Hummmm

I wonder what babies think about. They respond to many things almost from birth; but what kind of thoughts do they have? My best guess are things like food and touch, but who knows? This picture has the baby considering whether or not he (or is it a she?) should have some pudding. One thing is certain, as this one grows older he will want things, but what things? Here is where the Bible comes in. Read these few verses to get an insight.

1 John 2:15-17 (WEB)
15) Don’t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.
16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.
17) The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.
(1 John 2:15-17, WEB)

Progressing from a focus on the material to the spiritual is a sign of true growth. We know that world around us is decaying (and so are we) and when we look beyond all that we show the essence of true intelligence. Is it wrong to want things? NO But its better to think about what we want in the light of God's will. So, having said all that, this picture gets even better. As far as I am concerned.... pudding sounds really good (almost anytime)!!! I wonder if there is any Tapioca in the fridge?

No way out

Short, direct and to the point! That's what I like about this sign. Drink, drive and there will be consequences; plain and simple. We all can understand this, but apply it to other areas of life and suddenly things can become a bit blurred. Politicians somehow manage to evade justice for wrongs committed in office, Arizona is being sued by the federal government for trying to pass laws to protect itself, welfare is becoming the normal way of life and yet there are still quite a few restrictions on gun ownership. Its enough to make you disgusted!! I wonder, will anyone EVER LISTEN, before its too late. Jesus encountered such a situation; read on to find out more.

John 12:1-50 (WEB)
1) Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2) So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.
3) Mary, therefore, took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
4) Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,
5) “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?”
6) Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.
7) But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.
8) For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”
9) A large crowd therefore of the Jews learned that he was there, and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10) But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,
11) because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
12) On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13) they took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”
14) Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,
15) “Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
16) His disciples didn’t understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that they had done these things to him.
17) The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, was testifying about it.
18) For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.
19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”
20) Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.
21) These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
22) Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.
23) Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24) Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25) He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.
26) If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27) “Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time.
28) Father, glorify your name!” Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
29) The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30) Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes.
31) Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
32) And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33) But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
34) The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?”
35) Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going.
36) While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.
37) But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,
38) that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39) For this cause they couldn’t believe, for Isaiah said again,
40) “He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them.”
41) Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
42) Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue,
43) for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.
44) Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.
45) He who sees me sees him who sent me.
46) I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.
47) If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48) He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day.
49) For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50) I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.”
(John 12:1-50, WEB)

Jesus was coming to the end of his ministry. Many had believed, but many more had not! So, he tells them about the standards of coming judgment. Sound like the sign above?? Does to me! Wake up, America! The evil around us is growing stronger with each day. Stand up for what you believe; make a difference, say what you think (no matter who is listening), do the right thing and above all, vote in this upcoming election. There is a day of judgment coming, when, I don't know, but its going to be a dizzy!!!

Seeds of disbelief

Right, Donut seeds! Suddenly, the term "born yesterday" comes to mind! I imagine there may be a few people out there who would believe it, though. For me, this little picture says one thing: Do not believe everything you are told. I thought of this passage from the old testament book of Kings and thought you might enjoy reading it.

1 Kings 13:1-24 (WEB)
1) Behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Yahweh to Beth El: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
2) He cried against the altar by the word of Yahweh, and said, “Altar, altar, thus says Yahweh: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name. On you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and they will burn men’s bones on you.’”
3) He gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which Yahweh has spoken: Behold, the altar will be split apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.”
4) It happened, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” His hand, which he put out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to himself.
5) The altar also was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of Yahweh.
6) The king answered the man of God, “Now entreat the favor of Yahweh your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again.” The man of God entreated Yahweh, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
7) The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”
8) The man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of your house, I would not go in with you, neither would I eat bread nor drink water in this place;
9) for so was it commanded me by the word of Yahweh, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, neither return by the way that you came.’”
10) So he went another way, and didn’t return by the way that he came to Bethel.
11) Now there lived an old prophet in Bethel; and one of his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king.
12) Their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” Now his sons had seen which way the man of God went, who came from Judah.
13) He said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it.
14) He went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. He said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” He said, “I am.”
15) Then he said to him, “Come home with me, and eat bread.”
16) He said, “I may not return with you, nor go in with you; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place.
17) For it was said to me by the word of Yahweh, ‘You shall eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that you came.’”
18) He said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of Yahweh, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” He lied to him.
19) So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.
20) It happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of Yahweh came to the prophet who brought him back;
21) and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Because you have been disobedient to the mouth of Yahweh, and have not kept the commandment which Yahweh your God commanded you,
22) but came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread, and drink no water;” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’”
23) It happened, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back.
24) When he had gone, a lion met him by the way, and killed him. His body was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the body.
(1 Kings 13:1-24, WEB)

The man of God from Judah disobeyed God! Why? Because he listened to another prophet. Why? Because he was a prophet who had spoken to an angel. There is a good lesson here; trust in God, not in what people tell you, especially people who are religious authorities. Then how do you know what to do? Simple, go back to the word of God. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't believe in Donut seeds, even if somebody important like Billy Graham himself told me. However, I am not opposed to having a bowl of Cheerios's from time to time; got milk?

