For Indiana taxpayers who have children or grandchildren who will eventually go to college, here is one way to get 20 cents on each dollar you put into a tax free 529 account for your kids. The limit is $5000 per year (regardless of how many kids). If you put in $5000 in a 529 this year, you would get a $1000 tax return check, or $1000 off your tax bill.
google college choice 529 if you are in Indiana.
Why share a money idea on Christian family ideas?
Because the more money you save, or get back in taxes, the more missionaries you can support, the more you can give to your church, the more orphans and widows you can help in their distress.
This is the same reason to invest in the stock market through mutual funds. Let's say you invest in mutual funds $2000 every year. Let's say that grows to be $200,000 after 30 years (crazy thing called compounded interest). Now every year your $200,000 makes its own money, about $10,000 a year.
Now this enables you to give $10,000 to Youth for Christ Africa every year on top of what you were already giving.
You could say, well, why not give $2000 every year?
If you are giving $2000 every year to YFC, great!
If not, and you wanted to use compounding interest not for selfish gain but for the kingdom of God, and on top of that you trained your child to also give and she trained her child, and for 3 to 4 generations a family used compounding interest for an actual purpose - glory to God!!!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
Christmas Grief
Whenever a death or tragedy occurs around Christmas, people often comment on what a horrible time to deal with death. Many people, myself included, are dealing with death this Christmas of 2013. From the empty place at the table to the empty place in my heart, the season of fullness is hollow.
How does someone comfort in a loss at all, let alone a loss at Christmas?
Rachel lost her son, and then she lost her other one. Her husband could not comfort her, nor could her friends. She died in her grief. Even though she died thousands of years ago, her cry is still heard all around the world - the cry of grief, grief that refuses to be comforted.
There were many like Rachel in Bethlehem, and it was no silent night. It was a night of grief, or despair, of refusing comfort. Why did you send your Son if He seemed to only bring more pain? Salvation? The mothers of Bethlehem were not experiencing salvation but overwhelming grief.
Mary seemed to sneak out of Bethlehem just in time and miss the grief of Herod the Great.
Mary watched her son crawl, toddle, walk, and run. She fed him and then He fed her, from loaves of bread and fishes to the Bread from Heaven. If any woman was ever captivated by her son it was Mary the mother of God's Son. He did not come to escape death, but to walk straight into it.
The small baby Mary held in her arms spread His arms out and died.
Christmas is a story about grief, specifically the grief of a mother.
Jesus walked into our grief, into our death, and came back with the keys of death and hell.
The hope of every mother, from Eve the mother of Abel to Mary the mother of Jesus to the mothers of the Sandy Hook elementary students, is the little baby born in a feeding trough.
Jesus Christ offers eternal life to all of us freely.
Jesus Christ can deliver people from death.
Jesus said to a grieving sister, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
How does someone comfort in a loss at all, let alone a loss at Christmas?
Rachel lost her son, and then she lost her other one. Her husband could not comfort her, nor could her friends. She died in her grief. Even though she died thousands of years ago, her cry is still heard all around the world - the cry of grief, grief that refuses to be comforted.
There were many like Rachel in Bethlehem, and it was no silent night. It was a night of grief, or despair, of refusing comfort. Why did you send your Son if He seemed to only bring more pain? Salvation? The mothers of Bethlehem were not experiencing salvation but overwhelming grief.
Mary seemed to sneak out of Bethlehem just in time and miss the grief of Herod the Great.
Mary watched her son crawl, toddle, walk, and run. She fed him and then He fed her, from loaves of bread and fishes to the Bread from Heaven. If any woman was ever captivated by her son it was Mary the mother of God's Son. He did not come to escape death, but to walk straight into it.
The small baby Mary held in her arms spread His arms out and died.
Christmas is a story about grief, specifically the grief of a mother.
Jesus walked into our grief, into our death, and came back with the keys of death and hell.
The hope of every mother, from Eve the mother of Abel to Mary the mother of Jesus to the mothers of the Sandy Hook elementary students, is the little baby born in a feeding trough.
Jesus Christ offers eternal life to all of us freely.
Jesus Christ can deliver people from death.
Jesus said to a grieving sister, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Friday, December 20, 2013
Best things to inherit - #1
God inherits us. "And he said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance." - Exodus 34:9 (ESV)
The tables are turned. The best inheritance I can think of is for we, such as we have been and are and will be, to be inherited by God. Moses recognizes this in the clutch time in the book of Exodus, with the thought of the promised land without YAHWEH to be unthinkable.
What does it mean for God to inherit us?
Could it really be true, that the Almighty God would want us? Could he really see us as His inheritance?
To be wanted.
To have a place and a purpose.
To be His, and to belong to Him.
What can be the best inheritance for our children? It is to know that the Lord God loves them and desires them to be His own.
Do you know that the Lord wants you for His own?
Not because of what you have done, but because of who you are - His.
You have always been His.
The greatest inheritance is the one we are - HIS.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Best things to inherit - #2
The LORD, YAHWEH. "And the LORD said to Aaron, "You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel." - Numbers 18:20 (ESV)
All or nothing. If you want the best you forgo the rest. Yahweh was offering long ago to Aaron the best possible inheritance, but he had to forgo any other inheritance. We can look at this two ways. One way is to think of the fact that Aaron and the Levites had no land, no this, no that. Wow. What they had to give up. At this point the Jim Elliot quote is helpful: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Today the lands of Israel are a continued and constant issue of war and conflict, and yet YAHWEH remains untouched by war. He cannot be conquered or overtaken. Yet he offers himself in the early pages of the Bible to a most unlikely person - Aaron.
Just start reading about Aaron and you will be frustrated with him and possibly identify with him. He lies, he complains, he worships idols, and he is jealous about Moses. Aaron also experiences tragedy. His sons die instantaneously. He lost that which was most dear to him. He saw how fleeting this life is.
This Aaron is offered YAHWEH as an inheritance.
How much more are we, the royal priesthood through Jesus Christ the eternal high priest, offered YAHWEH, offered Father, Son, Spirit, as an inheritance?
Our children are offered God Himself. We must share that inheritance with them, even as the FATHER shares it with us. We must also show our children that to let go of all other things we cling to He who can not be taken from us.
All or nothing. If you want the best you forgo the rest. Yahweh was offering long ago to Aaron the best possible inheritance, but he had to forgo any other inheritance. We can look at this two ways. One way is to think of the fact that Aaron and the Levites had no land, no this, no that. Wow. What they had to give up. At this point the Jim Elliot quote is helpful: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Today the lands of Israel are a continued and constant issue of war and conflict, and yet YAHWEH remains untouched by war. He cannot be conquered or overtaken. Yet he offers himself in the early pages of the Bible to a most unlikely person - Aaron.
Just start reading about Aaron and you will be frustrated with him and possibly identify with him. He lies, he complains, he worships idols, and he is jealous about Moses. Aaron also experiences tragedy. His sons die instantaneously. He lost that which was most dear to him. He saw how fleeting this life is.
This Aaron is offered YAHWEH as an inheritance.
How much more are we, the royal priesthood through Jesus Christ the eternal high priest, offered YAHWEH, offered Father, Son, Spirit, as an inheritance?
Our children are offered God Himself. We must share that inheritance with them, even as the FATHER shares it with us. We must also show our children that to let go of all other things we cling to He who can not be taken from us.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Best things to inherit - #3
The Kingdom. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." - Matthew 25:34 (ESV)
Inheriting a human kingdom, whether that be an ancient kingdom like the Persian empire or a baby kingdom like the United States of America (I know, I know, the U.S.A. is a democracy) is something that would overwhelm the average person. So much power and responsibility. So much status and wealth.
And yet those kingdoms fall to nothing. We see this from history. We also see this in the pages of the Bible. Daniel, as an older man, was offered high status in many human kingdoms, but his message continued about THE Kingdom that would crush all others. It is so easy for we humans to interpret out human kingdom as the kingdom, whether that is Nebuchadnezzar, ancient Israel, current Israel, or the United States of America.
The Kingdom is ruled by the King - Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We have an inheritance in a kingdom that far outweighs any human kingdom. Often we are faced with a choice to pursue the eternal kingdom above or the temporal human kingdoms below. Daniel, even with his status of human kingdoms, continues to speak to people of a better kingdom. Wherever we are in the kingdoms of this world, whether we are the President of the United Sates, Barack Obama, or whether we are a teenage textile worker in Bangladesh, may we seek out and speak of the kingdom that never ends, which is offered to us freely to inherit.
Inheriting a human kingdom, whether that be an ancient kingdom like the Persian empire or a baby kingdom like the United States of America (I know, I know, the U.S.A. is a democracy) is something that would overwhelm the average person. So much power and responsibility. So much status and wealth.
And yet those kingdoms fall to nothing. We see this from history. We also see this in the pages of the Bible. Daniel, as an older man, was offered high status in many human kingdoms, but his message continued about THE Kingdom that would crush all others. It is so easy for we humans to interpret out human kingdom as the kingdom, whether that is Nebuchadnezzar, ancient Israel, current Israel, or the United States of America.
