a replacement pet for our dear kitty that has gone missing, she wants her room painted, and she wants to decorate it in black and white (always wanted a black and white room).

Then she wanted to drive My car over to a friend’s house – seems the friend had wrecked her car and Dear Daughter wanted to see it. No, she didn’t get to go. Then she wanted another friend to come over and spend the night. I said yes. Then she wanted to go out to eat for dinner. I said no. Then there were the reminders about her class ring needing to be paid for, and I had forgotten to order her letter jacket (for golf) once again.

After dinner she wanted to drive MY car to get some cookies. We (by this time Dear Husband was home) said no.

She argued. I blasted her. I had had it with the “Can I?”, “I want”, “Get me”, “Can you”, “Let me” direction of every single thing out her mouth since 3:30 that afternoon. I went through the long laundry list with her of everything she had wanted since she arrived home from school.

I ended my listing by telling her, “Sweetie, I think your “wanter” is stuck.”

Don’t we all do that, though? Think about all the things or situations you want right now. I bet we could fill up a page or two with all the things we want from the insignificant (removing a hangnail) to the very significant (world peace)…..from the small (a bracelet at the local department store) to the very large (a new car, a cruise, or a new home).

Yes, from time to time my “wanter” gets stuck. I get into an acquiring mode where I hunt and gather little treasures as I shop. My closest friends joke about my very large collection of jewelry, and I do seem to have a bunch of stuff. I eye my friends and their stuff, and from time to time I see something I covet and simply must acquire for myself.

Covet….now there’s a Bible term for you. Exodus 20:17 tells us in the big 10….You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor. Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t covet a friend’s possessions to the point that I might slip a lace napkin or silver creamer into my purse and walk away with it, but I do usually try to find where they got the item and attempt to purchase my own.

But is this a good habit to get into? Is the hunting and gathering of “stuff” a good thing?????

To covet means you have an uncontrolled desire to acquire. Notice I bolded “uncontrolled”……this is where the word covet takes a very negative turn and it’s the negative part of wanting something that the covet commandment addresses, and like all of God’s commandments there are very valid reasons why we need to keep our “wanter” from getting stuck.

Always wanting more causes fatigue. Proverbs 23:4 advises…Do not wear yourself out to be rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. This verse isn’t telling us that wealth is wrong….it’s telling us there is a smart way to riches and a not so smart way.

Always wanting more causes debt. For some reason our “wanters” get stuck and our wants exceed our needs and that leads to greed with a capital “G”. Ecclesiastes 5:11 states the truth…..The more money you have, the more money you spend…..

Always wanting more causes worry. This effect of a broken “wanter” would naturally follow debt, wouldn’t it? Greed leads to exceeding our needs and we can become overextended and exceed our finances as well.

Always wanting more can lead to conflict. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the desires that battle with you? …..so says James (4:1). Hmmmm….one of the leading causes of divorce involves money, doesn’t it?

Always wanting more can lead to dissatisfaction. You will never be satisified if you long to be rich. You will never get all you want….Ecclesiastes 5:10

No, I don’t take all the verses I’ve referred to here as a condemnation of being rich. These verses do not mean I should throw out everything I own, down-size my residence, or become complacent with a minimum wage occupation.

Hardly…..

These verses refer to riches as in the over-acquiring of stuff and financial means. There is a fine line regarding being successful or having all you want, and you can cross that line very easily.

That is when our “wanter” gets stuck.

So, how do we unstick our “wanter”?

One way is by remembering the words of Jesus….A man’s true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be……Luke 12:15

….and we need to learn how to be content. I’ll address contentment in part two of this post found here.

Lead Me to the Cross

2009-08-03T08:36:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday!

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemptions hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You

Lead me, lead me to the cross
You were as I
Tempted and trialed
You areTe word became flesh
Bore my sin and deathNow you're risen
To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

2009-07-15T08:47:00.001-04:00

Last night my daughter had her dad kill a spider…..she made a little squeal just like my mom always made when something excited or scared her. That sound used to just irritate me to no end and cause me to roll my eyes.

Now….I remember with joy…joy that Mom is with God and has been these three years, and joy because I can hold onto such precious memories and remember.

The ability to remember is NOT a burden…it is NOT something to dread…It is a precious, precious gift even when it is opened through tears.

God on God

2009-07-06T09:54:00.002-04:00

I love to read Scripture, but it can often confuse me and apparently it confuses others as well since we have so many translations and opinions regarding such issues as salvation to name but one.

There are so many things at play with reading Scripture.

What did the original text say in the original language?

Who was the writer addressing the Scripture to?

What was the context of the times?

My own personal frame of mind as I read and study also has something to do with the message I receive. As well as the condition of my heart…..have I asked God prior to my reading to help me understand…to speak to me through the reading?

When discussing this with a friend the other day she remarked it would be so much more simpler if we could all instantly know what the Scriptures meant in every case…..

However, I feel that that the reason we often have confusion over Scripture isn’t just because we don’t get it…..perhaps we aren’t ready for the particular passage to speak to us. Perhaps we aren’t there developmentally as a Christian…perhaps it doesn’t apply to us at that particular moment in time.

As an educator is would seem the Bible is the perfect source for an individualized education. Everyone takes away from their study of Scripture something different ….something that only applies to them. God speaks to us through our Scripture reading and sends each of us an individualized message.

In some situations though God’s word is very clear to everyone. Even though many theologians and lay people have tried their best to describe God we really should go to the source.

Exodus 34: 5-8 provides a perfect explanation of God given by God himself.

The Scripture states: The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name Yahweh. The the Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: Yahweh – Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and rich in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the father’s wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation. Moses immediately bowed down to the ground and worshipped.

God describing himself…..you can’t get it any clearer, can you?

13 Significant Chapters in the Bible

2009-06-18T06:23:00.001-04:00

It’s been awhile since I posted a 13 list here. I’ve been busy with health concerns and then in January I suddenly realized the Thursday Thirteen hub site had basically gone away. A much smaller group of devotees have attempted to keep things going, and I’m anxious to join in on the fun.

So, here is THIS week’s 13 list:

Back in March, 2008 I posted a list of hot topics and where you can find them in the Bible here….topics like the ten commandments, praise of God, the Lord’s prayer, etc.

Here are 13 more hot topics with a link to the Biblical passage…

1. The sower and seed chapter… Matthew 13

2. The protection of the sheep chapter… John 10

3. The comfort chapter…. John 14

4. The abiding chapter… John 15

5. The justification chapter…. Romans 5

6. The sanctification chapter… Romans 6

7. The glorification chapter… Romans 8

8. The marriage chapter… 1 Corinthians 7

9. The gifts chapter… 1 Corinthians 12

10. The love chapter… 1 Corinthians 13

11. T he Resurrection chapter… 1 Corinthians 15

12. The fruit of the spirit chapter… Galatians 5

13. The faith chapter… Hebrews 11

View some of my other Thursday Thirteen posts here.

See what other bloggers are posting about by visiting the Thursday Thirteen hub.

Wordless: Verse 57

2009-06-17T10:23:00.005-04:00

The object in this image is known as the Cleopatra Gate in Tarsus, Turkey. This is the spot in 41 BC where the legendary lovers known as Marc Antony and Cleopatra met. During the Roman Era Tarsus was the capital of the Roman province Cilicia. People would have sailed through the gate as the spot was on the Mediterranean coastline. Over time, of course, the coastline has changed.

Tarsus is also remembered for being the birthplace of Paul.

The picture above is the gate after restoration. The picture below shows the gate in its ancient glory. I kind of wish they had left it alone.....

Visit the Wordless Wednesday hub here

Because

2009-06-15T18:26:00.003-04:00

Last week my church held their annual Vacation Bible School. I loved this year’s music. For my Monday Music selection this week I decided I would use the Boomerang Express music. You can access all the music at the Lifeway site here at the top of the page.

Once particular song….Because….was my favorite. I found one video using it at YouTube so it’s not much on the scenary, but you can hear it and see the words. It really is a very pretty song.

Last year I posted some of my summer memories about what I remember from my summers in the late 1970s, and how I loved Vacation Bible School. You can read it here.

A Recipe for a Mature Christian

2009-05-31T16:48:00.005-04:00

I’ve heard it several times through my teaching years as students have visited the back of my classroom to look at the personal items I have on a shelf unit behind my desk. It’s the area where I have class pictures of every group I’ve ever taught and all three of my college degrees along with family photos. Invariable a student will zero in on the college degrees with their fancy writing, embossed seals, and ribbons and state, “Gee, Elementaryhistoryteacher...look at these college diplomas. You sure are smart!”

It’s funny how we gaze upon someone’s college degrees and instantly decide that person is smart or has maturity in their field. Those degrees instantly give us entre into a particular profession and they give us legitimacy with our professional peers and the general public.

Don’t get me wrong…I worked hard for every diploma I have. College degrees are important economically and socially in our society. Over the last few years our society has placed a huge importance on college pushing our kids to work harder and strive to reach that next rung in the ladder.

But my maturity or immaturity as a Christian has nothing to do with my college degrees.

I have a job as a Christian. It’s very simple. I’m supposed to devote my time to becoming a mature Christian. My bachelors degree took four years. My masters degree took another two. However, my job as Christian is a life long process. It is not something I can retire from.

Hebrews 6:1-2 tells us…Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith from God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Every parent hopes for one overall result for their children, and God is no different. He wants his children to experience growth and maturity.

So what is maturity? An online dictionary explains that maturity is being fully developed or a perfected condition.

Our maturity is evidenced in our character. One of the things I repeat to my students over and over is the mark of a mature student is he or she follows the rules and procedures even when I’m not around to prompt them. Preacher, evangelist, and publisher, D.L. Moody said it even better with his statement….Character is what you are in the dark.

Scripturally our source for maturity is found in James. James tells us maturity does not come from age, appearance, or academics. Maturity involves our attitudes. The word James uses reflects my online dictionary entry I linked to above. Maturity involves a complete or perfect work.

There are several characteristics of a mature person.

A mature person is positive under pressure. James reminds us that trials and challenges are going to be part of lives, but that testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…James 1: 3-4

James explains that those of us who remain positive under pressure will be blessed….Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him…James 1:12

A mature person is sensitive to people. Dealing with people can be difficult. In my position I never really can decide which is worse…dealing with an administrator, a fellow colleague, a student, or an upset parent. Perhaps this why I enjoy work days at school so much or why I celebrate the time I spend in my classroom over the summer. I generally go in during the month of July and spend three or four hours getting things prepared. The joke is, I guess, ….that teaching is a wonderful profession as long as you don’t have to deal with people. Unfortunately one of the necessary ingredients to teaching is dealing with people.

