I have been good....but...

Cute!  Beyond the cuteness is the reality: We need help.  There are many temptations out there and God will help, but we need to ask for assistance.  The following short verse says it all...

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (WEB)
17) Pray without ceasing.

The closer you are to God, the easier it is to ask for help.  Make no mistake, you will need it. 

Greatness of the Greatest

This is a pool fit for a king!!!  Set in a tropical locale, adorned with palm trees, and having crystal clear waters, its beauty is enhanced by a glorious sunset!!!  Elegance defined, beauty extraordinary!!!  I can even begin to wonder what it might be like to live in such surroundings.  Yet, this does not appear to be a computer generated image and therefore SOMEBODY resides here.  Can you image the wealth and power such an individual might have?  Someone, perhaps, of the caliber of a Nebuchadnezzar?  How would such a person conceive of God and view himself?  Read on to find out...

Daniel 4:1-37 (WEB)
1) Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
2) It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me.
3) How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
4) I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
5) I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
6) Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7) Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.
8) But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying,
9) Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
10) Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great.
11) The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its sight to the end of all the earth.
12) The leaves of it were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all: the animals of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
13) I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky.
14) He cried aloud, and said thus, Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.
15) Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth:
16) let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.
17) The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.
18) This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
19) Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream, or the interpretation, trouble you. Belteshazzar answered, My lord, the dream be to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.
20) The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth;
21) whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation:
22) it is you, O king, that are grown and become strong; for your greatness is grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23) Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him;
24) this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king:
25) that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.
26) Whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be sure to you, after that you shall have known that the heavens do rule.
27) Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.
28) All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29) At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.
30) The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?
31) While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from the sky, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you:
32) and you shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field; you shall be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.
33) The same hour was the thing fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair was grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
34) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
35) All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or ask him, What are you doing?
36) At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me; and my counselors and my lords sought to me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me.
37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.

Nebuchadnezzar was a somebody; he had conquered Israel and ruled one of the most glorious empires the world has ever seen.  The hanging gardens of its capital, Babylon, were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  The wall surrounding this city was so wide that four charioteers could race abreast atop its walls.  Now, THAT is big!!!  Nebuchadnezzar had power almost beyond description and was blessed by the God of Heaven with spiritual insights though the prophet and seer, Daniel.  However, he didn't listen to the prophecies revealed through Daniel, but praised himself instead of the creator.  God humbled Nebuchadnezzar until he awoke to the reality of God's greatness as compared to his own insignificant life.  God has a way of doing things like that and the result is an example for us all to contemplate.  No matter how successful, how powerful, how marvelous we are in our own eyes, God's greatness and power dwarfs our own with an utter completeness that words cannot express.  Wow, the next time I go swimming in our community pool, I intend to thank God first before I dare to put as much as my little toe in the water.  Hey, you never know!!!!

The edge of the world

Impossible!  Yet, there was a time when there was an edge to the world.  And if you went to far, well, you fell off!!!  The knowledge man has acquired is a wonderful thing (for the most part), we can see things far away and speak to one another over vast distances.  We have learned to split the atom and have visited other planets.  All these things (and more) have occurred in the last century and are the culmination of thousands of years of learning.  However, there are questions we cannot answer and problems we do not even know exist.  Man's knowledge is linear, that is, it grows upon earlier experience.  We postulate theories of the past from telescopic observations and inferences, but do we really, really know?  Think how many theories have been proven wrong in our own lifetime.  We don't know everything and never, ever will.  Near the end of the book of Job, God asks Job questions that are too difficult for him and when he realizes his own smallness, he answers God in this way...

Job 42:1-6 (WEB)
1) Then Job answered Yahweh,
2) “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.
3) You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ therefore I have uttered that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I didn’t know.
4) You said, ‘Listen, now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’
5) I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.
6) Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

The human race needs to make this acknowledgement; its time to face the fact that our understanding is infantile compared to the creator of all things.  Science will NOT answer everything because it is limited by the capabilities of our human nature.  We may know that the world is not flat, but do we know how to love (and not hate) our neighbor?  Maybe we will have to fall off the edge of the world to understand the greatness of God and our own shortcomings.

A simple pleasure

Somebody is happy!!!  Animals can bring such pleasure!!!  Most days my wife and I go for a swim in the community pool and once in a while a bird will come to the edge of the water for a drink.  Now, the birds have seen many, many people, so they are not easily frightened and sometimes will let you come within a few inches of them, but this bird has them beat!!!  Finding joy in the simplest of things is a wonderful habit, although sometimes it takes a bit of effort.  Take this episode from the book of Luke for example...

Luke 2:1-20 (WEB)
1) Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2) This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3) All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
4) Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
5) to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6) It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.
7) She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8) There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9) Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10) The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11) For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12) This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
13) Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
14) “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
15) It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16) They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
17) When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
18) All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
19) But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
20) The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

From everything I have ever seen, heard, read or even guessed, having babies is painful.  I sort of cringe at the idea of what is happening, but at the same time I know it is a perfectly natural thing.  The outcome of the whole process is a human being and what mother does not experience joy at the birth of her child?  Yes, the simplest pleasures are the best because God has made them for us to enjoy and isn't that what life is all about?

A beautiful morning!!!

This picture brings back a lot of memories of upstate New York.  I especially liked the Autumn season, where the brilliant mix of colors astounded the eyes with its complexity.  Often, there would be a mist in the morning and when it cleared even more color greeted the eyes.  Mornings were a special time, a time of possibilities, when the day unfolded and hope was in the air.  The following passage from the book of Exodus was one such morning.

Exodus 14:15-31 (WEB)
15) Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
16) Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.
17) I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
18) The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
19) The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
20) It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one didn’t come near the other all the night.
21) Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22) The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
23) The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24) It happened in the morning watch, that Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
25) He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”
26) Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”
27) Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28) The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
29) But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
30) Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31) Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh, and in his servant Moses.

Slaves, they were mostly slaves.  And Egypt was the mightiest nation of its era.  Yet God was victorious over them.  This episode gave courage and hope to God's chosen people and helped them coalesce into the nation of Israel.  What a beautiful morning that must have been!!!

Idyllic!!!

I like this picture not only because of its idyllic setting, but because of its contrast in colors.  Somehow the vividness of the colors enhances the black to utter blackness and that makes an impression on the mind.  People are like that too, some are really bad and you remember them for a long time; the same is true of genuinely good people.  Here is a passage from the book of John which seems to bring out what I am referring to....

John 1:1-9 (WEB)
1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2) The same was in the beginning with God.
3) All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.
4) In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
6) There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
7) The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.
8) He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.
9) The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

John the baptist was a really good man but when compared to Jesus he was like darkness.  Jesus outshines all.  Even the best of men can not compare to him.  He adds zest and understanding to life like light does to blackness.  Now, that is idyllic!!!

Smart

Smart, very smart!!!  Someone has something upstairs. Sometimes it seems that the cleverest people have the simplest of work.  After a little reflection, I can understand the process of how this solution came to be, but how about how God works? 

Ecclesiastes 8:17 (WEB)
17) then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

Some things are beyond human understanding.  Science doesn't have the answer to everything.  Its like an ant trying to design a thermonuclear device... just not going to happen.  Yet, there are many out there who think that the world revolves around man, but in fact God is the source of everything.  As smart as someone might be, God takes intelligence to a whole different level.