The Kingdom is ruled by the King - Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We have an inheritance in a kingdom that far outweighs any human kingdom. Often we are faced with a choice to pursue the eternal kingdom above or the temporal human kingdoms below. Daniel, even with his status of human kingdoms, continues to speak to people of a better kingdom. Wherever we are in the kingdoms of this world, whether we are the President of the United Sates, Barack Obama, or whether we are a teenage textile worker in Bangladesh, may we seek out and speak of the kingdom that never ends, which is offered to us freely to inherit.
May we share with our children that the best thing we have to offer them is not our money or houses or lands, but the kingdom of God which God alone offers, the kingdom of heaven which no earthly money can purchase.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Best things to inherit - #4
Eternal life. "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." - Matthew 19:29 (ESV)
Ah, leaving the inheritance of this world does not mean that we are leaving inheritance altogether, but it could mean that we have found a greater inheritance.
A man says to a person dribbling a basketball, "Excuse me sir, I will pay you one million dollars to wear these shoes for a year and let me take your picture."
The person dribbling the basketball says, "No thanks, NIKE pays me one million dollars every minute."
Saying no to an inheritance that is smaller to put all our eggs in the basket of a larger inheritance is good.
Jim Elliot died at age 28 an did not enjoy an inheritance on this earth or of this earth. He died trying to share Jesus with the people who killed him. Jim Elliot said this,
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
Eternal life is forever, unlike diamonds anything else this world sells.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Best things to inherit - #5
Salvation. "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" - Hebrews 1:14 (ESV)
This reminds me of Super Mario Brothers when someone gets that star thingy or whatever that makes them invincible and not die. The Super Mario Version runs out, but inheriting salvation is worth so much more than any amount of money or property ever could. For one, those who receive a large inheritance of money, say someone named John D. Rockefeller the 51st (He doesn't exist yet but he could). He does not inherit salvation based on his great great whatever grandfather, because the Rockefleer's like all humans, die.
Salvation. That is what we need to inherit, and what we want our children to understand they can inherit, too. Not that we pass it on to them, but that our heavenly Father passes it to all of us who will receive it.
Salvation from what? Sin, death, the devil. Salvation from all that is evil and wrong.
So if you are broke and cannot leave anything to your children, you can leave what has been passed on to us all that is worth far more than diamonds or gold or land or money.
Salvation, what an inheritance we have!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Best things to inherit - #6
#6. the earth. "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." - Matthew 5:5 (KJV)
Throughout the bible there is a emphasis on inheritance on land, and while earth could be translated land, this quote from Jesus puts inheritance talk into a great perspective. Maybe you have not, but I have heard of inheritance arguments and feuds. When grandpa dies everybody is fighting to get their share. Jesus suggests a different style of inheritance. Meekness. What? I thought if you want something be bold about it. Make a plan and plow through so that you can get what you want. Don't let people plow over you, you plow over them. "NO," says Jesus - it is the meek one who will get it, the pushover, the one who is plowed over.
The two other times this word "meek" is used in the book of Matthew, it is used for Jesus himself as he is talking about himself. The only other time it is mentioned in the New Testament is in 1 Peter 3:4 talking about a "meek" and quiet spirit, which is great value in God's sight. Who will inherit the earth? The meek, those walked on and crucified like Jesus, and the best non-Jesus example (the only one) in the Bible is the meek spirit of a woman.
Inheritance was often tied to men throughout the Bible, and Zelophehad's daughters in Numbers 27 are the exception to the rule. The world and most of the societies of this world reward boldness and assertiveness and dominance. God's inheritance is given in a different way - to the meek, the spat upon, the overlooked.
Ah, the meek - they will inherit the earth.
Me: I thought the rich families and CEOs inherited the earth.
Jesus: No, it is the meek, the humble, the lowly.
Me: So you are flipping the way we do inheritance on its head.
Jesus: Turning it back rightside up - the way you do it is turned on its head.
Me: I do not know if that will work out in the real world Jesus.
Jesus: Oh yes it will, for I am the real world, and I am the meek who will inherit the earth, and I share with the meek ones who come to me, for no one comes to me but in a meek way. The proud will never admit their need of me, unless they let my meekness rule their proud hearts.
Throughout the bible there is a emphasis on inheritance on land, and while earth could be translated land, this quote from Jesus puts inheritance talk into a great perspective. Maybe you have not, but I have heard of inheritance arguments and feuds. When grandpa dies everybody is fighting to get their share. Jesus suggests a different style of inheritance. Meekness. What? I thought if you want something be bold about it. Make a plan and plow through so that you can get what you want. Don't let people plow over you, you plow over them. "NO," says Jesus - it is the meek one who will get it, the pushover, the one who is plowed over.
The two other times this word "meek" is used in the book of Matthew, it is used for Jesus himself as he is talking about himself. The only other time it is mentioned in the New Testament is in 1 Peter 3:4 talking about a "meek" and quiet spirit, which is great value in God's sight. Who will inherit the earth? The meek, those walked on and crucified like Jesus, and the best non-Jesus example (the only one) in the Bible is the meek spirit of a woman.
Inheritance was often tied to men throughout the Bible, and Zelophehad's daughters in Numbers 27 are the exception to the rule. The world and most of the societies of this world reward boldness and assertiveness and dominance. God's inheritance is given in a different way - to the meek, the spat upon, the overlooked.
Ah, the meek - they will inherit the earth.
Me: I thought the rich families and CEOs inherited the earth.
Jesus: No, it is the meek, the humble, the lowly.
Me: So you are flipping the way we do inheritance on its head.
Jesus: Turning it back rightside up - the way you do it is turned on its head.
Me: I do not know if that will work out in the real world Jesus.
Jesus: Oh yes it will, for I am the real world, and I am the meek who will inherit the earth, and I share with the meek ones who come to me, for no one comes to me but in a meek way. The proud will never admit their need of me, unless they let my meekness rule their proud hearts.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Best things to inherit - #7
#7. Knowledge. "The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." - Proverbs 14:18 (ESV)
Ah knowledge. I recently gained the knowledge of how to install a lid switch on a washing machine. It was something that I had no idea of and now I know how to do. Coca Cola has the knowledge of mixing a drink that is calorie free and still tastes like coke (coke zero). I went to seminary racking up a bit of debt to get the knowledge of how to read and understand Biblical Greek and Hebrew. People search for knowledge all the time, nowadays on the internet. Many times we do not get the knowledge we seek such as how to eat candy and drink pop and lose weight or how to spend all your paycheck impulsively and be a millionaire. The Bible, such as this verse, speak of the good of inheriting knowledge, such as the metal smith who passes the craft to his children. Today education is almost always emphasized. Education is seen as the foundation of all society. So why do I have it at #7.
Because two people in the Bible had a lot of knowledge - the first man and the first woman. Maybe knowing a lot is not the best thing. There is a danger to knowledge. Think of nuclear knowledge. Think of the internet. Knowledge in and of itself can be deadly. Many people who live a street life have knowledge. They have learned, or been forced to learn deadly knowledge. What is the quality of knowledge that we are passing on to our children? What quality of knowledge has been passed on to us?
Some knowledge is no doubt better than others
Some knowledge is to be avoided:
"O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge," - 1 Timothy 6:20 (ESV)
Some knowledge is to be filling us:
"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding," - Colossians 1:9 (ESV)
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Best things to inherit - #8
I am continuing my top ten list of Biblical things to inherit.
#8. Honor. "The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace." - Proverbs 3:35 (ESV)
"He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor." - 1 Samuel 2:8 (ESV)
One thing that begs the question is who is honor inherited from? If honor is inherited from parents and parents are disgraceful and not honorable, does that mean that the child can not inherit honor?
I think that these verses begin to speak of an inheritance beyond a paper will. In some ways it speaks of each person's role in their own inheritance. On the other hand, the second verse speaks of One who provides the needy with an inheritance of honor. If you received no inheritance, and definitely not honor as an inheritance, honor can be inherited from the Lord, and especially to those who need it.
If you are a parent, probably the best thing for you to do to enable your children to inherit honor is to point them in the direction of the One who can give it. If you seek honor in and of itself, I fear that you may miss it all. The idea of inheriting honor helps us to see what a big deal it is Who we inherit from.
#8. Honor. "The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace." - Proverbs 3:35 (ESV)
"He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor." - 1 Samuel 2:8 (ESV)
One thing that begs the question is who is honor inherited from? If honor is inherited from parents and parents are disgraceful and not honorable, does that mean that the child can not inherit honor?
I think that these verses begin to speak of an inheritance beyond a paper will. In some ways it speaks of each person's role in their own inheritance. On the other hand, the second verse speaks of One who provides the needy with an inheritance of honor. If you received no inheritance, and definitely not honor as an inheritance, honor can be inherited from the Lord, and especially to those who need it.