James 2:1 advises we are not to show favoritism while James 2:8 reminds us we are to love our neighbors as ourselves….harken back to Leviticus 19:18 and the words of Jesus quoted in Matthew 25:35-36…For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…

Can you imagine how many problems in this world could be solved if God’s faithful would truly step out and help their fellow man?

James also explains a mature person has mastered his mouth. James 3: 9-10 advises…With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

Do you realize what gossip is? It’s hearing something you like about someone you don’t like. It’s wrong. Talk should build someone up…not tear them down….Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen….Ephesians 4:29

Holding our tongue is probably the most important aspect of maturity….James 1:26 states…If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

A mature person is a peacemaker, not a trouble maker. James 4:1 asks…What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? If you are constantly having issues with others perhaps your motives are wrong….James 4:2-3 or selfish pride is your problem…James 4: 11-12.

Finally, a mature person is one who is patient and prayerful. Since my first surgery in August I’ve been waiting for some type of normalcy to descend upon my life. I’ve seen glimmers of a normal day….I’ve even had a few normal days in a row, but my problems persist. God is definitely reminding me He is in control, and I need to be patient. A mature person must wait sometimes a very long time without giving up.

James 5:7 advises…Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. James reminds us of Job's perseverance and let us not forget that Elijah prayed regarding rain for three and half years! Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops…James 5:17-18

The recipe for becoming a mature Christian is easy to read, but difficult to follow. Perhaps that's why we must work on perfecting the recipe every single day of our lives....

A Disruptive Spirit

2009-05-25T21:05:00.002-04:00

Acts 16: 16-40 tells of a slave girl following behind Paul and Silas. She had a spirit in her, but it wasn’t the Holy Spirit. It was a spirit or pneuma meaning a “spirit of devination” or “ventriloquist”.

As the text tells us the girl was able to make a great sum of money for her master with her predictions, or as some scholars state she told the “truth” about life. Acts 16:17 tells us she followed after Paul and Silas exclaiming for all who would hear that they were men who were the slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.

At some point Paul commands the spirit in the woman to leave her, and it does.

Why would Paul do this if the sprit was speaking the truth? Notice the text states she proclaimed who Paul and Silas were for “many days” meaning Paul decided to let her talk, but later something changed. Perhaps he thought she would eventually go away. Perhaps she began to annoy him. Perhaps it began to anger him that the girl’s owner allowed her to be possessed and actually made money from the fact. Perhaps he decided he didn’t need the “other side” hanging about. At any rate Paul had enough and ordered the spirit to stop.

It did.

At this point you might be tempted to say…….so what? What’s the big deal?

It doesn’t matter why Paul commanded the spirit to leave. What this story reminds us is that evil spirits are at work in the world today, and we need to be reminded that Paul through the Spirit of God could overcome the presence of evil.

So can we.

We are confronted by the “other side” everywhere we go….even within the church. This is why we need to remain aware and be busy for the Lord The slave girl’s statements regarding Paul and Silas were true, but they were disruptive.

A look at the messages of Paul shows that his discourses were always well reasoned and logical. He wanted people to concentrate on the message. It was not just empty catch phrases or emotional outbursts, but an intellectual pursuit of truth. He wanted people to think about what they heard, but the girl's ranting made this difficult.

The picture with this post shows a 6th century Christian basilica in Philippi, so it would not have been around during Paul’s day, but it clearly shows that Christians remained in the city long after Paul’s time.

10 Things About the Epistle of James

2009-05-18T22:46:00.002-04:00

1. The author identifies himself as James…a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1). He is also the half-brother of Jesus…the same half-brother who would not have believed Jesus was the Messiah until after the Resurrection (Matthew 13:55; John 7:5; 1 Corinthians 15:7).

2. This would also be the same James who served as a leader in the early church as portrayed in the Book of Acts. Many scholars believe the scripture found within James predates the Jewish Council of A.D. 49 which opened Christianity officially and fully to the Gentiles (Acts 15). The Jewish historian, Josephus, wrote that James was martyred in A.D.62. Tradition indicates James was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple.

3. I wouldn’t be able to use James’ letter in my classroom to teach the parts of a letter that every fourth grader reviews since two of the usual features of a spiritual letter – the thanksgiving and the farewell – are missing. In fact, there are no pleasantries to begin the letter other than a very short opening. James jumps right in with both feet and proclaims…Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…James 1: 2-3

4. James was written to Jewish followers – their meeting was in a synagogue (James 2:2) and were led by elders (James 5:14). James refers to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations…James 1:1… referring to the Jews living outside of Palestine. He was writing to Jews living in an unknown city in the Roman Empire where they spoke Greek, and there was no reference to the Gentiles.

5. The believers James addresses had experienced some sort of harassment and from reading the text you can come to the conclusion that they had been taken advantage of by the rich (James 1:2 and James 2:6). James was attempting to encourage these believers.

6. James is written to the Jews who believed in Jesus. He wanted them to realize the importance of faith in the practical sense. For James practical faith equaled good works…faith and good works go hand in hand. James teaches good works are essentially a fruit of salvation. In contrast, Paul emphasizes faith alone saves. James states…You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone…James 2:24.

7. James also wanted to teach the believers regarding the elements of a true religion taught in the Old Testament and by Jesus – giving, praying, fasting, living a holy life, caring for widows, orphans and the poor – were still part of the royal law of love that they were to live by (Matthew 6: 1-18; James 1:27).

8. The structure of James is rather loose. Each chapter could be summed up by assigning a key word for each…(1) trials, (2) works, (3) tongue, (4) wisdom (5) patience.

9. There are many parallels between James and Proverbs. James can be summed up by stating the scripture contains many practical themes that are loosely connected by everyday Christian living.

10. James also mirrors the Sermon on the Mount which James, as the half-brother of Jesus possibly heard…even though he was not yet a believer. The comparisons are:

-the poor to be rich in faith and inherit the Kingdom (James 2:5; Matthew 5:3)

-contrasting plant pairs such as grapes verses thorns (James 3: 10-12; Matthew 7: 15-20)

-blessing promised to peacemakers (James 3:18; Matthew 5:9)

- the ease with which earthly riches are corrupted (James 5:2-3; Matthew 6:19-20)

-swearing prohibited…your yes must be yes (James 5:12; Matthew 5:33-37)

You, You Are God Alone

2009-05-11T10:54:00.000-04:00

HAPPY MONDAY!

A Power Struggle

2009-05-05T09:25:00.001-04:00

I keep a page on Word where I keep ideas to post about here. A few things have lived on the page absolutely forever. I decided to rescue one of the languishing bits today and publish it for all to see….

Our expectations collide with God’s character.

I’m not sure where I found this quotation, but I thought it was interesting enough to hang onto it.

These five words say a lot…..sometimes what WE want doesn’t mesh with God’s plan.

We want stuff.

We want people.

We want recognition.

We want…we want…

What we want is CONTROL.

In all of the discussions I have with folks who advise that they have no time for religion, proclaim that Jesus was just a man, and that God doesn’t exist the discussion always manages to arrive back at one point. If they admit God exists it would result in them having to admit He is in control, and we aren’t.

The gulf between those people and myself seems so wide, yet that one word…control…separates us. They think they have control of their lives, and can’t fathom not being in charge. I know a higher power has control of my life, and can’t fathom the power God welds let alone want to have it.

He is in control.

Ten for Tuesday: The Book of Job

2009-04-27T21:58:00.005-04:00

1. The key text of the book of Job is…Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of the Lord…Job 1:21

2. The word “suffering” could be termed to describe the events of Job. Despite God’s goodness and power we have suffering in our lives.

3. My Bible gives me a one sentence summary for Job….After the upright Job suddenly lost family, health, and possessions, he and his friends dialogued at length about the reasons for his sufferings, but God alone had the final word and ultimately restored what Job had lost.

4. The book shows that God permits an adversary, Satan, to challenge His sovereign righteousness, but that God’s glory is served in the end.

5. Jesus is foreshadowed as Job looks forward to the coming Redeemer…But I know my living Redeemer, and He will stand on the dust at last…Job 19:25 Within the book of Job he cries out for a mediator to stand between him and God. Christ is that answer as stated in 1 Timothy 2:5…For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself – a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

6. This is not enough information given in the Scripture to date the book of Job. There is enough evidence to point towards the time period of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Job has already lived a long life as the story opens, his wealth is measured in livestock, and Job was the personal priest for his family. Also Job and his friends refer to the Creator as “God” (Elohim) or “the Almighty” (Shaddai). The Israelite covenant name, the Lord (Yahweh), which would suggest the time of the Exodus is not used.

7. The book of Job belongs to the literary type referred to as “speculative wisdom,” which explains the great question of the human experience. Other cultures have explored questions of human existence….the Mesopotamian text “I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom”, and the Egyptian text “Admonitions of Ipuwer”.

8. The original author is not stated and the purpose for it being written is not divulged either. However, scholars believe the events occurred many, many years prior to the text being written.

9. The New Testament makes reference to Job’s perseverance or endurance. James 5:11 states….See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome from the Lord: the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

10. Job is known for its long dialogues and monologues. They indicate the futility of supposing that humans can understand the purposes of God apart from devine revelation.

From the Inside Out

2009-04-20T16:40:00.002-04:00

This is a special selection for Monday Music. This is the Youth Praise band from my church. My daughter is the one singing. Please, no cute comments about the person behind the camera and how wobbly some parts are....:)

Find Your Wings

2009-04-17T12:15:00.004-04:00

Wow, it's already Friday, and I never posted my Monday Music. It's been a busy week with giving Ceasar his due...taxes and other time consuming projects.

A friend of mine is organizing her son's graduation ceremony since he is homeschooled. One of the things the ceremony will include is a video presentation of images through her son's journey from birth to age 18. The music she is using is Find Your Wings by Mark Harris.

It is a beautiful song:

Simon of Cyrene

2009-04-10T22:28:00.001-04:00

Matthew 27:32 states….As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross while Mark 15:21 tells us…A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.

