Written in stone.

Ironic isn't it?  When I think of something written in stone, I think of something permanent.  My first thought when I saw this was of the Cecil B. Demille movie: The Ten Commandments.  Remember Pharaoh saying: so let it be written, so let it be done.  Well, when Pharaoh gave a commandment, it was written in stone.  And if he decided to change history (which was somewhat common in those days) he had his underlings simply chisel out the old and write it anew.  Convenient, isn't it?  Ironic too, because for all their redaction, they too lost all their power and eventually were committed to the Egyptian sands of forgetfulness.  Secondly, I thought of the ten commandments written on stone tablets and then to this passage from the new testament...
 

WEB: II Corinthians Chapter 3

[1] Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? [2] You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; [3] being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh. [4] Such confidence we have through Christ toward God; [5] not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; [6] who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. [7] But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away: [8] won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory? [9] For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. [10] For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses. [11] For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

Even the ten commandments passed away.  Oh, there was nothing wrong with them and they are eternal.  The problem was with US.  Human beings just can't keep them perfectly.  So God has written his word on our hearts instead and instead of stone we have life.  

For it is written in the prophet Jeremiah:

WEB: Jeremiah Chapter 31
[31] Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Yahweh. [33] But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: [34] and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

and also in Habakkuk:

WEB: Habakkuk 2:4. Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

You might say:This is a contradiction.  It isn't at all; The Bible is the continuing story of God bringing man back into fellowship with Him.  God gave commandments which were pure and holy and perfect, but we aren't, so he sent his son for us and now we can be THROUGH HIM.  AND THAT IS WRITTEN IN STONE!!!

The hand of the Lord my God was upon me by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/text/ezr7_28.htm

Ezra is the topic and an interesting one too.... Gary

Humm, I wonder what commercial this could be....

Cute kid!!!  Reminds me of that commercial "got milk?".  This provoked the thought... I wonder if God has advertising?  The answer came quickly with the memory of this familiar Psalm...

World English Bible: Psalms Chapter 8

[1] Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,
who has set your glory above the heavens!


[2] From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength,
because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.


[3] When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have ordained;


[4] what is man, that you think of him?
What is the son of man, that you care for him?


[5] For you have made him a little lower than God,
and crowned him with glory and honor.


[6] You make him ruler over the works of your hands.
You have put all things under his feet:


[7] All sheep and cattle,
yes, and the animals of the field,
[8] The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea,
and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.


[9] Yahweh, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

God has created everything!!! Exactly WHY, I will never know.  But, how can a mere human being exist in this vast world and not wonder if there is something behind it all; designing and organizing it in glorious splendor?  If we just consider our own makeup, with the complexities of interaction of nerves, muscle and capillaries, it is beyond belief.  Just try, if you will, to consider the depths of thought to which human beings are capable of in science, engineering, math, poetry and music.  How did these things come about; by accident?  When the human race is capable of making a star and planetary satellites; of transforming barren rocks into ecosystems and making intelligent beings, I might think differently, but we all know that is NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!  It is far more reasonable to say that simple childlike faith can guide us to our heavenly creator. God is out there and waiting; waiting for us to realize who and what HE is and to love and obey him.  Just look around you and will see God, because HE has created everything!!!  Humm, somehow the thought "Got God?" comes to mind.  I wonder why???

David's charge to Solomon by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/text/1ch28_9.htm

Another day, another chance to learn...Gary

Seeing God

Seeing God

When I look at the sky so vast, with colors in the clouds

Its plain to me that you are there showing how love abounds

And when I see a mountain high or a beautiful bird in flight

I know its wings are supported by your might

At noontime when the sun is high and shines with with colors bright

I see your love proclaimed to me by the beauty of its light

when a newborn smiles at me with eyes so new and bright

I see that behind those lovely orbs the power of your might.

and when at last I leave this world, unknown sights to see

I know that you will be right there to love and comfort me

chorus

Oh LORD, open my eyes and help my my heart to see

that you have put your love everywhere and given it to me.

A beautiful car that I would never buy!!!

Today's post is a difficult one for me to write.  Difficult because it brings back a painful memory of something that actually happened.  I hope that those of you who know me will understand and perhaps we will become even better friends.  It was 1964 and I was 15 years old.  Too young to have a car, I had to walk where I wanted to go.  Linda and I had been going out for a few months and had argued over something stupid, but I knew that a phone call was not enough, so I had to see her in person.  So, I left the house about dust and started walking.  It wasn't long before I reached route 40 in  Melrose and soon after a car like the one in the picture stopped to pick me up.  The driver was the biggest, most muscular man I had ever seen!!!  After I got in, he peeled rubber and down the road we went.  It wasn't long before I knew something was wrong; he kept looking at me in a way I had never seen before and it made me nervous.  Then, he put his hand on the automatic stick shift and before I knew it he rubbed the side of my leg.  As he did, he said: "Its a nice night, want to go for a swim?".  At this point I was scared out of my wits because I remembered there had been a murder in Melrose not that long ago and that the deceased had been sexually abused before being killed.  My mind raced and I said:"I can't... just got out of the hospital".  "What was wrong" was his reply.  I then proceeded to tell him about my imaginary bout with pneumonia.  "Are you OK, NOW"? was his reply.  "Pretty much" I answered "but the additional drugs they put me on for my other problem are nasty".  "Extra drugs... for what"?  Syphilis, I said, and at that he moved his hand away from my leg and from then on kept both hands on the steering wheel.  He let me out at Kardas Road past the school and I never saw him again... which is fine by me.  I lied to save my life and it worked, but I am not proud of it.  Then again, it was a long time ago and The God of Heaven has been working on my heart for many decades now.  Which is why I have sincerely tried to be honest with people in all things.  Why?  Because I have wanted to please God in all things, just like someone else I have begun to know...

World English Bible: Galatians Chapter 1

[1] Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead), [2] and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia: [3] Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, [4] who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father— [5] to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

[6] I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”; [7] and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. [8] But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. [9] As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed. [10] For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ. [11] But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. [12] For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. [13] For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it. [14] I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, [16] to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, [17] nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus. [18] Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. [19] But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord’s brother. [20] Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying. [21] Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. [22] I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ, [23] but they only heard: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.” [24] And they glorified God in me.

Paul had a "history".  He had tried to destroy the church and he was not at proud of it.  However, Jesus reached out to him; Saul changed and became known as Paul.  More than just a name change; he changed his ways!!!  True conversion is like that; you really, really change!!!  Linda and I married and were living in our home Valley Falls about ten years after the hitchhiking incident and had a small get-together in our home (I really don't remember why).  I asked everyone to be seated because I had an announcement.  Then I proceeded to tell everyone of my desire to preach the Gospel.  The laughter was humiliating!!!  A few believed; most did not.  No one laughs about it today.  People CAN CHANGE!!! And, if I can, you can!!!!!  Just be honest with yourself and others; seek God and his will for your life and everything will be FINE.  As Paul would say:"Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying." Coming face to face with truth and then doing something about it changes things!!!  Remember, as long as you draw breath you can have HOPE.  HOPE has a name; its Jesus... you might want to remember that...

The Samaritan religion by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/text/2ki17_24.htm

His lessons are worth reading...Gary