If you are a parent, probably the best thing for you to do to enable your children to inherit honor is to point them in the direction of the One who can give it. If you seek honor in and of itself, I fear that you may miss it all. The idea of inheriting honor helps us to see what a big deal it is Who we inherit from.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Best things to inherit - #9
Inheritance. Have you ever received one or given on or wanted one. In the Bible it was often about land, and today it is usually about money. During this series of blog posts about the Biblical top ten lists of best things to inherit, I will explore other less thought of things that we can receive as an inheritance.
#9. What is Good. "The one who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good." - Proverbs 28:10 (NET) In a sense this is the reap what you sow theme of the Bible which is prevalent in Proverbs. If you kick people you will be kicked, but if you buy people a meal, someone will also buy yours. Maybe too extreme. The problem with this proverb, and the problem points to the solution, is that we are not blameless. We are the evil ones. The solution is that someone who is blameless makes us blameless, and that person is Jesus Christ. But I am getting ahead of myself in all this inheritance stuff. What is good? What is the "good" that the writer writes about that the blameless will inherit?
What are good things to inherit?
What are bad things to inherit?
Is a lot of money good? Is debt bad? Is neglect bad? Is education good? What do you think? What are your ideas on what is good?
#9. What is Good. "The one who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good." - Proverbs 28:10 (NET) In a sense this is the reap what you sow theme of the Bible which is prevalent in Proverbs. If you kick people you will be kicked, but if you buy people a meal, someone will also buy yours. Maybe too extreme. The problem with this proverb, and the problem points to the solution, is that we are not blameless. We are the evil ones. The solution is that someone who is blameless makes us blameless, and that person is Jesus Christ. But I am getting ahead of myself in all this inheritance stuff. What is good? What is the "good" that the writer writes about that the blameless will inherit?
What are good things to inherit?
What are bad things to inherit?
Is a lot of money good? Is debt bad? Is neglect bad? Is education good? What do you think? What are your ideas on what is good?
Monday, November 25, 2013
Best things to inherit - #10
I have been looking through the Bible at the subject of inheritance, and while land is the prominent thing that is inherited in the Bible, it is not the only thing. So here goes my list of things that I think are cool to inherit.
10. The blessing. "For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears." Hebrews 12:17 (ESV)
10. The blessing. "For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears." Hebrews 12:17 (ESV)
This is a negative example of a very important inheritance. Our children want to be blessed by us. This blessing is one of the best blessings we as parents can hand on to our kids. It also shows what the opposite of inheriting a blessing is. It seems that Esau inherited rejection. It may be that each parent has a choice to give their child a blessing or a rejection as an inheritance.
How can we give our kids an inheritance of a blessing?
We can tell them that we love them out loud in a non-sarcastic way, and hopefully we are crying when we say it. There is my idea. What is yours?
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Personality Tests
I have a lot of ideas. I was going to make up a new personality test, a pop personality test, that decides if you are a mt. dew or a dr. pepper or a stoney tangaweezi/. With all of the facebook personality tests going around facebook, including lord of the rings (dang I am not aragorn). So my idea is this - you make up a new personality test. Just make up like 40 questions, or even 20 and then sort it out. You say, what kind of personality test. Here are some you could make up:
1. Which country were you meant to live in?
2. Which planet are you?
3. Which type of font are you?
4. Which sense is your favorite?
5. Which country song are you?
If you make one up, send it to me so that I can take it.
1. Which country were you meant to live in?
2. Which planet are you?
3. Which type of font are you?
4. Which sense is your favorite?
5. Which country song are you?
If you make one up, send it to me so that I can take it.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Money Saving Ideas - Buying Used
Buying things used: One way to save quite a bit of money is to buy things used. Most people know that a used car is a lot less expensive than a new one. There is of course a risk in buying things used, but so is there a rick in buying things new. I will list a few places to buy things used, and also some things that can be a great deal buying used.
Where to buy:
1. Amazon.com often has sellers who will sell you something that is used for much cheaper, whether this be a book on Middle-earth lore, a swimming pool, a Nintendo 64, or if you are lucky, the Settlers of Catan.
2. Craigslist is a online place to buy things used, but be very very leery. Some people are selling stuff they bought, while others are selling stuff they stole. Here is one way to see if what they are selling may be stolen or that there may be a catch. If the picture is not a picture in the house, but one from the internet, and also when you search craigslist for there phone number, they are selling a lot of other things this way.
3. Thrift stores. This can not be overstated. Thrift stores sell so many things that you want to buy at such a discounted rate. Often the proceeds are put to very good causes, like the Muncie Mission's Christian Recovery Program.
4. Garage sales. Probably everyone has been to or at least by a garage or yard sale. These can be a great way to get the things you need at a price you can afford.
5. Friends and family who lost or gained weight or just got tired of their clothes. The amount of clothing that is bought new in the US is greater than the need for the US, therefore, much clothing is gotten rid of. Let people know you will take their hand me downs. Put the money you saved toward someone in Burma who has one pair of pants instead of 30 pairs.
6. After the season clearance. In a sense these items are used because they have been tried on so many times. This is a great way to get a bargain and be prepared for the same season next year.
7. Used appliance stores. You can pay 1/3 of the cost by buying a used washer, fridge, etc.
What to buy:
1. Used house
2. Used car
3. Used clothes
4. Used food (late food - or if you dare, discarded food)
5. Used cell phones
6. Used washer and dryer
7. Used refrigerator.
8. Used lawn mover.
9. Used camping gear.
10. Used bicycle.
11. Used cloth diapers.
12. Used dishes and silverware sets.
13. Used furniture.
14. Used building materials.
15. Used luggage.
16. The list goes on.
Where not to buy:
1. Rent to own (you will pay more).
2. Casino (you will lose more than you win).
3. Gas stations and convenience stores.
4. Stadiums and concerts.
5. in an alley
What not to buy used
1. prescription medications.
2. needles
3. engine oil
4. insurance
5. mattresses with bedbugs
6. smelly clothes
7. proceed with caution.
Where to buy:
1. Amazon.com often has sellers who will sell you something that is used for much cheaper, whether this be a book on Middle-earth lore, a swimming pool, a Nintendo 64, or if you are lucky, the Settlers of Catan.
2. Craigslist is a online place to buy things used, but be very very leery. Some people are selling stuff they bought, while others are selling stuff they stole. Here is one way to see if what they are selling may be stolen or that there may be a catch. If the picture is not a picture in the house, but one from the internet, and also when you search craigslist for there phone number, they are selling a lot of other things this way.
3. Thrift stores. This can not be overstated. Thrift stores sell so many things that you want to buy at such a discounted rate. Often the proceeds are put to very good causes, like the Muncie Mission's Christian Recovery Program.
4. Garage sales. Probably everyone has been to or at least by a garage or yard sale. These can be a great way to get the things you need at a price you can afford.
5. Friends and family who lost or gained weight or just got tired of their clothes. The amount of clothing that is bought new in the US is greater than the need for the US, therefore, much clothing is gotten rid of. Let people know you will take their hand me downs. Put the money you saved toward someone in Burma who has one pair of pants instead of 30 pairs.
6. After the season clearance. In a sense these items are used because they have been tried on so many times. This is a great way to get a bargain and be prepared for the same season next year.
7. Used appliance stores. You can pay 1/3 of the cost by buying a used washer, fridge, etc.
What to buy:
1. Used house
2. Used car
3. Used clothes
4. Used food (late food - or if you dare, discarded food)
5. Used cell phones
6. Used washer and dryer
7. Used refrigerator.
8. Used lawn mover.
9. Used camping gear.
10. Used bicycle.
11. Used cloth diapers.
12. Used dishes and silverware sets.
13. Used furniture.
14. Used building materials.
15. Used luggage.
16. The list goes on.
Where not to buy:
1. Rent to own (you will pay more).
2. Casino (you will lose more than you win).
3. Gas stations and convenience stores.
4. Stadiums and concerts.
5. in an alley
What not to buy used
1. prescription medications.
2. needles
3. engine oil
4. insurance
5. mattresses with bedbugs
6. smelly clothes
7. proceed with caution.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Pick-a-dates
We went to a small Midwestern Christian college, and there was a tradition there to have pick-a-dates. What is a pick-a-date? A pick-a-date is where your roommate calls and asks someone to go on a group date with you and the people in your dorm. The great thing, I believe, about pick-a-dates is that Christian college kids can hang out together in a group and learn about others through conversation. There is a lot to be said for group interaction in the dating process. I did not go on a record number of pick-a-dates, but I went on a few, and so I will list my top ten list. If you are living in a college dorm trying to plan an event for your dorm, feel free to use any of these in your context. Some of them were okay, others were life-changing.
10. My first pick a date was to my hometown bowling alley. I list is #10 not because it is the worst, but because it is the first. We had a pick of a wreck, and had to change a tire. Bowling seems to be a popular group dating activity.
9. Going to someone's house and hanging out. This is pretty common. I just remember the only person who had never seen "Friends," the tv show.
8. The square dance. This was not really a pick a date, but a tradition at our college. You square danced with people you just met. I know one guy who met his future wife this way.