Simon is forced to carry Jesus’ cross at the point just after Jesus has been beaten and flogged by the Roman guards. Simon helps to carry the cross as Jesus is on his way to be crucified.
So, just who is Simon? Reading the Scripture we discover he’s a man, he’s from Cyrene, he was force to carry the cross, he had two sons named Alexander and Rufus, and he just happened to be passing by on his way back to Jerusalem from the country.

Cyrene could make reference to to Cyrene, Libya in northern Africa. Does this mean Simon was a black man? It’s been debated for hundreds of years. One fact that does remain certain is Cyrene was also the name of a section of Jerusalem. A section where thousands of Palestinian Jews had settled during the reign of Ptolemy Soter (323-285 BC).

Some support the argument that Simon was black by arguing that the Roman guards had a dilemma on their hands. They could not carry the cross. That certainly makes sense, doesn’t it? The whole point was to have the person being crucified carry the cross.

Some even argue that the Romans wouldn’t have asked a Jew to carry the cross because it was Passover and simply by carrying the cross he would be defiled and would be unable to participate in Passover. You might ask why the Romans would even care, but they had orders not to interfere with the religious practices of the Jews. If this holds true then Simon could have been a black man….a non-Jew.

The mention of Simon’s sons, Rufus and Alexander, have also caused debate. Many ancient sources claim the two became missionaries. Some even went so far as to include the name Mark to imply Rufus was mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:13…Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. Simon has also been linked to the “men of Cyrene” mentioned in Acts 11:20…Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

While it can be entertaining to argue the point regarding Simon of Cyrene’s ethnicity… does it really matter?

I find the back and forth interesting, but it doesn’t matter either way to me. I prefer to look upon the fact that someone picked up Jesus’ cross and carried it for him to remind me that today I should be about my Father’s business….it’s up to me in 2009 to continue to spread the word and become more Christ-like.

Ten for Tuesday: The Book of Esther

2009-04-07T09:22:00.004-04:00

1. This book appears in the Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament. It provides the backstory regarding the Jewish holiday of Purim, and the name is derived from the main character of the story.

2. The events discussed in Esther occurred during the third year of the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia. This was during the time Jewish people were living in exile in Persia. My very own Bible states the story portrays God’s providential care of people committed to Him in the midst of overwhelming challenges to their faith.

3. God is never mentioned by name or referred to, however the book has several instances that provide evidence of belief in the active involvement of God.

4. Only canonical text not found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

5. Most scholars agree that the author of Esther is unknown, but Jewish tradition holds that the book was written by Mordecai, her uncle. Esther had never lived in the promised land. She was from a wealthy and powerful family even in exile.

6. The story recounts how the hatred of one man for the Jews nearly resulted in the eradication of the Jewish people in the entire Persian Empire.

7. The basic plot involves Esther, a Jewish girl, and her uncle Mordecai. Esther becomes the new wife and queen of Artaxerxes, but doesn’t tell the king she is Jewish. My Bible states Esther’s risky work in preserving the Jewish people reflects the worldview category of ethics and morality.

8. Most discussions concerning the book of Esther state the villainy of Haman demonstrates human depravity at its worst; the integrity of Mordecai shows the enormous good that one person can do. Esther’s story (like Joseph’s in Genesis) demonstrates that when God’s people face difficult circumstances, they are to act courageously and risk themselves for a righteous cause rather than give in to “fate” or “being unlucky.”

9. The key verse of the book…Who knows, perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this….Esther 4:14.

10. The first ones to hear the story of Esther were Jews in Persia, sometimes after the feast of Purim had become an established custom. By this time, the post-exillic people of Israel had adopted the name “Jew” for the term Jew(s) occurs more in the book of Esther than in the rest of the Old Testament combined.

The image with this post is the painting Esther by John Everett Millais in 1865. Millais painted Esther as she prepares to enter the presence of her husband uninvited. Notice the yellow gown Esther has on. Millais borrowed the yellow gown from General Gordon. He had received the gown from the Chinese emperor after his defeat of the Taiping Rebellion. Millais turned the gown inside out so that the fact the gown was obviously Chinese could be hidden….notice the culturally unspecific abstract patterns. One of General Gordon’s military exploits is detailed in the movie The Four Feathers.

How Beautiful

2009-04-05T22:56:00.001-04:00

We had the Lord’s Supper tonight at church and this song was performed by a couple of my friends and our choir director. So appropriate…..

Wordless: Verse 56

2009-04-01T10:01:00.003-04:00

These two images are titled Eve and Apple, with Counterpart. They were created by Giuseppe Arcimboldo in 1578.

I find the paintings be interesting but disturbing at the same time. These are very different than the usual religious artwork you see dating back to the late 1500s. Arcimboldo used objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books to form portrait heads.

Are these the works of whimsy or the products of a deranged mind? ….Art critics have debated this for years. I’d say Arimboldo was definitely a man before his time….He was a Surrealist before the school was birthed by the likes of Salvador Dali.

You can see more of his work here.

You can discover other bloggers participating in Wordless Wednesday here.

Tuesday 10: The Sanhedrin

2009-03-10T17:26:00.001-04:00

Ten things about the Sanhedrin:

1. Several days ago I posted a wordless image depicting a dungeon hole located at the house of Caiaphus or Joseph, son of Caiaphus. He was the Roman appointed Jewish high priest at the time Jesus was arrested.

2.The Gospels of Matthew and John mention Caiaphus being involved in the trial of Jesus following the arrest of Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane.

3.The house of Caiaphus is where Jesus was taken after he was arrested by the temple guard and where he was accused of blasphemy. The Sanhedrin, which Caiaphus led, found Jesus guilty and he was then taken before Pontius Pilate.

4.Basically, the Sanhedrin was a group of Jewish leaders who held administrative and religious powers during the pre-A.D. period. The New Testament refers to the Sanhedrin as the council, but they had no real governing power. Refer to Matthew 26:59 and Mark 15:1.

5.Tradition states the Sanhedrin originated when God commanded Moses to gather seventy men…. Numbers 11:16. However, many scholars refer to the Persian period of Jewish history (538-333 B.C.) as its beginning. During the Persian period Jews had a modicum of self-government.

6.Initially, the Sanhedrin governed all of Israel. After Roman occupation the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin was divided into five regions…the high council in Jerusalem was just one body of five.

7.The terms “chief priests”, “elders”, and “scribes” are used in the New Testament to describe the composition of the Sanhedrin.

8.The high priest during the time of Jesus’ arrest was Caiaphus. He had a powerful father-in-law named Annas who had also served as high priest. The high priest was a hereditary office, but from time to time political events could change the succession. Chief priests were usually from a leading Sadducee family that might hold various offices within the temple.

9.The elders were well known laymen who were linked with the temple in some way while scribes were professional lawyers or interpreters of Scripture. They were largely Pharisees. This group enjoyed widespread public support. This meant that although Pharisees were a minority during New Testament times, they had a large share in determining the decisions of the Sanhedrin.

1o. The meeting of the Sanhedrin in connection with the trial of Jesus violated many of the guidelines under which the body normally functioned. The Mishnah prescribed that capital trials to be held during the daytime. A verdict of guilty could not be pronounced until the following day. Capital trials were prohibited on Sabbath eve or the eve of a feast day. The marathon effort to try, convict, and execute Jesus would not qualify as a legitimate trial under recorded provisions for Sanhedrin conduct.

Our God Saves

2009-03-09T09:36:00.002-04:00

Here’s a song written by Paul Baloche

Click the tags below to find other music selections or find the entire Monday Music list in the right sidebar.

Happy Monday!

How Awesome Is the Lord Most High

2009-03-02T09:43:00.001-05:00

Well, Monday Music got a little sidetracked after my surgeries in August and January, so I’m trying to get back to normal around here with this morning’s selection. This song by Chris Tomlin opened up our contemporary service yesterday. Singing it is a great way to open yourself up to worship.\

If you would like to see other Monday Music selections check out the list in my right sidebar or click on the Monday Music or Christian Music tag at the end of this post.

Decapolis: An Accidential Landing?

2009-02-09T10:12:00.004-05:00

After teaching to the crowds along the Sea of Galilee the Gospel of Mark tells us about a decision Jesus made, “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side…” What Jesus meant was he desired to go to the other side of the great lake known as the Sea of Galilee.

Was Jesus simply bored with his surroundings?

Did He merely want to see what was on the other side of the body of water?

Just why did Jesus want to venture to the other side of the lake?

While the disciples were still stumbling and bumbling around trying to make sense of their Master we have the luxury of knowing the rest of the story. We know that Jesus never did anything without a plan….without reason.

Mark 4: 35-41 not only explains that Jesus wanted to go to the other side of the lake the disciples are shown very clearly that Jesus can control natural elements as he quiets the storm and calms the waters.

Once the group arrives on the opposite shore….a region the text refers to as the region of the Gerasenes… Jesus immediately meets up with the demon possessed man. In fact, Mark 5:1-20 explains the man “with an evil spirit came to meet Jesus”. “No one could bind the man anymore, not even with a chain”, and he was forced to live in the tombs. “No one was strong enough to subdue him, and he cried out and cut himself with stones.” Truly, this man was in a bad state.

It’s easy to simply read over the mention of the story’s location….the region of the Gerasenes and not give it another thought, isn’t it? I mean isn’t the whole purpose of the series of events to show that Jesus could deliver men of demons?

Perhaps, but I’m a social studies teacher, so give me some latitude here.

The Gerasenes is an area that was also known in Jesus’ time by another name. The region was known as the Decapolis…a Greek word meaning “ten cities”. This was a region southeast of the Sea of Galilee that included the cities of Damascus, Philadelphia, Raphana, Schythopolis, Gadara, Hippos, Dios, Pella, Gerasa, and Kathana.

Some of the cities date back to the time of Alexander the Great. They are grouped together because of similarities in language, culture, location, and political status. The ten cities had been given limited freedom from Jewish domination by the Roman general Pompey when he captured Palestine in 63 B.C.

Actually, the exact names of the ten cities are debated by scholars, but most tend to go with the list I give above….which is the same list Pliny the Elder provided in his writings.

The fact that these cities were so Greek in nature and were not dominated by Jewish tradition and culture meant that as far as Jews were concerned the region Jesus and his disciples found themselves in was one of Gentile impurity. No wonder demons were lurking about.

The location of the story also shows that Jesus always intended on bringing His message to the Jews and Gentiles alike.

