"Bulova 96B249 Men's UHF White Dial Brown Leather Strap Chronograph
Pocket Watch Bulova 96B249 UHF chronograph men's pocket watch features a
56mm wide solid stainless steel case with a fixed bezel and smooth
push-pull crown with function pushers. Bulova 96B249 is powered by a
reliable quartz chronograph movement. This stylish watch also features a
sharp looking milky white dial with black luminous hands and Arabic
numeral hour markers along with the chronograph and date display
functions, scratch resistant mineral crystal and water resistant to 30
meters. Bulova 96B249 is equipped with a 22mm wide brown leather strap
with a buckle clasp. Bulova 96B249 men's UHF white dial brown leather
strap chronograph pocket watch is brand new and comes in an original
Bulova gift box and is backed by a 3 years limited warranty."
Yesterday, I bought this from Wallmart. Brand name, great price and at 56mm, one of the largest pocket watches made (except perhaps for the Goliath watch and a few others). Well, now you know, I LIKE POCKET WATCHES, and the bigger the better! Even though I have a few that date from the 1920's or so, I have grown fond of the newer ones, primarily because they are more accurate (quartz is more accurate than a mechanical watch and a radio controlled one [set by an atomic clock] is extremely accurate).
So, I have been thinking a lot about time a lot today. But where did time come from and what is it really like? From man's perspective, it is a linear thing and is constant (except, of course as you approach the speed of light). From God's point of view, I imagine that he sees things differently. Probably views it as a whole, from beginning to end. But, then again, I may have this wrong. Point here is this: God's thoughts are not as my thoughts!
Isaiah the prophet says...
Isaiah, Chapter 55 (World English Bible)
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky,
and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth,
and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth:
it will not return to me void,
but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky,
and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth,
and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth:
it will not return to me void,
but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
And then there is the Word of God. God sends his message though an Apostle or a prophet in a way that like his thoughts is a bit hard to understand. One thing seems certain, God communicates to us what we really need to know, through flawed human beings. The Bible in its original form is without error and as pure as its originator. Human translations are another matter. In French class a number of decades ago (what seems FOREVER to me) I learned that some things translate do not translate perfectly from one language to another.
So, what does this mean for me? Simply put: find the most literal translation of the Koine Greek into English and compare that to something easier to understand. I do this in a three step process from easiest to more difficult to most difficult.
What translation (s) you use is up to you, but I encourage you to go literal. The thing is: I started with the King James Version, then to a very poor transliteration, followed by Green's translation and then to the American Standard Version (1901) and last of all to The World English Bible. Sometimes, I even use them all together (see - The Composite Bible for more information on this. (http://cbs.barnold.us/Cbs/Index.php)
Even with all this (and having reached retirement age), I am still learning. Recently, (about a month ago) I purchased Bibliotheca (http://www.bibliotheca.co/#about) and as I re-read Ephesians Tuesday evening, I felt like I was reading the letter for the first time. God is Great; I can't wait to see what God will do with HIS WORD in my life next.
HOW ABOUT YOU... ARE YOU GROWING? NO? Maybe its time you started (but first- check your pocket watch to see if you have the right time)!!!