7. Insert your idea here: I did not go on ten pick a dates, so I have to fill space. Some of the rest may be made up. You pick which ones were made up.
6. Go to NAIA nationals pick a date. This was not really a date at all, but I got to see my friend run a !:46 800.
5. Walk the loop pick a date. We all walked the loop around campus and then had hot chocolate in the breezeway.
4. Nutcracker pick a date. We got all dressed up and went to Indianapolis to see the Nutcracker. It was fun. I later married my date.
3. Children's museum pick a date. I still like that place and take my kids there.
2. The T-shirt pick a date. You meet your date in the library, give her a T-shirt that says, "I went on a Sammy II pick-a-date and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.
1. Jar-prom. Think opposite of prom. The main event was an obstacle course in which you heaved yourself and your date on top of a shed, shot a ball in a basket, did the wheelbarrow, etc. The best pick a date ever.
10. My first pick a date was to my hometown bowling alley. I list is #10 not because it is the worst, but because it is the first. We had a pick of a wreck, and had to change a tire. Bowling seems to be a popular group dating activity.
9. Going to someone's house and hanging out. This is pretty common. I just remember the only person who had never seen "Friends," the tv show.
8. The square dance. This was not really a pick a date, but a tradition at our college. You square danced with people you just met. I know one guy who met his future wife this way.
7. Insert your idea here: I did not go on ten pick a dates, so I have to fill space. Some of the rest may be made up. You pick which ones were made up.
6. Go to NAIA nationals pick a date. This was not really a date at all, but I got to see my friend run a !:46 800.
5. Walk the loop pick a date. We all walked the loop around campus and then had hot chocolate in the breezeway.
4. Nutcracker pick a date. We got all dressed up and went to Indianapolis to see the Nutcracker. It was fun. I later married my date.
3. Children's museum pick a date. I still like that place and take my kids there.
2. The T-shirt pick a date. You meet your date in the library, give her a T-shirt that says, "I went on a Sammy II pick-a-date and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.
1. Jar-prom. Think opposite of prom. The main event was an obstacle course in which you heaved yourself and your date on top of a shed, shot a ball in a basket, did the wheelbarrow, etc. The best pick a date ever.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
a flag
i pledge allegiance to the flag
here are two perspectives on the flag.
1. the perspective of looking back on the battle
2. the perspective of being in the battle
in the midst of the battle of the revolutionary war, the soldiers needed a flag to run to for safety, and that flag was the declaration of independence, the words of thomas jefferson saying that all men are created equal, and men ran to that flag to fight for their freedom, but the flag they rallied to at valley forge could not give them safety on the plantation, and so it was a false flag, political words of a man, empty.
what battle can you look back on, or are you in the middle of it - two very different perspectives, on looking back we see what God has brought us through, but in the middle of the battle it appears that God is our enemy. we also need a flag to run to, but what flag will prove true when so many of us have run to false flags that have disappointed us? Why would we risk running to another flag?
David also had a battle in 2 Samuel 8 and 10. It is a perspective of looking back at what God brought David through. But there is another perspective in Scripture of David's battles of 2 Samuel 8 and 10, and that is Psalm 60. Go ahead and read it.
the first few verses show how David felt God to be the enemy.
then David speaks of a flag, a banner, that God has set up for people to run to
what flag is that?
what flag could David run to in the middle of the battle?
"God has spoken in his holiness"
the word of God was David's flag. in the middle of the battle when David felt God to be the enemy, David ran to the word God had spoken.
"all these places you are fighting battles in David" God says, "those are mine."
David can flee to God's flag wherever he is.
But why should David risk running to God's flag? David rallied to Saul's flag and was burnt for it, hunted for it.
Are you burnt as David was? He ran to God's flag anyway.
David was not the only one in a battle.
Jesus was in a great battle, our battle.
The perspective of facing the cross is a perspective we will never know, but what a horror Jesus must have faced. What flag could he run to?
As Moses lifted the snake up on a flag in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up as a flag.
Jesus was the flag.
Will we run to him today?
How can we run to him?
here are two perspectives on the flag.
1. the perspective of looking back on the battle
2. the perspective of being in the battle
in the midst of the battle of the revolutionary war, the soldiers needed a flag to run to for safety, and that flag was the declaration of independence, the words of thomas jefferson saying that all men are created equal, and men ran to that flag to fight for their freedom, but the flag they rallied to at valley forge could not give them safety on the plantation, and so it was a false flag, political words of a man, empty.
what battle can you look back on, or are you in the middle of it - two very different perspectives, on looking back we see what God has brought us through, but in the middle of the battle it appears that God is our enemy. we also need a flag to run to, but what flag will prove true when so many of us have run to false flags that have disappointed us? Why would we risk running to another flag?
David also had a battle in 2 Samuel 8 and 10. It is a perspective of looking back at what God brought David through. But there is another perspective in Scripture of David's battles of 2 Samuel 8 and 10, and that is Psalm 60. Go ahead and read it.
the first few verses show how David felt God to be the enemy.
then David speaks of a flag, a banner, that God has set up for people to run to
what flag is that?
what flag could David run to in the middle of the battle?
"God has spoken in his holiness"
the word of God was David's flag. in the middle of the battle when David felt God to be the enemy, David ran to the word God had spoken.
"all these places you are fighting battles in David" God says, "those are mine."
David can flee to God's flag wherever he is.
But why should David risk running to God's flag? David rallied to Saul's flag and was burnt for it, hunted for it.
Are you burnt as David was? He ran to God's flag anyway.
David was not the only one in a battle.
Jesus was in a great battle, our battle.
The perspective of facing the cross is a perspective we will never know, but what a horror Jesus must have faced. What flag could he run to?
As Moses lifted the snake up on a flag in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up as a flag.
Jesus was the flag.
Will we run to him today?
How can we run to him?
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Isaiah 1 - the vision
Do you have a vision for your life? If God gave you a vision, what would it be, do you think? Would it be of a celestial city with streets of gold and trees with fruit that is always ripe. Would it be a vision of the keys to the car that you always wanted and no speed limit? What would God’s vision for your life be, do you think? What does God want you to see? One of the greatest visions that anyone in human history has ever received from God is the vision of Isaiah.
The first line of Isaiah is “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz. . .” This could mean that the first portion of Isaiah is a vision, or this could be a title for the whole book, and in fact the “vision” of Isaiah is also referred to in 2 Chronicles 32:32, and speaks of what Isaiah wrote of Hezekiah, and he is spoken of primarily toward the end of the first half of Isaiah, in chapters 36-39 of Isaiah. So I would conclude the “VISION” is the title of the whole of Isaiah, though I am willing to be corrected.
The setting of this vision is outlined in the first verse, in Judah and Jerusalem, and during the reigns of four kings of Judah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. This was a varied time, although filled with the people and at times the kings turning away from God. It was also a time of upheaval. The Assyrian Empire was taking over the known world.
I want to share four pictures that God would show us that he showed to Isaiah of his people.
1. Dog biting its Master’s hand. “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Yahweh has spoken; “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Isreal does not know, my people do not understand.” (1:2-3) Although many people do not have oxen or donkeys, many have dogs, and the picture today would be a dog biting its Master’s hand, that Israel was like a dog biting its Master’s hand.
2. Body overflowing with puss and infection. “Why will you be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.” (1:5-6) I currently have a rash on the inside of my elbow. It is small and does not itch too bad. I have had boils which had much puss and infection. The picture that Isaiah gets of Israel is a body with no uninfected parts, but only infection, so overflowing with puss and infection that the body is unrecognizable from what it should look like. Israel was like a body overflowing with puss and infection.
3. A besieged city. “And the daughter of Zion if left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.” (1:8). The metaphor goes away and the real picture of Israel comes into focus. Israel was being besieged and taken off to Assyria. Judah was being taken over. Jerusalem was on the brink of ruin and almost taken over. Jerusalem, like one standing booth in the midst of a land where you are the only thing left, and you are next on Assyria’s hit list. A besieged city.
4. Sodom and Gomorrah. “If Yahweh of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.” (1:9). The vision of what could have been, Jerusalem could have been like Sodom and Gomorrah, which after their destruction, no survivors were left. The vision of what Israel could have been – like Sodom and Gomorrah.
These pictures are not exactly what we want to look at. “Give us a vision, Lord, . . . but not that vision.” Why does God want us, at the beginning of Isaiah to see such doom and gloom. If we do not look squarely at how things are, we will miss the vision of what God can do to make a renewed vision. How can we truly see the beauty of the end of Isaiah when we miss the terror at the beginning? The Surgeon shows us the cancer, not to shame us, but in order so that he can get it out, and give us a new picture of a healthy body. We must see the vision of how things are if we are to be open to God painting a different vision of our lives.
IDEA: Ask God to give you an honest vision of your life, unabridged and uncensored, so that we are ready to walk into the beauty of the vision he has for our lives.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
The Bible is like a Tree
The Bible is like a Tree
A tree has roots, a trunk, and fruit. The Bible also has roots, a trunk, and fruit.
The roots of the Bible is the Old Testament.