Getting back to the possessed man…..the demons possessing the man number many as they respond to Jesus their name is Legion, a word referring to the largest Roman military unit of 6,000 men, 120 horsemen, and various technical personnel.

In a humorous twist of events the demons request to enter the bodies of a nearby herd of pigs….more than likely a spot they believed they could reside until another suitable human body was found.

Why a herd of pigs?

More importantly why is a herd of pigs mentioned in an event concerning Jews?

Would a self-respecting Jew own a herd of pigs?

Hardly, but remember….we aren’t in a normal Jewish village. This story takes place in the Decapolis, a region full of Gentiles. A herd of pigs could be...would be expected.

The humor in the story continues as the lowly pigs….a herd of approximately 2,000 pigs….decide to drown by throwing themselves over a cliff rather than serve as host to the many demons who inhabited the man.

The man freed from the demons instantly wants to leave with Jesus and stay by his side.

I’d be tempted to ask to go along, wouldn’t you?

Jesus, however, tells the man to return to his family and tell everyone he meets what has been done for him serving as a prompt for us today……we are to tell others what Jesus means to us….what Jesus has done in our lives.

What has He done in your life?

The picture with this post is the floor of a Byzantine church built near the site where Jesus drove the man's demons out.

Wordless: Verse 55

2009-02-03T21:20:00.003-05:00

This picture is a dungeon hole at the location that is traditionally held as the house of Caiaphas who is also referred to as Joseph, son of Caiaphas. He was the Roman appointed Jewish high priest at the time Jesus was arrested. The Gospels of Matthew of John mention Caiaphas being involved in the trial of Jesus following the arrest of Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane. Refer to Matthew 26:57-67.

You can view a list of other bloggers who are also wordless today here.

His Story...His Plan

2009-01-06T23:27:00.001-05:00

Check out other bloggers who are participating in Wordless Wednesday here.

Living the Christian Life

2008-12-29T21:14:00.004-05:00

Living the Christian life isn’t easy. Thankfully, Ephesians 4:25-32 provides a few guidelines for Christians to live by. The verses say:

Therefore each of you must put off falsehoods and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every other form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Living the life of a Christian is an ongoing process of studying, learning, putting learning into action, and constantly reflecting and evaluating your actions. It can be a very liberating process, but it can also be very daunting as well.

Getting back to the passage from Ephesians…..first, we are told to be truthful to one another, but notice the same section discusses how we are all members of one body. The reference is to the body of Christ….other Christians, not the body of mankind. I don’t think this is telling us it is ok to lie to non-Christians….not at all, but our Christian brothers and sisters deserve more honest attention from us.

Once we admit with our mouths that Jesus is Lord we are sealed. Nothing can undo the grace we receive at that moment because we are sealed…protected by the Lord. However, our lies and the other negative things we say grieves the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, we should only use our mouths to build each other up.

The part about not letting the sun go down on your anger…I heard my mother spout that bit of advice over and over as I was growing up. Part of her spill was the advice was always something her mother told her. It just makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s amazing all of God’s instructions regarding life make sense. Hmmm….I guess it’s amazing because God’s plan for us is perfect.

Getting back to that anger thing…The longer you wait to settle something with someone the harder it becomes to face the person no matter who was right OR wrong. Anger allows too many other sins to creep in and gain a foothold. One sin that comes to mind is pride.

Work…work not just to provide for your family, but to keep your hands busy. This passage from Ephesians takes the idea of work one step further to becoming Christ-like though. Work to help others….work to be able to provide for others….work to make a difference in the world.

So, let’s see….as a Christian I cannot lie, I cannot be angry with anyone for very long without dealing with the issue, I must work not just to buy stuff but in order to be able to help others, I must watch my tongue and totally turn my back on any type of malice. I must strive to be kind always and forgive others as Christ has forgiven me.

The problem? While I am a Christian, I am also human. Professing Jesus is Lord saves me for eternity, but it does not make me perfect during my stay here on Earth hence the need for the constant study, constant learning, constant putting things into action, and constant reflection and analysis....oh, and constantly praying as well.

No….it’s not easy to be a Christian, but it’s worth it. :)

Merry Christmas, 2008

2008-12-24T08:17:00.003-05:00

From my home to yours...Merry Christmas!

Jesus or Santa?????

2008-12-18T05:24:00.003-05:00

With just a few days to go before Christmas, REMEMBER: Jesus is better than Santa

1. Santa lives at the North Pole. JESUS is everywhere.

2. Santa rides in a sleigh. JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

3. Santa comes but once a year. JESUS is an ever-present help.

4. Santa fills your stockings with goodies. JESUS supplies all your needs.

5. Santa comes down your chimney uninvited. JESUS stands at your door and knocks…and then enters your heart.

6. You have to stand in line to see Santa. JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

7. Santa lets you sit on his lap. JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

8. Santa doesn’t know your name, all he can say is “Hi little boy or girl. What’s your name?” JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future, and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

9. JESUS has a heart full of love. JESUS offers health, help, and hope. Santa says, “You better not cry!” JESUS says, “Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.

11. Santa’s little helpers make toys. JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

12. Santa may make you chuckle, but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

13. While Santa puts gifts under your tree, JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It’s obvious there really is no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back in Christmas.

Jesus is still the reason for the season.

May the Lord bless and watch over you and your loved ones this Christmas, and may He prosper and bless the works of your hands in the New Year.

Other bloggers are participating in Thursday Thirteen. You can view them here.

Many thanks to my friend Carol who forwarded the text of this 13 to me in an email.

A Christmas Bell...

2008-12-16T23:09:00.006-05:00

Christ Bell
I received this in an email. Isn’t it awesome. Someone took a lot of time setting up this message.

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

Who you are?

Keep this bell ringing...pass it on

'The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine upon you

And be gracious to you;

The LORD turn His face toward you

And give you peace...Numbers 6:24-26

Other bloggers are participating in Wordless Wednesday today….you can find them here.

Many thanks to my friends, Rosetta and Carol...They forwarded the emails to me that contained the message seen above. :)

More Scriptural Affirmations

2008-12-16T10:17:00.001-05:00

The other day I posted 13 Scriptural Affirmations. Here are a few more.

The following list is a great reminder regarding how Scripture tells us who we are and why we are here.

1. I am valuable to God. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

2. I am a member of God's family. (1 John 3: 1-2; Ephesians 2:19)

3. I am God's treasure. (1 Peter 2: 9-10)

4. I am dearly loved. (Colossians 3:12)

5. I am being transformed. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

6. I am an heir of God. (Romans 8:17)

7. I am a friend of God. (John 15:15)

8. I am given spiritual blessings. (Ephesians 1:3)

9. I am God's delight. (Zephaniah 3:17)

10. I am invited to confidently draw near to God. (Ephesians 3:12)

Santa: Alive and Well

2008-12-13T12:19:00.002-05:00

I received this from my pastor yesterday with the words, “This is too good not to share...”

He’s right.

I’ve written before at History Is Elementary concerning different ways to keep older kids believing in the magic of Christmas especially when everything around them is so often falling apart…..one such post is The Story Where I Prove Santa Exists...

I also enjoy receiving an additional story I can add to my treasure box of holiday stories, and this one is makes the grade.

I hope you enjoy it!

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted.... "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go.""Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.

As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class.

Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were, ridiculous.

Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

See, my pastor was right. It is a good story.

13 Things Concerning the Book of Nehemiah

2008-12-11T09:22:00.003-05:00

1. In the earliest Hebrew manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were one book.

2. Nehemiah follows the outline set out below: Chapters 1-7:3 Nehemiah rebuilds the walls around Jerusalem, Chapters 7:4 – 10:39 Changes under Ezra, and Chapters 11:1 to 13:31 Nehemiah’s plans

3. Nehemiah is written in first person and appears to be a memoir.

4. Many scholars believe Nehemiah is written by the same author as Ezra.

5. The key word in the text is “walls”

6. The key text is found at Nehemiah 6:15…The wall was completed in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul.

7. Nehemiah had served as an attendant for Artaxerxes. The king granted him a leave of absence to go to Jerusalem and was given an official military escort.

8. Nehemiah is remembered as one of the greatest organizers of the Bible. He kept records regarding how the work was divided section by section.

9. Why was the wall so important? In the ancient world a wall made the city significant. This particular wall was extremely important as Nehemiah 6:16 mentions when the Israelites’ enemies heard the wall was complete….all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.

10. Nehemiah’s enemies were the Persian appointed governor of Samaria (Sanballat) and Tobiah. They accused Nehemiah of wanting to create a rebel city.

11. Nehemiah 6:15 tells us the project was completed in 52 days. There is archaeological evidence that Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day wasn’t as big as it is today, so it is possible the wall could be completed within that time frame.

12. The wall was celebrated with music as two large choirs walked around the town.

13. From the time the Hebrews were into captivity until the wall was finished 140 years passed.

Find other bloggers participating in Thursday 13 here

Wordless: Christmas Humor

2008-12-03T09:49:00.002-05:00

Today is Wordless Wednesday. You can find other participating bloggers here.

When In Rome....

2008-11-19T09:28:00.000-05:00

We have been working our way through Romans each Sunday for the past few weeks at my church.

This Raphael painting depicts Paul preaching in Athens. It was completed in 1515.

The Wordless Wednesday hub can be found here

13 Scriptural Affirmations...

2008-11-13T07:59:00.003-05:00

The following list is a great reminder regarding how Scripture tells us who we are and why we are here.

1. I am a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17

2. I am forgiven. Ephesians 1:6-8

3. I am gifted with power, love and a sound mind. 1 Timothy 1:7

4. I am chosen for success. John 15:16

5. I am complete. Colossians 2:9-10

6. I am secure. Romans 8:31-39

7. I am confident. Philippians 1:6

8. I am free. Romans 6:18; Romans 8:1

9. I am capable. Philippians 4:13

10. I am spiritually alive. Ephesians 2:5

11. I am God’s workmanship. Ephesians 2:10

12. I am welcome in God’s presence. Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 4:14-16

13. I am sheltered and protected in God. Colossians 3:3

Happy Thursday!
You can visit the Thursday Thirteen hub here

You can find ten more affirmations posted here.

Feeding the 500....

2008-11-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

This is a picture from the annual wild game dinner the Men’s Ministry at my church puts on each year….Instead of feeding the 5,000 we fed the 500. Truett Cathy, founder of the Chick-Fil-A restaurants was the speaker for the event.