Anybody got a stone?

How many times have you heard:"people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"? Well, can you imagine living in a house like this? Everything can be see by everyone, anytime; somehow its a little creepy! But, if you are not doing anything wrong, who cares! Take a moment and consider the follow text.

1 Peter 4:1-8 (WEB)
1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;
2) that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
3) For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.
4) They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming:
5) who will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
6) For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.
7) But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.
8) And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
(1 Peter 4:1-8, WEB)

Jesus was perfect and obviously wants us to be as well. Others like an "earthy" lifestyle and want us to be like them. The question that rattles around in my brain is: what am I going to get out of living as a result of my choice? One the one hand purity and the other self indulgence. Which would you want to be remembered for? Following Jesus is simple; living in a glass house is not.

Aaaahhhh!

Maybe I am just on a sentimental kick today, but this is one beautiful picture! For those of you who have had a "special friend" in the early grades in school, this little photo will have a special meaning. Who knows if they will ever get together as adults, but it would be nice to think they might! Sometimes, however, things don't always work out and here is a good example from the book of Judges.

Judges 16:1-21 (WEB)
1) Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a prostitute, and went in to her.
2) The Gazites were told, “Samson is here!” They surrounded him, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, “Wait until morning light, then we will kill him.”
3) Samson lay until midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
4) It came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
5) The lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, “Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”
6) Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and what you might be bound to afflict you.”
7) Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”
8) Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
9) Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He broke the cords, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.
10) Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now please tell me with which you might be bound.”
11) He said to her, “If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”
12) So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” The ambush was waiting in the inner room. He broke them off his arms like a thread.
13) Delilah said to Samson, “Until now, you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what you might be bound.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.”
14) She fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He awakened out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam, and the web.
15) She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.”
16) It happened, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was troubled to death.
17) He told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come on my head; for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me, and I will become weak, and be like any other man.”
18) When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up this once, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hand.
19) She made him sleep on her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
20) She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that Yahweh had departed from him.
21) The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he ground at the mill in the prison.
(Judges 16:1-21, WEB)

Samson was quite a character; blessed by God with exceptional strength, but subject to all the weakness of the male of the species. He took what he wanted out of life without regard for the wishes of his creator and ultimately paid a price for it. Samson had lost that purity that the kids in the picture obviously have and that loss was a great one indeed!!! In the next chapter of Judges, we see God using Samson, but I can't help but wonder what Samson's life would have been like if he had remained pure. In case you are wondering, my first girlfriend was named Susan and I used to bring her flowers and we would sit in the front seat on the school bus. Love is a wonderful thing; somehow, it was extra special in the first grade.

Another use for "Pearly"

Here is something I bet you have never seen before; a cow used like a horse. Yet, strangely enough, when I was young, my younger brother and I used to ride a cow named "Pearly". We didn't have a saddle of course and the ride was very slow, but we were happy anyway. Its not very often we think of cows being prominent in a Bible story, but here it is.

Samuel 5:8-12 (WEB)
8) They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath.” They carried the ark of the God of Israel there.
9) It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.
10) So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people.”
11) They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
12) The men who didn’t die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
(1 Samuel 5:8-12, WEB)

1 Samuel 6:1-12 (WEB)
1 Samuel 6
1) The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2) The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place.”
3) They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.”
4) Then they said, “What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?” They said, “Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5) Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6) Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed?
7) “Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
8) and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go.
9) Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us.”
10) The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
11) and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.
12) The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
(1 Samuel 6:1-12, WEB)

Saul and his sons were dead, the ark was captured by the Philistines, yet story was not over; the Philistines needed to pay for what they did. And pay they did! The WEB refers to their affliction as "tumors", when in fact they were hemorrhoids. The atonement the Philistines had to make was golden images of their tumors along with the ark being returned to Israel. You guessed it, the cows brought them back. Just goes to show you, God always wins in the end.

Perspectives in punctuation

From the moment of birth we are defined by our sex. Common sense will tell you: boys and girls are just naturally different. No matter what society you consider, there is a constant friction between the seses. Men want too much control over the female of the species and so do women. All this leads to strife, but it really doesn't have to be that way. Read some of what Paul had to say:

1Co 11:1-16 ESV
(1) Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
(2) Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
(3) But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
(4) Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,
(5) but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.
(6) For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.
(7) For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.
(8) For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.
(9) Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
(10) That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
(11) Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;
(12) for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.
(13) Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?
(14) Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,
(15) but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.
(16) If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

Different from the creation, made for different purposes, with different characteristics and strengths, each compliments the other. They why so many problems? I think it is because God is left out of the equation. Instead of worrying about greatness or power in a relationship, why not focus on God instead. Man is the head of woman (as defined as the source, or the head-water, if you will) and woman comes from man and is for him. Relationships that are meaningful, go far beyond power and reach even to the heights of true love. No matter how you punctuate the paragraph at the top, if God is guiding both individuals, then everything will be OK! Now, if I just could get my own spouse to listen to this I would be in great shape. But, who knows, maybe someday........