The trunk of the Bible is the New Testament.
The fruit of the Bible is Our Testament.
The tree of life is at the very beginning of the Bible, at the very end, and also the centerpiece of the Bible.
The Old Testament is the roots of the Bible. In the Beginning the Father planted a garden, and there were two specific trees, the tree of life and the tree of knowledge (tree of death – because they died). The tree of life would have to wait, and so the Father planted a people, the people of Israel. The Old Testament is rooted in the people of Israel, hidden underneath that culture. Why do I not understand the Old Testament? It is because I am not an ancient Israelite, and also because I am unwilling to dig.
The New Testament is the trunk of the Bible. What is the most famous tree in the whole Bible? The tree that Christ hung from, the cross. The tree of death became the tree of life. Out of the roots of the Father in the people of Israel, grows up the trunk of the Son, the cross, which many stumble over. The message of the cross is the foolishness of God, and with our human wisdom it trips us up. To die is to live?
Our Testament is the fruit of the Bible. The fruit of the Spirit is ours for the taking: love, joy, peace, patience. . . “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” We taste of the fruit of God, no less that the tree of life, and the Spirit speaks to us in our language. Once we eat of the fruit of the Spirit, the roots of the Father dig into us, and in our lives grows up the trunk of the Son, the suffering cross, and from our lives the Spirit brings forth fruits – love, joy, peace, patience. . . But if the fruit of the Spirit is our Testament, and we are a Bible for people to read, there are not enough our Testaments, not enough Bibles.
Roots/Trunk/Fruit – seen in Psalm 22
1. The Roots of the Father (OT) in the King of Israel, David, and his suffering life, he cries a prayer, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
2. The Trunk of the Son (NT) in the suffering of Christ on the cross, and he cries a prayer, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
3. The Fruit of the Spirit (Our T) in our own suffering, the Spirit helps us to express even groanings like, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
The tree is one tree and Father, Son, and Spirit flow through the whole tree, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, to our Testament, what He speaks to us even right now.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Dead Giveaway
Dead Giveaway. Charles Ramsey has been all over the news and internet for his role in saving the three women who were abducted in Cleveland. People have various views of Charles Ramsey. The family of the women see him as a hero. Songify and talk show hosts see him as a way to make money. What about how Amanda Berry saw him? Imagine yourself in Amanda Berry’s position. You have been imprisoned by an evil man who kidnapped you for ten years, raped you and you bore his child. You have been bound by ropes and chains, and been living this horror for a decade, and the only people you saw was your tormentor and your fellow prisoners. The chance comes and you call for help, and for the first time in a decade someone hears your cries. He helps you escape and what do you do? You run into his arms. Why? Because he is your savior. Charles Ramsey is viewed in many ways, but to Amanda Berry it is a dead giveaway how she views him, he is her savior. It is a dead giveaway because she ran into his arms.
Have you ever been in a prison? Maybe not like Amanda Berry’s prison. Ropes and chains are not the only things that bind us. Has your mind been imprisoned? Has your heart been imprisoned? Have you been in a prison of alcoholism? Have you been in a prison of internet pornography? Have you been in a prison of anger and hate and unforgiveness? Think about your prison and give it a name. Are you still in that prison or have you been delivered from it? Is it a dead giveaway that you have been delivered, that someone, to one whose arms you ran to, has saved you?
The Israelites were in prisons. People during the period of the judges and into Saul’s life were oppressed by other people. From the Egyptian slavery to being oppressed by the Ammonites, Amalekites, and the Philistines, they knew what it meant to be in a prison. God gave them King Saul, his anointed king, to save them. He was sent to be their savior. At the end of Saul’s life he does not look like a savior. As we read about his death will will see how five people or groups of people view him. Do they see him as their savior? Some do, some don’t, but with one it is a dead giveaway. As we read, look for how these five people or groups of people see Saul. His armor bearer, the Philistines, the people of Jabesh Gilead, an Amalekite, and David. (Read 1 Samuel 31 and 2 Samuel 1).
1. His armor bearer. His armor bearer saw him as someone not to kill, because he was afraid, of killing Yahweh’s anointed, and yet his fear leads to him killing himself.
2. The Philistines. They see Saul and Yahweh’s anointed against them, and so they celebrate his death and mock him.
3. The people of Jabesh Gilead. They run a marathon in which the middle they steal 4 dead bodies from an enemy city and run the second half uphill while carrying four dead bodies in order to give honor to Saul.
4. An Amalekite. He brings David the crown and armlet, seeing Saul as disposable, not as one to fear. Saul may bring him profit.
5. David. Though Saul was trying to kill him, he wept for Saul, whom he loved and saw as Yahweh’s anointed.
Which one of those five is it a dead giveaway that they saw Saul as their savior?
From the Jabesh Gilead point of view: Read 1 Samuel 11. Imagine yourselves in the position of the people of Jabesh Gilead. Your city is surrounded by Nahash (the Snake in Hebrew) and the Ammonites. It has come to the point where you are willing to make a treaty with Nahash and serve him. He says, only if you all gouge out your right eyes, and bring disgrace on Israel. The enemy wants to keep us in bondage, and so the treaties that Satan, the snake offers us, are treaties of bondage, the freedoms he offers us are anti-freedoms.
The people of Jabesh Gilead did not like this treaty so they called for help. People heard them, yes, and cried, yes, but were not prepared to help save them.
Then Saul heard it, and the Spirit of God came on him, and he delivered them from Nahash.
Did Saul save the people of Jabesh Gilead? It is a dead giveaway, for they risked their lives for his corpse that the Philistines hung up for all to see in mockery.
Has Jesus Christ saved you from anything? Is it a dead giveaway? How? Are you running into the arms of Jesus Christ? How can I run into his arms, they are not real. . . “not real”. . .
Jesus arms were really hung on the cross, hung up to be mocked like Saul. Jesus did not stay dead, but his body, including his arms, were raised really from the dead.
If Saul’s death did not stop the people of Jabesh Gilead from running to his arms, even though his head was decapitated and he was a half marathon away in an enemy city, does the fact that Jesus arms are not within sight stop us from running into his arms. His arms are real. Are we running into them?
How do we run into the arms of Jesus Christ?
Intimate prayer. We spend time talking and listening.
Ask Jesus to tell you what he has delievered you from. If you can’t think of anything, here is a partial list of things he delivers us from: Jesus saves us from. . .
Our sins (Matt. 1:21).
The Evil One (Matt. 6:13).
This crooked generation (Acts 2:40).
The wrath of God (Rom. 5:9).
This body of death (Rom. 7:24).
The Law of Sin and Death (Rom. 8:2).
The present evil age (Gal. 1:4).
The domain of darkness (Col. 1:13).
The wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10).
Every evil deed (2 Tim. 4:18).
Ask Jesus to tell us what you need to be delivered from. Confess that to Jesus. Ask him for deliverance and run away from it into his arms.
His arms are the body of Christ. As we meet together in worship of Jesus together we make it a dead giveaway that Jesus Christ is our Savior.
IDEA: Run into the arms of Jesus by thanking him for what he has delivered you from and confessing what you need delivered from, and by running into the arms of the Church and worshipping him together. That makes it a dead giveaway to the world that He truly is our Savior.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Mirrors
In reading some of Caesar Milan’s dog training (human training) books, I have been struck by this truth. Our dogs are mirrors of us. As I have pondered this, and even more piercing point struck my heart – our children are mirrors of us. Why does my son or daughter get angry? Manipulate? Act overly excited? Many times they have picked this up by imitating us. They live with us. They go on walks with us. They eat with us. If there is any fear in us, it will be in them. If there is any resentment in us, it will be in them. Children and dogs both seem to be like sponges that soak up whatever we are full of.
With my dogs one thing I have yet to master is the walk. Caesar tells me I must have calm-assertive energy. Caesar tells me my dogs are mirroring me. They lunge after the squirrel, they bark at the other dogs, and they freak out when people are on bicycles. They are with their master, but they have decided there are other things in the world that distract them, that make them go on paths that the master is not going on. The energy that they are soaking up in me must not be calm and assertive. Maybe my energy is distracted energy. What am I full of? And if my dogs and my children mirror me, who am I to mirror?
I imagine going on a walk with Jesus and looking always to Him and always focusing my energy on him, mirroring who He is. I imagine not taking one step ahead of where he is going, but only walking the steps He steps, and stopping when He stops, always looking to Him. And then I imagine myself distracted by other things, by other would be masters of my life, money, work, pleasure, sin, and things of this world. I realize that unlike my dogs, the fault is not with the Master, but with me, the follower. He is all the Master I will ever need. I need nothing new or big or exciting. I need to walk ever and only with my Master, mirroring Him with all that I am, for every moment of the rest of my life.
Idea: Imagine walking with your Master, Jesus Christ, keeping pace with Him, never ahead, and never behind, mirroring the love and peace and hope and power that He has and is. Looking to him the whole day even as a dog looks to its master.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Listen to the conversation Martin wants you to have
My conscience: “Thou hast sinned.”