The Wordless Wednesday hub can be found here.

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Veterans Day!

2008-11-11T08:55:00.002-05:00

11---11---at 11 o’clock. Does that signify anything to you? If you are a World War I veteran it would. That is the exact day and time of the armistice….the time when all fighting was to stop. From that point until the years following World War II each November 11th was remembered as Amistice Day.

Due the scale of World War II and the number of soldiers and sailors who took part, who were injured, or were killed Amistice Day was broadened to include all veterans of the armed forces for all time.

As you have noticed I’ve been absent a bit over the last few days. I’ve been busy. The historical committee at my church changed up our normal method of recognizing our veterans to include a photo display and video recognizing the men and women of our church who have served their country.

I encourage you to go visit the site using this link which takes you to all of the postings on the blog regarding veterans including a video presentation, pictures of our framed display (61 veterans, so far), and postings for each war era including the pictures of the veterans, their names, and a bit about their service to our country.

The postings involving each war era would be a good place to have students complete research on particular veterans or particular wars or conflicts. In many cases I have linked to the history of our veteran’s battles and ships where I could.

It was an honor and blessing for me to work with these photos and information about each veteran. I hope you click over and enjoy viewing the postings.

This post appears in its entirety at History Is Elementary and Georgia on My Mind.

Name Your Vice...Pay the Price

2008-11-01T09:30:00.003-04:00

Romans 7:15, 17-18…I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. But I can’t help myself, beause it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things…I know I am rotten so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t.”

What’s your habit? Do you gossip? Drink to excess? Gamble? Sleep around? Rather than list bad habit after bad habit I could just say go visit your local bookstore and take a stroll down the self-help aisle for ideas concerning the latest vices. I’m sure there is a book there that claims it will solve your problem if you follow a few simple steps. In fact, if I went down to my basement I’m sure I could round up a few self-help books from my past. Think about it though…..why are my self-help books in the basement?

That’s because they were the wrong self-help book. The only tried and true self-help book is the Bible because it breaks the code to our sinful nature no matter the sin…..no matter the bad habit we want to curb.

I guess this is the point where I should confess my sin. I have several sins being the human that I am, but one looms in front of me currently. My sin involves food…..allowing food to be a crutch for me in stressful and emotional times in my life. I allow food to become a reward when I “think” I’ve done something well or even when I manged to do something I didn’t really want to do.

Over the summer I began to notice a change. I was loosing weight little by little. My family and a few friends began to notice it. My clothes were looser. I puffed up with pride. Oh, it’s because I’m make better choices concerning what I eat. Oh, it’s because I’m just not as hungry. Look at me….I can go until 3 or 4 o’clock without eating a thing. I just wasn’t as hungry.

What I didn’t realize at the time was I was in a bad way. Endometriosis has invaded my bowel. I wasn’t as hungry because I had an obstruction in my intestines. If I hadn’t have developed appendicitis in late August I would have continued reveling in my pride and would have died from my health issues without the intervention of a doctor. My post regarding my hospitalization is here.

Now that I’m over 8 weeks out from the surgery I can truly say I’ve been through a lot. Since June I’ve lost 30 pounds. It was a bad way to lose it though.

My sinful nature regarding food has not gone away….I didn’t leave it in the operating room. It’s been asleep….masked by all the other issues I’ve had in my recovery, but within the last few days I have begun to feel the return of my cravings and the need to hide behind food.

Sin is scary, and I’m beginning to feel a little concerned. I’ve made a good start with my 30 pounds, and I want to continue THAT journey. Yet, I hear that voice inside me urging me to return to my old habits. The voice is attractive, it is familiar, it is comfortable, it is soooo easy…..

So, how can I handle this?

There was a reason why I sat in church a couple of weeks ago to hear a sermon from my pastor, however there always is. It seemed as if it had been tailored exactly for me. The thing is…….many other people commented how the sermon was speaking to them. Wow, how does a pastor do that? How do they make a sermon fit almost every person listening to it? Well, the truth is they don’t do it. It’s a God thing, and God spoke to me through my pastor the other day.

It is true that each of us have God’s promise of personal freedom. I explored free will a bit in my post here. I have the freedom to eat whatever I wish….whenever I wish. I have the personal freedom to listen to that little seductive voice in me telling me to go through that fast food drive-through. Who will know? Yeah, eat that….that’ll fix the issue. Oh, it won’t hurt anything….just this once.

However, the Bible tells me I’m just deceiving myself. 1 John 8:32 advises….When you know the Truth, the Truth will set you free. Change in your life only comes about when you you change how you think and feel. You must admit to yourself there is a lie behind every self-defeating act.

Find the lie…..what’s the root cause? 1 John 1:8 states…If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. The root of the problem—no matter the problem—is sin. This is a condition that starts in the mind where we decide we are in control, we have the power, and in essence we choose to be God.

I’m now 46….I’ve had an issue with food and weight probably since I was six, so for 40 years I’ve listened to that little voice in me. I’ve allowed food to see me through stressful times. I’ve allowed food to control my life. I’ve tried several different diets. I’ve regulated my life with more water, more movement, more food measuring to no true success.

Christ is the true self-help solution, and actually the only self-help part of the Christ solution is believing that Christ can change the situation. He does the rest, if I let Him. Romans 7:24-25 asks…Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul is recognizing in his sinful nature he can’t go it alone. He needs a manager, and the manager is Christ.

Another part of the Christ as manager solution involves confessing your struggle to another, and I’ve done that. Per James 5:16 we should….Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen. This isn’t always easy depending on your situation, but God dropped someone in my lap who I can trust totally. My friend has similar issues as I do, and we have bounced a few ideas off each other regarding why we do what we do and what is working and what is not….., but I’ll admit Christ needs to be involved a bit more on my side than He has been and that’s where the next point come in….

Romans 6:12-13…Do not let sin control the way you life; do not give in to its lustful desires…Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given a new life. What are you controlled by? Is it fear, your ego, bitterness? My pastor recently made this comment….and it makes so much sense….”Mastered by the Master I can master myself.” I must dedicate myself completely to Christ.

Getting back to the personal freedom thing…it’s not about doing what you want and having the power and control in your life. In my situation I thought I was in total control, making good choices, and making great changes in my life to overcome my vice.

It was all about ME…..trouble is I wasn’t in contol at all, and that was made clear to me in a most dramatic and frightening way not only for me but for my friends and family. My free will to eat as I wish or not eat as I wish, my free will to choose not to visit the doctor over the last several years, my free will to be own master almost mastered me into an early grave.

I’ve tried all the other self-help methods…..I think I’ll choose the God plan for awhile.

I’ll let you know how that works out for me over the next few weeks.

13 Quotations Regarding Religion

2008-10-16T08:46:00.002-04:00

So what are folks saying about religion....past and present. Here are 13 quotations:

1. A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one though at one time, at all times, who suffers harm to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.
Attributed to Abraham Joshua Heschel

2. That I am not a member of any Christian Church, is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures, and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular.
Attibuted to Abraham Lincoln

3.The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone in the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.
Attributed to Anne Frank

4. The moral and religious system which Jesus Christ transmitted to us is the best the world has ever seen, or can see.
Attributed to Benjamin Franklin

5. Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning.
Attibuted to Bill Gates

6. Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.
Attributed to Blaise Pascal

7. I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure—that is all that agnosticism means.
Attributed to Clarence Darrow

8. I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.
Attributed to Frederick Douglass

9. We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love.
Attributed to Jonathan Swift

10. When men destroy their old gods they will find new ones to take their place.
Attributed to Pearl S. Buck

11. The religion that is afraid of science dishonors God and commits suicide.
Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

12. I never told my own religion nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another’s creed. I am satisfied that yours must be an excellent religion to have produced a life of such exemplary virtue and correctness. For it is in our lives, and not from our worlds, that our religion must be judged.
Attributed to Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Mrs. H. Harrison Smith

13. In the faces of men and women I see God.
Attributed to Walt Whitman

Many bloggers participate in Thursday Thirteen. You can locate them here

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You

2008-10-12T22:33:00.006-04:00

Though I generally disagree with the politics and social views of Whoopee Goldberg I love the Sister Act movies. This week's Monday Music is Joyful, Joyful.....the Sister Act version.

My Monday music selections tend to slow the blog down if I post the video here, so here is the link to watch Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee on YouTube.

13 Things Concerning the Book of Ezra

2008-10-09T05:51:00.003-04:00

1. In the earliest Hebrew manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were one book.

2. Ezra follows the outline listed below:
Ezra 1:1 to 2:70 first group of exiles return to Judah
Ezra 3:1 to 6:22 the temple is rebuilt
Ezra 7:1 to 10:44 Ezra returns and beings ministry

3. Scholars think the author of Ezra/Nehemiah also wrote Chronicles 1 and 2. They all share certain characteristics.

4. The writing of Ezra has been dated to 440 BC. The text discusses the rebuilding of the temple in 516 BC

5. Ezra taught the people the law and reformed their religious life.

6. Ezra’s actions were important since surrounding nations needed to see God’s chosen people had returned.

7. Hebrew exiles began to return to Judah from Babylon during the reign of Cyrus (559-530 BC)

8. Cyrus of Persia allowed the exiles to return with the captured temple treasures.

9. King Darius I (522-486 BC) gave permission/authorization for the temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem.

10. During the reign of Artaxerxes (465-424 BC) other exiles were allowed to return. Among them were Ezra and Nehemiah who was charged to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

11. The Murashu Archives at Nippur contain the tablets which document the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra contains Persian Court information, lists, and narrative letters see 6:16. Jews remained in Babylonia amost 50 years after Ezra.

12. Why did the Babylonians suddenly allow the Hebrews to trickle home over time? In 539 BC Babylonia fell to the Persians.

13. Nearly 50,000 Hebrews were in the first group to relocate. The temple treasures were entrusted to Sheshbazzar, a Jewish prince. Upon arriving in Jerusalem Zerubbabel is mentioned as a leader, but this could be another name for Sheshbazzar.

Find others participating in Thursday Thirteen here

Wordless: Verse 53

2008-10-01T08:26:00.003-04:00

This image was sent to me via email. These people are protesting in England. I love their open minds and love for their fellow man.

Astounding, isn't it?

Locate other bloggers participating in Wordless Wednesday here.

An Amazing Man

2008-09-29T20:22:00.001-04:00

No Monday Music today but I am focusing on a music man…..His challenges put all of your problems into perspective. My Monday music selections tend to slow the blog down if I post the video here, so here is the link to watch the amazing Tony Melendez on YouTube.

May God Continue to Bless You With the Little Annoying Things...

2008-09-28T20:52:00.002-04:00

Received this through email the other day from this guy…..thought it was interesting and thought provoking, and the best way to share is to publish!

As you might know, the head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the New Jersey Turnpike because of an auto accident.

One of them missed the bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.

One was late because their car wouldn’t start.

One went back to answer the telephone.

One had a child that dawdled and didn’t get ready as soon as he should have.

One couldn’t get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work, but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot.

He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.

That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic,

Miss an elevator,

Turn back to answer a ringing telephone….

All the little things that annoy me

I think to myself,

This is exactly where

God wants me to be

At this very moment.

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong….the children are slow getting dressed,

You can’t seem to find the car keys,

You hit every traffic light,

Don’t get mad or frustrated;

It may be just that

God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things

And may you remember the possible purpose.

It's a Miracle!

2008-09-27T09:55:00.003-04:00

Wouldn’t it be great if all you had to do to receive a miracle is eat some pie. This lovely recipe was given to me by a good friend who brought us dinner a few nights ago soon after my hospital stay. ALL of the ingredients are blended together and just like a miracle the crust, the filling, and the topping forms during the baking process.

I’ll stick with with Scripture at first…look at the end of the post for the actual ingredients.

Miracle Pie Ingredients…

1 cup Jeremiah 6:20…What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.

¼ cup Genesis 18:8…He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

4 Deuteronomy 22:6…If you come across a bird's nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. 7 You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

½ cup 2 Kings 7:18…It happened as the man of God had said to the king: "About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria."

2 cups Hebrew 5:13…Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

1 cup Genesis 43:11…Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.

½ tsp. 2 Kings 23:15…Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also.

¼ tsp. Matthew 5:13…You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

1 tsp. Vanilla

Put all ingredients into a blender. Blend thoroughly. Pour into a 10 inch pie plate that has been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. A crust will form on the bottom. Pie filling is the center and a coconut topping above.

Make it a family project to look up the ingredients. In case you need the cheats here they are:

1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter
4 eggs
½ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup coconut
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Religion vs. Relationship

2008-09-18T09:15:00.002-04:00

1. Religion is a series of man-made procedures that satisfies the heart into thinking that growth is taking place. A relationship with Jesus encourages growth as you learn more about Him and strive to emulate Him.

2. Religion is an opportunity to stifle the Holy Spirit into nothing more than a dance or a palm raised in the air because it’s what others do around you. A relationship with Jesus helps you to understand the Holy Spirit is power….power Jesus used to cast out demons, heal people, and defeat death. Amazingly that very relationship enables the power to reside in us.

3. How many times have you been told that God is a mystery when you have questions about the weather, about tragedies, about why the birds always seem to know when to fly south? Religion sees God as a mystery. A relationship with Jesus according to 1 Corinthians 2:10….but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

4. In fact, Religion will often beg you to accept things without question. There’s no reason to search for the truth because we have steps to follow and works to complete. A relationship with Jesus tell us that He is the way the truth and the light. Therefore by growing our relationship with Jesus our questions will be answered.

5. Religion reveres ministers, pastors, elders, and the people mentioned in the Bible. A relationship with Jesus teaches that all men are the same….we are all ministers and responsible for advancing His kingdom.

6. Religion states Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit are separate. A relationship with Jesus shows us that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are three different manifestations of the same God.

7. Religion will leave you asking questions, wishing you could change things, and will leave you very unfulfilled. A relationship with Jesus with help you find ways to change things, solutions to problems, and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

8. Religion encourages listening to a sermon over studying the Bible. A relationship with Jesus encourages you to study on your own and with others.

9. Religion prefers hope over expecting God will bless you. A relationship with Jesus begs you to expect great things including blessings and power.

10. Religion states money makes people evil. A relationship with Jesus shows us that He wants us to live more abundantly and it’s how the money is used that makes all the difference.

11. Religion explains that people like Moses, David, and Solomon were very special people and that we would find it hard to emulate them. A relationship with Jesus helps to explain all of the people set aside in the Bible were annointed by the Holy Spirit. Believers have the Holy Spirit within them. There is nothing that can hold us back.

12. Religion shows Satan as powerful foe. A relationship with Jesus provides us with the power of the Holy Spirit. Through that power Satan can be defeated just as Jesus defeated him.

13. Religion teaching provides information about God. A relationship with Jesus enables us to actually know God.

Look for a few more comparisons between religion and relationship later….

Many bloggers have published their own personal list of 13 things. You can see the complete list of bloggers here.

Wordless: Verse 52

2008-09-17T13:49:00.003-04:00

Ever wonder what Jezebel looked like. So did the British artist John Byam Liston Shaw. He created this image of Jezebel in 1896

Happy Wednesday! You can locate other Wordless images here

I'm Getting Excited

2008-09-16T10:07:00.003-04:00

I’m getting excited. At my church we are in the middle of planning a women’s event. Naomi Carroll will be our speaker.

My Monday music selections tend to slow the blog down if I post the video here, so
here is the link to watch Naomi Carroll on YouTube.

The event is titled A Reason to Celebrate, and it will be held at First Baptist Church, Lithia Springs on Saturday, October 4th. Tickets are $20.00. If you live close by and want a ticket you can contact me through my email over in the right sidebar. The evening includes dinner, door prizes, and Mrs. Carroll. Wow!

Find out more about Naomi Carroll at her website here.

Sweetly Broken

2008-09-15T09:50:00.003-04:00

I had a plan this morning. I wanted to post music as I normally do on Mondays, but I’m in one part of the house and my Bible….containing my notations regarding various songs that were used yesterday at chuch….is at the other end of my home.

These days moving from one end of the house to the other isn’t as simple as it was pre-operation, so I was putting the trip off by making a quick stop by YouTube to see what I could see.

The video I’ve placed here today caught my eye on the main screen when YouTube popped up. I would venture to say “this” is the one I was meant to use. It features the song Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle. The lyrics appear below the video screen.

Watch the video closely…..the images are “most execellent”, and as any of my former students can tell you that is the highest accolade this educator gives. :)

You can access the Jeremy Riddle MySpace page here

My Monday music selections tend to slow the blog down if I post the video here, so here is the link to watch the video on YouTube.

...and here are the lyrics:

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words so lost in love
I’m sweetly broken wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled
Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is your faithfulness

2x’s
Chorus:

It's Carnival Time in the Georgia Blogosphere

2008-09-13T15:41:00.000-04:00

The Georgia Carnival has posted over at Georgia on My Mind.

The best thing about a carnival of this sort is all of the various types of postings you can discover.

There’s a little something for everyone.

The Christian Carnival and a Short Video

2008-09-12T11:59:00.001-04:00

Diane over at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet is hosting the latest edition of the Christian Carnival. You can access it here. I’m off to read all of the interesting things over there, so while I’m gone you can watch this interesting video:

Where Was God on September 11th?

2008-09-11T07:17:00.003-04:00

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I. I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who ca ll ed his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I held his fingers st eady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK…I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said. 'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their fait h has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan . I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me? I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know Me.

Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor. Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me? Sept 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you . But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

This poem came to me through an email along with several images of that horrible day. My September 11th memory can be found here. Other posts regarding terrorisim and other visions of 9/11 are here.

I'll Fly Away

2008-09-08T06:13:00.001-04:00

Choosing YOUR Life

2008-09-05T12:17:00.005-04:00

The image here is my paternal great-grandparents and some of their children. My grandfather is the young man in the middle. Granny Land lived to be 102 and was fairly healthy until the last couple of years of her life. Both of her daughters seen in this image also lived to be 100 or right up to it. My grandfather and his brother seen in the picture also lived to be in their late 90s. The joke in our family is that the Lands just old and ugly away, and finally have to be put down because we live forever.

I would hope that I could follow in my great-grandmother’s tradition of living a long and varied life, but I don’t think I’ll make it to 100. First, I don’t tend to follow along the genetic lines of my dad’s family. Another reason why I feel many from my generation won’t live to be 100 has to be our 21st century society.

Sure, I lead a very charmed life in comparison to my grandmother. I have instant information at my fingertips. The only information source Granny had was a book….and not many of those. I have three college degrees. Granny barely finished grade school. I have every timesaving device you can think of from a washing machine and a dryer, a phone, a vacuume, and a cell phone. Granny saved time by hitching a plow to a plowhorse, washed her dishes by hand three times a day, and she raised her children instead of having the luxury of allowing others to care for her brood.

I have a book I carry with me to schedule my appointments and to make my life easier. Granny didn’t need one. Her only appointment consisted of a meeting with God and other believers on Sunday morning. I can vote. My great-grandmother could not do for many years. Heck, I have a car that can sense water on the windshield and immediately the wipers begin on their own and end on their own. I mean why do I want to expend my energy to push a button? I don’t think my great-grandmother knew how to drive other than driving a plowhorse or a wagon.

Other than having a loving God, a loving man, and loving children my great-grandmother and I have little in common, yet we like to think we have it so much better than our ancestors. Things are so much better now.

But are we just fooling ourselves?

It just seems to me that for all our efforts to save time and make our lives easier all we have really accomplished is we have produced a very frenzied and wild ride for ourselves. Many of my friends express being tired, being over scheduled, and giving in to a cyle of frustrations, compulsions, and depression all in the name of having a charmed life with timesaving devices and freedom to do what we want, yet, most of us aren’t having the life we want.

This is not the life my great-grandmother would want for me, and it certainly isn’t the life God wants for us either.

The NIV translation for Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us….Be very careful, then, how you live---not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Recently I was fortunate enough to hear a sermon regarding making the best use of our time, and three points to remember were provided. First, we need to get our priorities straight. We have to know what is important, and we have to have a plan.

Proverbs 17:24 teaches….A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. Being a discerning man also means we need to know when to be quiet and allow God’s plan to come into view. Often we race around on our own at a hurly-burly pace, but our plans are contrary to God’s, and this is the very reason we end up in cycles of being busy... yet there is no growth... only stagnation. Scripture gives us an answer for this problem. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps… Proverbs 16:9.