Me: “I grant I have sinned.”
My conscience: “Then will God punish thee.”
Me: “Nay, he will not do so.”
My conscience: “Why, doth not the law of God say so?”
Me: “I have nothing to do with that law.”
My conscience: “Why so?”
Me: “Because I have another law which striketh this law dumb, that is to say, liberty.”
My conscience: “What liberty is that?”
Me: “The liberty of Christ, for by Christ I am utterly freed from the law.”
A conversation Martin Luther encourages us to have with our conscience, if we take good hold of what Paul teaches in Galatians, in his commentary on Galatians.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
How many of Jacob's family came into Egypt?
In this blog we will be looking at passages from the Bible and studying them so as to know what God's word for us today would be from what He said long ago. Today we find ourselves in Genesis 46 where in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, says that there were 66 (Genesis 46:26)and also that there were 70 (Genesis 46:27). Another number that is mentioned is that Joseph had two sons born to him in Egypt (Genesis 46:27). The math seems to be 66 +2 = 70. Hmmm. Some would throw their hands up in the air and say the Bible is full of contradictions and be done. But let's look further. The Septuagint (LXX) Greek translation, which it seems either Luke or Stephen (Acts 7:14) had in front of him at some time reads 75 persons (having the sons of Rachel numbering not 14 but 18). This makes the Septuagint version add up thus 33 + 16 + 18 + 7 =75 and 75-9 = 66. In terms of math, we are drawn to the error of making 74=75 in the septuagint and 68=70 in the Hebrew text. So what were the author and translator drawing our attention to, assuming that the error would make us look harder. Er and Onan, Judah's two sons, died. That could make the equation read 70-2 = 66+2. But for the case of the Septuagint, 75-9=66, but 33+16+18+7 does not =75. There is one missing. Could the Septuagint translator, or the text the translator was using, be drawing our attention to the defiled Dinah, while the Hebrew text is pointing our attention to the death of Judah's sons? Judah's sons died, as Jacob thought Joseph had died, and right after this Jacob sends Judah ahead of him to Joseph. What do you think?
Sunday, May 12, 2013
The names of Yahweh in Exodus
The names of Yahweh in Exodus
Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (3:15).
Yahweh, the God of Israel (5:1).
Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews (7:16).
Yahweh, the Warrior (15:3).
Yahweh, your Healer (15:26).
Yahweh, my Banner (17:15).
Yahweh, your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (20:2).
Yahweh, your Sanctifier (31:13).
Yahweh, the Jealous One (34:14).
Yahweh, Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation (34:6-7).
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Genesis 47
Joseph was a very good administrator, maybe too good. He seemed cool and calm before Pharaoh coming out of jail saying, "It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer" (Genesis 42). But as the starving Egyptians come to Joseph and have paid him all the money they have, Joseph continues to barter them down, taking their land for Pharaoh, taking their livestock for Pharaoh, and yes, making them Pharaoh's slaves. Hmm. Joseph sounds like the guy who finds a man bleeding on the street and says, "Hey I will call 911 if you give Pharaoh your fishing boat, or your road bike, or your Prius." Of course they accept, or they would have died. But Joseph sets up things in Egypt to prepare the way, years later when he was forgotten, for the people of Israel to become slaves. What if Joseph would have said, "Take it, a free gift, you don't have to give anything." Or if he would have said, "Give all of this to God, for Pharaoh and I myself would have been starving without hope HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR GOD." Does Pharaoh really deserve anything? Maybe Joseph in all the hype of Egypt had forgotten who he was serving. Pharaoh was not his master, or was he?
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Israel's nation, blessing, and land
In Genesis 46-47 we read of the promises reaching some sense of fulfillment in the life of Jacob (Israel). Abraham was promised to be a great nation, to be blessed, and to be brought to a land (Genesis 12:1-3), and this promise is respoken in terms of offspring (great nation), possess the gate of enemies (land), blessing (Genesis 22:17-18).
The same promises extend to Isaac as multiplied offspring (great nation), blessing, and lands (Genesis 26:3-5).
Jacob recieves the same promises. In the dream of a ladder to heaven God promises Jacob offsping like dust, land extended, and blessing (Genesis 28:13-14).
In Genesis 46-47 these promises are both fulfilled and yet found wanting. Let's take each promise in turn.
Israel's Nation. (Genesis 46:1-30)
Fulfilled. The offspring of Israel dominates this section. From the perspective of Israel his son Joseph has been dead for about 20 years. Long before 20 years does one give up hope for the dead. The period of shock is long gone and the person in truly dead. Israel meets Joseph and says, "Now let me die." Joseph, in so many ways the fulfillment of the promises, is not dead after all. He is the king that came from Jacob's own body (Genesis 35:11). Not only that but Israel comes with 70 from his family, a brady bunch type perfect number.
Found wanting. And yet the numbers do not add up. It is 66 or 70? Is it 68 or 70? These numbers point to the fact that two of Israel's grandsons, Er and Onan, are dead. They also point to the fact that Dinah is not counted, why not when another granddaughter, Serah, seems to be counted (Genesis 46:17). The numbers do not add up, not because the writer was a moron, but because the writer was pointing to the fulfillment being found wanting.
Israel's Blessing. (Genesis 46:31-47:26)
Fulfilled. Jacob and his family are not only provided for during the famine, but Jacob himself comes to bless Pharaoh (Genesis 47:7). Israel is a blessing to other nations, the nation of Egypt. Not only that, but Joseph literally saves all of Egypt from starvation and allows them not to die. Israel's son has provided salvation for Israel and Egypt and the world.
Found wanting. Yet Israel's encounter with Pharaoh does not seem to typify "blessing," since "few and evil" (Genesis 47:9) have been his days, and he sees an unfiulfillment of his days compared to his father's days (47:9). Also, while Joseph does save the land of Egypt, he does it by debt-slavery (Genesis 47:21), by making Egypt be in bondage to Pharaoh, bonds that would transfer later to Israel when Joseph is forgotten, bonds that God would have to come and break.
Israel's Land. (Genesis 47:27-31)
Fulfilled. Jacob and his family found land in Goshen, which it seems is very good land for shepherds, and they were able to settle down a bit, as much as wandering shepherds do. They had land which was extremely good. They could survive.
Found wanting. Jacob did not belong there, and he did not forget the promise God gave him of the land of Canaan. He did not want his people to forget God's promised land. He did not want to bury himself in Egypt, but to be buried in the promise of God, even if that promised land was being eaten up by famine. So he makes Joseph swear to bury him with his fathers in the land (Genesis 47:31).
The same promises extend to Isaac as multiplied offspring (great nation), blessing, and lands (Genesis 26:3-5).
Jacob recieves the same promises. In the dream of a ladder to heaven God promises Jacob offsping like dust, land extended, and blessing (Genesis 28:13-14).
In Genesis 46-47 these promises are both fulfilled and yet found wanting. Let's take each promise in turn.
Israel's Nation. (Genesis 46:1-30)
Fulfilled. The offspring of Israel dominates this section. From the perspective of Israel his son Joseph has been dead for about 20 years. Long before 20 years does one give up hope for the dead. The period of shock is long gone and the person in truly dead. Israel meets Joseph and says, "Now let me die." Joseph, in so many ways the fulfillment of the promises, is not dead after all. He is the king that came from Jacob's own body (Genesis 35:11). Not only that but Israel comes with 70 from his family, a brady bunch type perfect number.
Found wanting. And yet the numbers do not add up. It is 66 or 70? Is it 68 or 70? These numbers point to the fact that two of Israel's grandsons, Er and Onan, are dead. They also point to the fact that Dinah is not counted, why not when another granddaughter, Serah, seems to be counted (Genesis 46:17). The numbers do not add up, not because the writer was a moron, but because the writer was pointing to the fulfillment being found wanting.
Israel's Blessing. (Genesis 46:31-47:26)
Fulfilled. Jacob and his family are not only provided for during the famine, but Jacob himself comes to bless Pharaoh (Genesis 47:7). Israel is a blessing to other nations, the nation of Egypt. Not only that, but Joseph literally saves all of Egypt from starvation and allows them not to die. Israel's son has provided salvation for Israel and Egypt and the world.
Found wanting. Yet Israel's encounter with Pharaoh does not seem to typify "blessing," since "few and evil" (Genesis 47:9) have been his days, and he sees an unfiulfillment of his days compared to his father's days (47:9). Also, while Joseph does save the land of Egypt, he does it by debt-slavery (Genesis 47:21), by making Egypt be in bondage to Pharaoh, bonds that would transfer later to Israel when Joseph is forgotten, bonds that God would have to come and break.
Israel's Land. (Genesis 47:27-31)
Fulfilled. Jacob and his family found land in Goshen, which it seems is very good land for shepherds, and they were able to settle down a bit, as much as wandering shepherds do. They had land which was extremely good. They could survive.
Found wanting. Jacob did not belong there, and he did not forget the promise God gave him of the land of Canaan. He did not want his people to forget God's promised land. He did not want to bury himself in Egypt, but to be buried in the promise of God, even if that promised land was being eaten up by famine. So he makes Joseph swear to bury him with his fathers in the land (Genesis 47:31).
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Dreams and Night Visions in Genesis
Genesis has a large percentage of the dreams and night visions in the Bible. In Genesis 46 Jacob has a night vision and God spoke to him, and it seems that he heard clearly what God was saying. The first dream in Genesis is in Gen 20 where God appears and speaks to Abimelech and very clearly threatens him with death. In Genesis 28 Jacob has a dream, and in Genesis 31, and the night vision of Genesis 46. In all three dreams of Jacob God speaks to him, in the last two Jacob is called by name. Laban also has a dream in which God speaks to him clearly in Genesis 31. Joseph has two dreams in Genesis 37 that although God does not speak to him, the message seems to be interpreted throughout the family easily enough. The last four dreams of Genesis, the cupbearer and the baker's dreams in Genesis 40, of which they seem to be clueless to the meaning, but Joseph gives an interpretation from God. The two dreams of Pharaoh in Genesis 41 not only can Pharaoh not interpret the meaning, but none of those who normally do interpret dreams can interpret them.
How does looking at the dreams as a vehicle of communication with God in Genesis apply to our lives today? Sometimes God speaks directly in dreams, this may be primarily vocal, as in Abimelech's dream in Genesis 20, or vocal combined with visible images such as Jacob and the ladder to heaven in Genesis 28. Other times God does not speak directly as in Joseph's dreams or Pharaoh's dreams, but the visual stimulii has a meaning behind it that God is communicating, whether or not the dreamer or those associated with the dreamer understand that message. It appears that the fact that dreams have an interpretation are found both in Egypt and among the Hebrews. So the overwhelming message seems to be that God speaks to us through dreams.
What does he say? The dreams in Genesis are messages of warning (Abimelech), future blessing (Jacob), future death (baker), and warning of famine (Pharaoh). It seems that God is saying what he is about to do, whether that be to kill you, or to bless you, or to bring a famine.
How does looking at the dreams as a vehicle of communication with God in Genesis apply to our lives today? Sometimes God speaks directly in dreams, this may be primarily vocal, as in Abimelech's dream in Genesis 20, or vocal combined with visible images such as Jacob and the ladder to heaven in Genesis 28. Other times God does not speak directly as in Joseph's dreams or Pharaoh's dreams, but the visual stimulii has a meaning behind it that God is communicating, whether or not the dreamer or those associated with the dreamer understand that message. It appears that the fact that dreams have an interpretation are found both in Egypt and among the Hebrews. So the overwhelming message seems to be that God speaks to us through dreams.
What does he say? The dreams in Genesis are messages of warning (Abimelech), future blessing (Jacob), future death (baker), and warning of famine (Pharaoh). It seems that God is saying what he is about to do, whether that be to kill you, or to bless you, or to bring a famine.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The Paracletes of Boston
But what is a paraclete? This has challenged translators for some time. Many preachers point out that the Greek word is a sort of compound word meaning "called beside." And so a paraclete is someone who is called to be beside someone else, as Jesus and the Holy Spirit were called by the Father to be beside us. The translations range from Helper, Advocate, Comforter, Counselor, Paraclete, Encourager, and more I assume in the decades to come. But it seems that no word has fit just right.
I propose a meaning from the marathon running world, especially for those who have run or cheered on those who run marathons.
I have run five marathons and every single one was very hard, even though I ran cross country and track in college. I always wanted to qualify for the Boston Marathon but have not done that yet. I want to share with you one of the people in my life who was a paraclete to me, in that she was called to be beside me, to encourage me, comfort me, and exhort me to the finish line. I was on pace to qualify for Boston, and then in the last few miles of a marathon the human body starts to tell the human why the first man who ran a marathon to tell of the war died on the spot. The body weakens. The mind weakens. All those glorious thoughts of qualifying or even finishing are replaced by thoughts of quitting. You begin not to care at all about that finish line. Now all determination has turned into determination to quit.
Then the paracletes come in. These are the people who will do anything they have to do to make sure you get to the finish line. They will encourage you, tell you to keep going, tell you you are almost there, and they will even run with you.
My wife was there at 24 miles, right when I almost collapsed to the ground. I held onto her as the charlie horse overtook all my strength. She let me lean onto her. After some time she walked with me, and then she began to run with me for the last two miles, even though she was in jeans. She was called to be beside me.
How crucial was my wife to me finishing that marathon? Only a marathon runner can truly know, but I know that it was the only way I was going to finish.
A paraclete is a person who not only encourages their mom, dad, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, or daughter in the months and months of training, but also sets aside whole weekends for the sole purpose of coming alongside another person to encourage them to the finish line, to cheer them on, to tell them to keep going. A marathon is 26.2 miles. I have often told people that the first 26 miles are easy, its that last point 2 that is so so hard. That is why all of the paracletes cheer on their runners at the last point 2 of the marathon.
A marathon paraclete, a person who cheers on their runner that last point 2 of the marathon, is a rare person.
A life paraclete, a person who cheers on another person to keep going, "you're looking good" (when you look awful), who runs with you in jeans, who says, "there's the finish line," is a rare person.
How many people in your life have told you to keep going when you wanted to quit? How many people have told you to keep pressing on to the finish line, the prize of Jesus Christ? Not very many. Few are the paracletes of the world, gifts from the Father, full of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, who would be called beside another.
The Evil One, not the Bin Ladens or McVeighs. but Satan, the Devil - he is threatened by these paracletes. Those paracletes cheering on the side of the road are the kingdom of heaven come down to earth. So it is no wonder to me why Satan, who steals, kills, and destroys, would want to take out the people cheering at Boston, paracletes for their runners. He also wants to take out paracletes who are called beside us to encourage us toward Christ, to tell us to keep running.
But he has only an empty power, for Christ killed death, and so those paracletes in Christ still encourage us along with the whole cloud of witnesses, knowing that their cheering is not in vain, no but is shows even more how important it is for people to take their place, to be called beside people, to be a Jesus Christ person, a Holy Spirit person, a paraclete.
May Satan feel threatened by how we encourage one another today all over the world as the Body of Christ. And may our Father in heaven continue to remind us that all Satan's attacks are spoiled, and that he only has an empty power.
What encouraging word will you say to those who are running by in your life today?
Sunday, April 14, 2013
the discipline of study
studying a Scripture passage is more than just reading it, but conversing with it, asking questions such as who wrote this? who did they write it to? who is in the passage? who is not in the passage? where is the setting of the passage? Is there geographical movement? small movement or a lot of movement? who is moving? who is staying? could there be irony in this passage? what irony could there be? why would there be irony? could there be more than one meaning? what is the main message of this passage? Are there ideas or words that are repeated? How is the passage constructed? How does it fit together? Are there comparisons and contrasts? Please do not google the answers. The questions are not a quiz, but a way to get to know the passage more. Please do not find the answers in your study Bible - try to find the answers for yourself, and only after spending time searching for yourself should you look to others answers.
Also, asking questions often does not lead to answers, but to more questions, to the vast unsearchableness of God.
Also, asking questions often does not lead to answers, but to more questions, to the vast unsearchableness of God.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
the discipline of bowing down
i like to pray with a coffee cup in my hand, or while walking or running, but I have found that it often helps to bow down to the Lord and pray to Him. I tell my dogs to sit, and they know I am the master because they obey me. Sometimes I imagine God telling me to sit and obeying him like I would have my dogs obey me. I feel I am a loving master to my dogs. Jesus Christ is an even more loving master, for we come and kneel and bow and put our face at the feet of one whose feet were bowed down for us, for one who was treated worse than a dog for us, for he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Using the Psalms in Everyday Life: Psalm 52
Using the Psalms in everyday life: Psalm 52
David was being conspired against by Saul and Saul was saying that David was conspiring against him. Read 1 Samuel. In chapter 22 Doeg goes along with Saul, and behind Doeg stands the one who goes along with us in our lies, Satan, the Devil. In the end of chapter 22 it appears that Doeg and Satan have won a great victory in all of the bloodshed.
Is your life similar to this? Does it appear that Satan is winning a victory in your life or in your family's life? Let us look to how David responded in Psalm 52, which he wrote regarding this incident.
"Why do you boast of evil, o mighty man, the faithfulness of God is all day."
All Day is a basketball term.
When someone makes a three pointer and they say, "all day" that means that they will make that shot all day.
When David sang this, he saw the evil that was done, and the lies that the evil was based on. And he also saw the truth spoken by Ahimelech, and how Ahimelech was killed for it.
David responds, "all day."
You can kill all the priests, God will raise up prophets who will speak his truth
"all day"
kill all the prophets and God will send his Son who is the truth
"all day"
kill the Son and He will be raised up and will in turn raise others up who will speak the truth
"all day"
kill them and God will along with Jesus raise them from the dead and they will speak the truth of God
"all day"
and into all eternity.