Anxiety is the catalyst and the byproduct of our busy lives. A catalyst because we latch on to certain ideals and mores society promotes such as the superwoman ideal. Recently I was given an opportunity to discuss the need for taking time for ourselves with a group of women at my church. I told them that I believe some of the distress my peers—the girls of the 60s and 70s—feel as grown members in our society today—is we were constantly told we could do anything. We could have it all and be everything—the perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect career, the perfect volunteer, the perfect friend, the perfect aunt, the perfect daughter and daughter-in-law. However, no one told us what a toll it would have on our psyches—the constant drive to have it all.

We need to lighten up. By this I mean we need to turn off our own life and turn to God’s light. The Bible clearly explains….Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down…Proverbs 12:25, and if I truly want to be like Granny Land and live to 100 or beyond…a relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life….Proverbs 14:30.

We are meant to enjoy our lives…not endure them.

Look to the example Jesus set for us. He was never in a hurry. He always took time with his Father and held to the promise of Proverbs 14:26 which reminds us… He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge...From God’s perspective our concerns our very small because our ultimate focus should be being about our Father’s business.

I truly believe that we all need to stop and take stock of our lives from time to time to see how we are spending our lives.

Are our actions focused on God and His business?

Are we spending the right kind of time with our Father?

Does our life game plan need to be tweaked a bit?

Do you really trust God? In this life you exchange your soul for something…..What are you willing to exchange?

Here's a hint...He doesn’t want our religion. He wants our relationship.

Wordless: Verse 51

2008-09-03T09:35:00.005-04:00

Thyatira…..today a modern Turkish city referred to as Akhisar….is mostly forgotten, however, readers of the Bible will find Thyatira mentioned in Acts 16:14…One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message

Revelation 1:11 mentions Thyatira as one of the seven churches….which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

Revelation 2:18-19 where it states…To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love an faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first…

….and at verse 24…Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you)…

I found some great pictures (and used one here) of the ruins of Thyatira here taken by David Phillips with informational captions. He states Thyatira was a city big enough to boast of triple arches, multiple businesses, pottery factories, purple dye, wines, dried foods, many kinds of bronze and metal works, sculptures and textiles…..

Thyatira is a great example of a New Testament city where early Christians had to coexist alongside more non-believers than believers. Little is known about the growth of Christianity at Thyatira, however, the letter to the church mentioned in Revelation places the church there in the latter half of the first century A.D.

Find other bloggers participating in Wordless Wednesday here.

So, Where Ya Been EHT?

2008-09-01T11:09:00.001-04:00

I’m home.

Finally.

It has been a harrowing ten days in the hospital…an unexepected stay.

Thirteen days ago from seemingly nowhere I began to have severe pain in my abdomen. Pain that came in waves reminiscent to labor pains. Being the strong, stubborn woman I am I attempted to heal myself and summed it all up to the fact that many forty-something year old women tend to do…..”Oh, it must be The Change.”

Wrong.

I finally had had enough on the third day and decided to visit my doctor. My insurance provider then sent me on on wonderful travel tour of Atlanta as I had to visit first one office and then another in order to have this test and then another to determine the source of my discomfort. I tell you it isn’t easy to navigate Atlanta traffic lying prone in the passenger seat of you vehicle……it makes it very hard to help Dear Hubby drive.

Finally, with a set of ultrasound results in hand I visited my internist only to hear her say some parts of my innards were still invisible and I would have to trek to north Atlanta to have yet another test…..a CT Scan…at yet another wonderful facility my insurance company owns.

I couldn’t believe it. Another pain-filled ride through another rush hour….my second such ride that day…..I didn’t think I could endure it. It was crazy.

“Dear Doctor,” I said as I made a direction point with my finger, “there’s a fine hospital right on the next corner, and you’re telling me I have to drive an hour for a test….and then I might have to drive again to the hospital my insurance company wants me to be at?”

She confirmed. I’d had enough. I should have gone to the emergency room to begin with with, but…..I was trying----trying----trying to play the insurance game, so when payment time came there would be no problems.

Dear Hubby and I high-tailed it to the ER on the corner….Dear Doctor had called ahead, gave me my assortment of test results, and we didn’t wait long at all. Within minutes I had an ER doctor, an IV feeding me some sort of wonderful drug called Newbaine, and the CT scan was completed.

Then enter my medical savior…..a fine young man with a face any mother would love (man, these doctors resemble teenagers these days) who wanted to enter my body and complete a Laparoscopy to see what exactly was going on in my innards. Dear Hubby and I consented and suddenly there was a flurry of events. While the surgery nurses were trying to get together items to prep me for an unexepected Friday evening operation and asking me hundreds of questions I was racking my brain regarding the many things that Dear Hubby needed to do.

Then I was removing my rings for Dear Hubby to keep. Reciting a quick “to-do” list…calls to our children….our parents, our pastor, friends and other family.

A rushed good-bye kiss, and then I remember nothing until I woke up in recovery.

A one hour look-see turned into a four hour major surgery.

I can only imagine what Dear Hubby went through as he sat in the waiting room. It had been too late in the evening for our parents to travel, but two couples from church along with a pastor showed up to wait with him.

For the last ten days I’ve been in a Morphine induced trance recovering from the removal of a tumor in my Colin, removal of approximately one foot of my intestines, removal of my Appendix, and the removal of an ovary…..a complete Hysterectomy now waits in the wings.

….and I get You just thought Elementaryhistoryteacher was just being a bit lazy with the blogs. :)

….and BTW…..those of you that put those doctor visits off and don’t go for your screenings as you should….please, please, please make those appointments this week. :)

13 Things About Paul's Brief Stay in Samothrace

2008-08-13T23:28:00.002-04:00

1.As I stated yesterday Samothrace is an island in the northern Aegean Sea. During Paul’s foray into Asia Minor discussed in Acts 16:1-10 he stopped on the island while on the way to Phllippi as detailed in Acts 16:11….From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of the district of Macedonia. And we stayed here several days.

2.While we don’t have an exact amount of time Paul spent in Samothrace, he did spend the night. There is no mention of any converts at Samothrace even though they are frequently documented at other towns along Paul’s travels.

3.That very fact begs for further study concerning this place. Why is just a bump in the road to Paul? Why no mention of converts or interaction with the people of Samothrace?

4.Paul’s letters generally indicate to us that one of the first things he did upon arriving in any location was to visit the local synagogue, however, there is no archeological evidence of a synagogue on the island of Samothrace.

5.Remains of several small church have been found but they are dated to a period many years after the time period Paul would have visited the island. The remains of one church can be found at the base of Mount Phengari at the end of a city wall that runs down the slope.

6.In 1863, Monsieur Champoiseau, a French Consul, stationed in Greece made some chance discoveries that sparked archeological interest in Samothrace. In 1873 and 1875 two Austrian teams made extensive excavations of the area and were able to publish their research. In 1938, New York University began excavations on the island led by Karl Lehmann. The process continued until the 1970s except for an eight year period during World War II.

7. The Americans found ruins that help to explain the ancient religion of Samothrace including a colonaded façade of a santuary structure, and they excavated several cemetaries.

8. The ancient religion is known today as the Kabeiria Mysteries of Dionysus. It attracted people from all over the Greek world including the parents of Alexander the Great. There are literary references from the Chrisitan Era supporting this fact from Aristophanes to Plato.

9. Was Paul aware of the mystery religion/cult that existed on Samothrace?

10. We aren’t told, but the idea isn’t that far fetched as the Romans were very interested in the cult religion after they conquered the Greek Empire from the 2nd Century B.C. Many Romans made annual pilgrimages to the island and many initiates of the cult include high ranking Roman officials.

11. It is true, however, that Pauls brief overnight stay on the island would not have been long enough to fully examine the culture and lifestyle of the people there. Many Bible scholars feel that if Paul had been able to fully experience Samothrace he would have condemned the actions of the people much like he did the people of Athens in Acts 17...Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

12.Over time the interest in the mystery religion ebbed and flowed, but eventually fortunes on the island began to decline and by the fourth century A.D. the cult seems to have disappeared. The island began to suffer from pirate attacks and later they would hide out on Samothrace. By the 8th Century the harbor was filled with sand due to severe erosion from deforestation. There are absolutely no historical records to follow regarding the island from 1500 to 1800 A.D.

13. Seems like a lot of wasted time. What if Paul’s stay in Samothrace had been longer? Would it have made a difference?

Check out other blogs and their 13 posts here.

Wordless: Verse 50

2008-08-13T09:56:00.004-04:00

This is an image of the port city of Samothrace which is an island in the northern Aegean Sea. Today it’s main industries are fishing and tourism. Apparently back in Paul’s day those industries were just as important…..of course, Paul wasn’t just a tourist, was he? However, he did have a "layover" on the island of Samothrace.

The island’s name comes from the fact that Greeks from Samos colonized it hence Samos of Thrace eventually was shortened to Samothrace.

Within hours after Paul’s vision of the man pleading with him to come over to Macedonia and help, he and his mission team boarded a ship in Troas and sailed across to Samothrace (Acts 16:11) It was very common in those days for ships to stop at Samothrace as it was along the sea lanes from western Asia Minor to the Black Sea, and to Macedonia in northern Greece.

In my post When Doors Slam in our Face I discuss the events prior to Paul landing at Samothrace detailed in Acts 16: 1-10.

Other bloggers are also posting images today. You can find them at the Wordless Wednesday hub

Disturbed

2008-08-12T11:38:00.002-04:00

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the
strength, courage, hope and love.

The above prayer was sent to me by a friend, and I liked it. I even like the fact it is attributed to Sir Francis Drake, the English privateer, navigator, politician, and slave trader. It fits in nice with the whole “history teacher” thing, don’t you think?

The word “attributed” is code for “we don’t really know”, so I went on a little research jaunt to discover a little more about Drake’s religious proclivities. His father was a Protestant farmer turned preacher. In 1549, however, being a Protestant during the Prayer Book Rebellion wasn’t a good thing as the family had to flee their home environmment for Kent.

Historians have been able to verify through other first-hand accounts that upon landing on the west coast of North America, Drake’s chaplain held Holy Communion; this was one of the first Protestant church services in the New World. From this it would seem that Drake was a believer.

Unfortunately we don’t have diaries or papers that could show us exactly how Drake felt about God, or how he was able to connect a Christian belief with being a slave trader and ruthless warrior and politician. All of his first-hand records from voyages, including his logs, paintings, and charts were lost when Whitehall Palace burned in 1698.