Use Psalm 52 to show Satan how fruitless his kingdom is
and how eternal God's kingdom is
David was being conspired against by Saul and Saul was saying that David was conspiring against him. Read 1 Samuel. In chapter 22 Doeg goes along with Saul, and behind Doeg stands the one who goes along with us in our lies, Satan, the Devil. In the end of chapter 22 it appears that Doeg and Satan have won a great victory in all of the bloodshed.
Is your life similar to this? Does it appear that Satan is winning a victory in your life or in your family's life? Let us look to how David responded in Psalm 52, which he wrote regarding this incident.
"Why do you boast of evil, o mighty man, the faithfulness of God is all day."
All Day is a basketball term.
When someone makes a three pointer and they say, "all day" that means that they will make that shot all day.
When David sang this, he saw the evil that was done, and the lies that the evil was based on. And he also saw the truth spoken by Ahimelech, and how Ahimelech was killed for it.
David responds, "all day."
You can kill all the priests, God will raise up prophets who will speak his truth
"all day"
kill all the prophets and God will send his Son who is the truth
"all day"
kill the Son and He will be raised up and will in turn raise others up who will speak the truth
"all day"
kill them and God will along with Jesus raise them from the dead and they will speak the truth of God
"all day"
and into all eternity.
Use Psalm 52 to show Satan how fruitless his kingdom is
and how eternal God's kingdom is
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
the discipline of reading Scripture out loud
Idea 1: take a passage of Scripture, say, the sermon on the mount, Isaiah 53, or John 17, and read that Scripture out loud every day for one month.
Idea 2: take a book and read out loud one chapter of that book every day until you have read through the whole book.
Idea 3. Read the bible out loud three chapters at a time, you will go through the whole bible in 13 months. You will have to budget more time when you are reading psalm 119.
Idea 4. Read outloud a chapter, such as Psalm 103, Psalm 23, John 15, etc, out loud before your kids go to bed. As your kids are in bed turn the lights off. You would do a better job than me if you stop to answer kid's questions instead of getting frustrated at getting interrupted.
Idea 2: take a book and read out loud one chapter of that book every day until you have read through the whole book.
Idea 3. Read the bible out loud three chapters at a time, you will go through the whole bible in 13 months. You will have to budget more time when you are reading psalm 119.
Idea 4. Read outloud a chapter, such as Psalm 103, Psalm 23, John 15, etc, out loud before your kids go to bed. As your kids are in bed turn the lights off. You would do a better job than me if you stop to answer kid's questions instead of getting frustrated at getting interrupted.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
the discipline of fasting
the discipline of fasting is odd in these United States I live in. Some of you live in areas where fasting is a reality, in that people go without food because there is no food. The lack of food is unheard of in the United States, even among the homeless people I work with. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Moses fasted. Elijah fasted. Esther fasted. Fasting is skipping a meal or meals in order to spend that time praying instead of eating.
Some of the things that fasting has done for me.
1. showed me how weak I am, and how food oriented I am.
2. given me no excuse not to pray.
3. lead me, through my hunger, to hunger instead for the bread that comes down from heaven.
4. think about those throughout the world, my brothers and my sisters, who literally are starving to death.
5. to show how human and weak I am.
6. did I mention that it shows my weakness, for I feel that this is so important, maybe the center of my Christianity, to know my weakness, so that I will rely on Christ's strength and not my own.
Some of the things that fasting has done for me.
1. showed me how weak I am, and how food oriented I am.
2. given me no excuse not to pray.
3. lead me, through my hunger, to hunger instead for the bread that comes down from heaven.
4. think about those throughout the world, my brothers and my sisters, who literally are starving to death.
5. to show how human and weak I am.
6. did I mention that it shows my weakness, for I feel that this is so important, maybe the center of my Christianity, to know my weakness, so that I will rely on Christ's strength and not my own.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
the discipline of tithing
my grandfather and my father after him, both taught their children the discipline of tithing, or giving 10 % of one's gross income to the church. I have another post about Ron Sider's idea of a graduated tithe, but why is tithing so important, or important at all. I do not believe that tithing is required for someone to be in Christ, or to live forever with God, or to escape hell, because Christ, not tithing, gives us redemption from and to. The main reason for tithing is for us to remember that it is not our money. Whether my income is $700,000 annually or $7,000 annually I must know that it is not my money. If you disagree with me read Psalm 24. If you disagree with Psalm 24, then you can argue with the Bible, which is often unfruitful.
100% of my money is God's. Tithing is a lot like baptism, a symbol of a deeper reality. My money is God's. I do not pay the pastor's salary, and if I think I do, I am quite wrong. God pays the pastor's salary. The money is and always will be His.
The car is His.
The house is His.
The road bike is His.
The ice cream is His.
Stewardship means all of my money is God's money, and what I do with 100% of it is His decision, because it is His money.
The discipline of tithing helps us to remember that it is not our money.
If tithing makes me think that I am paying God and He owes me, my tithing has become a tool of the Enemy.
100% of my money is God's. Tithing is a lot like baptism, a symbol of a deeper reality. My money is God's. I do not pay the pastor's salary, and if I think I do, I am quite wrong. God pays the pastor's salary. The money is and always will be His.
The car is His.
The house is His.
The road bike is His.
The ice cream is His.
Stewardship means all of my money is God's money, and what I do with 100% of it is His decision, because it is His money.
The discipline of tithing helps us to remember that it is not our money.
If tithing makes me think that I am paying God and He owes me, my tithing has become a tool of the Enemy.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
the discipline of silence
the bible says that God said, "Let there be light." and there was light, so it seems that God speaks. I myself have heard God, though not audibly, but "heard" Him speak to me. But it is not as common as I would like. I wonder, is it because the radio is on too much or because I cannot shut my mouth.
Idea 1. go on a audio-fast, even a techno-fast, not listening or watching things but listening to silence, in order to tune myself more to the God who still speaks.
Idea 2. speak no out loud words for one day. i did this once in college and it was really hard, but i think now to do it would be almost impossible. Maybe for three hours even. Some of you reading this are those who speak few words and this would be easy, and others of you, like me, would find this very hard.
Idea 3. During your prayer time, spend some time without praying out loud, but asking the question, "God, what do you want to say to me?" and then listening to what he may say, for 5 minutes, 15 minutes, etc.
Idea 1. go on a audio-fast, even a techno-fast, not listening or watching things but listening to silence, in order to tune myself more to the God who still speaks.
Idea 2. speak no out loud words for one day. i did this once in college and it was really hard, but i think now to do it would be almost impossible. Maybe for three hours even. Some of you reading this are those who speak few words and this would be easy, and others of you, like me, would find this very hard.
Idea 3. During your prayer time, spend some time without praying out loud, but asking the question, "God, what do you want to say to me?" and then listening to what he may say, for 5 minutes, 15 minutes, etc.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
cherry trees and a lilac hedge
This is my idea of late. We recently tore down our garage in hopes of creating a backyard, and our backyard still has its challenges, between our dogs keeping the mud muddy and the various empty beer cans, cigarette packs and God only know what else scattered as litter as the wind blows it to and fro. Our backyard would possibly be a challenge to a green thumb, and our thumbs are not green.At first I thought I would grow blueberry bushes as a hedge, and I was uber excited about having enough blueberries to supply our family and the apartments behind our house. But there was this thing that I learned about growing blueberry bushes: the soil needed to be quite acidic, with a PH around 4 or 5. So I did a PH test of our soil that I learned over the internet which was, 1. collect a sample of said soil in two cups. 2. pour vinegar in one cup and baking soda mixed with water in another cup. 3. If the vinegar cup bubbles you have alkeline soil, and if the baking soda cup bubbles you have acidic soil. Eventually, the vinegar cup bubbled. So scrap the blueberry hedge.
When I went to college, there was a lilac bush outside of the library and smelling that bush was one of the best smells ever for me, and the more I read about lilacs, the more I wanted a hedge. So now my idea is to plant two cherry trees as "fenceposts" on the ends and then along the fence to plant four or five lilac bushes.
Will this idea work? I do not know, especially because in our house we love love love BING cherries, although I am not a fan of the bing web browser. So will our bing cherries and our tartanian mix well and grow well and get enough water and not get to cold? Maybe you can tell me.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Shutting my mouth as a parent
In the words of Maria from The Sound of Music, "I'm far too outspoken, it is one of my worst faults." In my relationships with my kids I open my mouth quickly and shut it slowly. I almost always react to my kids disrespect, anger, quarrels, etc. Lord, show me how to keep a tight reign on my mouth.
"Jesus, when you stood before Pontius Pilate, with so so much you could have said to the man you created in the greatest moment of history and yet you chose to keep your mouth closed - teach me the wisdom in shutting my mouth, and the peace of shutting my mouth, and the joy in shutting my mouth, and the control of shutting my mouth. Would you Jesus be my mouth's guard and make the words that come out to only be the words you have specifically chosen. Much damage can be done by one careless destructive word, and yet such good can be done by one careful creative word. Be my words Lord. May the Word be so in me that the only words that come out of my mouth are for you. Amen, so let it be."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)