Also, Queen Elizabeth I decreed that all of Drake’s movements should be considered the highest of state secrets since the Spanish would have loved to obtain the mass of data Drake had acquired on his voyages, and they wouldn’t have minded getting their hands on Drake as well. While he was a well known English hero, the Spanish considered him nothing more than a pirate.

In fact, the Spanish nicknamed Drake, “El Draque”, probably originates from an old Spanish word meaning “the dragon”. The English etymological root is also the same since both languages are based in Latin. After the defeat of the Spanish Armada, Spain’s King Philip II placed a price of 20,000 ducats on the head of Francis Drake.

There is also other evidence to show Drake was not as Christian-like as we would wish him to be today……In 1578, Drake accused his co-commander, Thomas Doughty, of witchcraft during a shipboard trial. Mutiny and treason were also charges against Doughty. Drake did consent to have Communion with Doughty and actually dined with him as well, however, Doughty was beheaded on July 2nd, 1578 having been denied a request to see Drake’s commission from the Queen to carry out such trials and was also denied his request to be taken back to England for trial.

So much for Christian behavior.

While I have no problem asking God to disturb me and disturb me often, I am also disturbed a bit today by Mr. Drake.

Thank You, Lord!

2008-08-11T08:39:00.003-04:00

Thank You, Lord! - Dennis Jernigan

For all that you’ve done
I will thank you!
For all that you’re going to do!
For all that you’ve promised
And all that you’re
Is all that has carried me through!
Jesus, I thank you!

And I thank you!
Thank you, Lord!
Thank you! Thank you, Lord!
Thank you for loving and setting me free!
Thank you for giving
Your life just for me!
How I thank you!
Jesus, I thank you!
Gratefully, thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!

For all that you’ve done
I will thank you!
For all that you’re going to do!
For all that you’ve promised
And all tht you’re going to do!
For all that you’ve promised
And all that you’re
Is all that you carried me through!

And I thank you!
Thank you, Lord!
Thank you! Thank you, Lord!
Thank you for loving and setting me free!
Thank you for giving your life just for me!
How I thank you!
Jesus, I thank you!
Gratefully, thank you!
Thank you!
And I thank you!
Thank you, Lord!
Thank you! Thank you, Lord!

Thank you for loving and setting me free!
Thank you for giving your life just for me!
How I thank you!
Jesus, I thank you!
Gratefully, thank you!
Thank you!

You can see more Monday Music by clicking on the categories at the bottom of this post, look for Monday Music or Christian Music in the site index (left sidebar), or find the list of all Monday Music songs in the right sidebar.

Happy Monday!

Waiting on God

2008-08-09T21:15:00.002-04:00

Dear Daughter went to a movie the other afternoon with a fairly large group of friends. I ran some errands from one end of the county to the other while she was at the mall. At the appointed time I arrived to pick her up along with a friend I was to take home.

No Dear Daughter…..no friend.

I was met with an empty sidewalk.

I slid my glasses onto my nose, flipped open my phone, and sent my own personal form message for certain occaisions like this……”C’mon!”

I waited.

The empty sidewalk still greeted me.

I went through the process again. I slid my glasses onto my nose, flipped open my phone, and this time…..this time I sent form message number two for certain occasions like this….”Here….NOW!”

I waited. A few people passed me. They seemed to be mocking me as they sauntered by. I heard their giggles and every now and then I swear I could make out a chortle.

I expelled a very heavy breath, picked up my cell phone once again and flipped it open. As I began to text a searing form message number three I heard the distinct sound of the door handle as Dear Daughter opened the door.

Well…….FINALLY!

I’m a very impatient person. Can you tell?

If you are looking for an apology, or if you think this is the post where I will turn away from my impatience and bask in the warmth of all things patient I’m going to disappoint you.

To a certain degree we are all one collective body of impatience. We only have ourselves to blame as we have created a society where “wait” is a dirty word. Our fast food has never been faster. We can download movie and concert tickets in seconds. We have instant connections for the Internet.

Our collective chant is now, Now , NOw, NOW!

Yet God tells us to wait….to be patient. Psalm 27:14 states… Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Waiting is good. Right? Waiting and having patience....they go hand-in-hand.

Speaking of patience a friend of mine sent me the following story regarding patience:

Flood waters had risen to record levels, leaving Joe stranded on his rooftop. He prayed to God, “Save me, God. Save me.” Later on, a rescue boat floated by, but Joe gratefully declined. “God’s going to save me,” he declared.

Later, as the waters rose to knee level, he prayed to God, “Save me, God. Save me.” Later on, another rescue boat floated by. Again, Joe gratefully declined. “God’s going to save me,” he declared.

Many hours had passed, and flood waters has risen to the man’s neck. “Save me God, save me!”. This time, a helicopter came by, but Joe declined again! With his dying breath, he gulped “God’s going to save me.”

Scene changed to the Pearly Gates., where Joe said, “God, why didn’t you save me.”

God replied, “I sent two boats and a helicopter. What more did you want!”

Clearly Joe was a little mixed-up regarding the whole patience thing, right?

While I clearly need a little more patience with the challenges I face in every day life, Joe’s predicament indicates as children of God we must wait on God, but we also need to be discerning Christians….Christians who know when to act.

What is God trying to tell us in Psalm 27:14?

When I tell a student to wait I mean for the child to hush, to not move, to do nothing until I can get there, to stop, however, when we look up the Hebrew word that was used in the original text we see that the word for wait is qawah. My source tells me the word means to hope in; to wait for; to look for. The Hebrew meaning intends for us to do so much more than simply nothing.
Notice that in each meaning we are to be doing something. To wait does not mean we remain passive and the Hebrew meaning of wait also tells us not to stop hoping, waiting, and looking. We are to wait in a diligent way. We are to work. We are not to give up.

God is busy. We should be busy as well….not busy being impatient….not busy ignoring obvious messages from God, but busy following His plan which entails showing love to one another and sharing the gospel.

If our plans meet these two criteria, how can they be wrong?

How Can I Keep From Singing?

2008-08-04T08:59:00.001-04:00

We Shine

2008-07-28T21:00:00.002-04:00

This song by Steve Fee is a fantastic worship song. It will certainly wake up you up and get you moving.

Fire Fall Down

2008-07-21T11:37:00.001-04:00

13 Things About Controlling Your Tongue

2008-07-17T10:57:00.003-04:00

1. In a recent sermon the other day one of my pastors related that the book of James discusses the tongue more than any other…..this seems appropriate since we seem to use a large segment of our time talking.

2. I’m not sure about you but I often find myself saying the wrong thing. I’m often much more comfortable expressing myself through the written word so that I have an opportunity to take some time and be thoughtful concerning the points I would like to make. Unfortunately, we don’t always have that luxury in real-time conversation, and our emotions often take over.

3. James 3:3 states Now when we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide the whole animal. I used to watch my grandfather place the bridle over his plow horse and then insert the bit into the animal’s mouth. I thought it was cruel, but at the end of the row my grandfather could turn the horse on a dime. Just as we place a bit in the mouth of a horse to control it we should have a bit….of sorts…..to control our tongue so that when we are engaged in conversation we say the right things.

4. Now think about large ships like the Queen Mary. How did the crew control such a huge vessel weighing more than 81,000 tons? When you compare the rudder to the actual size of the ship it’s amazing the crew could dock the ship as they did. James 3:4 reminds us [to] consider ships: though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs…in other words----it shouldn’t take a monumental effort to control your tongue.

5. The tongue is a mighty weapon. We often use it to destroy someone else on purpose or unintentionally. What we think of as small little comment can actually wreak a bit of havoc with someone else……So too, though the tongue is a small part [of the body], it boasts great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites (James 3:5).

6. James 3:6-7 continues the thought….And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our [bodies]; it pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell. For every creature—animal or bird, reptile or fish—is tamed and has been tamed by man. Our tongue can destroy what we love. Our tongue can get us into mischief. Our tongue can embarrass us greatly. Our tongue shapes our character and provides a method for others to view us. Unfortuntately very few men learn to control their tongues even though we have learned to control many things of this world including various animals.

7. Many people live their lives by excelling as verbal arsonists setting fires everywhere they go. They berate their kids, their spouse, and their friends. They intimidate others with their arrogance and some even turn folks off by their constant comments of doom and gloom.

8. We must remember our tongues display who we are…..the true us….not that fake one we put on for company. Our words shape who we are.

9. The tongue is inconsistent……The words we utter often don’t make sense. James 3: 9 explains…With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God's likeness. How can this be?

10. How many people did you judge today? Curse today? Belittle today? Perhaps you are like me and you have explained your actions away because you didn’t speak your words….you just thought them. Perhaps you voiced your opinion to someone else and not to the person your words could destroy.

11. It doesn’t matter. Your words….spoken or unspoken…..delivered to the person they are about or to someone else are YOUR words from YOUR tongue. By allowing your tongue to flap in that manner you are belittling something…cursing something made in God’s image.

12. The true condition of your heart comes out through your tongue. Many, many years prior to Freud explaining why we have so many hang-ups Jesus had the answer as He said, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

13. It would seem then that the solution to control the tongue is not a bridle and bit…..not a rudder….., but a new heart. Rid yourself of all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 18:31), and we need to continually ask God for help everyday…..Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3).

I’ll be asking God for His help everyday…..will you?

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Wordless: Verse 49

2008-07-16T00:02:00.001-04:00

Judges 13: 1-7 explains:
The Israelites again did what was evil in the LORD's sight, so the LORD handed them over to the Philistines 40 years. There was a certain man from Zorah, from the family of Dan, whose name was Manoah; his wife was barren and had no children. The Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, "It is true that you are barren and have no children, but you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now please be careful not to drink wine or other alcoholic beverages, or to eat anything unclean; for indeed, you will conceive and give birth to a son. You must never cut his hair, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from birth, and he will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines." Then the woman went and told her husband, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the awe-inspiring Angel of God. I didn't ask Him where He came from, and He didn't tell me His name. He said to me, 'You will conceive and give a birth to a son. Therefore, do not drink wine or other alcoholic beverages, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from birth until the day of his death.' "

The above image show the town of Zorah…the birthplace of Samson. Can you see it? Look to the last hill on the right…yep, there it is.

You can find out more here.

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